Tools for this page
Print

BioShock

(2007, Video Games - First Person Shooter, Rated M, Play it on: Windows, Xbox 360)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

    (Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)

    Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 17.
  • Is it any good?

    5.0
  • Common Sense says

    Superb but gory gameplay in first-person shooter.

Why We Rated This not for kids

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    Not an issue.
  • Messages:

    Players are forced to make moral choices, such as whether or not to kill "Little Sisters" (needle-toting girls) to absorb their powers.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Plenty of shooting, gore, and blood, including the option to kill mutated little girls. You can use regular weapons including shotguns, machine guns, grenades, and crossbows; as well as special powers, thanks to Plasmids, including incineration, insect swarm, ice blast, lightning strike, and more. Some of the puzzle solving is about how to kill your enemy, such as giving enemies a fatal electric shock by using your lightning strike power on water they're standing on.
  • Sex:

    The game contains a strip club that is advertised throughout various levels. There is no sexual activity but at one point you will see the ghost of a brutally murdered stripper laying on a bed.
  • Language:

    Examples include "f--k," "s--t," "Goddammit," "hell," "bastard," "son of a bitch," and "piss."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    You can drink alcohol in the game, which affects your vision and performance, as well as shoot up with a needle to obtain special powers. There are also advertisements for smoking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of BioShock was written by Marc Saltzman

Parents need to know that this game contains graphic violence and gore, and the controversial option to harvest "Little Sisters," mutated 10-year-old girls who extract a coveted fluid called "Adam" from dead people. The game presents you with a moral dilemma: Kill a girl for the most "Adam," or save her life for less. Choosing the latter yields payoffs including bonus items and support from other characters. This game is adult in nature across the board with some sexual overtones, foul language, and references to alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about how the game introduces very mature themes. Could the game makers have delivered the same kind of visceral experience without pushing the mature envelope? And how about the moral decision to kill or save the "Little Sisters"? Do you become heartless when choosing to kill them or is this acceptable within a game setting, especially given its creepy sci-fi context?
Did this review help you decide?
Do you play it? Review It!

More on BioShock

What’s the Story?

2K Games' BIOSHOCK from 2K Games begins with you as a survivor of a plane crash in the North Atlantic. After swimming to shore through flaming debris, you find a lighthouse with an elevator that takes you on a one-way ride down into Rapture, a hidden underwater city that has been torn apart by civil war. Not only must you find a way out alive in this non-linear underwater world dominated by biologically mutated citizens, robotic enforcers, and little girls who steal life-giving fluid from the dead, but you have to solve the mystery of what happened here. You can biologically modify your body to create superhuman weapons, and dozens of unique plasmids and gene tonics (often found in vending machines throughout this world) must be consumed to enhance your abilities. Close

Is It Any Good?

BioShock is an exhilarating adventure that breaks new ground in interactive storytelling and digital art design. More so than any other game in recent memory, it is dripping with atmosphere and intrigue, and it's one of those rare titles where story, dialogue, and character development are just as important as the action sequences. Xbox 360 players who are 17 or older will not want to miss out on this extraordinary interactive adventure. Close

Publisher’s Details

Released on 08/20/2007, price $59.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: M (for blood and gore, drug reference, intense violence, sexual themes, strong language)

Want more? Get Common Sense recommendations delivered to your inbox.

Our Members Say

Do you play it? Review It!

  • What did you think about BioShock?
  •  I think this game is

    for ages

  •  I also give it

  •  Any concerns?

  •  Any highlights?

  •  Love it? Hate it?

  • or to post a review
See all 67 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title off for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models
    • Safety isn't an issue
    • Easy to play

    THE VIOLENCE IS OVERDONE

    This game was amazing, but has a lot of graphic violence. NOT 4 KIDS

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0

    Just and FYI

    Just tought that i'd mention that Bioshock is also for the PlayStation3. I just love pointing out holes in things like that. Don't know why I'm typing this? look at the top of this webpage and you'll see it says, and I quote "(2007, Video Games - First Person Shooter, Rated M, Play it on: WINDOWS,XBOX360)"!! How do they miss something like, oh, I dont know, the fact that they are missing a whole system that you can play this god of a game on. Ah, whatever, I'll never understand the capitalist types...

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    I rate this title off for age 10 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models

    Its a dark an very gory game and also it takes a wile to master the controls

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0

    Absolutely the best game ever!

    Absolutely best game I have ever played. This game features multiple endings to an already intriguing storyline. I think this game takes FPS (first-person shooters) to an entirely different level. The controller is almost impossible to put down. The game does an excellent job of keeping suspence through the roof and startling moments just at the right time. This game is made by 2K and Havok, who have also made "The Elder Scrolls" series, which come in as a close second to this game. I think when it comes to violence and blood, I thknk this game just pushes the boundaries from "setting the stage" to "overly exaggerated". However, it is not a game I would want to play alone in the dark. I have beaten this game in three times, each time experiencing the alternate endings, and I have to say, it is my favorite game ever.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Safety isn't an issue
    • Easy to play

More Great Stuff For Your Kids

  • Now Playing

    Aliens in the Attic

    Aliens in the Attic

    Silly teens-versus-aliens adventure is sure to delight kids.

  • Issue Spotlight

    Rules of the Road for Texting

    Rules of the Road for Texting

    Set limits long before they get behind the wheel.

  • Book of the Week

    Shiver

    Shiver

    Does for werewolves what Twilight did for vampires.

  • Most Popular This Week

    Family Gaming

    Family Gaming

    The Fab Four generation is about to go gamer. Yeah, yeah, yeah!

  • Game of the Week

    NHL 10

    NHL 10

    Excellent, authentic pro hockey sim includes brawls.

Give Us a Minute, Get a Lot of Common Sense!
  • Age-appropriate best bets for your kids
  • Weekly email alert with the latest picks, reviews & advice
  • Post your own reviews and share them with friends

This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
A screen name protects your privacy
To post a review or comment you must become a Common Sense Member. It's easy!

Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.

Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations.
A screen name protects your privacy

Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
(optional)
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

We can make Common Sense just right for you. With a little info about you and your family, you'll get the most out of our site.

Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.

Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!
Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations
A screen name protects your privacy