BIOSHOCK: THE COLLECTION / DEVELOPER: VARIOUS / PUBLISHER: 2K / PLATFORM: PC, PS4, SWITCH, XBOX ONE / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
2K Games are really spoiling us this week, with the simultaneous release of the Borderlands Legendary Collection and BioShock: The Collection on the Nintendo Switch, which sees multiple games in each franchise being released on a portable console for the very first time. We checked out Borderlands the other day (right here!), so it would be rude not to have a look at BioShock as well!
This collection includes all three BioShock games, originally released between 2007 – 2013, and all of its single-player DLC (BioShock 2‘s multiplayer mode is no more). The first BioShock game, set in the underwater art-deco city of Rapture whose inhabitants have been driven insane by genetic mutations, is considered by many to be one of the all-time greats, and its sequel, which revisits Rapture eight years later, reaches many of the first game’s highest points. BioShock Infinite is a different beast, with a much heavier story that takes protagonist Booker DeWitt to the floating city of Columbia where he finds a society ravaged by warring factions, racism and power-hungry leaders.
All three games hold up tremendously well today, to the point where you wouldn’t be surprised if someone told you they’d only been released a couple of years ago. Infinite has aged very gracefully indeed, especially its “sky hook” which allows Booker to travel between the airborne islands on a network of rails while picking off enemies below with a variety of weapons. It was a bone of contention for many players back in the day, but in 2020 it seems to feel more natural than it ever did before. On top of this, and as much of a cliché as it might be to say it, Infinite‘s story is more powerful and relevant today than it’s ever been.
Switch owners will be pleased to hear that the games all run beautifully well, with no stuttering or long loading times in sight, although Infinite seems to suffer slightly with some blurry visuals here and there (especially noticeable in areas with detailed backgrounds while in handheld mode). If you’re already a fan of the series and have been wondering whether this portable version lives up to its higher powered console cousins, there’s nothing at all for you to worry about. For newcomers, the fact that BioShock: The Collection contains three of the finest and most influential games of the last generation should make this an essential purchase.
