Overall 8.5 Graphics 9.5 Sound 7.5 Addictive 7.5 Story 7.5 Depth 7.5 Difficulty 7
6
There's Something Bland in the Sea Supergamer
Bioshock 2, the sequel to one of most compelling shooters within the last decade. Like any sequel of any great game I wondered what sort of improvements would they make to the game. There were a couple things that caught my eye, but none like the reveal that your character is a big daddy. Yeah, that is something for sure, so now let’s get going and see what is like to walk in the boots of a big daddy.
Story
Now, you play as a big daddy, and as you learn later, a rather important big daddy. You are Subject Delta, who is on a personal quest through rapture to reunite with his little sister, who is also important. Now, unfortunately, the characters that you encounter throughout the story aren’t very interesting compared to the first game. I even found the main antagonist to be less intimidating in her radio messages than Andrew Ryan or Fontaine. I felt that her radio messages were rather irritating to listen since I felt she shoved her philosophy more than Andrew Ryan did. However, I do still think her goal was certainly admirable, though her way of doing so is certainly horrible. Unfortunately, despite the story being primarily about Subject Delta reuniting with his little sister, it isn’t until the climax that I actually felt a real connection with her. But, a story in a modern game must be supported by its visuals.
Graphics
Not much has changed since the first game. The environmental graphics haven’t really improved much at all, but the character models have certainly improved since the first game. Splicers are less ugly, well in terms of graphics anyway, and the Little Sisters look a lot more realistic compared to their predecessors. Also an improvement is the fact the NPCs that you meet throughout the story all have their own character models. This really helps to identify them from the splicers, unlike the first game where most NPC models just used splicer models. However, a game’s presentation isn’t supported by just its visuals, but also its audio.
Sound
Like the previous game, Bioshock 2 does rather well in the sound department. Sound effects are well designed, voice acting is good, and music is well done. However, Like the first game, this game’s music only really presents itself during loading screens, fight scenes and key moments. However, the music is beautifully done with feelings of intensity and sorrow. Next, I’ll explain how well done the gameplay is.
Gameplay
Bioshock 2 is a first person shooter like its predecessor, however, it does make some changes. First and foremost is the feature of dual wielding both your weapon and plasmid, which means you shoot your gun and fire your plasmid simultaneously. Speaking of plasmids, those have been improved, as the upgrades have additional effects beyond increased damage (ex: Electro Bolt 2 has a chain lightning effect). Even the plasmids that had no upgrades in the previous game have upgrades that are actually pretty good (ex: Security Command 2 lets you summon a security bot). Another improvement is that you only have to buy one type of gene tonic slots, instead of the three in the previous game. And in regards to gene tonics, I didn’t find much of them to be incredibly useful. Power to the people machines return with an additional special effect upgrade for a weapon that was upgraded twice before (ex: a fully upgraded rivet gun gets a fire damage effect). The overall speed of reloading weapons and refilling eve has been increased, and also considering that you no longer need to switch between weapon and plasmid due to the duel wielding feature. You may also now, thank goodness, melee with any weapon, which, to me, makes your default melee weapon useless. While most of these changes and additions are welcome, there are others that I found unwelcoming. First is that hacking is no longer a puzzle instead it’s just a dumb feature of press the button so the needle lands on green/blue. This complete rehash of the hacking mechanic takes away all of the challenge of hacking. The research camera comes back, but as video camera instead. As the camera films a targeted enemy, you have a limited amount of time to use a variety of attacks on the enemy. Each combination will contribute to the research point that you earn, and like the first game’s camera, you’ll be awarded when the meter is filled. Now, while my brother enjoyed this research camera, I found it an annoying and unnecessary change to the camera. Collecting ADAM has also changed, you can still harvest little sisters, or, being a big daddy, adopt them. Adoption lets you carry a little sister, who will show you the way to corpses containing ADAM. Once the corpse is found you may set the little sister down so she may start extract the ADAM. However, splicers will come in waves when she starts and it’s up to you to defend her until she’s finished. But you shouldn’t have much trouble with it since splicer A.I. is dumb. Once a little sister extracts all of the bodies available to her, she’ll need to be returned to a vent. At the vent you may choose to harvest her or save her, which works exactly the same as it was in the first game. However, once you take care of all of the little sisters in an area, beware, for the big sister comes for you. Big sister is fast, hardy, and can use plasmid and can heal herself using nearby splicers. In fact, she is the toughest enemy in the game, making the new splicer, and the new big daddies look like chumps. Killing a big sister will earn you more ADAM, and earns a step closer to earning a gift from the little sisters. While this new system of earning ADAM is rather creative, it is also very repetitive.
Bioshock 2 wasn’t as good as the first game, in fact, I found it a chore to get through. There are no moments ever in the game that made think that this is awesome. As well the changes made to the game, such as the duel wielding and improved plasmids, made the previous game’s toughest enemies, the big daddies, seem like chumps in this one. Furthermore is that none of the areas in the game are very interesting; no Fort Frolic for you! Bioshock 2 shows that rapture isn’t worth revisiting.
Graphics 9 Sound 8 Addictive 5 Story 5 Depth 7 Difficulty 6
Review Rating: 3/5
Submitted: 04-06-15
Updated: 04-07-15
Review Replies: 3
9.6
Bioshock 2 Review XxEzraxX
Bioshock for me has become one of the best survival horror games I have ever played thus far, but when I saw Bioshock 2 I was a bit skeptical. For one I wondered how could you continue a story that was otherwise finished, and secondly how different from the original is this going to get? But with my skepticism aside I bought the game and let me tell you I am not disappointed at all, I loved Bioshock and I'm starting to think that maybe I like the squeal a little bit more. And it bothers me a lot that this game has gotten a lot of hate from people all over the Internet, saying it was different than the original and not good. I begged a differ, it is a tiny bit different sure but for the most part it feels and looks the same. The game is fantastic, it was like the developers took everything I didn't like about the first one and fixed it. Hacking turrets and security cameras have become live instead of a mini game, and the research camera doesn't take pictures but works instead like a movie camera. To add on to the changes Andrew Ryan is no longer in charge of Rapture (trying so hard not to spoil the first one), but a woman named Sofia Lamb has taken over and has created a new creature known as a Big Sister to take down Big Daddies and bring all of the Little Sisters to her. Also, yes there is a another new addition, a new type of Big Daddy and Splicer has been added the Rumbler and the Thuggish Splicer. Incredibly tough by the way.
I rated this game a little bit higher than the first, 9.6 because I really enjoyed it. All aspects of the game, to me, where great. The game looked great and played very nicely. There were a few button changes that, for me anyway threw off my game play due to trying to do things like the first game. For instance, your first aid kit button was B but in this one is the right D-pad button. Messed me up all the time, but once you get used to the changes the game feels pretty natural. It runs pretty good, I think I have encountered only one or two bugs. One was graphical, and that was where I killed a room full of Splicers and witnessed one falling through the floor...now correct me if I am wrong but I think physics does not let me fall through the floor, but it didn't really bother me to much although it was one less body to loot. Darn it.
As for the graphics I rated a solid 10, I think the game looked amazing. Maybe lighting could have been worked on, but otherwise it was fantastic when you play I'm sure you will actually believe that you are under the Atlantic Ocean in a strange city. The Splicers look pretty nice too, and by nice I mean completely messed up and freaky looking. Especially the Spider Splicers, now I want to try to keep this down to a g rated review but I should say they kind of look like a person in an S and M costume with really lanky arms. The sound of the game I rated 7, here is where I encountered my second bug and it happened a lot more than the first. Sometimes when you kill an enemy you will see them hit the ground and then they will say something. Wait, I thought you where dead? How do you speak beyond the grave? But other than that the sound is not bad, the voice acting is great but the some of the music mainly the loading screen needs to be changed. I understand that the city was established in the early 1940's or 50's but in this game the year is 1968 don't you think if Tenebaum came back to Rapture she would at least take some good music with her? I mean The Beatles, Hendrix and the Stones where playing music at that time so yeah..there is something to think about.
Addictiveness I rated this a 10, whenever I play I find myself playing for hours trying to get to the next area and once I do finally get there I just want to get to the next one. The game like I said before is amazing, I absolutely love running around through Rapture killing all different kinds of Splicers and Big Daddies and adopting there Little Sisters. Oh yeah, I almost forgot you play as a Big Daddy if that is not the epitome of awesome I don't know what is. So as you play you can adopt Little Sisters and have them harvest Adam for you, which you can then use to buy your Plasmids and gene tonics etc. You also get the option to rescue or harvest them as well, just like in the original if you rescue them you get about 80 or so Adam, but if you harvest you get over 100 but the Little Sister will not survive the process. Tragic.
As far as story goes I gave it a 10, at first I was a bit iffy only because I assumed you would be the same character as before but considering that you are dead in the first one that didn't make much sense. But the developers at 2K really did something right here and made an awesome story about power and corruption in this sequel. I also noticed that in the original the story was kind of hard to follow, considering you had to find the story by listening to different diaries, but this one makes it's point pretty obvious which doesn't confuse a lot of people, and that makes a game likable. But you still find the diaries and yes they do tell you the story but you also sort of figure it out as you see what is going on around you and who you happen to run into and also who is telling you how to progress. Instead of being kind of vague like Atlas was.
Depth, I rated an 8 and thinking about it I maybe should have gone with 9. The game has a big map, considering the city of Rapture is kind of a big place, but there are also a ton of hidden things. I thought there was a lot in Bioshock, but Bioshock 2 is covered with hidden things and you can get even more just by using your research camera more and more (just like in the original), but I feel like this is more of a hand out and I barely use that. But the game has a lot of hidden diaries, ammo, dollars etc. It is always a lot of fun to find these items.
Difficultly, I also rated this an 8. This game can get pretty hard, but it is pretty straight forward so getting lost is kind of hard to do. It is more the difficulty of your enemies, they start off, of course pretty easy killing them off with your Drill, but then become progressively tougher and tougher to kill. Taking less damage from things you have used a million times to kill them before, but the game makes up for this with more Power to the People stations which upgrades weapons and adding different weapons. My favorite so far the Spear gun, if you play I think you will see why.
Overall this game is great, and I highly recommend it for those who did enjoy the first Bioshock. I had a great time playing it, and I think a lot of people will too. It is a fun and intense gaming experience, and I loved every minute of it, in fact I might go play some more of it right now. Until next review.
Graphics 10 Sound 7 Addictive 10 Story 10 Depth 8 Difficulty 8
Review Rating: 3/5
Submitted: 12-03-12
Review Replies: 0
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