I remember Bioshock on PC going with a similar fov except without the black bars and there quite a backlash , so they ended up making it an option.
I remember watching the part where the guy on the balcony throws grenades at you and you throw them back by telekinesis it looked okay with a nice wide fov . that opinion changed upon seeing the same part with a more normal fov and realising how the extra height created a better game play experience .
Now I know because this was true for Bioshock doesn't make it true for every game but the fact was it was introduced there for ascetic reasons without looking at what was better for a particular game play .
My last point is do we need black bars in today's climate of widescreen TV's , it smacks of style over substance .
Research shows Video games help make you smarter, so why am I an idiot
