Editor's note: Craig shares a poignant experience with Bioshock that caused him to pause and rethink his course of action. Have any of you had similar experiences when a game made you stop and just watch what was unfolding before you? - Rob
With my heart slowing and health bar dropping, I sprinted through Rapture’s Mercury Suites for the cure to my gradual death-by-mind-control. I found it at the top of the three-story apartment complex.
On the way back down, I took my sweet time, checking every nook for extra ammunition, secret tonics, and weapon-upgrade stations. I examined the map every ten steps to make sure I hadn’t missed a single room.
One thing gave me pause. Rushing through the doorway of the late Sander Cohen’s residence, I heard classical music coming from the next room. This far into Bioshock I knew that paying attention to audio signals was the best way to prepare for whatever threat lay ahead, but I wasn’t ready for what came next.
As I crept closer to Cohen’s ballroom, I brought out my crossbow. Two splicers stood before me, but I didn’t pull the trigger yet. To my surprise, they were dancing -- waltzing, actually. This was unlike anything I’d seen in Rapture.
Splicers’ psychotic antics had faded into the background for me. Deranged muttering, violent screams and cheerful singing -- they were just cues. Yellow traffic lights. But this was something else. This was beautiful. The couple danced and danced -- seemingly oblivious to their ragged, blood-stained formal attire just as they were to the decomposing world around them. They were more human to me than any of the supposedly sane individuals I had encountered. While I raced to find a way out of this miserable hellhole, they had already found their escape hatch.
Afraid to move closer, I stood in the shadows and stared as the dancers repeated their steps. I checked my map. I would have to go through this room to continue my obsessive treasure hunt. Who knows what fortunes lay upstairs? But I didn’t want to startle them, and I certainly didn’t want to have to kill them.
Zooming in on the twirling couple, I aimed my crossbow again. But I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t worth it. After one last look, I turned around and walked away.
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I finished playing Bioshock 2 a few days ago. Bioshock 1 was a great experience and one the most heartfelt moments in the game for me was whenever I got to save one of the Little Sisters.
As I started to play Bio 2, I expected to feel the same way about the little girls but truthfully I didn't. The experiences on Bio 1 were filled with amazement about this new world and it's decent into horror. Saving the little sisters was the main focus of it. But in Bio 2 that link had already been explored. For the first couple of hours, I concentrated on having fun killing stuff a horde of disposable splicers to make my way towards my daughter.
I can remember the moment I met the couple dancing. Same as you, after killing and looting probably more than a hundred splicers, I couldn't kill them. I figured, if they found peace in here of all places, let them have it, short as it may be. From that moment on I saw Rapture in a different way and as the game went on I felt closer to the girl I was suppost to rescue.
It all came to focus when I got to see the world through the eyes of a Little Sister. For those that haven't played Bio 2, trust me, this is a very powerful part of this game. After that I was sold... it was personal and I was ready to kick ass. The ending was a blast and a nice conclusion to the story... or is it?
Thanks Craig.
To Craig, as a gamer and a dancer, thank-you. Decisions of morality consequence-free in a virtual setting is a facinating topic for myself, because I'm always aking why. I will go with my heart 99% when making those kind of decisions in a game, and like you, I had to let this couple continue their sweet escape uninterrupted.
To Xaveri, as a gamer who hasn't played Bioshock 2, screw you for the spoilers. o_O
This was particularly the precise moment when I said to myself that I was playing a special game. I watched them dance and listened to the music for a bit before deciding to let them be.
I do not want to ruin anything for anyone who hasn't played it, so I will keep this spoiler free and short.
At the end of Half Life 2: Episode 2. What happened really got to me. I remember just looking at the screen, frozen in time, and my eyesight got blurry. I remember squeezing my controller as hard as I could and I wanted to scream on the top of my lungs to stop myself from tossing it at the screen. I was devastated.
This is also why I am so God Damned furious at Valve for taking so God damn long to make the next God damn Half Life. I wanted revenge on those God damn things the second they did what they did and I wanted it two God damn years ago.
For the life of me, I cannot remember this scene. But you wrote it up beautifully. Great job!
In the name of Collecting Everything, I had to kill these two to lure Sander Cohen out of hiding when I played BioShock. Thanks for making me feel guilty about it in retrospect.
You missed the kill Sander Cohen achievement!!
Thanks, everyone! It was so cool to see this make the front page. I'm glad you guys enjoyed it.
Looks like a few people missed this line: "Rushing through the doorway of the late Sander Cohen’s residence..."
Mr. Cohen had already met his end before I ever reached his apartment. : )