Bioshock: I don't get the series.

[Grindspine]

I have Bioshock, Bioshock 2, and Bioshock: Infinite on both PS3 and PC.  I have tried numerous times to play all three and always stop playing two hours later.  These games are very highly rated, have amazing graphics, and great gameplay mechanics.  Yet, I just do not seem to ever understand the reasons behind the actions in the games.

What is it about the Bioshock games that I am missing that has made the series so highly regarded?

[BLUEVOODU]

I have to be honest... I tried it and tried it.  I tried to like these games.   They just aren't my favorite and I Could count the hour on 1 finger I've been able to stay into any one of the games.

I was very excited for Bioshock Infinite.  It came free with hardware I bought.  However, it too fell short in my opinion.

It would be cool if someone could explain it 

[CreepinDeth]

I've only played Bioshock 1 and I loved it. The story was unique for the time and the locations and atmosphere were top notch. Even though the story was unique, it was still silly. I guess it depends on how much you can suspend your disbelief. The atmosphere and gameplay were enough to get me past any silliness.

[targetrasp]

I thought I was the only one.. I've wanted so hard to like these games and get into the series because a lot of people rave about them.. so far not one has given me a reason to play for very long.

[Grindspine]

Wow.  With the high metacritic reviews, I figured that I was the only one who really did not get this series!

I tried to play Infinite last week.  After wondering around a very racist seeming early 1900s fair, suddenly you are skyhooking police in the face and possessing security robots.  But I still don't get why I was doing anything in the game!

The graphics are awesome.  I just don't get the motivation behind the characters' actions.

[CreepinDeth]

I just don't get the motivation behind the characters' actions.

I can't comment on Infinite since I haven't played it yet but in Bioshock 1, the motivation is not subtle at all. You crash land on a place that you're unfamiliar with and you need to escape and go back home. Unfortunately, the place you ended up at has been turned to ruins due to there being no laws and no morality/ethics. The people of Rapture went insane due to this and they become extremely hostile. And because of those ideologies, there is still a war going on and you get caught in the middle of it because you're connected to those who live there.

I don't want to get too deep as I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't played it (even if it is over a decade old.)

[Jack]

The only one I have beaten is Infinite and man, I really loved that game. It was just such a unique story with a super interesting environment. The mysteriousness of the game is what drew me in. Plus, I really liked the mechanics of everything. The way the guns felt, the abilities, everything. It also had decent difficulty, it wasn't a cake walk like your typical CoD campaign.