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List Price: $29.99
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If you are like me and mad late catching up with series, download the Bioshock demo off of PSN first to see if this your cup of tea. I usually avoid first person shooters like the plague. I have no interest in Call Of Duty, Battlefield or any other war crap. Yet, I was very impressed by what I played in the Bioshock demo. I was very close to purchasing Bioshock until I saw this great package was about to be released.
Take heed to the 'Mature' rating before purchasing this for little Billy or Suzie. These games may be extremely graphic, violent, bloody, and bizarre for those who do not have an open mind or the patience to understand what is going on. The rest of you will love it! A mix of survival horror, rpg elements and a fast paced shooter all blended together to make a classic series.
A perfect deal for only $30 plus tax. 1 disc, and 3 Bioshock Infinite promo stickers are included. Best to have disc auto start turned off before inserting these combo pack discs to avoid a game from automatically loading up like Assassin's Creed Revelations does with the Ezio Trilogy disc. You can disable disc auto start by navigating to Settings > [System Settings] in the XMB menu.
With disc auto start turned off, when you first insert the disc, 2 icons will appear. 1 icon to install Bioshock 1. A 2nd icon to install Bioshock 2 plus all DLC's for both Bioshock 1 and 2 which you can install separately from the disc anytime you choose. In other words, if you only want to install Bioshock 2 and then decide to install Minerva's Den, you can do so at anytime you choose.
Install times are nowhere near as long as the Ezio Trilogy pack. In fact, when you install Bioshock, you are treated to a musical loading screen playing 1950's music with interesting in game ads while the games install.
Graphics still look great and stand the test of time. The voice acting is very convincing and sets the tone for an eerie, creepy world to explore filled with various sinister, psychotic characters all with their own evil, twisted agenda. A lot of time and thought went into creating the story and the very believable city of Rapture. If you are not a first person shooter fan, give this a shot.
Here are a list of DLC's included:
Bioshock: DLC's Plasmids Pack, Challenge Rooms Pack, Bonus Museum Level
Bioshock 2: DLC's Minerva's Den, Sinclair Solutions Tester, Rapture Metro, Kill Em Kindly, The Protector Trials
SUBTITLES FOR BIOSHOCK 1:
Minor spoiler for Bioshock 1. To access the subtitles, start a game of Bioshock. After the opening plane crash scene, you will assume control of Jack who surfaces from underwater. Pause the game, select 'options' and you will see an option to turn on subtitles.
HOW TO FIX 'CONTINUE' / LOAD GAME ERRORS:
There was a common issue with Bioshock 1 and 2 where loading up a saved game by selecting 'Contnue' or 'Load Game' would result in a freeze error where your saves never load up. Unfortunately this issue still carries over to the Ultimate Rapture Edition. This happened to me recently and luckily there is an easy fix for this.
On your PS3 in the XMB menu, simply navigate to your 'Game Data' folder under the Games menu and delete all Bioshock files.
DO NOT DELETE ANY SAVED GAME DATA WHICH IS LOCATED IN A DIFFERENT FOLDER, SAVED GAME DATA FOLDER.
Once you delete all Bioshock game data files, simply reinstall Bioshock and your saves should load just fine.
Click Here to Read More Reviews >>
Welcome to the Circus of Values! The first two BioShock games are two of the best games this console generation has seen and now we have the opportunity to get both of them, complete with all their downloadable content, here in one package.
There really isn't anything new I can say about these two games that hasn't already been said when the games were originally released. Both are amazing story-driven FPSs that showcase some of the best imagination and creativity in video games. The graphics were great for their time and still hold up well today but will show their age when compared to some of the more recent game releases. Since so many reviews have already been released about the original games I am going to instead focus on the extra content that is included. If you are on the fence about the games themselves, I would encourage you to view the reviews on the original product pages to get a better understanding of the games.
!WARNING! These games have great stories and it would be a shame to have them spoiled for those of you new to the series. A few inconsiderate reviewers will contain details that will spoil the story for you, so proceed with caution!
Bioshock
Bioshock 2
Now on to the added content!
The DLC is included on the disc which means no codes to enter and nothing to download. The case says 22 GB are required to install all the content but its not one huge install; you can pick and choose which pieces of DLC to install and each has to be installed separately.
The first BioShock comes with the Plasmids Pack, the Challenge Rooms Pack, and the Bonus Museum Level. All content is single-player; there was no multiplayer in the first game. While all the DLC from the second game is installed separately, the DLC for the first is installed in one package. This isn't that big of a deal since most of the DLC included is for the second game anyhow.
The Plasmids Pack isn't really worth mentioning; this was a free update that anyone with an internet hookup had access to. This patch/DLC brought in a handful of new Plasmid powers and added new trophies/achievements. While this update was free of charge, its convenient to have it on disk and not have to download it.
The Challenge Rooms pack were three independent levels that were separate from the game's story and originally only available on the PS3 and now 360 owners get to enjoy them for the first time. The name says it all; they are rooms with a challenge. Sometimes puzzle-driven, sometimes combat. They aren't really a necessity to fully enjoy BioShock; they're a nice bonus but easily done without. The Challenge Rooms originally released for $9.99 and come with their own set of trophies. Unclear at this time if the trophies were translated to achievements for this edition but I would assume so.
The Bonus Museum Level is a great addition for the big BioShock fans out there. Unfortunately, there's not much to it. It consists of one medium-sized room with several "exhibits" and concept art lining the walls. Here we get to see the different ideas that were played around with and ultimately scrapped before the game was finalized. Walking up to each piece provides a small description in paragraph form. Its nice to see actual detailed 3D models of these ideas, but without any movement or sound they're simply lifeless statues that you will quickly get bored with. Even the biggest BioShock fans will spend a limited amount of time in here; I consider myself one of these fans and I was out after 20 minutes. Very interesting and a nice bonus, but I doubt I'll go back anytime soon.
The added content for BioShock 2 are the Sinclair Solutions Tester pack, Rapture Metro map pack, Kill'em Kindly mode, The Protector Trials, Minerva's Den, and a Character Pack (apparently not mentioned on the case). Assuming that you're interested in the multiplayer aspect of the game at least somewhat, there's a lot of value here. Being that the game is nearing its 4-year anniversary, its understandable that the multiplayer has fallen off quite a bit from where it was. Many of the modes are simply impossible to find games for without setting them up yourself with invites to friends and the "players met" list. Most of the action takes place in the Civil War mode, which is simply Team Deathmatch. Getting into a Civil War match is fairly easy, but there are times when it will take a few minutes to find one. Also, without dedicated servers you're left at the mercy of the host. That means if they have a horrible connection you might see some lag and if they leave the game you're forced to return to the lobby to restart the match. I don't see lag too much, but be prepared for a host leaving every so often. Still a lot of fun and there's always hope that new players will emerge with the release of the Ultimate Rapture edition. Time will tell, but for now be warned; while playable, the multiplayer is far from thriving.
!NOTE! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PLATINUMING THIS GAME, PLAYING MULTIPLAYER TO LEVEL 40 IS REQUIRED. This isn't impossible but will require about 15-30 hours depending on your skill level. I'm a fairly decent player and it took me around 22 hours.
The Sinclair Solutions Tester pack added a level cap increase to the multiplayer from level 40 to 50. Two new playable characters and 5 masks were added along with a third upgrade option to all weapons. The pack released for $4.99.
The Rapture Metro map pack features six new maps that you will likely never play. Seriously... if one person enters the lobby without this map pack then these maps are excluded from the rotation. Finding a lobby full of people with this map pack is next to impossible. The best way to ensure you see these maps (other than setting up a private match by yourself and roaming around) is to set up sessions on gaming forums. There are trophies tied to this pack, but as with all DLC trophies, they aren't required for the Platinum. This pack also included the option to "rebirth" at level 50, allowing you to start over at level 1 (like prestige in COD). The map pack released for $9.99 and had three new trophies/achievements.
The Kill'em Kindly mode is simply a melee only game mode for multiplayer. This was offered free of charge to anyone with an internet connection so again, this was mentioned only because its now included on disc without the hassle of downloading. Remember when I said most of the action took place in Civil War? Guess which game mode you won't be playing much of...
The Character Pack is the last multiplayer content and it wasn't mentioned on the case. It includes two playable characters that were originally only available for those that pre-ordered the game. The pack eventually released for $1.99. (And just to be clear, when I say "playable characters" I mean skins. There is no difference in stats or weapons available from one character to the next and choosing one from another is purely for cosmetics, though they each have their own set of one-liners that they spout off during the match.)
The Protector Trials is a single-player horde mode that contains somewhat of a side story. In each level you must protect the harvesting little sister from a wave of splicers. You are graded on your performance on each level and, much like the Challenge Rooms from the first game, your arsenal is pre-selected making you strategize accordingly. It released for $4.99 and had seven new trophies/achievements.
Minerva's Den is more of a traditional single-player side-story offering that is probably the best content included in this package. I don't want to go into too much detail for the sake of spoilers. It will probably take you anywhere from 2-6 hours depending on how your playstyle is. It released for $9.99 and had eight new trophies/achievements.
CONCLUSION
Now, after all that you can see that this Ultimate Rapture edition is a great value but more for new players that have never experienced the BioShock series or for huge BioShock fans. If you've played the games before but don't consider yourself a big fan then its safe to pass. For those of you getting pumped over the new BioShock: Infinite that's releasing soon, an exclusive pack of 3 collectible stickers are included. As mentioned by other reviewers a HUGE chunk of hard drive space (22GB) is required to install all of the content, HOWEVER... you are not required to install everything all at once. Meaning that if you are limited on hard drive space you can always install one game and play it, then delete it before installing the second one. This will cut that 22GB size down substantially(When checking my folders it seems BioShock measures in at just over 6GB including the DLC. BioShock 2 is 9.3GB for the game and just over 4GB for all of the DLC. Even if you include save data we don't reach the 22GB listed on the case, but its close enough).
Also, if you like the BioShock games and enjoy reading, be sure to check out John Shirley's prequel to the series. A great read if you're a fan!
Buy BioShock Ultimate Rapture Edition Now
First off, these games are amazing, and with all the DLC included (on disc, no codes included), this bundle is a steal.
Now, both games and the DLC are all on one disc ( a dual layered Blu-ray disc to be precise). Once you insert the disc, two icons will appear, one for "Bioshock" and one for "Bioshock and Bioshock 2 Additional Content". When you start Bioshock 1, the only thing you have to install is game data, which is about 5GB. When you choose the "Bioshock and Bioshock 2 Additional Content" icon, Bioshock 2 and all the DLC for both games will be listed. Unlike Bioshock 1, Bioshock 2 (the entire game) has to be completely installed, which amounts to 9.4 GB of space. The DLC has to be installed as well, which is about 5.6GB all together.
Adding all three totals together, it's really 20GB instead of 22GB, but it's still a lot.
Despite all that, this is a great bundle, and at $30, it's one that should not be missed
Read Best Reviews of BioShock Ultimate Rapture Edition Here
There's not much to say about Bioshock that hasn't been said before: it's an awesome franchise (so far) and the story is VERY good (among the best I've seen); it's one of my top recommendations for video games. Still, it may not be for everyone: its a survival horror (think Silent Hill or the first Resident evil) in first-person view, but with a much more immersive story well sewn into the gameplay.
True Story's user review recommends downloading the demo before buying and I agree completely, because the game compels you to think stategically: in normal difficulty you'd be mostly fine just taking cover and shooting, but in the higher difficulties (or when aiming for the platinum torphy) you'll be slaughtered if you don't use every part of the environment to your advantage (and I do mean EVERY PART, as the game is designed for this)... Unless you play in the easy but not-so-enjoyable difficulty.
If you don't care much for serious storytelling, scarce resources, startegic thinking over bullets flying, and sensitive moral questioning, you'll not enjoy Bioshock to its fullest.
Anyroad, is this Ultimate Rapture edition (URE) worth it? Maybe: some factors may strongly influence the decision depending on what you're looking for. One thing, though: only Bioshock 1 comes in disc version; Bioshock 2 MUST be completely installed in the HDD, so if you're the kind of user who downloads most of your games into you PS3, think well about available room in your PS3 (about 20 Gb) before buying this bundle.
One kind of gamer I picture buying this is someone that hasn't played Bioshock before but is interested in it or has played it (either through a lent copy or through the demo) and liked it. They should actually get this edition, for Bioshock 1 will most likely absorb them so much they'll crave the sequel (and probably the prequel in book format: BioShock: Rapture) AND the DLC, because Minerva's den gives more story background, so why not get it all in one shot? Probably the continue glitch (see below) won't apply to you (just install the DLC for Bioshock 1 before beginning your playthrough).
Other kind of gamer I picture is the collector of all things Bioshock. This one has the collectors edition of the three Bioshocks, so, who are you kidding? You need this to complete your collection regardless of the very few new things it will give you (the stickers and the Museum).
But maybe you only have Bioshock 1. Then this could still be for you, as it inlcudes almost all the DLC (see below) available. Even if you've played both games (either finished them or not) but not own them and think this is a good deal to get them, you're probably right, though only the first game comes in disc format. Bioshock 2 is a digital version of the game (like the ones you donwload from the PlayStation Store). If this is your case, keep in mind there's an issue with the PS3 URE where the load screen freezes when you choose to continue or load a save file. Delete the game data (not saved game data, mind you) from your PS3 and install the game again to arguably fix this. It works, but when you install the DLC again, the problem will be back. This stems from the fact that the DLC for Bioshock 1 seems to conflict with pre-DLC save files (I don't know if the same happens with PS Store-downloaded DLC), so deleting game data and installing again reverts the game to a pre-DLC status, thus allowing you to use your save files albeit without DLC, which means that if you want to keep your save files, your URE DLC won't work. Looks like the "real" solution consists of starting a new game after installing URE DLC because, somehow, the save files don't conflict with downloaded content if you created the save file AFTER installing DLC (?). I did it and worked fine, but I only played the first level, so I can't say it's a permanent solution. I had already finished the game (platinum trophy included), so it's no big nuisance, but consider this if you haven't finished it and were thinking to do it on URE from a previous save file: either finish first and install DLC later or begin anew after installing DLC. This seems to be only a problem for Bioshock 1 (I checked for Bioshock 2 and everything works fine).
If you already own Bioshock 2 but not Bioshock 1 nor any DLC, this is a good buy. If you own Bioshock 2 and the DLC, better get the first game and Challenge rooms separately (unless you're willing to cough up $30.00 for one game and three stickers).
IF YOU HAVE BOTH GAMES BUT NO DLC, DON'T BUY THIS (unless you're a hardcore collector of Bioshock). It's better to buy the DLC directly from the PlayStation Store, as I will now explain.
The Plasmid pack will likely be irrelevant for PS3 because it was always there and it was made for Xbox 360 users, who didn't get it when the game came out (NOTE: this is just my memory speaking and I haven't been able to confirm this with online research). The Museum isn't a real playable level: it's just an in-game big room with 3D renderings of some of the content from the "Bioshock: breaking the mold" art book with new captions. The DLC for Bioshock 1 includes the New Game Plus feature (use your overpowered character from the beginning of a new game) for unlock when finishing the game (use wisely, as no trophies are awarded in NGP and, again, if you already finished the game, beware of the continue glitch, as deleting game data will wipe the memory of you having finished already).
That said, here's the total cost of the DLC from the PlayStation Store:
Challenge rooms: $9.99
The Protector trials: $4.99
Minerva's den: $9.99
Sinclair Solutions tester: $4.99
Rapture Metro & Kill 'em kindly: $9.99
Total: $39.95, which still makes "Over $40 of add-on content" an overstatement (would be true with base DLC prices plus the characters pack; see below).
If you think this is a good deal for the DLC and stickers alone, you'd be right, were it not for another option available: the $24.99 Bioshock 2 DLC bundle from the PlayStation Store that includes all of the above (save the Challenge rooms, which are Bioshock 1 DLC) AND the Exclusive character pack (two additional characters for multiplayer; $1.99 if bought separately). If you throw in the Challenge rooms pack ($9.99), you'd be spending $34.98 for the same DLC as in URE and getting two extra MP characters not included in URE. If you're looking to net the DLC alone, URE is only $4.98 cheaper with the Museum and the three Infinite stickers, but no characters pack (or a mere $2.99 if you buy the characters separately), so in my opinion you'll be better off with the $34.98 PlayStation Store option.
And then, there's me... I got this because I physically hate my Greatest Hits versions of both games (the red case doesn't appeal to me), because of the DLC, and because of the stickers, but there's something weird: for some reason, if you already own Bioshock 1 and want to play from the URE disc, you'll have to install the game all over again (if you use your regular version you'll only face a short install for the Challenge rooms). I thought this was because of some sort of "specific-disc-linked data", but the first time I played Bioshock 1 was on a disc a friend lent me and when I got mine (the Greatest Hits edition, :S ) I didn't have to install again, so I'm clueless as to why this happens with the URE... And there's the continue glitch, but still, for me, those are no biggies.
In all, if you don't own any Bioshocks and want to, this is for you (four stars). If you're a hardcore collector of Bioshock, this is for you (nevermind ratings). If you only own the first (or second) Bioshock AND no DLC, this is still for you (three stars because of the continue glitch). If you own both games but no DLC, this isn't for you.
Want BioShock Ultimate Rapture Edition Discount?
there are comprehensive reviews for both games elsewhere, so i will limit this review to this edition and its contents.
but that being said, both bioshock 1 and 2 are truly amazing gaming experiences.
this edition is a stellar value, no question. some of the dlc was previously available, some was not, but one thing that is totally new is the addition of STICKERS!
first off, all dlc is ON DISC. this is great news for those folks who are not fans of psn codes.
here is what is included:
bioshock1
plasmid pack
challenge room pack
bonus museum level
bioshock2
sinclair solutions tester
rapture metro
kill 'em kindly
the protector trials
minerva's den
3 stickers from the upcoming bioshock infinite
the stickers are a little lackluster, to be honest. i was really hoping for some of the vigors (murder of crows, anyone?) or even the beautiful concept art, however what we get are three stickers (about three inches by four inches) showcasing the following:
monument island
the first lady's aerodome
hall of heroes memorial giftshop
the real silliness involved in this set is the amount of time it takes to install. if both games and all dlc's can fit on one disk, i mistakenly thought install for everything would be a one-step snap. WRONG. just about every item must be installed separately, with some things taking an inordinate amount of time to do so. bioshock one took about twenty minutes (not a huge deal), however bioshock two took nearly an HOUR. this is easily the longest install i've ever seen...which is odd, because i already owned both games, and neither took so long to originally install. that being said, i recently upgraded to the 500gb ps3, so i know it isn't the system.
the box says the game/s require 4997mb of space...however looking at my ps3 i am more than a little confused. bioshock 2 installed to my ps3 game folder, and that game alone states 9343mb. and if bioshock2 installed directly to my hard drive, then why didn't bioshock1? color me confused on this one for sure.
all technical installation nonsense aside, i am super pleased to have the new content, and i will certainly be playing through both games again to experience as much as i can. bioshock1 holds the honor as my personal favorite gaming experience of all time.
i will update my review after i have seen how all the new dlc plays out. be warned: some of the dlc is multiplayer only. my only experience with the multiplayer aspect was not such a fun experience. i guess i was late to the multiplayer experience and was killed literally seconds after entering the game by other folks. that happened three times in a row before i decided that maybe it wasn't for me. i will probably give it another try in hopes that the online community has gotten less kill happy with the newcomers.
you really can't go wrong with this set. i would pay full price for bioshock1 all over again, let alone to get all this new dlc, PLUS the second game and the new dlc available with that. if you are on the fence at all, i'd encourage you to sieze this opportunity.
