Game Info
GAME NAME: Bioshock 2
DEVELOPER(S): 2K Marin
PUBLISHER(S): 2K Games
PLATFORM(S): PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac
GENRE(S): Survival horror, 1st person shooter
RELEASE DATE(S): February 9, 2010
Bioshock 2. 2K Games and their 2K Marin studios had a biiiiig task ahead of them – overtake the original. Did they do it? Well, no, but it’s still a great experience.
Chances are, if you’re reading this then you know the plot of the first Bioshock. Guy stumbles upon Rapture, an underground utopia gone awry, either saves or destroys a bunch of little girls, and gets out. Bioshock 2 takes place about 10 years afterwards, with a new character – you play as the very first Big Daddy. The plot reveals a bit more about Rapture and it’s decline, about some of the big players in the first game, and a lot about the new characters. It wasn’t as engaging as in the original, and there weren’t near as many “HOLY CRAP!” moments and reveals, but the fleshed out morality system (not relegated to simply choosing to kill or save Little Sisters, but actual characters as well) makes it a bit more fun.
There’s not much new with the gameplay elements of the series. In single-player, anyways. However, the inclusion of a pretty diverse multiplayer was a nice touch, and could ensure a lot of long-lasting player base. Although I think most fans of the series would have preferred more time spent on the single-player mode. Playing as the Big Daddy, with the drill, and heavier weapons, was nice, but he really didn’t seem that much tougher than the previous character, who was simply a normal human being. There should have been more of a difference where that’s concerned. The Little Sister harvesting did a bit to liven up the formula as well, but still, something seemed missing from the first game.
I have to say, I think the music composition exceeded the original. The orchestrated score was tense, heart-pounding, and even a bit magical in parts. The game is still extraordinarily pretty. Most notably in the “walking the ocean floor” interludes. The levels seemed a bit more vanilla, though. Or maybe it was just me?
There’s definitely replayability here. You have more than the two endings of Bioshock, and a pretty robust multiplayer build. I might suggest waiting for the price to drop a bit before buying, but I was happy with my $60 dollar purchase, and I barely even played online. This guy gets an 8 out of 10.
