Rapture Looks a Little Worse for Wear in BioShock iOS Comparison Video

IGN has posted a BioShock comparison video that pits the original Xbox 360 version of the game against the upcoming iOS version, with predictable results.

The video starts off with a comparison of the opening sequence, in which the protagonist swims to shore after a plane crash. Right off the bat, the difference between the versions is clear, with the seven year-old Xbox 360 version displaying brighter, more vibrant colors and more sophisticated lighting effects than the iOS version. Underwater, the contrast is even starker. While the console version shows high levels of detail in distant buildings, the mobile edition is muddy, displaying only vague, shadowy shapes in the background.

Entering first-person view, we see how the level of polish and sheen found in the Xbox 360 version is absent in the iOS version. A pair of dolls in the scene is particularly demonstrative of the difference. On 360, they are intricately textured, with years of dirt and wear over a glossy, shellacked surface. On iOS, however, they are flat and without texture, and look like they come from a game from the previous console generation. Further comparisons show the superior particle effects of the console version, which add atmospheric realism to the game, as well as better character models and animations.

Despite clearly losing out to the Xbox 360 version in the visual comparison, the iOS version of BioShock still looks pretty nice for a mobile game. While the details may not be quite as sharp as its console counterpart, the tone and feel of the game’s setting, Rapture, is still intact, and the game should offer players a decent version of a classic title that can be played anywhere. To me, the control scheme showed in the video presents much more of a problem than the graphics, but long-time tablet players will likely feel right at home.