# Tell me about Bioshock. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 26, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525 "2010-02-26T15:18:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/21 "2010-02-27T21:00:42Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > There’s not really a trick. [spoiler]The first Big Daddy you face in the Medical Pavilion is very, very difficult - you just don’t have much in the way of weaponry to face him. For him, make sure you’re maxed out on health kits and eve, and don’t be afraid to use a kit or run to the medical station when you go below 50% health. Use electroshock a lot - shock, shoot a few times, then shock again. There’s a turret nearby that you should have hacked (always hack turrets), but it may have been destroyed by roaming splicers. If you beat him with no health kits or eve left, you’ll still be fine. > > The first Rosie in the fisheries level is tough too. There are 2 turrets on the lower level you should hack before taking him on. After those 2 BDs, they get progressively easier - you increase in strength a lot faster than they do. Once you’ve got the chemical sprayer and electrogel, they’re almost trivial.[/spoiler] Ah cool. It was actually the Rosie I was having a lot of trouble with, the first Big Daddy was not so bad as I had a lot of armour piercing and electro ammunition. (I didn’t know the Rosie was different from a Big Daddy.) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/22 "2010-02-27T23:07:05Z")
I found the best thing by far for big daddies, big sisters, and brute splicers was the drill. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/23 "2010-02-27T23:29:27Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I found the best thing by far for big daddies, big sisters, and brute splicers was the drill. I’m playing the first game now for the first time and I’ve just recently been placed on the hunt for Mister F after slaying Mister R. Where is the drill found? I can’t remember how to enable spoiler tags… ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/24 "2010-02-28T00:47:20Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I’m playing the first game now for the first time and I’ve just recently been placed on the hunt for Mister F after slaying Mister R. Where is the drill found? > > I can’t remember how to enable spoiler tags… There’s no drill in Bioshock 1 - he’s talking about Bioshock 2. Both Bouncers and Rosies are a type of Big Daddy. You’re probably up to elite Bouncers and Rosies by now. You should have enough trap ammo to make short work of them - the cool thing about Big Daddies is they don’t fight you until you attack them first, so you can set up the area first. And there’s the always amusing tactic of hypnotizing a Big Daddy, make him follow you to the one you want to kill, take one shot at the target BD and then let the two of them fight it out. To make a spoiler, surround the text you want to spoil with the word spoiler in square brackets, and with a slash on the last one, like this, but spell it correctly: [spioler]Text to spoil[/spioler] ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/25 "2010-02-28T02:12:13Z")
The first game had traps?? I had the first game but it’s such a long time since I played it. I don’t remember traps. I loved the traps in the second game (trap rivet, trap spear, proximity mine, mini turret) because I could take my time filling an area with these things before attempting something difficult. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/26 "2010-02-28T05:10:02Z")
The first game had trap bolts from the crossbow, and proximity mines from the launcher. Both pretty much identical to the versions from the second game. No mini-turrets or trap rivets though. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/27 "2010-02-28T05:22:16Z")
Hijack: Bioshock is one game that, for me, was let down by its demo. For some reason I really didn’t like the demo and decided not to buy it based on that experience. I’ve only bought it now because of the BS2 hype and the fact that it’s cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/28 "2010-03-01T02:51:10Z")
[quote=“1920s Style “Death Ray”, post:27, topic:530525”] Hijack: Bioshock is one game that, for me, was let down by its demo. For some reason I really didn’t like the demo and decided not to buy it based on that experience. I’ve only bought it now because of the BS2 hype and the fact that it’s cheap. [/QUOTE] Which is absolutely the BESTEST thing about games. I’m a patient guy. It’s _extremely_ rare I’ll pay $60 for a game when I can wait 9 months and pick it up for $20. Bioshock 2 was one of those times I plunked down the $60 (well, $55) and and happy to be back in Rapture. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/29 "2010-03-15T14:47:49Z")
Okay. Bioshock effing ROCKS! As cool as Dead Space was, it definitely takes hind tit to Bioshock. Rapture is a fascinating and well-realized place. It feels far more “real” than any video game world in which I can remember playing. I say this as a Silent Hill fanatic, mind you, and a dirty, dirty Final Fantasy whore. FPS games can’t avoid a certain degree of similarity to each other since all of them are designed to sell to people who want to run around with guns and kill shit. In that respect, Doom = Duke Nukem 3D = Wolfenstein = Half Life = Dead Space = Bioshock. What sets the good ones apart from the boring ones is what they do to expand a little on that concept. Bioshock’s backstory and art direction were head and shoulders above anything I’ve encountered in a FPS before. In that respect, it rivals the best of Silent Hill. It was a particularly nice touch that the various splicers had different personalities and obsessions which were reflected in their dialog. The splicer doctor expressing disgust at everything being COVERED IN SEMEN!!! had me pissing my pants with laughter. Game play was excellent. Jack did what I wanted him to do when I wanted him to do it. No artificial difficulty due to shitty controls or goofy cameras. For crazy people, the splicers displayed a reasonable degree of intelligence; only the thuggish splicers were wont to charge straight into my guns. As I understand it, the instant resurrection via vitabooths has been somewhat controversial. IMO, it just kind of evens things up for the Big Daddies being insanely difficult to kill through much of the game. Now, how about a couple hints? Yesterday, I restarted from the beginning because I fouled up and killed Sander Cohen right after completing his “masterpiece.” This, I found, denies me access to his apartment and a “power to the people” machine later in the game. So, do I just flee the area when he comes down the stairs to admire his work? Also, in the “reactor core” segment there is a corpse, a diary, and a crate under one of the sets of stairs. Access seems to be through a crawlspace, but despite scouring the area, I never did find the entrance. Anybody know how to get there? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/30 "2010-03-15T16:18:07Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > As I understand it, the instant resurrection via vitabooths has been somewhat controversial. IMO, it just kind of evens things up for the Big Daddies being insanely difficult to kill through much of the game. Yeah, the vita-chambers make the fights too easy - the opponents are still at the same health level they were when you were killed, so there’s no downside (apart from losing money & ammo) to just resurrecting multiple times. Besides, the BDs become very doable after the 3rd level or so - you just have to remember to keep using health kits during the fight. > [@](#): > > Now, how about a couple hints? Yesterday, I restarted from the beginning because I fouled up and killed Sander Cohen right after completing his “masterpiece.” This, I found, denies me access to his apartment and a “power to the people” machine later in the game. So, do I just flee the area when he comes down the stairs to admire his work? Pretty much. Once you get the message that the bathysphere station is open, just sweep up for any loot you may have left, and leave. > [@](#): > > Also, in the “reactor core” segment there is a corpse, a diary, and a crate under one of the sets of stairs. Access seems to be through a crawlspace, but despite scouring the area, I never did find the entrance. Anybody know how to get there? If it’s the same one I’m thinking of - there’s a door nearby you go through to get to someone’s office, that’s flanked by 2 turrets. Right before the stairs (5-6 steps) up to the turrets, turn left, and closely & slowly examine the wall. There’s a panel that will light up and prompt to open, leading to a crawlspace that eventually leads to the space under the stairs. So, harvest or rescue? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/31 "2010-03-15T18:03:20Z")
Rescue. Now if it had been a matter of my little girl needing ADAM… ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/32 "2010-03-15T18:24:20Z")
I just found a hilarious little easter egg in Bioshock 2. There’s a frozen area with lots of ice to melt. Under one patch of ice… …melting revealed a frozen cat. When I approached, the cat had a name appear, “Schrodinger” ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/33 "2010-03-15T18:30:55Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > So, harvest or rescue? Once through each way. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/34 "2010-03-15T19:31:59Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Rescue. Now if it had been a matter of my little girl needing ADAM… Wait’ll you get to Bioshock 2… ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/35 "2010-03-15T19:41:23Z")
I loved Bioshock 1. I don’t think I could play it again; it scared the crap out of me, but the game was awesome. And very immersive. I would KILL I think for an RPG set in that world. I wish, I wish, I wish. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/36 "2010-03-15T20:22:38Z")
I’m glad you like it, **ScumPup**. I think its pretty damn cool too. Now go get yourself Bioshock2, Fallout 3, Crysis, both COD Modern Warfares and Left For Dead 2 and you’ll pretty much have all the best FPS games out there. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/37 "2010-03-15T20:39:03Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I’m glad you like it, **ScumPup**. I think its pretty damn cool too. Now go get yourself Bioshock2, Fallout 3, Crysis, both COD Modern Warfares and Left For Dead 2 and you’ll pretty much have all the best FPS games out there. …Fallout 3 is termed a FPS? I love that one, too, but I rather thought it at least crssed the line to an RPG. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/38 "2010-03-16T19:27:29Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > …Fallout 3 is termed a FPS? I love that one, too, but I rather thought it at least crssed the line to an RPG. You may be right, its kind of a hybrid in that respect. Its still quite engrossing, nonetheless, and one of the best games I have ever played. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/39 "2010-03-17T14:53:27Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Now, how about a couple hints? Yesterday, I restarted from the beginning because I fouled up and killed Sander Cohen right after completing his “masterpiece.” This, I found, denies me access to his apartment and a “power to the people” machine later in the game. So, do I just flee the area when he comes down the stairs to admire his work? Yup, just leave. But don’t forget when you DO kill him…that you need to take a picture of his corpse. That gets you the “Irony” achievement. As for the Big Daddies, I have two preferred ways of killing them. The showy way is with trap bolts and the crossbow. When you find a Big Daddy (and this works far better on Bouncers than Rosies, because they don’t have ranged attacks), set up in a hallway. What you’ll do is, fire one trap bolt, duck, fire another, move aside and stand up, and repeat, until you have a nice set of trap wires 5 across and 2 deep. Needless to say, do this so that you’re on the opposite side of the traps from the Big Daddy. Then, take one pistol shot at him to piss him off. He’ll charge at you right through ten trap bolts and die at a full run. It’s great fun to watch the collapse. The other preferred way is far simpler: get the Security Bullseye plasmid. Toss it at a Daddy in an area with security cameras (don’t worry, they don’t notice it, so they won’t turn on you), and just let the security bots take him on. One judicious use of the plasmid will usually take off half a Big Daddy’s health. Yet another way that’s fun: find an object, preferably an explosive one, like an oxygen cylinder. Stick about 6 proximity mines to it. Then, pick it up with Telekinesis and hurl it at a Big Daddy; if it doesn’t kill him, it’ll have him on the brink of death. If you’re an achievement whore like me, use saves to your advantage. As in, save your game, invent a bunch of cheap crap to get your Inventor achievement, then reload your saved game; you’ll have all your parts back to invent stuff you actually want. And save right before you start playing slot machines to get your “Lucky Winner” achievement, then reload to get your money back if you spent too much. Action photos have more research value, so if you can, photograph enemies just as they attack you. Don’t forget to photograph security bots, cameras, and turrets as well. Finally, you can photograph a subject several times before its research value is lost, so just snap snap snap until you don’t get any more credit to speed up your research. Freezing hackable objects slows down the fluid, giving you more time to finish the hack. If you’re like me, you’ll hack everything you see, whether you use it or not. Always hack health stations; splicers who try to use a station you hacked will be injured or killed, saving you the trouble. Hacking nearby turrets is another way to make Big Daddy fights easier. For the ending:You can have fun battling Atlas if you want, but if you want to take him down quick and easy, just use the electric gel in your chemical thrower, and pour everything you have at him. The fight will take about a minute. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525/40 "2010-03-17T14:59:33Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > You may be right, its kind of a hybrid in that respect. Its still quite engrossing, nonetheless, and one of the best games I have ever played. I agree. I am replaying it now, and just beat the main game again. I just love the ambience. Walking around listening to 50s music slaying ghouls…awesome. Max Torque, nice breakdown. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-bioshock/530525.md?page=3)