Go deep into BioShock

"We are going to drive a stake through the heart of FPS cliches." A declaration like this might normally seem arrogant, but Ken Levine, the Creative Director of the ambitious next-gen shooter BioShock, backs his words up with a gonzo demonstration. The narrated video that you can now see for yourself (by hitting theMovies tab at the top of the page) shows that Levine is serious about ending cookie-cutter AI, static environments and hallway-bound "rail shooters."

BioShock's story centers on exploring the bowels of Rapture, the magical, decrepit city at the bottom of the sea, but the unique and incredible relationships of her residents steal the show. Rapture is a failed attempt at an underwater utopia, and the sea is slowly reclaiming the city. Pay particular attention to the astonishingly realistic water effects, only made possible by dedicating an entire team of programmers to making these possible.

This is the first time that the public has been invited to see BioShock in motion, even though the press saw a similar demonstration months ago during E3. This delay is notable not for the secrecy of the project but for the care the team is taking to show gamers only startlingly polished views of the game at every stage. In this era of shoving unfinished games out of the door as soon as possible, this rare approach is welcome and one we hope is borne out when the game is released next spring.

September 22, 2006