Operating on a different level . . .

I awake to a mouthful of salt water. I awake to chaos. Submerged in a cold blackness, my instincts push me upward, towards the surface. Towards the faint light above. That faint light erupts into a burning inferno as I break the surface. Disoriented I look around. Debris lines the water, a ring of fire practically surrounds me. I am blinded by smoke and still gagging from the water in my lungs. I force myself to move, to react. Swimming forward I see the tail end of the passenger plane sinking into the dark abyss below. My mind races. Are there other survivors? I will surely perish out here in the middle of nowhere. Panic comes over me. This is how I will die . . .

The smoke parts momentarily and I catch the glimpse of a deep penetrating light in the distance. A light house? I force myself to swim onward, hope fueling my aching muscles and decreasing spirit. As I clear the thick wall of smoke I see a huge structure silhouetted against the moonlight. Waves crash against its rock surface. The beacon of light once again illuminates the night. It is a light house!!! Swimming towards it I am greeted by stone steps leading directly into the dark waters. I crawl onto the cold stone surface and collapse, taking one last backward glance at the crash site. The plane is almost completely submerged now. The fire is dying down. Soon the only remnants left will be the debris which floats on the surface.

I take a moment to catch my breath and turn my attention towards the top of the stairs, which curve around the giant structure. I begin climbing, making sure to keep my balance on the slick stone surface. The sound of the surf crashing on the rocks below get drowned out by the whistling wind as I ascend higher. I begin to shiver, cursing my wet clothes which offer no warmth, just a chilling cold which seeps deep into my body. I reach the top and see a pair of gigantic bronze doors, the left one slightly ajar. They are a magnificent sight. Each door carefully carved in intricate detail, only the earliest signs of rust from the salty air creeping up its edges. Beyond the entrance there is only darkness. I hastily step inside, preferring the unknown within to the bone-chilling cold outside.

As I enter I hear the buzz of electricity and the room is suddenly basked in light. Squinting from the sudden blinding flash, I make out a statue of a man, sculpted in solid gold, and a large banner behind it with a message:

"Welcome to Rapture"

- - - - - -

That was the first 5 minutes of the Bioshock demo, available now on the Marketplace. A game which I have only the highest of expectations for. And one, which from just the short demo, has already surpassed them.

To go into more detail on the brilliant demo would be a disservice to those that have yet to play it. I implore everyone to give it a shot and just enjoy the ride. It is a game crafted by a truly talented and passionate developer. And the demo alone proves that Irrational Games is working at a differentl level than almost every other developer out there.

The full game is out next week. And that already feels like an eternity.