The LV. Cap: Bioshock 2 Review
Bioshock was released in 2007 to critical acclaim. It offered a fantastic story, sandbox style gameplay, and pretty damn good graphics for the time. It was a huge success. Then in late 2008, Bioshock 2 was revealed through a series of online teasers and viral marketing. It offered a continuation on the story where Bioshock may or may have not left off. It also had another thing up its sleeve, multiplayer. But, would these be enough for the sequel to fill the shoes of its predecessor or would it leave Rapture flooded with dismay? Find out below!
Bioshock 2
PC, PS3, & Xbox 360
Singleplayer: 1 Player
Mutliplayer: 2-10 Players
Developers: 2K Marin, 2K Australia, 2K China, Digital Extremes
Publisher: 2K Games
ESRB: M Mature
MSRP: $49.99 (PC), $59.99(360 & PS3), $99.99 (SE)
Bioshock 2 takes place 10 years after the events of Bioshock with Rapture under control of psychiatrist Sofia Lamb. She has taken over the “leadership” position with her ideas in human progression, which provides a good contrast between hers and Andrew Ryan’s. You take the wheel of “Subject Delta,” one of the first prototype Big Daddy protectors tasked with protecting the little yellow eyed girls infamously known as the “Little Sisters.” Through a series of events you find your self in 1969 looking for a Little Sister that was “assigned” to you. You have a connection to her that will be revealed throughout the course of the game, but Sofia Lamb and the “Big Sisters” do not like this. They are hell bent on stopping getting to this Little Sister and reaching the surface no matter what the cost. Lets get to the specifics shall we.
Good:
Lets Get Spliced Up!: Plasmids make a full return in Bioshock 2 with new and exciting upgrades for all of them. The coolest part about the plasmids in this game is that you can pretty much “level” them up like in the first game. But there is a catch! Instead of the plasmid powers being just more “powerful” as you level up they actually have different functions with each level. For example ice blast (my favorite) can actually freeze more than one person as it goes higher and be used to block-in larger opponents so you can dwindle their health down. You can also combine different plasmid powers together to create traps to be used against your enemies. These really make the plasmids feel like that they have an integral part of the game compared to the previous one.
I Missed You Rapture: One of the most important things that made Bioshock 1 great were the themes and settings. Bioshock had a certain film noir to it with the 50’s style music, costuming and attitude that made it feel like something very different. Luckily Bioshock 2 has returned with the same aesthetic. Some have argued this is not true but it actually has, it just has a little more age to it all. After all it has been 10 years since the previous game and things still seem familiar but “used” at the same time. For many fans this “theme” or “setting” is what defined the first Bioshock, so it is nice to see that it has returned in full force for the second game.
Big Daddy Strategies Inc.: A recurring event throughout Bioshock 2 is that of defense. Throughout the game you are tasked with defending little sisters as they “gather” ADAM from dead bodies aka the “angels.” You are given time to strategically place mini-turrets, hack robots that need to be hacked, and place traps galore. The same defense stratgies apply to battles against the Big Sisters. When the battle does happen you are either kicking the enemies ass or the enemy is kicking yours. This really adds a little strategy to a game that previously was just “run and gun.” The battles are almost renascent of the battles between yourself and the big daddies throughout the first game, however with you being the Big Daddy. There is a lot of forethought and careful planning before each gather and each Big Sister battle which if done a certain way could either end you are help you. It feels like there is a definitive choice on how you want to do things. Less linear perhaps, but it does make for some interesting gameplay choices that gamers will remember for a while.
Big Sister Doesn’t Want Me Playing With You: Speaking of Big Sisters this is probably one of the coolest ideas 2K Marin added to game. The idea that the “protector” program was not limited to males only. Throughout the first game I asked myself several times “How come there are no female Big Daddies?” Big Sisters are a pain in your arse in this game and not to mention scary. This addition makes you wary of what you do. If you are unprepared for a battle with her, you are going to get your ass kicked all over the place. If you are prepared, the battle will still be tough but you have a chance of killing her.
On The Fence
Multiplayer: The neat thing about the multiplayer in Bioshock 2 is that it is a prequel of sorts for it takes place before the events of the first game. It is interesting on how 2K was able to meld this with the games canon. However the multiplayer game play has a few issues, like any at launch. The first issue is that of matchmaking. It is hard to find people to play with in the middle of the day on a weekday. Maybe this has to do with school or whatever but it’s no fun waiting for a 30 minutes before a game starts. The second issue is that of lag. Most games on launch have a lag issue or two with multiplayer, but the issues with the connections in game are kind of a nuisance. However, with the issues the multiplayer is also a very very addicting game. Multiplayer features 7 different game modes, customization, and upgrades to keep you busy for a while. The best part of the multiplayer is that of the random placement of the big daddy suit, a suit when picked up by one team will be used as heavily offensive teammate. Multiplayer is a great addition to the Bioshock lore, but it needs some work done to it in order to be a highlight of the game. It is plagued with small nuisances but at the same heavily addictive.
Bad:
Wait What?: Plot holes, no not pot holes, are a recurring theme throughout Bioshock 2. I wouldn’t know if to call them plot holes or not but for the sake of this review I will. Throughout several points in the game there are references back to the first game, be it with a recorded journal or one of the main characters speaking you directly. Most of these references tell us where new and old characters in Bioshock 2 were during the events of the previous game. But something doesn’t sink well with this. For example one character was locked in a prison during the whole thing but for the player it doesn’t seem feasible. How can one character go locked up through the first game without even being mentioned once during that experience? Also one character in from Bioshock made a short appearance in the sequel and then just disappeared shortly after without any word. These few things were bothersome.
No Daddy I’m Bored!: A new addition to Bioshock 2 is the ability to gather ADAM from bodies through the means of a little sister. This proves to be a hell of a time creating a defensive strategy, as I stated above, to protect the little sister while she gathers. However, after doing this for the 5th time it gets boring. You seem to focus more on gathering the ADAM rather than exploring and finishing the story. These experiences make it feel like a chore instead of something you have “chosen” to do out of your own kindness.
In the end, I have no doubt that Bioshock 2 is a solid game. Is it Game of the Year worthy? No. But, this game is a testament to the love for the fans and the developers of the series. The game has its problems but it also has its highlights. It is a game that will stay with fans of the series until the possible next installment. Not all will love this game, some may even hate it. For that I believe this game is a BUY only to those who are fans of the first game and a RENT for those who skeptical in buying it. For those who are grade savvy and so on I am giving this game a HIGH 3 star rating or an 80%. Disagree with anything? Let us know below!
