BioShock™ on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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BioShock is a shooter unlike any you've ever played, loaded with weapons and tactics never seen. You'll have a complete arsenal at your disposal from simple revolvers to grenade launchers and chemical throwers, but you'll also be forced to genetically modify your DNA to create an even more deadly weapon: you.
BioShock™ is a fps, atmospheric and story rich game
developed by 2K Boston and 2K Australia
and published by 2K.
Released on August 21st 2007 is available only on Windows
in 5 languages: English, French, German, Italian and Spanish - Spain.
It has received 30,931 reviews of which 29,127 were positive and 1,804 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. 😍
The game is currently priced at 4.99€ on Steam with a 75% discount.
The Steam community has classified BioShock™ into these genres:
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Get an in-depth look at BioShock™ through various videos and screenshots.
System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
Minimum:
- Operating System: Windows XP (with Service Pack 2) or Windows Vista
- CPU: Intel single-core Pentium 4 processor at 2.4GHz
- RAM: 1 GB
- Video Card: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 128MB RAM and Pixel Shader 3.0 (NVIDIA 6600 or better/ATI X1300 or better, excluding ATI X1550)
- Sound Card: 100% direct X 9.0c compatible sound card
- Hard Drive Space: 8GB
- Game requires Internet connection for activation
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
Released roughly 10 years after System Shock 2, Bioshock (the 'shock' in the title is on purpose) is the spiritual successor to SS2. Beginning life as another sci-fi horror game set aboard a station, the game would eventually shift themes to an underground Nazi laboratory before settling on the Art Deco underwater motif. Which is quite a trip. From SS2's deep-space to the bottom of the ocean, this started as SS3 before settling on being a 'spiritual successor' with a new world altogether. Bioshock takes place in Rapture, an underwater, man-made city. It's guiding philosophy is best exemplified by a prominent banner the player sees at the very start: “No Gods or Kings. Only Man.' (a fantastically evocative phrase). In other words, Rapture is a Laissez-faire society, where the artist, scientist, doctor, and entrepreneur is free from 'parasites' that would otherwise stifle progress. And who are the 'parasites'? Big government taxation; Communist collectivists, and the poor seeking wealth redistribution. Churches with their moral objections to research. Environmentalists. Etc. Bioshock's world is therefore Ayn Rand brought to life. Err...game. Brought to game. If you're really interested, look into Objectivism-her philosophical work. Bioshock is a Capitalist utopia that is facing some unsavory consequences in its minimal regulation. The poor are taken advantage of and used as stock, with orphans in particular being 'put to work'. Morality would reasonably get in the way of progress at times (think the Nazi experiments on humans). In a society that is unchained from that morality, you have social strife and civil turmoil. As well as extreme wealth and advancements. One of those achievements is the discovery of ADAM, which is a material that allows for the genetic modification of humans. It's the perfect plot device for a society obsessed with progress with no moral limitation: an amazing achievement in genetics, with human suffering as a side effect. ADAM allows the ugly to become beautiful, as well as telekinetic abilities. Like electric shock, levitation of items, etc. In a competitive society suffering from emerging social strife, it plays into the hands of militias, corporate warfare, and the everyday minutae of keeping up with the competition. Everyone eventually becomes 'addicted' to this material, losing their sanity without regular injections of it. If this sounds like I'm spoiling the story, I'm really not. It's all told within the first level. There's a more personal story at play here, with the protagonist's entry into Rapture (unwilling entry, that is). He's thrust into the current civil war and destruction, assisting a character in finding his wife and child. I won't spoil a lot there, but I will note that the game has a very ingenious 'twist' at play. And the main character is much more closely related to the happenings in the underwater city than originally thought. ADAM is not just a narrative element, it's also a game feature. An interesting one, because to me it represents what Psionics in SS2 tried to be. ADAM is much better than Psionics. And it's mostly because it separates the passive abilities from the 'active' ones that are used in battle. Plasmids allow you combat abilities that interact with the environment, whilst Gene Tonics provide passive benefits. Reminder that in SS2 both required activation and only remained for a set period of time. And the combat abilities were few and rather uncreative. Whereas in Bioshock you can set up traps. If Plasmids are Psionics done right, everything else is merely carried over from SS2 with minor enhancements. Ammo types are present once more. Security cameras and turrets. Even hacking. Only the hacking mini-game is more than just RNG. You solve a puzzle whereby you divert a liquid to its proper end-point. Everything from SS2 carries over, only it's done better or more competently. About the only thing I'd argue this game 'lacks' over SS2 is map complexity. SS's map had you backtrack to previous areas. Frequently. They all felt like part of a larger whole, as opposed to levels that exist separately from one another. While you can traverse back to previous levels in Bioshock, you will never have to backtrack between levels to progress. And while there are multiple rooms that require exploration within levels, you'll never get lost. It's simpler. Which isn't to say the level design is bad, but it's a point worth bringing up in the comparison. And since we're on the topic of levels, I should mention how incredible the art is for this game. The levels aren't just corridors. They're art pieces. Seriously. In fact, Bioshock was displayed at Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C (in 2012). In a 'Video Games as Art' exhibit. The game is littered with ads, musical pieces, and glimpses of the ocean surrounding the undersea metropolis. It's wonderfully creative, and evocative of 1920's America. The 'video games as art' argument doesn't just rest on the visual, either. Bioshock is an incredibly unique game in it's themes. Obviously the philosophy of Objectivism wasn't coined by the Bioshock writers, but it's certainly not a common theme in games or any other media of the time. And the implications of such a worldview are brought out in interesting manners in the game world. I recall all the conversations about the underlying philosophy and how it did, or could have, played out in the game world. And it's rare for games to inspire such spirited and substantive debate. But even beyond the 'world lore', there is a well thought out and captivating drama taking place in the background. Of a protagonist living a lie and unknowingly being taken advantage of. Which plays into the larger 'Man as the creator of his own destiny' philosophy, which is ingenious. The only real, objective issue with the game is that it is (supposedly) difficult to launch. Bioshock runs on a heavily modified version of Unreal Engine 2, which is probably why so many people experience technical issues with it. I didn't, but I see all the guides and forum threads asking and offering solutions. And yes, this game looks incredible even today (probably due to good art direction), but it's actually running on an extremely outdated game engine (even for the time). There is a 'remaster' whose purpose is entirely to get the game to run on modern systems. Because it doesn't 'remaster' anything. If anything, it actually looks worse in certain parts. But whatever the case, and however you play the game, it's one of those 'hall of fame' type of games that everyone should play. My praise for SS2 carries over to Bioshock. Only in much stronger terms.
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Actual masterpiece of a game, won't spoil anything but the twist has to be one of the best parts of any game I've played so far, at least in regards to the narrative
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Rating: 10/10 BioShock, released in 2007 by 2K Games and developed by Irrational Games, is one of the most iconic and influential FPS games of all time. Combining deep storytelling, immersive world-building, and unique gameplay mechanics, BioShock delivers an unforgettable experience that blends philosophical themes with tense survival horror elements. Whether you're exploring the haunting underwater city of Rapture for the first time or replaying to catch every detail, BioShock remains an absolute must-play. Why BioShock is a Timeless Classic 🌊 Incredible Setting – Welcome to Rapture The game’s biggest strength is Rapture, a beautifully crafted underwater dystopia, built as a utopia of freedom and innovation but ultimately destroyed by greed, power, and madness. From the moment you descend into the ocean, the game grips you with its haunting atmosphere and stunning Art Deco architecture. 📖 A Deep and Thought-Provoking Story BioShock is more than just an FPS—it’s a narrative masterpiece. It explores themes of free will, objectivism, and morality, heavily inspired by Ayn Rand’s philosophy. The story twists and turns in unexpected ways, leading to one of the most famous plot twists in gaming history. 🔫 Satisfying and Unique Gameplay The mix of guns and Plasmids (genetic powers) creates incredibly fun combat. You can freeze enemies, set them on fire, electrocute water puddles, or turn enemies against each other. This freedom allows for creative and strategic encounters. 🧬 Little Sisters and Big Daddies – A Moral Dilemma Throughout the game, you must decide whether to harvest or save the Little Sisters, which affects the story’s outcome. Protecting or fighting the terrifying Big Daddies, their monstrous guardians, makes for some of the most intense fights in the game. 🎶 Incredible Sound Design and Atmosphere The eerie 50s-era music, distant whale calls, and creepy echoes of insane Splicers roaming Rapture make every corridor unsettling. The voice acting is also top-tier, with unforgettable performances that bring Rapture’s tragic inhabitants to life. Any Flaws? ❌ Some Clunky Combat Mechanics The shooting mechanics can feel a little stiff compared to modern FPS games, but the unique powers and strategy compensate for this. ❌ Hacking Minigame Can Be Repetitive Hacking turrets and vending machines is useful, but the pipe-connecting minigame gets old fast. Fortunately, later games refined this mechanic. Conclusion BioShock isn’t just a great game—it’s a work of art. Its story, setting, and atmosphere make it a must-play for any gamer who loves deep narratives and immersive worlds. 🔹 Rating: 10/10 – A masterpiece that still holds up today. Would you kindly play it?
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After all these years of Bioshock being released, it is still a wonderful classic that needs to be experienced to the highest degree by anyone. The story is well-crafted, the mechanics are addicting, and the ambience and sound effects are beyond the time that it was created for, and still is even to this day. I can not express this enough, do yourself a favor, and would you kindly buy this game?
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Would you kindly stop scrolling and read this review Bioshock was groundbreaking in the way it introduced many gamers to an obscure art style and a niché political philosophy; namely art deco and objectivism. Both of these are weaved into the games DNA and helped to create its iconic look, deeply immersive and memorable world, and its well written story and characters. The opening few minutes are also iconic and almost perfect in the way they introduce the player to these two concepts, as well as to one of the game's antagonists, Andrew Ryan. It is mostly on the rails and involves lots of delightful visual storytelling as well as a recorded speech from Ryan. As the haunting music sores your 'ride' culminates in a sudden reveal of Bioshock's underwater city, Rapture, a place founded by Ryan in the hopes it would become an objectivist utopia. "[I]I am Andrew Ryan, and I'm here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No!' says the man in Washington, 'It belongs to the poor.' 'No!' says the man in the Vatican, 'It belongs to God.' 'No!' says the man in Moscow, 'It belongs to everyone.' I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose... Rapture[/I]" On arriving in the city it quickly becomes clear that Rapture is far from a utopia and that something has gone very, very wrong. Now I'm no political expert, but it's obvious from Andrew Ryan's opening monologue that this is a world built on objectivism. As I understand it, objectivism, a philosophy cooked up by Ayn Rand, is a form of right wing, hyper libertarianism, married to extreme capitalism. If selfish greed were a political philosophy, it would be objectivism. The needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many, as a mirror universe version of Spock might say. Bioshock isn't a celebration of Rand's politics though; as you explore Rapture you'll quickly realise through the narrative that this is a critique of Ayn Rand's political philosophy. It turns out that in an underwater city where everyone is working for themselves, nothing useful or necessary gets done and there's no-one to do the menial, less 'creative and fulfilling' jobs; those jobs that are vital to maintaining and running a vast underwater city. There is also no money to pay the people who are needed to do those jobs, and no supervision. The citizens of Rapture also discovered a substance called Adam. When refined into a Plasmid, Adam rewrites a person's genetic material, giving them superhuman abilities. One of the downsides of plasmids use is their addictive qualities and they can also cause mental and physical degradation when over used. The second 'person' you see in Rapture is a victim of Adam abuse and has lost their mind, becoming a murder happy Splicer. You see them through a small window, gutting the first person you see. So Plasmid use isn't healthy; luckily as the player you will inject yourself with many many plasmids! In a democratic society, regulation, ethical considerations and/or law enforcement of some kind could have led to better safeguards and more thorough testing of Adam. But in Rapture that would be hampering creative genius. Then some sort of conflict began on new years eve 1958, between factions loyal to Ryan and those loyal to somebody named Atlas. With plasmids added to the mix things clearly didn't go so well, and this becomes apparent soon after you 'land'. Things are fucked, to put it mildly. You piece a lot of this together within the first hour or so through the visuals alone. Rapture's beautiful, clean, simple, symmetrical 1920's art deco face is cracking. The imposing bronze sculptures are tarnished and some are toppled; the gold plaques are grimy, and the green marble and ceramic tiles are pitted, shattered and broken. There are leaks everywhere too; maintenance having been largely abandoned. The city is flooding and large parts of it are without power. Machinery is malfunctioning and there are there are bodies all over the place. Many of the dead are in evening wear that is age worn and tattered. Some are wearing masks, like they died during a masked ball. The Splicers are similarly attired but those without masks are horrifyingly deformed. Mutated. The atmosphere is unsettling and meloncholic, and sometimes, when the lights are flickering, casting strange shadows and the faint, nonsensical noises of one of Rapture's mad citizens are getting ever louder, and closer, the game is outright frightening. This would be a decent way to tell a story but there are also audiologs made by the citizens before things went to shit, and NPCs that aren't currently trying to kill you. When taken together this is world building at its finest. Later on you'll start learning about the player character and their connection to Rapture, the two philosophies of Ryan and Atlas and the ultimate fate of the city. This is the game's story and it's wonderfully paced and told, and incredibly immersive. I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the gameplay, but it's only important as a part of the whole, nothing about the FPS mechanics is outstanding. None of the guns are particularly memorable but they sound meaty enough and can be upgraded, as well as fitted out with different ammo types. You can also hack cameras and sentry bots to help you in combat, and these skills, along with heath and energy can be levelled up. You need the energy to use plasmids. There are a large number of plasmids, some of which you find and others you have to buy. They too can be levelled up and range from basic magical attacks like incinerate, winter blast and electrobolt, which are pretty self explanatory, to more tactical ones such as telekinesis, a decoy and one that charms enemies to fight for you. Enemy variety is a rather limited, there are only a few different types of Splicer, but each benefits from a slightly different approach to takedown, and there are generally plasmids that are better at countering certain Splicers. Encounters can be hectic if there are multiple Splicer types and then there are the big baddies. Not Splicers themselves, these armoured giants stomp around Rapture often in the footsteps of small girls. These little sisters are Adam gatherers* and you need Adam to buy plasmids, but before you can deal with the little sisters you have to get rid of daddy. Now you can just leave these pairings be when you encounter them, and as long as you don't get too close to the child the big daddy won't attack. It's always worth it though, and these fights can be some of the best, and worst when they're messy, in the game, requiring lots of ammo and plasmid use. This is where the game's morality system comes into play, you can 'harvest' the little sisters for a large amount of Adam, killing them, or release them from their drugged servitude, saving them for little material gain. It's one of those shit good/evil binary choices that video games do, that are never really choices because the good option is obviously the one to go, especially if it effects the ending. You're not even really punished for choosing the good option because after you've saved enough little sisters they'll drop off presents stuffed with Adam. It's definitely one of the most poorly thought out aspects of BioShock, along with the hacking mini game. Nothings perfect though. I've wasted enough of your time. Bioshock is a fantastic game worthy of its iconic status; it's beautiful, dark, deep,, smart, engrossing and unforgettable. Get it. Now. Would you kindly give me all your points. *They get it from the dead
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Frequently Asked Questions
BioShock™ is currently priced at 4.99€ on Steam.
BioShock™ is currently available at a 75% discount. You can purchase it for 4.99€ on Steam.
BioShock™ received 29,127 positive votes out of a total of 30,931 achieving an impressive rating of 9.22.
😍
BioShock™ was developed by 2K Boston and 2K Australia and published by 2K.
BioShock™ is playable and fully supported on Windows.
BioShock™ is not playable on MacOS.
BioShock™ is not playable on Linux.
BioShock™ is a single-player game.
BioShock™ does not currently offer any DLC.
BioShock™ does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
BioShock™ does not support Steam Remote Play.
BioShock™ is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for BioShock™.
Data sources
The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.
Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 10 September 2025 22:26 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 09 September 2025 23:12 |
| Steam price | 14 September 2025 12:46 |
| Steam reviews | 12 September 2025 15:45 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about BioShock™, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about BioShock™
- SteamCharts - Analysis of BioShock™ concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck BioShock™ compatibility
Game modes
Features
Online players
79
Developer
2K Boston,
2K Australia
Publisher
2K
Release
21 Aug 2007
Platforms