4. TIPS AND NOTES [c04]

Discover essential BioShock tips for combat, hacking, research, and survival. Learn to exploit enemy weaknesses, use plasmids effectively, and master security systems.

This section provides various tips and notes to help players navigate BioShock more effectively, covering combat strategies, plasmid usage, hacking, research, and general gameplay advice.

General Tips:

• The main menu features a cool introductory video if left idle for a few minutes.
• To get unstuck or find your next objective, hold right on the D-pad to access status menu tips.
• Holding RB and LB brings up radial menus for weapons and plasmids, pausing the game for quick selection.
• Some locks can be broken open with the wrench.
• Splicers can be killed faster with headshots, which can be one-shot kills early on.
• Save your game if you notice graphical artifacts like static or color changes, as the game may be preparing to crash. The game can also freeze for several seconds, especially after picking up new gene tonics; allow it time to resume.

Plasmid Usage:

• Electrobolt: Use on shorted-out doors to activate them. Zap water to electrocute enemies standing in it. It's also effective for researching security systems by shocking them for easier photography.
• Incinerate: Light oil slicks to create a wall of flame. Melt ice piles to reveal loot or new paths.
• Telekinesis: Grab and launch grenades and rockets back at enemies, especially useful against RPG turrets. Pull loot items out of reach. Launch items through trapwires to disarm them, or pull and reposition trapwires. Use objects or corpses as a shield against incoming fire, but avoid explosive objects.
• Winter Blast: Use on devices you want to hack to slow down energy flow, providing more time for the puzzle.

Combat and Enemy Tips:

• Hitting different areas on splicers causes different damage; aim for the head.
• Using frost attacks on visible Houdini splicers freezes them, preventing teleportation and making them easier to kill.
• Splicers sometimes play dead; watch out for them hopping up to attack.
• When using the Static Discharge gene tonic, avoid standing too close to Big Daddies or objects that trigger alarms when damaged to prevent attracting extra enemies.
• Melee attacks are more effective with the Static Discharge gene tonic slotted, as enemies will be stunned when they try to hit you, allowing for massive wrench damage.

Research Tips:

• To research security system elements, shock them with Electrobolt and photograph them while they are shorted out. Only hostile security elements yield research points; hacked elements do not.
• For research bonuses, ensure the enemy is fully in view and centered in the camera. Active enemies or multiple enemies in a picture grant bonus research points.
• If short on research points, revisit cleared levels to photograph respawning enemies.

Security and Hacking:

• Some security cameras are too high to hack; others can be hacked by jumping if timed correctly.
• Hacking pauses the game, allowing you to hack without being attacked.
• Use the Natural Camouflage gene tonic to evade security alarms. Stop moving when an alarm sounds, and you will turn invisible, causing security bots to give up.
• Allow Natural Camouflage to activate before hacking safes or difficult objects. If you trigger an alarm tile, bots won't see you, and you won't take damage.
• Turrets and cameras drop ammo and film when destroyed. You can kill your hacked turrets when leaving an area to collect their loot.
• When a splicer has a glowing red ring around its head, it means a hacked bot is following it. Killing the splicer deactivates the bot, allowing you to hack it.

Advanced/Situational Tips:

• If you don't have the Incinerate plasmid, you can melt ice barriers by picking up a flaming item with Telekinesis and dropping it on the barrier.