BioShock 2 (PS3)
Follow-up to BioShock, 2K Games’ critically acclaimed and commercially successful 2007 release, BioShock 2 is a first-person shooter set in the fictional underwater city of Rapture. As in the original game, BioShock 2 features a blend of fast-paced action, exploration and puzzle-solving as players follow varying paths through the overarching storyline based on the decisions that they are forced to make at various points in the game. In addition to a further fleshing out of the franchise’s popular storyline, players can look forward to new characters, game mechanics, weapons, locations and a series first, multiplayer game options.
Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the halls of Rapture once again echo with sins of the past. Along the Atlantic coastline, a monster somehow familiar, yet still quite different from anything ever seen has been snatching little girls and bringing them back to the undersea city. It is a Big Sister, new denizens of Rapture who were once one of the forgotten little girls known as Little Sisters, known to inhabit the city’s dank halls. No longer a pawn used to harvest ADAM, the dangerously powerful gene-altering lifeblood of Rapture, from the bodies of others and in turn run the risk of being harvested herself, the Big Sister is now the fastest and most powerful thing in Rapture. You, on the other hand are the very first Big Daddy, in fact the prototype, that for some reason has reactivated. You are similar to the Big Daddies familiar from the original BioShock, but also very different in that you possess free will and no memory of the events of the past ten years. The question is, as you travel through the decrepit and beautiful fallen city beneath the waves, hunting for answers and the solution to your own survival, are you really the hunter, or the hunted?
The original shocked the video gaming world by not only being a great first person shooter, but also an intelligent one. Now one of the greatest stories in interactive fiction is getting another chapter, with a sequel set ten years later.
 The most literate first person shooter of 2007 returns |
 The multiplayer mode features a completely different story and even developer |
 Will you save the Little Sisters or exploit them? |
 As a Big Daddy you can now venture outside of Rapture and onto the sea floor |
You play the original Big Daddy – a more independently minded prototype to the giant deep sea divers from the first game. The undersea world of Rapture has been taken over by the mysterious Big Sister, who has begun to kidnap children from coastal cities around the world.
A much larger range of plasmid powers are now available, as well as more standard weapons and the Big Daddy’s iconic rivet gun and drill. The game’s real conflict is emotional though, as you are once again forced to make a decision between sacrificing Little Sisters or protecting them and making your task even harder. Bioshock 2 will make you think, and not just about tactics.
Key Features
- Atlas shrugged: The award-winning story-telling of Bioshock continues with a new hero and a new threat in the underwater dystopia of Rapture.
- Evolve yourself: New plasmids, including new dual-wielded attacks, let you unleash amazing powers but at the cost of your humanity.
- Cry Little Sister: As the first Big Daddy you are far faster than the other lumbering giants, but equipped with the same weapons and the ability to venture onto the ocean floor.
- Big boss: Defend yourself against the constant attacks of Big Sister by setting up traps and ambushes, but always making sure you have an escape route!
- Separate lives: For the first time Bioshock has its own multiplayer mode – featuring a completely different story and created by developer Digital Extremes (Unreal Tournament 2004).
About the Developer: 2K Marin
Although founded in 2007 specifically to create new, original games the first release from this Californian developer will be Bioshock 2. The studio is relatively small and designed to work with Take-Two’s other developers, such as 2K Boston and 2K Australia in the case of Bioshock.
Fan? or New to the Franchise?,
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Hi all, for those that want the review in a nutshell…here it is.
If you have not played the first iteration of the bioshock franchise then you will be extremely enthralled by this game. It captures everything a game needs and more; atmosphere, suspense, character driven story, action, depth, puzzles and strategy. It’s the complete package! The addition of Multiplayer and Trophies makes this games longevity a great investment. You will get at around 15 – 20 hours from the Singleplayer (excluding replays for alternate endings, and trophy’s). The multiplayer will keep you attracted for at least 5 hours, but again if you want trophy’s and to see the full scale of the online experience then you will be long into the 30 hour zone. NOTE: There has also been a recent announcement that a piece of Download-able Content for the Multiplayer will be released in the next few months which should extend the life of online play. Along with this there are also plans to extend the Singleplayer experience with further content!
Now, for those of you that have played the previous game (such as myself). I think you will greatly appreciate the changes in the mechanics (a major one would be the ability to use plasmids and guns at the same time – massive game changer!), however…one problem I had wit the game was the story. Bioshock told such a great story with twists and turns throughout (not to mention the Oh My God ending) – this isn’t to say the story in bioshock 2 is not convincing, its just not as good. There arent really any twists and it feels more of an action adventure than an action thriller. Some may prefer this, however the story for me was a major selling point. I must say that the overall experience is great, just be vary of the story not being as much of a shocker this time round!
Multiplayer is good, but again unless your going for trophy’s I don’t think it will keep you coming back (however there are some very nice modes and little bioshock flavours that spice the experience up and stear it away from your simple run and gun multiplayer shooter)!
I hope this review helps, take care and happy gaming!
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|More than just a sequel cash-in…,
Console games are funny things, often in the world of film and books sequels are viewed with suspision and treated with derision (not always of course). Unless it’s a pre-conceived trilogy for example, it can be assumed that a sequel is just a cash in. However, in gaming, no matter how good the original was, people want more. Uncharted 2 was a huge success as was Mass Effect 2, and Batman AA, Infamous and Dead Space amongst others have sequels in the works. Yet, with Bioshock, news of the sequel wasn’t as well received – and this, I feel, goes to show just how uniquely brilliant the original Bioshock was – unlike so many other games, it was more about the story than the actual gameplay (though that’s not to say it didn’t play well). The whole atmosphere of Rapture was something unique and special, so it is understandable that there has been some negativity towards Bioshock 2, despite my view that it really is an outstanding game.
I’m sure the majority will be aware of the basic premise, but for a quick recap, you’re the original Big Daddy, the game is set 10 years after the original, and you get to dual wield plasmids and weapons, boom! The array of splicers return, and we are introduced to a new enemy called a Big Sister, I won’t too much as the origin of the Big Sisters are revealed throughout the game, all I will say is that every so often you will hear a shrill scream that indicates a Big Sister is coming to get you, and it’s genuinely terrifying! While the feel of the game is largely similar to the original, there are a few changes – for example hacking has been improved/ruined (delete as appropriate) by removing the pipe hacking system and replacing it with a simple ‘press the buttin when it’s in the right zone’ game. A nice touch with this is that it doesn’t pause time, so you have to hack when you’re sure you’re safe!
A criticism I have seen reported a lot, both in magazines and on webistes, is that Bioshock 2 suffers because it is just TOO familiar, and to an extent it’s hard to argue against this. However, I’m going to do just that anyway – while I appreciate that some may find this game Rapture overkill, at the end of the day in no other game do you have such a wonderful creation as Rapture – the whole ethos of the game is stunning, while it may be too familiar for some, for me it was like returning to an old, slightly damp, friend. The music, the audio diaries, the crazed splicers, the 1950s/60s aesthetics, there’s nowhere quite like good old Rapture. Many other games revisit similar places and themes, however I feel it may be due to just how special and unique Rapture is that the familiarity is being viewed as a negative.
The main story is once again excellent, while the emotions never quite hit the heights of the original, I have to admit it IS better than what I was expecting, the second half really picks up and if you take the time to search every corner for those audio diaries (in my first playthrough I managed to find almost all 128 of them), not only the plot of the game, but of the whole Rapture universe, begin to piece together and make sense. While there isn’t anything as memorable as the Atlas situation, there are a few really interesting ideas presented (towards the end of the game there’s a section where you’ll see Rapture in a whole new light). One of the problems Bioshock 2 will inevitably have is that it will be compared to the original. However it would have taken something pretty special to topple that, and I feel 2K Marin should be applauded for almost doing just that. The storyline isn’t as good, but the gameplay is technically better (though if you choose not to harvest the Little Sisters, the gathering missions can be a wee bit repetitive). Being able to wield plasmids and weapons at the same time presents the ability to be a bit more tactical in your approach, and enables you to mix and match your attacks for the best effect. Graphically it’s very good, however there hasn’t been a whole lot of progression from the first game, but again Rapture is such a wonderful and unique place that I personally didn’t mind some of the rough edges.
On a side note, multiplayer is more than just an add-on – set in NYE 1959, you have your usual games modes like free for all and team deathmatches, and variations on a theme with capture the flag (with the Little Sister being the flag). If multiplayer is your thing, you could do worse than the Bioshock version, I’m pleased to report I’ve so far had no connection or lag issues when playing.
All in all Bioshock 2 is more than just a cash in on a success story. It’s an amazing game in it’s own right and I honestly feel if the original didn’t exist, the ratings for the game would be higher than they already are. It’s not as good as the original, but don’t let that put you off it – there’s plenty here to enjoy.
(Also, just to note, I read another review that…
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|Bioshock 2 Review,
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Bioshock 2 is something of a difficult game you may think to review. Sequel to a game which many said needed no sequel. Pointless, not needed, not wanted by the fans etc. What more could it bring to the table? After having played the game extensively I can tell you it brings a lot. It has a host of refinements, improvements, and quite frankly is a game which taken as a whole, I think will struggle to be bested by any other game this year.
Set 10 years after the first game, in Bioshock 2 you play as subject Delta, the first Big Daddy to be successfully paired with a Little Sister. Delta wakes up in Rapture at the beginning with little recollection as to what has come before. All he has is an unshakeable urge to find and be reunited with his Little Sister. To complicate matters, Rapture has a new leader in the form of Sophia Lamb, a Psychiatrist who has managed to unite the Splicers under the banner of ‘The Family’, a twisted cult she uses to serve her will. It’s a great set-up, and one which leads you further into Rapture meeting a host of interesting characters. More complex than you would normally expect from a video game story, and without the slightly perplexing and damaging twists that were found in Bioshock, the story is one of the numerous areas where Bioshock 2 shines. It won’t be as highly praised as the story found in the first, primarily because Rapture isn’t a new and unknown entity this time around. This is sad because it’s definetly as good, if not better than the first.
When it comes to the gameplay itself, Bioshock 2 has certainly been improved. This is primarily due to the fact you are now a Big Daddy with the ability to dual wield weapons and plasmids, which makes for some hugely entertaining firefights and combat experimentation. Combat itself is also far more intense, and you will often find yourself far more overwhelmed than in the first game. This is no bad thing however, as the intensity never drops and you will find yourself excited from beginning to end. Control wise, Bioshock 2 is very smooth. It may not be as twitch perfect as other top shooters on the market such as Modern Warfare 2, but it actually works in the games favour. It’s far more of a thinking mans FPS, with the ability to lay traps, call upon bots for help and dupe your enemies with the use of plasmids. As previously stated, it is very intense but you will never feel rushed or under so much pressure that you miss a shot, and if you do it’s your own fault and not that of a faulty control setup.
The biggest, and most exciting addition to the gameplay though is the ability to use Little Sisters to harvest Adam from bodies. You first have to take down their own Big Daddy, and once that is done you are left with a choice of whether to harvest or adopt them. If you adopt them, you then take on the role of protector, and are able to Harvest dead bodies for Adam for use for upgrades. These scenes are where the game is at it’s most intense, as you have to hold off gangs of Splicers intent on stealing that Little Sister from you. It’s a very interesting role reversal of the Big Daddy fights from the first game, and one which I relished from beginning to end.
Perhaps the most well documented and hyped element of Bioshock 2 is the addition of the Big Sisters. Under the control of Sophia Lamb, the Big Sisters are beings who were once Little Sisters, who couldn’t resist the call of Rapture even when returned to land. They are your toughest enemy and usually arrive when you have finished gathering Adam with you Little Sister. Lighter, faster, and more fear inducing than the Big Daddies, the fights you have with them are intense, but this is probably the games weakest new addition. Once you have upgraded enough, the Big Sisters, while still tough, become more of an annoyance rather than something you dread. They never become easy fights, but start to feel like a chore the more the game goes on.
The single player clocks in at about 10 hours, which feels ideal. Due to the multiple difficulties, vast array of Plasmids, and numerous different possible endings it is a game that is meant to be replayed. It doesn’t outstay it’s welcome, but still leaves you excited to replay it, one of the markers of a great game in my opinion.
Multiplayer is also a new, and rather infamous addition to the Bioshock franchise. Fans have maintained that Bioshock didn’t need a multiplayer, that it was the single player story people loved the first game for. While this is true, the multiplayer is actually quite impressive. It borrows heavily from Call of Duty in it’s ranking system, but due to it’s use of Plasmids and setting, it still manages to feel unique. It actually plays like something of a next gen version of the Timesplitters multiplayer due to it’s sense of humour and how frantic it is. It may not hold you for long, but it’s definetly…
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