BioShock PS3 DLC Report

Creeping through the corridors of Rapture, the term “time trials” usually doesn’t come to mind. That’s because wood-grained radios, flapper dresses and grandma’s record collection echoing in the darkness define BioShock’s underwater city, not speed boosts or a Crystal Method soundtrack. Yet very soon, the time-trial gameplay concept will hit BioShock, along with a host of other ideas that will push this dystopian world into uncharted waters.

On Nov. 20, a BioShock downloadable content pack will be available on the PlayStation Network for $9.99 (no plans yet for the Xbox 360). These new challenges work within the existing gameplay and environment (same weapons, plasmid powers and grandma’s records). But they’re completely independent of the primary game’s now-famous storyline, and deviate from its established gameplay.

For example, in the previously revealed “Shocking Turn of Events” challenge, you use more brainpower than firepower to power up a dead Ferris wheel in order to save a Little Sister stranded up top. Another challenge, called “The I in Team,” follows a similar theme: With no weapons or combative plasmids, you have only your wits and tools in the environment to separate a Little Sister from her Big Daddy bodyguard.

The third challenge, “Worlds of Hurt,” is a gauntlet of eight differently themed rooms. You start off in a center hub littered with the game’s demented vending machines, which dispense everything from specialized ammunition to first-aid kits to plasmids (unfortunately, this download pack does not introduced any new goodies). There’s only one problem: You have no Adam or money to buy anything with. Oh, and you won’t find any life-returning Vita-Chambers, either. Everything in “Worlds of Hurt” has to be earned through blood, sweat and an occasional char-grilled Splicer.

At first, you only have access to a lowly wrench, a revolver and a handful of bullets. But in between rounds, you can earn additional gear from Little Sisters, and you can scavenge corpses or crates for items like health-replenishing candy bars or those oddball “ingredients” that can be combined to make new types of ammo. (Apparently, glue, rubber hoses and hypodermic needles have the same chemical composition as bullets and grenades.)

Unlike the other two, more puzzle-oriented challenges, “Worlds of Hurt” is more strategic. While most of BioShock’s weapons and powers are available to you, the challenge only gives up so much money and Adam to buy them with. Loading up on anti-personnel rounds for the Spider Splicer room may be the right idea, but if you don’t have enough leftover dough for armor-piercing bullets, you may have a few regrets later when you meet up with Big Daddy Rosie the riveter.

You do, however, get financial planning assistance: You can perch on top of each room’s glass ceiling — gazing down at the citizens trapped below — to preview your competition. So before you commit your cash or Adam to a specific offense or defense, you can shop for the situation you’re about to enter.

The layouts vary as much as the creatures that they hold, so studying them ahead of time is imperative. The Enrage plasmid might be helpful in the Big Daddy maze: Getting these hulking beasts to fight each other may be smarter than trying to avoid their bull rushes in the cramped hallways. Telekinesis, on the other hand, is handy in the stories-deep Houdini Splicer pit. Since those fireball-hurling disappearing acts can shoot you from the other side of the level, or from above or below, being able to grab those projectiles and whip them back can keep the heat off.

As far as time trials go, you get Trophies for completing challenges within certain time limits. This is purely optional — you can play at your leisure if you want. But to really get the most excitement and intensity out of this downloadable pack, you ought to pay attention to that timer in the upper left corner of the screen and run through Rapture’s citizens as quickly and efficiently as possible. May we suggest replacing grandma’s playlist with The Crystal Method’s “Busy Child” ?

This story is based on hands-on time with the game at a recent press event.