BioShock 2

Console:

Playstation 3

Genre:

First person shooter.

Setting:

Retro future Utopia...i.e. the game is set in the 1960s, but it's an alternative world scenario...a place where humanity has advanced significantly in their development...more advanced than our current society. The sequel explores new parts of the city of Rapture.

Story:

If you liked finally playing as a Big Daddy in the original, you should get a kick out of playing as a Big Daddy for the entire length of the sequel...except for one part where you play a...

The story concerns your Big Daddy becoming separated from your Little Sister. This separation is harmful to both parties health, so you must locate your charge. Of course, powerful forces are working against this outcome and your life is in danger.

Graphics:

As far as character representation goes, this is a step up from the original...they're more realistic, less stylised than the cartoonish looking splicers of the original. It's actually a pity that this level of character representation wasn't in the original...then maybe we could have expected an Uncharted 2 like step up in visual quality for the sequel.

Sound:

Probably less obvious repetition in character utterances than the original. Some noises seem to be constant...like there is a faulty elevator or some other mechanical/electrical device. Not a huge issue but sometimes I wished that that noise would just go away.

Good about the game:

The weapons/plasmids/tonics have been tweaked. The plasmids especially are fun. On acquiring a certain plasmid I'd think to myself "Wouldn't it be cool if you could..." and then I'd try doing just that. And it would work! It's good how the makers have thought out the logical consequences of some plasmids, so you actually can do what you think that plasmid should allow you to do. Best example of that is the "Scout" plasmid. Personally, I missed the crossbow of the original (for it's precision shooting) but the speargun did become my default weapon (for being able to regather fired ammo).

If you enjoyed the "upgrade" paths of the original, the sequel has the exact same quality, but is a bit more polished in execution.

Misjudgements in the game:

I'll start by way of introduction saying that since you play the top of the food chain in the original game, the sequel knocks you down a peg. This was a bit naff for mind, but it brings up the first misjudgement...where strategy is crucial in taking down these ultimate warriors, it's disappointing that the first time you fight one of them you are not in control of the circumstances in which you engage them. They're tough to beat, so to not have the ability to fight them on your terms sucks. There was a similar problem in the original, and like the original, this misjudgement goes away in subsequent battles.

As with the original, the splicers are a constant annoyance...more so than in the original. Another naff splicer is introduced too. At least in the original you could find ample opportunities to use plasmids like the Cyclone Trap...set pieces in the game. In the sequel you probably don't even have to use them. Related to this, with the research you do on splicers, it turns out you won't be able to fully research them anywhere in Rapture...some of them are limited to certain parts of the city...which is annoying...some classes of splicers I didn't get to fully research as a result and for some of those I could have really used my Cyclone Trap plasmids to good effect in set pieces...which never arrived (e.g. in defending yourself from attack after performing an action).

My third misjudgement is the lack of a final boss battle as in the original. The Frank Fontaine fight there was too hard, but in the sequel there's a feeling of anti-climax as the final fights aren't really different in kind to the normal hurly-burly of defending your Little Sister when she is gathering ADAM. And if you have certain tonics and plasmids, your task is made easier and you can simply discover how to do things better next time if you die.

Niggles:

How the game basically rewrites the history of Bioshock. I really didn't see any scope for a sequel to that game and the scenario seems manufactured out of nothing. However, the ending does have a pay off, even though I didn't buy into the story's new characters.

It would have been nice to have your moral choices highlighted more explicitly. And in the case of Gil Alexander, the game makers seem to have had a different take than me on the moral thing to do with him...relating to in game trophies.

Some characters from the original story make cameo appearances but are soon forgotten. That was a pity. And even some new characters of interest eventually disappear, never to be heard of again.

General observations:

I was prepared to give this game the same score I gave for the original (85/100), but have knocked it down a smidge due to the anti-climax of the ending. Even though I wasn't sold on the premise of the sequel and found some new character classes naff, the game held the same addictiveness as the original.

Personally I'd recommend the original over the sequel for my view of the 'real' story of Rapture. But if you don't feel like returning to the original but want something similar, play the sequel...it has polished some of the exciting weapons of the original. But the lack of use for certain weapons in game and the inability to gain research points on certain character classes anywhere in Rapture is a disappointment.

You are one of the first Big Daddies, and ten years after you are left for dead, you come back to rescue the young Eleanor(...yeah, it is kinda cliché) who you are personally bound to(and her to you, so you can not leave before you are reunited, in fact, you'll go into a coma or mad if you stay apart for overly long). This puts you in Rapture again, the underwater city of the best artists and scientists for them to be free to pursue their craft with no one to prevent them. It was to live the dream of pure individuality and freedom, somewhere you could satisfy your desires. This time, it isn't Andrew Ryan in charge, who wanted that... it's Sofia Lamb, the mother of the woman you are trying to find. She represents the equal and opposite reaction to his ideology, with a restrictive, authoritarian religion(or cult, since it isn't big enough). This was the perfect way to approach a sequel; not repeat, but respond. You again choose whether to rescue(complete with the faith healer gesture) the Little Sisters, or harvest them(is it just me or does the start of that look like you're putting on a handpuppet-show?) to define the strength of your character(do you put yourself or others first?), and this time, you can also "adopt" them, where you protect them as they gather(and then return them to a vent) the ADAM(letting you unlock and upgrade tonics(that you don't have to activate) and plasmids(that you do... and you can now dual-wield, that in one hand and a weapon in the other(no switching back and forth)! And yes, you can use them at the same time!), the special abilities(electricity, fire, ice(and you can now freeze others solid, and shatter them into pieces! And these are now all projectile, no idea why they weren't before), hypnotizing enemies, etc. And you can now charge them up for other benefits, such as hitting more with a single use, or stronger FX!) of these. Those have been increased in power, and since everyone has them, this has a real "war of the titans" kind of thing going on, with amazing battles(and a fantastic climax). These are both FPS', and this one offers something that goes beyond the basic for that. You have the usual set of weapons, with all-new ones, since you're no longer a mere person... and yes, you get the drill, and yes, you can do the "dash" move with it(!)(you can use it to smack others, as well). There's a pistol, a shotgun, a machinegun, etc. You can hack at a distance using darts(bear with it, being able to move during it gives really cool opportunities), it's now based on timing("stop the needle in the correct zone"), so it doesn't pause during. Yes, this is simply more intense than the original. The objectives and enemy types(some once again climb ceilings, and you actually have to use different tactics against them, and they have cool first appearances this time) are varied this time, so you don't get bored. Then again, this is pretty short, with 10-12 hours of playing time, meaning you can complete it in a single day, as I did. There are only three difficulty settings and not much else to get you to play it again. Well, there is one thing... multi-player(set during the civil war a decade or so earlier, and with plenty of unlockables). It's got all the modes you'd expect, FFA(team and otherwise), CTF, Hold the Flag(with an LS in place of it), Domination and Last Man Standing. As you play it, you get higher in the ranks, and those specify what your arsenal can be filled with, and this automatically evens the matches so that experts don't go up against noobs. That does bring me to the remaining problem of the excessive streamlining. They don't really fix that(customizing remains pretty minimal, this has nothing on System Shock 2 or Deus Ex), if the risk does remain(like with Kane & Lynch: Dead Men... I think it helps that there are bullets and manual aiming, that's why Assassin's Creed and the newer Prince of Persia titles fail in that regard). You still have an easy time buying ammo and the like, and basically never run out(I do like that they further limit the amount of healthkits and the like). This is challenging, intense and fun, however. Part of it is how emotionally engaging this is. You care about the cause, and the people involved, and you want to *win*. The story is gripping, with a marvelous and effective intro and conclusion(with highly effective use of the first person perspective). You're not some undefined, bland person that there's no reason to care about other than that he exists and happens to be in the place where there's something interesting going on that we haven't seen before, you have a purpose, a mission, and for it's formulaic setup, it really manages to strike a chord. This builds atmosphere well, being creepy and unsettling, by use of the grotesque or "slightly off" sights(I do think we tend to miss the disfigured faces and bodies of the Splicers, because it goes so fast, their movement(and they now randomly dodge your strikes), yours, and then with the ragdoll physics... it does make good sense that they'd follow a fanatic rather than "they're insane"), the tense score and the various ambient sounds(and silence). Level design is also magnificent, and we see new areas under the sea. The graphics are well-done, with expressive faces for the few fully animated scenes, and real-looking animations in-engine. Controls are intuitive and easy to remember, you get into this quickly. You do not have to have played the '07 one before this one to understand it, it merely uses the same setting, and neither of them spoils the other one. There is disturbing, brutal, violent, bloody and gory content in this, as well as swearing. I recommend this to any fan of the concept. 8/10

There can be no denying that the predecessor of this title was the most intelligent 360 game that really put the 360 on the world stage. Its intuitive game-play accompanied with a compelling and original storyline brought huge relief to 360 gamers after a period of frustration where only Oblivion stood up to the mark in the early goings. Now, some years on, the brains and little sisters at 2K Marin and now 2K Australia have taken us back to the mid-Atlantic bathysphere which leads us back to the glorious underwater utopia-gone-wrong, Rapture. Possibly the hardest act to follow on the 360, and now with the introduction of multi-player, to keep up with the team death-match virus that seems to be spreading throughout new 360 titles, with the help of Digital Extremes offering a feast of innovative new multi-player options, Bioshock 2 looks to be the first great all-rounder on the 360.

The games story is all based around the character you play. The games protagonist has been caught up in what seems to be a parental struggle. With a tragic event forced upon you at the hands of a maverick and shrewd woman, you are put out of action for a very long time, and thought to be dead. However, due to a special connection with a Little Sister, you come back to life with the help of Tennanbaum, the creator of the little sisters from the first Bioshock. From this, you once again explore the world of Rapture. You can see the vast damage and bloodshed caused by the maddened citizens as they prey on Adam control in the city. Never before seen areas are now at your disposal to explore, with all the hallmarks of BioShock still visible to see, I'm talking the eerie atmospheres, the crazed foes, the sublime detail given to each and every location, and of course the outside world of the ocean which serves not only as a viewing spectacle, but it also serves as the closest character friend you have.

The plasmid civil war hasn't stopped raging since the ten year gap between both titles. But this time, instead of being the helplessly controlled Jack who stopped the megalomaniac Frank Fontaine, you now step into the heavy divers suit(ed and booted) Big Daddy. But unlike the hunkered and quite simple Big Daddy's from BioShock, you play as a prototype Big Daddy who has full control of the plasmid abilities and also happily the favoured drill and Rivet gun respectively, with many other weapon varieties that were seen in the first Bioshock.

Of course, you get all the perks that you would expect from being the Daddy. Scaring the crap out of splicers is just the tip of the iceberg. Because you now can use both plasmids and guns at the same time, it makes the game-play more tactical than ever before, allowing traps to be made, controlling groups of enemies with minimal effort and also throwing innate and familiar household objects to stun your foes as you finish them off in as bloody a mess as you see fit, to further decorate the world in a coat of splicer red. All this sounds quite appetising and somewhat simple, but don't underestimate what you could run into in this place. The splicer's are now in tighter packs, making it harder to dispatch them without sustaining significant injury. There is no room for complacency in these kinds of fights. Also, ammo is an issue, which may come as a surprise and an Achilles heel for most players.

The single player as a whole is very tough. Thank God for that I say! The game offers you the chance to be the Big Daddy, which in turn makes you feel purposeful and powerful, but BioShock 2 very cunningly and subtly makes the story a fun and exhilarating challenge. But is doesn't stack up to the first Bioshock. Of course it was a hard act to follow, and honestly it has done the best it can considering, but it has only just fallen under the bar set.

Of course however, we have multi-player for the first time in Bioshock. The somewhat rustic looking online multi-player takes gamers down a trip to memory lane as locations from BioShock have been re-envisioned to create multi-player environments, such as the Kashmir Restaurant, one of the first areas in BioShock. The multi-player itself is surprisingly effective and quite addictive, but not to the standards of the Call of Duty games of course.

Bioshock 2 then is a solid all rounder; with a single player that takes precedence over the multi-player. It was a very risky move by 2K to introduce the multi-player after such a successful first effort of a story driven game. Bioshock 2 still offers its great vibrant world of Rapture, offers a new dynamic to the game utilising the Big Daddy's obvious high standing in the Rapture hierarchy. The multi-player does a good job for nostalgic Bioshock fans as you can revisit your favourite locales once again, but in the hustle and bustle of plasmid enthralled multi-player action. Top- notch Bioshock sequel that will wet any gamer's appetite.

Bioshock 2 may have sacrificed storytelling for cleaner gameplay, but the story is still well written and better than your average VG narrative. Sophia Lamb isn't nearly as charismatic as Andrew Ryan but does a pretty good job of getting me to despise her, making her a decent antagonist at worst. Gameplay tweaks seem minor at first, but dual wielding guns and plasmids, the ability to melee with any weapon, and the new real time reflex-based hacking system made a world of difference. I had more fun protecting the little sisters in this game than the first. Probably due to the unstoppability I felt having improved plasmids, weapons, traps, and ample time to set up and unleash my inner Macaulay Culkin whenever I was ready to harvest.

BioShock 2 might often be overshadowed by the original, but it absolutely deserves recognition as a brilliant continuation of the Rapture saga. While it builds on the foundations set by the first game, it carves its own identity through refined gameplay mechanics, deeper emotional storytelling, and a new perspective that makes the experience feel fresh yet familiar.

One of the most remarkable elements of this sequel is the fact that you play as a Big Daddy - a drastic shift that adds a fascinating dynamic to the game. From the very beginning, you feel stronger and more secure than in the previous title. Walking through the eerie, decaying halls of Rapture while wielding both brute strength and powerful plasmids gives you a thrilling sense of dominance. But the game doesn't let you feel invincible for long - enemies are smarter, encounters are more intense, and the strategic use of your resources becomes more essential than ever.

Combat is fluid and surprisingly tactical. The dual-wielding system - using a weapon and a plasmid simultaneously - is a massive improvement, and it helps keep the action fast-paced and versatile. The battles, especially on higher difficulties and during fights against Big Sisters or groups of Splicers, can become chaotic in the best way possible. There's a constant tension, a need to adapt and rethink your approach, which mirrors the same thrill and frustration you'd feel in a real card game - making you regret certain moves or celebrate a perfect combo of actions.

Narratively, BioShock 2 holds its ground with a compelling plot that delves once again into the darker aspects of human psychology and morality. The themes remain philosophical, rich, and thought-provoking - exploring the consequences of utopian ideals gone wrong and what happens when people are left without a moral compass. It offers a story that's both emotionally powerful and intellectually engaging, with well-written characters and moments that stick with you long after the game ends.

It was an unusual and fascinating experience - I absolutely loved the mechanic of playing as a Big Daddy in this installment. It makes you feel much more confident and secure as part of that class, even though the challenges remain excellent and demanding. The story is just as powerful as in the first game, touching on similar themes that show how twisted the human mind can become when left without guidance. Simply brilliant. BioShock 2 stands as my personal favorite entry in Rapture.