Anarchy Online vs BioShock
Anarchy Online
Anarchy Online is one of the first science fiction-theme MMORPG when it was introduced in 2001 and unsurprisingly, the game was very well-received back then. Originally a subscription-based game, it was one of the first games to introduce free trials to players who wanted to give the game a try. It features deep character interaction and development and has a wide range of classes to choose from. The gameplay is entertaining and the lore will delight those who enjoy a good original storyline.However, Anarchy Online is one of those old-school MMOs that had not aged well. The more than 15-year-old graphics isn't exactly what it used to be, and despite the huge amount of content you get to enjoy, once you've done everything there is to do in this game, you'll start to gradually feel bored since there will be no additional content, ever. The publishers have also stated that they will only keep the servers running and that's about it. So, cheaters and exploiters pretty much roam freely here and you can expect a pretty deprecated in-game economy and currency.
So, although many have considered this game as one of the more underrated MMORPG classics, Anarchy Online may not be the sort of game you'd want to spend too much time in, mainly because right now there are so many other options out there, unless it's for nostalgic purposes.
BioShock
BioShock is one of the most highly acclaimed steampunk-themed shooters that has a very interesting twist - your very character's DNA can be modified through the use of a selection of plasmids and a special resource called ADAM, allowing you to have superhuman abilities which will serve you well, sometimes more so than the weapon you wield, in your adventure through the fallen underwater city of Rapture. Aside from the many violent mad men (a.k.a. Splicers), the game also provides players with challeging encounters with the iconic Big Daddies and Little Sisters.When it comes to non-military-styled shooters with an intensely immersive storyline, BioShock is among the handful of the "best of the best" (which includes the Fallout series, the Borderlands series, the Deus Ex series and others). The game boasts of having a rather dark storyline that actually challenges you to think about it in a more in-depth way; to link all the clues together to get the complete narrative that is surprisingly a lot more engaging that you'd expect.
2K Games has just released the remastered version of the very first Bioshock last year and if you can get it on Steam, you really should. The very unique experience it can offer you is very well worth the cost.