It's no secret that BioShock is one of the most anticipated games of the year. As such, it's been covered to high hell, with countless pages scattered across the internet, every one of them gushing about this oppressive, atmospheric shooter. Our E3 2007 appointment with the game began like most others, so we were prepared to let the coverage slide for once just to focus on other games for the time being. Well, that plan went out the window once we saw how many crazies you can mow down in no time flat.

The setting was Arcadia, an area that's already been discussed before. What made this demo so captivating was the sheer number of ways you can drop the rushing wave of nutso baddies. While you're waiting for a gas to spread throughout the compound, they're trying to cut or blast their way in and take you down. So, while they're using a flame to cut open a door, you can start setting some insane traps.

First up is a trip wire. You install one point as the anchor and then place the other end somewhere else, and whatever crosses its path, explodes. If you misplace the wire, your telekinesis can safely transfer it to another, more heavily trafficked area. In this case, it was right in front of the door the baddies are cutting. Just beyond the trip wire are several proximity mines. The moment the enemies burst through, the resulting explosion took out a few, but more kept pouring outward.

Falling back into the next room, the player tosses a mine on the ceiling, then whips up a whirlwind to hurl a dude right into the just-placed explosive. Some other guy, caught in the explosion, attempts to heal himself by visiting a first aid box - too bad it was poisoned earlier, and now he dies too. Up next, a club-toting witch that thinks she stands a chance.

That's when the player sets her on fire with plasmids. Realizing she's melting, the lady runs towards a nearby pool to douse the flames. It works, but now she's fried by a lighting blast from the palm of your hand, electrifying the pool and singing her into oblivion.

The horde keeps coming. Ice plasmids freeze one guy solid, then a simple punch shatters him into pieces. Standard shotgun blasts thinned out a few more, but the towering Big Daddies won't go down with such simple attacks. Here, you can toss body after body at the monster using telekinesis, then hypnotize it into thinking you’re its ally. Now it goes a tear, thrashing everyone else, while you simultaneously use an "enrage" plasmid to instigate a mutiny amongst the crowd. While all this chaos unfolds, your gaseous mission is complete and you're free to move along into the next area. Total madness that all happens in the space of about one minute.

BioShock is out August 21. We're expecting one of the best games of the year out of this one, so keep it on your personal radar as well.