I can't but feel I'm a bit behind on this one...
Indeed, playing the revolutionary Bioshock for the first time is an odd experience. On one hand, it's pretty cool to see game with cool atmosphere and a cool setting paired with a decent moral choice system, and diverse and frequent hectic combat that only ends just before it gets stale. The game would also get points for an admirable proto-Dead Space shot at horror, which, though infreuquently scary, does bring a nice tinge to the already diverse flavor of gameplay.
On the other, however, the game may come across as a little behind the time - which it obviously is. Gunplay is good and all, but like the Half Life Series, none of the weapons really carry a "WOW" punch - and few of which have a kind of alt-fire and few have awkward ironsights (if you're into that kinda thing). Combat, though made diverse by the use of plasmids as well as weapons, is WAY too easy (I played on the hardest difficulty from the get go, which I would highly recommend). The ~20 hour story (which, I guess I would have liked more if it's reputation hadn't preceeded it) is pretty hasily ended in about a 5 minuites with a final boss I didn't even die on.
Oh well, I suppose if my biggest gripes with the game are that I know how it goes, it ends too quickly, and it's too hard to not have fun, the title certainly lives up to it's reputation. Perhaps I should review Silent Hill 2 and be disapointed and blame it for also being great, old, and having a famous story. If you're already, or ever have considered a purchase I would recommend Bioshock.