It is a brand new game, it's not a sequel. Every game is derivative on some level.

Sequel is different than just a game borrowing heavily from another, especially from the same people.

Also I have never played System Shock so to me Bioshock is newer than to those who have, again giving it more of a chance for game of the year.

Wow guys, *some of you* are giving up some major spoilers with no warning in here. I feel sorry for people who are not that far but dropped in to comment.

I've said it in all the other threads about bioshock (heh so many by now) but I loved bioshock for the story and it was a lot of fun while it lasted. There are some flaws in the gameplay that keep it from being perfect, but it is definitely a great game and pretty much the best I've played in a while. Absolutely worth the $60

*edited 

 Usually I would agree, but Bioshock *really* rips off from System Shock.  I haven't played the game eithe but there has been about 40 emails flooding my mailbox this morning at work because of the Zero Punctuation review and what he said about System Shock.  Apparently the only real difference are the names and setting and that's about it.  It's like trying to say there's a large difference between Pokemon Red and Pokemon Pearl.

^^ He heard that it really rips off from System Shock (2). I played both games and say that it doesn't. See my argument on this in the thread "Zero Punction on Bioshock".

"Apparently the only real difference are the names and setting and that's about it." Apparent from someone else's opinion? There is far more different than names and settings. That's not even a difference of opinion, it's just incorrect.

Why it thrills you that Bioshock "rips off" a game you haven't played and therefore have no reason to personally make a comparison to is beyond me. Again, you can't rip off a prequel. It's a prequel.

minor spoliers maybe but major ones LIKE WHAT? I understand what you are saying. the story was the best part for me as well but. calm down a good game is a good game.

Ok I overexaggerated it was just one major spoiler not multiple ones. Two people said (it was Lost tears of Kain's second post and the reply that give up part of the endgame). If somebody told me that was going to happen before I got there I would be pissed off so that's why I said "major" spoilers.

This game actually surpassed my expectations. Love every bit of it. Right now Im the the Poseidon Theatre area.

While I enjoyed it, the game became rather repetitive after not too long. There are only, what, 10 enemy types in the entire game? I also didn't feel like the gameplay evolved enough as I went on. Once I learned the basic strategies regarding how to kill things, those never really changed throughout the entire game. Then again, I've been spoiled by breathtaking FPSRPGs like Deus Ex which had everything Bioshock has and so much more.

Also, I thought the storyline was a bit on the weak side, and very clichéd in some places. Zero Punctuation's review really was spot-on: your character can do pretty much everything right from the start with little to no real "leveling up" aside from equipping new tonics which don't effect gameplay with as much severity and the "choice" wasn't much of a choice at all.

In Deus Ex, not only do you get the chance to make crucial decisions which effect the gameplay, but there are situations where your friends can die but there is actually a way to save them all if you're good enough and they'll be alive at the end when you have to decide between three different choices which all give you different and yet appropriate endings.

Let me put it this way: in Deus Ex, you were given upgrade CHOICES which actually effected how you would play for the entire rest of the game with no going back. For example, one upgrade you found would either equip your character with a static field which detonated explosive projectiles which were fired at you OR give you a small probe robot which you could use to search the area without triggering any alarms or alerting any enemies. But you could only pick ONE of these and then upgrade its potency as the game went on, which means that the static field worked from a greater range or the robot probe could be detonated (meaning you could move it up behind an enemy's head and explode it).

In Bioshock terms, imagine that, instead of getting the Ice and Fire plasmids, you had to choose one and ONLY one, but you could then upgrade it to give it different abilities which greatly affected how it functioned, like the Fire plasmid, when upgraded would cause enemies to explode if they died on fire, damaging other enemies around them, or the ice plasmid was upgraded to freeze enemies so solid that you could lift them with your telekinesis while they were frozen but still alive and then hurl them against walls or throw them, alive, into hazards.

If you're used to Halo, yeah, Bioshock will seem awesome, but if you're already a FPSRPG fan, Bioshock is FPSRPG "lite".

And frankly, looking over this thread makes me angry that pioneering games like System Shock 2 and Deus Ex never really got their day in the sun while Bioshock, because it had a huge hype machine behind it, is getting all this praise when it's probably less than half the experience these other games were.

I'm not trying to sound like an ass, but really, I'd recommend picking up one or both of the aforementioned games and getting to know the roots of the FPSRPG genre. If you liked Bioshock, you'll probably disappear for a week with Deus Ex... 

wow!! Well wile I don't agree with some of your assesments of Bioshock, I can definatly say that you have sold me on Deus Ex. Thats a game that I heard good things about when it came out but ended up not buying. If its really as good as you say and has the kind of elements that Bioshock has, (and I will amit this is my first experience with the genra) then I will definatly go back and check it out.

 P.S. I think you could look at this in a different way that might change your whole outlook on the subject. enstead of thinking negativly about Bioshock because you think the credit its getting is undeserved try looking at it like this. The popularity of this game is only going to serve to grow the FPSRPG genra. If your really a fan then your inluck because thanks to games like Bioshock that opened alot of gamers eyes to a great genra they problably were never aware of (I know it took me by suprise) which means good games of that style will make more money which means there will be more of them and a better chance that a publisher would take a chance on a sequel to Deus Ex or other great FPSRPGS. Im not trying to tell you what to think but it seems like its win win to me.

@Smash_Brother - A week? Try months; Deus Ex was fantastic. You probably don't like Deus Ex 2 for many of the reasons you didn't love Bioshock. Perhaps keep in mind that Deus Ex really had only 1 more ending than Bioshock and that how you played the game up to that point did not affect what ending you got (until you have to choose at the end I mean), but there's no doubt that there were more options (bribe someone as opposed to killing them, etc.) Of course I can't imagine those types of options fitting very well into Bioshock considering the game's scenario, but still.
I wish Bioshock had done a number of things differently, but many of the things it did do right were done very very right, and the experience on the whole is just unmissable for me.

@silenteion - "The popularity of this game is only going to serve to grow the FPSRPG genra. [sic]"

BINGO! We have a winner. I've said this before; the RPG element of Bioshock may be reduced from System Shock 2, but suddenly many people are playing an FPSRPG who never even heard of the genre at all. System Shock 2 couldn't do that. That is an accomplishment that I think will lead to brighter days for gaming.

Oh, and silenteion: don't hesitate; Get Deus Ex and System Shock 2 right away. You'll probably spend 30 bucks total. They're phenominal. Significantly different from each other in their strengths, but both very deep FPSRPGs and both extremely memorable. Two of my favorite games of all time, no question.