Bioshock 2

Voices of: Fenella Woolgar, Doug Boyd, Anne Bobby, Sarah Bolger, Armin Shimerman, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Richard Poe, Graham Rowat
Developer: 2K
Directed by: Jordan Thomas
Rating: M
Genre: First Person Shooter
System: Xbox 360
2010

Times Completed:
Tim: 1

Summary: In 1968, Subject Delta- a Big Daddy- wakes in the underwater city of Rapture, where he is thrust into a deadly mystery.

Review:
Tim: After the instant classic, Bioshock, it was interesting to see what 2K Games would do with the sequel. This is a solid, worthy second game, which offers up more of the same. It was likely inevitable that this game would pale in comparison to the genre-busting original. That game was brilliantly conceived and exceptionally well executed. This is a good game, but it feels more derivative than original. Some of that is probably to be expected.

I will say, I enjoyed my return to Rapture. The journey felt different this time- there wasn't any sense of newness and the discovery component felt significantly less. At this point, I knew how Rapture worked. The Little Sisters, Big Daddies, ADAM- it all carried over from the first game. This definitely helped me get right into the game- the learning curve was easy because this follows the same formula as the first one. The story and characters are new, but again, they follow a similar theme and path as the original. Without the feeling of fresh discoveries, the whole game took on a "here we go again" vibe. My experience with the first game definitely carried over and this one felt much easier. These aren't outright complaints- some of this is the nature of a video game sequel.

There were aspects of the game that were streamlined and the game mechanics are probably a bit better. One of the most obvious changes is the switch in minigames- from the lengthy pipe one to a much quicker needle/gauge one. I appreciated that being streamlined, as well as the hacking aspect. This game definitely improved the mechanics and it felt less clunky to play. This made the game easier to progress in. This, combined with me being a more experienced player in this world, made the game feel easier to me.

The setting is still fantastic and I enjoyed the scenes of going outside and walking around underwater. That felt unique and entertaining, and I always had fun doing that. The rest of the game feels very similar to the original. I was interested in seeing the story to conclusion, but I wasn't as enthralled as I was in the first game. The game once again tackles big, philosophical subjects, but they felt a little less accessible this time around.They are a nice addition and give the game a sense of depth outside of just being a first person shooter, but they're not nearly as memorable this time. I think overall, this is fine. Being a Big Daddy, fighting a series of bad guys and monsters in an underwater city is always going to be fun. It's nerve-racking, occasionally intense, and always quite entertaining. This game just offers us more time in this world and that's something I was more than willing to do.

In addition to completing the main game, I also completed the Minerva's Den DLC. If I remember correctly, it took me about four hours. It was fun, but I'm not sure it added a whole lot. I also completed 17 out of the 18 Protector Trials, which I found more annoying than entertaining. Still, these definitely expanded the scope of the game some.

Overall, I'm definitely a fan of Bioshock 2. It absolutely doesn't live up to the heights of the original, but that was a tall order. This game feels like it improves the mechanics, but overall, plays it too safe. While that's the case, giving us more of the same of an amazing game is never something you'd want to complain about too loudly. So, yes, this game feels a bit too conservative and derivative, but it was still a blast returning to Rapture.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Game, We Recommend: Bioshock, Borderlands, The Last of Us, Mass Effect