KMGR of Bioshock 3D (part 1)

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Bioshock 3D is an interesting game, as it is a true 3D shooter on a cellphone. You can look up/down/left/right, even side-strafe and move back/forth. There are stairs to go up and down on, and you can even "crouch" to go through certain areas. The frame rate is rather lousy though, and enemies come one at a time, so it's a matter of figuring out where to go and how to defeat the next splicer that appears.

The 3D version follows the 2D version almost exactly, as you come off the bathymosphere and witness the brutality among the strange wonders of Rapture. The plasmids have turned everybody into mindless seekers of ADAM. And the voice on the radio, Atlas, may not be as innocent as one would suspect. It is a strange world, with stranger powers... and dangers.

The looks are pretty darn good for a cellphone game. The levels look right, and while they are not terribly detailed, you do get to search trash cans, and such for loot. As well as frisk bodies. You need both health and EVE recharges, plus plasmids for additional powers as you run across them. Also, side-strafing is possible, though your ammo may not permit it except when you do the wrench swing.

Sound is pretty impressive. By NOT doing background music, the game was able to use digitized sound effects with very good fidelity. The scream of the splicer, the zap of the electric shock, and so on are nicely reproduced.

All in all, BioShock 3D is a much improved version of the 2D game reviewed earlier. However, it is but maybe 1/3 of the full PC game. You should give it a try, if just to experience the game world.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Impressive 3D engine, manages to give a hint of the full PC/Console game on a mere phone
Cons: the limits of the game engine shows, 3D engine overtaxed the phone, really
Verdict: a 3D shooter on a phone that works, and still feels like Bioshock!