I agree that the setting far outperforms the story itself. The setting is really the dominant narrative in the game, rather than the story.
Why? Because it's a video-game: you form the narrative through your own actions and experiences within Rapture. When I think about my time spent playing Bioshock, the bulk of it wasn't concerned with Atlas, Fontaine and Co... it was spent whacking Splicers with a wrench, fleeing from Big Daddies, hacking turrets, listening to journals, taking in the sights and sounds of the environment.
That's why, ultimately, I was very satisfied with Bioshock. The Atlas/Fontaine twist is both exciting but anti-climatic: the game becomes immediately dumbed down from that point onward.
I think the best way to enjoy Bioshock is just to boot it up and play the first couple of hours. I've done this countless times now. They're simply some of the best gaming moments spun off of a disc.
Why? Because it's a video-game: you form the narrative through your own actions and experiences within Rapture. When I think about my time spent playing Bioshock, the bulk of it wasn't concerned with Atlas, Fontaine and Co... it was spent whacking Splicers with a wrench, fleeing from Big Daddies, hacking turrets, listening to journals, taking in the sights and sounds of the environment.
That's why, ultimately, I was very satisfied with Bioshock. The Atlas/Fontaine twist is both exciting but anti-climatic: the game becomes immediately dumbed down from that point onward.
I think the best way to enjoy Bioshock is just to boot it up and play the first couple of hours. I've done this countless times now. They're simply some of the best gaming moments spun off of a disc.