Bioshock: The Collection

Genre: Compilation / First-Person Shooter

Players: 1

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Review:

Bioshock: The Collection is a compilation of the remastered versions of Bioshock and Bioshock 2, as well as a port of Bioshock Infinite based on the PC version of the game, as well as all of the games’ DLC content. This collection was originally released on other platforms in 2016 and brought to the Nintendo Switch in 2020. For those unaware, the Bioshock games are story-focused First-Person Shooters that take place in fantastical locales in alternate versions of history – the first two games taking place in the dystopian underwater city of Rapture in the 1960s, and Bioshock Infinite taking place in the skyward city of Columbia in the 1910s.

Here is what I thought of each game in this collection:

Game	Genre	# of Players	Grade
Bioshock: Remastered	First-Person Shooter	1	B+
tl;dr Bioshock has aged somewhat since its original release in 2007, but it’s still fun to play, and while Rapture may not be as graphically impressive as it once was, it’s still extremely visually-striking, with some of the best world-building ever to be found in a videogame. In the end, this is still an excellent port of a legendary First-Person Shooter, and an absolute must-play for anyone who hasn’t experienced it before, and worth returning to for those looking to revisit that nostalgia.
Bioshock 2: Remastered	First-Person Shooter	1	B
tl;dr Bioshock 2 has aged somewhat since its original release in 2010, and it’s still fun to play, but as with this game’s original release, the return trip through Rapture isn’t quite as impressive as it was the first time around, and the story isn’t nearly as compelling. This is still a fun First-Person Shooter, but don’t expect anything quite as memorable as the original Bioshock.
Bioshock Infinite: The Complete Edition	First-Person Shooter	1	A-
tl;dr Bioshock Infinite takes this First-Person Shooter series to the skyward city of Columbia, resulting in what I believe to be the best story, the best world-building, the best visuals, and the best gameplay in the series. The Nintendo Switch version runs well, but has the most visual cutbacks made to it out of the entire Bioshock trilogy compared to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 counterparts. Even so, this is a phenomenal First-Person Shooter that still looks and plays great on the Switch, and it’s an absolute must-play game for fans of the genre, especially if you don’t already have it on another platform.

All three games in this collection are well worth playing, but the real treats here are the first and third games, which have both aged somewhat but are still extremely compelling games, thanks largely to their excellent story and phenomenal world-building.

In terms of the quality of the ports, all three games run well on the Switch and look better than the original console release, with each game running at a solid 30FPS framerate and a dynamic 1080p resolution in docked mode, with a 720p dynamic resolution in portable mode. However, the latter two games dip into lower resolutions more frequently than the first Bioshock, and Bioshock Infinite makes a number of other visual cutbacks as well. It’s noticeable, but it doesn’t ruin the experience by any means.

In terms of what’s included here, all games include all DLC that was ever released for them, with Bioshock: Remastered even going above and beyond that by including an interactive museum, commentary, and unlockable interview clips with the game’s creators. However, none of these games feature gyroscopic or touchscreen controls, so don’t expect anything special out of the Nintendo Switch release of the game beyond the ability to play these legendary games on a portable.

In terms of value, these games were originally released from 2007 through 2013, and are offered here together for $50, and at an average price of $17 apiece this seems like a pretty good deal for Nintendo Switch owners overall, especially given how few truly great First-Person Shooters the Switch has. Of course, since this collection has been out on the other platforms for many years longer, it’s cheaper to get them elsewhere by this point, so that’s something to bear in mind.

Something else to note here – I should also mention that if you’re looking to buy the physical version of Bioshock: The Collection, be warned that playing Bioshock 2: Remastered and Bioshock Infinite: Complete Edition require a digital download, so bear that in mind when deciding which version of the game to get.

All told, Bioshock: The Collection is a decent value for three good ports of three excellent First-Person Shooters. While these versions of the game clearly have a graphical downgrade compared to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions, the Nintendo Switch versions of the games are still top-notch, and absolute must-have games if you missed them on other platforms, or if you’re looking to play them on the go.

tl;dr – Bioshock: The Collection bundles together the original Bioshock trilogy along with all of its DLC in a package that looks better than its original console releases (though not quite up to par with the Xbox One or PlayStation 4 versions of the games). The first and third of these games are epic, genre-defining games that still play great today, and the second game is still pretty good too. If you’re looking for some great First-Person Shooters on the Switch, this is definitely a good choice.

Grade: B+

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2020 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Compilation/Collection, Best Value

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