Welcome to Rapture

This guide will walk you through “Welcome to Rapture”, the first section of Bioshock. We will go through how to complete each area, as well as any optional items you can find along the way.

Map

1 – Arrival

After watching Ryan’s inspirational film during your descent, you may be quite surprised when the first thing you witness upon docking in the underwater city is a man being gutted by a crazed blade-wielding woman. Luckily, she’s unable to cut through the bathysphere’s outer hull (not for lack of trying), so you’re safe for the time being.

A Rapture survivor named Atlas will call out and ask, “Would you kindly pick up that shortwave radio?”. Do as he says and grab the radio just to the left of the bathysphere’s door. He offers to help keep you alive, but first you need to make it to higher ground. Do as he says and step out of the bathysphere.

2 – Vita-Chamber

This cylindrical device crackling with energy is a Vita-Chamber. Should you die during your adventures in Rapture, you’ll automatically be revived inside the chamber that’s closest to your point of death.

3 – Splicer and Wrench

As you move through this hall, Atlas is able to pinpoint the Spider Splicer’s location with a security camera and ventilates her with the help of a security bot. With her out of the way, he asks you to find a crowbar or something else to fight with. Next to the toolbox in front of you is your very first weapon, the Wrench.

4 – Burning Couch, Splicer, and Electro Bolt

After smashing and crouching through the debris, you’ll immediately be accosted by a burning couch rolling down the stairs. Avoid it as best you can, then use your newly acquired Wrench to cave the Thuggish Splicer’s head in at the top of the stairs. Search him for a First Aid Kit and EVE Hypo, then check the nearby table for some snacks.

Climb the stairs to the pathway above the room’s entrance to discover your first Gatherer’s Garden vending machine. This particular station is out of order, but there’s a peculiar container and hypodermic needle sitting in its tray. Inject the substance and your genetic code will be rewritten, granting access to your first plasmid – Electro Bolt. The experience takes a toll on you, though, and you tumble off the stairs to the floor below. After watching as a couple of Splicers and a Big Daddy/Little Sister stop to inspect your body, you’ll be able to stand back up and carry on.

5 – Malfunctioning Door

This door has short-circuited. Use your Electro Bolt plasmid at the sparking control panel to jolt it open. Once you’re through, you’ll watch as the back half of your crashed airplane comes barreling through the tunnel ahead. Just keep slogging through the water-filled tunnel.

6 – Splicer

Do as Atlas suggests and give this Splicer the “one-two punch” by unleashing a stun-inducing Electro Bolt followed by a whack with the Wrench. Once he’s down, grab the First Aid Kit and EVE Hypo off his corpse.

7 – Vita-Chamber

Another one of Rapture’s resuscitative wonders.

8 – Elevator

You’ll have to take the southern elevator, as it’s the only one that works. You gotta love the “Pardon Our Dust” sign next to the one that just crashed down in a ball of flame, though.

As the elevator ascends up to the top floor, Atlas will tell you that his family is in Neptune’s Bounty and that the Splicers have cut him off from them. You’re his only hope to get his family out of Rapture alive.

9 – Carriage-Toting Splicer

Don’t let your maternal or paternal instinct get in the way of crushing the Thuggish Splicer’s skull as she peers into the baby carriage. When you’ve finished her off, you can grab your second weapon, the Revolver, from inside the carriage. For whatever reason, this weapon ends up just being called a “Pistol” for the remainder of the game. Maybe because upgrading the clip in a revolver (which you can do later in the game) doesn’t make any sense?

10 – Splicers

Kill the two Thuggish Splicers arguing from either side of this door, then search the area to the west for loot.

11 – Splicers

See the two Splicers wading through the water up ahead? Fire an Electro Bolt in between them and watch as the pool of water lights up with electricity. Neither one should live long enough to realize what happened to them.

12 – Audio Diary #1

Lying on the top of this table is the first of many audio diaries you will come across in Rapture. This particular diary, called “New Year’s Eve Alone” and narrated by Diane McClintock, should give you some idea of what took place at this tragic New Year’s celebration.

13 – Audio Diary #2

On the “Dames” side of the bathroom, you’ll be subjected to your first experience with one of Rapture’s tortured ghosts, after which you can pick up your second audio diary. This one is called “Hole in Bathroom Wall” and is narrated by Steve Barker. The message hints that you should explore the “Gents” side of the bathroom.

14 – Bathroom Hole

This massive hole is the one Mr. Barker referenced in his audio diary at area #13. Once you pass through it, Atlas will start giving you advice about the Little Sister busy extracting Adam from the corpse below (“You think that’s a little girl down there? Think again.”). Continue moving across the lighting racks and use the stairway to the west.

15 – Big Daddy

After witnessing the gruesome death of a Splicer at the hands (and drill) of a Big Daddy, grab the revolver and pistol rounds off the corpse and head southeast.

16 – Vita-Chamber

Another one of Rapture’s resuscitative wonders.

17 – Splicers

Launch an Electro Bolt into the water to wipe out these two Splicer fools rummaging through the corpse of a Big Daddy.

18 – Vita-Chamber

Another one of Rapture’s resuscitative wonders.

19 – Caught!

When you attempt to pass through the gate leading to Neptune’s Bounty, an alarm will sound and the gate will slam shut. A flame-throwing turret will activate on the other side of the gate and a half dozen Splicers will rush into the room from the second floor. Use a combination of Electro Bolt and your limited weaponry to bring them down, after which, Atlas will tell you about an alternate route to the west.

20 – Trapped!

Once you’re inside this room, all exits will go into lockdown mode, and Atlas will start working to override the exit to the west. While he’s busy, an image of Andrew Ryan will appear behind the glass to the east and he’ll begin addressing you personally (“Rapture isn’t some hunk of shit for you to plunder.”). When he’s finished speaking, a small army of Splicers will begin pounding on the glass just as Atlas finishes the override. Time to go.