History YMMV / BioShock

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/BioShock1 Frank Fontaine, Dr. Yi Suchong, Dr. J. S. Steinman]]; [[YMMV/BioShock2 Stanley Poole]]; [[YMMV/BioShockInfinite Father Zachary Hale Comstock]]; [[YMMV/BioShockRapture Pat Cavendish]]. See those pages for details.

* CompleteMonster: [[YMMV/BioShock1'' Frank Fontaine, Dr. Yi Suchong, Dr. J. S. Steinman]]; [[YMMV/BioShock2 Stanley Poole]]; [[YMMV/BioShockInfinite Father Zachary Hale Comstock]]; [[YMMV/BioShockRapture Pat Cavendish]]. See those pages for details.

* CompleteMonster: Even in this CrapsackWorld filled with [[BlackAndGrayMorality morally dubious characters]], these two manage to stand out as the absolute worst:
** ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' & ''BioShockInfinite/BurialAtSea'': [[BigBad Frank Fontaine]], aka [[spoiler:[[DiabolicalMastermind Atlas]]]], is the ArchEnemy of Andrew Ryan. [[VillainWithGoodPublicity Seemingly providing shelter for orphans and the poor]], in reality he was subjecting them with ADAM, a deadly substance he forcibly extract from little girls, turning them into dangerous and insane Splicers. He would use these Splicers to start a civil war that would engulf Rapture in flames; during that time he forced [[spoiler:Elizabeth]] to help him, first by torturing her then by torturing a child right in front of her, and later kills her after she gave him the means to control [[spoiler:Jack]]. He would program [[spoiler:Jack]], to kill his own [[spoiler:father Andrew Ryan]] while he usurps the latter's position, and [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness tries to kill him once he has served his purpose]].
** ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'': [[BigBad Father Zachary Hale Comstock]] is the alternate version of [[spoiler:[[PlayerCharacter Booker DeWitt]]]] who accepted baptism and took pride in being the "The Hero of Wounded Knee", where he massacred several innocent Native Americans, women and children included. Creating Columbia, Comstock made himself its "[[DarkMessiah Prophet]]", where he had his citizens worship him, [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain while oppressing all people of non-white races]]. Comstock also conspired with the Luteces to steal the daughter of [[spoiler:Booker]] and imprison her in a tower which drains her powers, having the Songbird serve as her warden. When Comstock learns of Booker's arrival, he has his followers hunt him down, having one immolate herself and later raising the wife that Comstock himself murdered, from the dead, to kill him. Upon retrieving Elizabeth, Comstock has her repeatedly tortured, molding her into his successor and carrying out his [[FinalSolution final plan to destroy the world below]].

* CompleteMonster: * ''VideoGame/BioShock'' series: Even in this CrapsackWorld filled with [[BlackAndGrayMorality morally dubious characters]], these two manage to stand out as the absolute worst:

* CompleteMonster: Even in this CrapsackWorld filled with [[BlackAndGrayMorality morally dubious characters]], Fontaine and Comstock serve as villains above all else. Their motives lapse excessively into acting ForTheEvulz, and their lack of any redeeming or sympathetic qualities make them each a FlatCharacter.

* ContestedSequel: ''[[VideoGame/BioshockInfinite Infinite]]'' is either [[EvenBetterSequel the best]] or [[{{Sequelitis}} the]] [[HypeBacklash worst]] game in the series. Although many fans consider ''Infinite'' to be a worthy, if still gameplay-wise inferior, sequel to ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' that is still superior to ''VideoGame/BioShock2'', you can expect opinions to range broadly on this subject.

* {{Anvilicious}}: The series isn't subtle in its imagery, which unfortunately means that the messages that ''are'' subtle are easily overwhelmed.
** The message of extremism in any human endeavour is bad, represented with all of the major villains and settings. Critics argue that such tendencies to paint in extremes, or see the main focus on extremism itself, ultimately makes [[ConceptsAreCheap the concept cheap]] and not a true exploration of any idea. For instance, if the message of the first game is that UsefulNotes/{{Objectivism}} taken to the extreme is bad, does that mean that "moderate" Objectivism is good? Likewise, if Zachary Comstock an extreme of white nationalism and manifest destiny, does that mean moderate versions of that are good or tolerable? As noted by critics and historians the point about these ideas, or any other contentious ideas, is not about the most extreme version, but about the fact that ordinary people can buy into it, nor is it any real critique or exploration of concept (many critics for instance argue that ''any'' Objectivism is bad and academically it is not considered a valid idea at all).
** Likewise DrugsAreBad: Rapture is full of addicts. ADAM isn't technically crack, but it sure is desirable. But of course the fact that the PlayerCharacter doesn't develop a habit or dependency [[BrokenAesop ruins any point about that message]], the same with the sequel, ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' where the Vigours don't create any addiction in Columbia or any real craze either.

*** On the other hand, due to the nature of democracies, it's fairly common to see a wide range of ideals adopted across the many elected officials of a government. This means, during any one election cycle, one may very well ''see'' a government adopting a moderate form of these ideals. So one might argue that in order to actually explore any one ideal, you ''have'' to take the most extreme angle, for anybody to notice there's exploration going on - rather than generic democracy #12,124.

* ContestedSequel: ''[[VideoGame/BioshockInfinite Infinite]]'' is either [[EvenBetterSequel the best]] or [[{{Sequelitis}} the]] [[HypeBacklash worst]] game in the series. General consensus is, however, that ''Infinite'' is a worthy, if still gameplay-wise inferior, sequel to ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' and is still superior to ''VideoGame/BioShock2''.

* CompleteMonster: Even in this CrapsackWorld filled with [[BlackAndGrayMorality morally dubious characters]], these two manage to stand out as the absolute worst:

* CompleteMonster:
** [[BigBad Frank Fontaine]] ([[spoiler:AKA [[DiabolicalMastermind Atlas]]]]) from [[VideoGame/BioShock1 the first game]], gangster and [[spoiler:supposedly]] [[PosthumousCharacter deceased]] political rival to Andrew Ryan, [[VillainWithGoodPublicity had a public face of providing shelter and promotion of welfare towards orphans and the poor]], in itself the antithesis of Ryan's ideology. However, he experimented with sea slugs that carry ADAM, and had no qualms of placing them in [[WouldHurtAChild very young girls]], some of them even forcibly taken from their parents for the "orphanages," to concentrate the ADAM. Also, it turned out that the poor under Fontaine's care were really no better off than they had been, and that he had in fact been manipulating them toward his own gain while getting them addicted to ADAM. He and the newly-christened Splicers initiated a civil war in order to get other inhabitants into ADAM and [[spoiler: feigned his own death]]. It's also revealed he programmed Andrew Ryan's own son, [[spoiler:Jack, the PlayerCharacter]], from birth in order to force him to eventually kill his father so Fontaine could usurp Ryan's position, and then [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness dispose of him once this was done]]. In the prequel DLC ''BioShockInfinite/BurialAtSea'', it's revealed that, in order to force Elizabeth to obtain the means to control his pawn, he [[ColdBloodedTorture tortured her]] by [[EyeScream sticking a pick in her eye]], tapping it with a hammer, and threatening to lobotomize her. When that didn't work, he threatened to do it to a [[WouldHurtAChild little girl]] instead, and once he got what he wanted, Fontaine murdered [[spoiler:Elizabeth]] by [[WrenchWhack bludgeoning her to death]].
** ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'': [[BigBad Father Zachary Hale Comstock]] is the ruler and [[DarkMessiah "Prophet"]] of Columbia. Born [[spoiler:Booker [=DeWitt=]]], as a young man, he took part in the Wounded Knee Massacre, personally scalping several victims and setting fire to tents with women and children inside as a response to taunting about [[BoomerangBigot his own Native American heritage]]. Although initially consumed by guilt, after [[spoiler:accepting a baptism]] and taking the name Zachary Comstock, he saw his actions as righteous, playing up his involvement and dubbing himself "The Hero of Wounded Knee". Going on to construct Columbia, Comstock became a dictator, converting the upper-class populace into a CultOfPersonality devoted to him, [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain while oppressing any non-Americans or people of color.]] [[spoiler:After being left sterile, Comstock conspired with the Luteces to steal the child of his AlternateSelf who rejected the baptism, forcing him to sell his daughter, Anna, and preventing Booker from rescuing her]]. Renaming [[spoiler:Anna]] "Elizabeth", Comstock murders his wife ([[FrameUp framing Daisy Fitzroy]] in the process), and tries to kill the Luteces to conceal his crimes. He goes on to imprison Elizabeth in a tower designed to drain her [[RealityWarper powers]] for most of her life, using the monstrous [[GiantFlyer Songbird]] to keep her from leaving. When [[PlayerCharacter Booker]] arrives in Columbia to rescue Elizabeth, Comstock has the local militia hunt for Booker, even having one of his followers immolate herself in an attempt to kill him. When Booker and Elizabeth reach Lady Comstock's tomb, Comstock uses a device to raise his wife from the dead, resulting in a monster that tries to kill them both. After Songbird retrieves Elizabeth, Comstock has her [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally tortured]] to try and force Elizabeth to become his successor and carry out his plan [[OmnicidalManiac to destroy the world below]] in Comstock's vision of the final judgment. Taking racism, elitism, xenophobia, and self-righteousness to their worst extremes, Zachary Comstock is the worst that the world of ''[=BioShock=] Infinite'' has to offer, driven by the belief [[TautologicalTemplar that he can do no wrong]].

** You, if you murder all the Little Sisters.

** Likewise DrugsAreBad: Rapture is full of addicts. ADAM isn't technically crack, but it sure is desirable. But of course the fact that the PlayerCharacter doesn't develop a habit or dependency [[BrokenAesop ruins any point about that message]], the same with the sequel, ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'' where the Vigours don't create any addiction in Columbia or any real craze either.

** ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'': [[BigBad Father Zachary Hale Comstock]] is the ruler and [[DarkMessiah "Prophet"]] of Columbia. Born [[spoiler:Booker [=DeWitt=]]], as a young man, he took part in the Wounded Knee Massacre, personally scalping several victims and setting fire to tents with women and children inside as a response to taunting about [[BoomerangBigot his own Native American heritage]]. Although initially consumed by guilt, after [[spoiler:accepting a baptism]] and taking the name Zachary Comstock, he saw his actions as righteous, playing up his involvement and dubbing himself "The Hero of Wounded Knee". Going on to construct Columbia, Comstock became a dictator, converting the upper-class populace into a CultOfPersonality devoted to him, while oppressing any non-Americans or people of color. [[spoiler:After being left sterile, Comstock conspired with the Luteces to steal the child of his AlternateSelf who rejected the baptism, forcing him to sell his daughter, Anna, and preventing Booker from rescuing her]]. Renaming [[spoiler:Anna]] "Elizabeth", Comstock murders his wife ([[FrameUp framing Daisy Fitzroy]] in the process), and tries to kill the Luteces to conceal his crimes. He goes on to imprison Elizabeth in a tower designed to drain her [[RealityWarper powers]] for most of her life, using the monstrous [[GiantFlyer Songbird]] to keep her from leaving. When [[PlayerCharacter Booker]] arrives in Columbia to rescue Elizabeth, Comstock has the local militia hunt for Booker, even having one of his followers immolate herself in an attempt to kill him. When Booker and Elizabeth reach Lady Comstock's tomb, Comstock uses a device to raise his wife from the dead, resulting in a monster that tries to kill them both. After Songbird retrieves Elizabeth, Comstock has her [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally tortured]] to try and force Elizabeth to become his successor and carry out his plan [[OmnicidalManiac to destroy the world below]] in Comstock's vision of the final judgment. Taking racism, elitism, xenophobia, and self-righteousness to their worst extremes, Zachary Comstock is the worst that the world of ''[=BioShock=] Infinite'' has to offer, driven by the belief [[TautologicalTemplar that he can do no wrong]].

** The message of extremism in any human endeavour is bad, represented with all of the major villains and settings. Critics argue that such tendencies to paint in extremes, or see the main focus on extremism itself, ultimately makes [[ConceptsAreCheap the concept cheap]] and not a true exploration of any idea. For instance, if the message of the first game is that UsefulNotes/{{Objectivism}} taken to the extreme is bad, does that mean that "moderate" Objectivism is good? Likewise, is Zachary Comstock an extreme of white nationalism and manifest destiny, does that mean moderate versions of that are good or tolerable? As noted by critics and historians the point about these ideas, or any other contentious ideas, is not about the most extreme version, but about the fact that ordinary people can buy into it, nor is it any real critique or exploration of concept (many critics for instance argue that ''any'' Objectivism is bad and academically it is not considered a valid idea at all).

* {{Anvilicious}}: The series isn't subtle in its imagery, which unfortunately means that the messages that ''are'' subtle are easily overwhelmed. Extremism in any human endeavour is bad; this is more or less the [[WordOfGod true message]] of the games, represented with all of the major villains and settings. Any time you encounter an individual who pursues something to an extreme, it all [[GoneHorriblyRight ends poorly]].
** DrugsAreBad: Rapture is full of addicts. ADAM isn't technically crack, but it sure is desirable.

* AwesomeMusic: Found [[AwesomeMusic/BioShock here]].
* CompleteMonster: [[VideoGame/BioShock1 Frank]] [[BioShockInfinite/BurialAtSea Fontaine]]; [[VideoGame/BioshockInfinite Father Zachary Hale Comstock]].
* ContestedSequel: ''[[VideoGame/BioshockInfinite Infinite]]'' is either [[EvenBetterSequel the]] [[SoCoolItsAwesome best]] or [[{{Sequelitis}} the]] [[HypeBacklash worst]] game in the series. General consensus is, however, that ''Infinite'' is a worthy, if still gameplay-wise inferior, sequel to ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' and is still superior to ''VideoGame/BioShock2''.

* NightmareFuel: Lots. Between claustrophobia, hydrophobia, {{body horror}}, {{deadly doctor}}s, {{mad artist}}s, [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs deadly doctors who ''think'' they're artists]], fear of surgical implements, [[AfraidOfNeedles fear of needles]], fear of the dark, {{mind control}}, child cruelty, {{creepy child}}ren, {{soundtrack dissonance}}, animal cruelty, [[ShapedLikeItself fear of being hunted through a decaying city by gene-spliced psychopaths]], and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking seafood allergies]], there's something in the series to terrify everybody. [[NightmareFuel/BioShock1 All]] [[NightmareFuel/BioShock2 three]] [[NightmareFuel/BioShockInfinite games]] have their own pages.

* ContestedSequel: ''[[VideoGame/BioshockInfinite Infinite]]'' is either [[EvenBetterSequel the]] [[SoCoolItsAwesome best]] or [[{{Sequelitis}} the]] [[HypeBacklash worst]] game in the series. General consensus is, however, that ''Infinite'' is a worthy, if still inferior, sequel to ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' and is still superior to ''VideoGame/BioShock2''.

* ContestedSequel: ''[[VideoGame/BioshockInfinite Infinite]]'' is either [[EvenBetterSequel the]] [[SoCoolItsAwesome best]] or [[{{Sequelitis}} the]] [[HypeBacklash worst]] game in the series. General consensus is, however, that ''Infinite'' is a worthy, if still inferior, sequel to ''BioShock'' and is still superior to ''BioShock 2''.

* LoveToHate: There are many despicable characters in the franchise, from Andrew Ryan to Sofia Lamb to Sander Cohen to Zachary Comstock to Jeremiah Fink — and that's not even mentioning the undisputed heavyweight champion of evil ''BioShock'' villains, Frank Fontaine. But damn if they don't tend to be great orators.

* LoveToHate: There are many despicable characters in the franchise, from Andrew Ryan to Sofia Lamb to Sander Cohen to Zachary Comstock to Jeremiah Fink — and that's not even mentioning the undisputed heavyweight champion of evil ''BioShock'' villains, [[CompleteMonster Frank Fontaine]]. But damn if they don't tend to be great orators.

* LoveToHate: There are many despicable characters in the franchise, from Andrew Ryan to Sofia Lamb to Sander Cohen to Zachary Comstock to Jeremiah Fink — and that's not even mentioning the ''undisputed heavyweight champion'' of evil ''BioShock'' villains, [[CompleteMonster Frank Fontaine]]. But damn if they don't tend to be great orators.

* LoveToHate: There are many despicable characters in the franchise, from Andrew Ryan to Sofia Lamb to Sander Cohen to Zachary Comstock to Jeremiah Fink. But damn if they don't tend to be great orators.

* ContestedSequel: ''[[VideoGame/BioshockInfinite Infinite]]'' is either [[EvenBetterSequel the]] [[SoCoolItsAwesome best]] or [[{{Sequelitis}} the]] [[HypeBacklash worst]] game in the series. General consensus is, however, that ''Infinite'' is a worthy, if still inferior, sequel to ''BioShock'' but still superior to ''BioShock 2''.

* ContestedSequel: ''[[VideoGame/BioshockInfinite Infinite]]'' is either [[EvenBetterSequel the]] [[SoCoolItsAwesome best]] or [[{{Sequelitis}} the]] [[HypeBacklash worst]] game in the series, never in between.

** ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' is near universally agreed to be [[{{Sequelitis}} a cash grab that is not as good as the original]], but fans can't agree on whether it's a good game in its own right that had a story that did it's own thing, or if it's a lazy piece of garbage that had a story that used too many retcons and diminished the original's story.