Follow-up to BioShock, 2K Games' critically acclaimed and commercially successful 2007 release, BioShock 2 is a first-person shooter set in the fictional underwater city of Rapture. As in the original game, BioShock 2 features a blend of fast-paced action, exploration and puzzle-solving as players follow varying paths through the overarching storyline based on the decisions that they are forced to make at various points in the game. In addition to a further fleshing out of the franchise's popular storyline, players can look forward to new characters, game mechanics, weapons, locations and a series first, multiplayer game options. 
The new power in Rapture.
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Duel wield plasmids & weapons.
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New choices as Mr. B.
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Franchise first multiplayer options.
View larger. | The Story
Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the halls of Rapture once again echo with sins of the past. Along the Atlantic coastline, a monster somehow familiar, yet still quite different from anything ever seen has been snatching little girls and bringing them back to the undersea city. It is a Big Sister, new denizens of Rapture who were once one of the forgotten little girls known as Little Sisters, known to inhabit the city's dank halls. No longer a pawn used to harvest ADAM, the dangerously powerful gene-altering lifeblood of Rapture, from the bodies of others and in turn run the risk of being harvested herself, the Big Sister is now the fastest and most powerful thing in Rapture. You, on the other hand are the very first Big Daddy, in fact the prototype, that for some reason has reactivated. You are similar to the Big Daddies familiar from the original BioShock, but also very different in that you possess free will and no memory of the events of the past ten years. The question is, as you travel through the decrepit and beautiful fallen city beneath the waves, hunting for answers and the solution to your own survival, are you really the hunter, or the hunted? Gameplay and Multiplayer
In BioShock 2 players will take on the role of the original Big Daddy, not that of game one protagonist, Jack. As a Big Daddy you will have access to all the strengths and weapons of a standard Big Daddy, including the drill and rivet gun. More importantly you also possess free will and the ability to use plasmids and gene tonics genetic modifications allowed for through ADAM, a stem cell harvested from conquered enemies, or sea slugs outside the Rapture air lock, and powered by the in-game injectable serum known as EVE, which can be found, captured or purchased. Plasmids and gene tonics provide a wide range of aggressive and passive abilities which can be upgraded and arranged for quick use. The ability to use plasmids and tonics gives you a decided edge over other Big Daddies and most other denizens of Rapture, excluding the powerful Big Sisters. In addition, due to their role as a Big Daddy, players will experience a new relation to the Little Sisters. Upon defeating standard Big Daddys you are given the familiar choice as to whether to harvest or adopt them. Harvesting gains you ADAM immediately, but could alter your path through the game, while adopting makes you responsible for Little Sisters, who then accompany you through Rapture, but also provide aid and warning in times of danger. Additional gameplay features include: new plasmids, weapons and the ability to combine these two. The game also features the anticipated multiplayer modes. Several of these are team-based, allowing up to 10 players. Within these players are provided with a rich prequel experience that expands the origins of the BioShock fiction, and allows you to play as one of several characters pulled from Rapture's history before the events of the first game. Key Features - The Big Sister - No longer just something to be harvested or not, the Big Sister is the most powerful resident in Rapture.
- You Are the Big Daddy - Take control with the original prototype Big Daddy, and experience the power and raw strength of Rapture’s most feared denizens as you battle powerful new enemies.
- New Plasmids - New plasmids such as "Aero Dash" allowing for bursts of speed over short distances, and "Geyser Trap" a stream of water used as a jump pad and electrical conductor, join the ample list of Plasmids from the original game.
- New Game Mechanics - BioShock 2 contains many new gameplay mechanics. Just a few of these are: the ability to wield plasmids and weapons simultaneously; flashback missions detailing how you became the Big Daddy; the ability to walk outside the airlocks of Rapture to discover new play areas, and many more.
- New Locations - Just a few of the locations and environments debuting in BioShock 2 are Fontaine Futuristics, headquarters of Fontaine's business empire and the Kashmir Restaurant.
- Evolution of the Genetically Enhanced Shooter - Innovative advances bring new depth and dimension to each encounter, allowing players to create exciting combinations to fit their style of gameplay.
- Return to Rapture - Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the story continues with an epic, more intense journey through one of the most captivating and terrifying fictional worlds ever created.
- Genetically Enhanced Multiplayer - Earn experience points during gameplay to earn access to new weapons, plasmids and tonics that can be used to create hundreds of different combinations.
- Experience Rapture’s Civil War - Players will step into the shoes of Rapture's citizens and take direct part in the civil war that tore Rapture apart.
- See Rapture Before the Fall - Experience Rapture before it was reclaimed by the ocean and engage in combat over iconic environments in locations such as Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites, all of which have been reworked from the ground up for multiplayer.
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 Why are people so disappointed? | | Review Date: June 23, 2010 | | Reviewer: Devendra S. Mistry, San Diego, CA USA | I did not buy this game on the day of its release, as so many people were complaining Bioshock series lost its magic in Bioshock 2. The Rapture city doesn't feel as novel anymore. But now that I have played through with it TWICE, I have to say these folks were dead wrong. Yes, the city, some of the villians and gameplay are similar, but that is why this game is labeled Bioshock 2 and not a new IP. Either way below are the pros and cons for the Bioshock2
PROS:
-CHOICES, CHOICES, CHOICES: One of the aspects, gamers loved about the original is how you have to make choices in terms of litter sister throughout the game and how it affects the ending. In this one, they have taken a step further and improved this choice system. Not only for little sisters, but also for some other things you will have to make choices. This choices will affect the story (dialogues, cut scenes and ending) to a great degree and add decent replayability to the single player mode.
-MYSTERIOUS STORY: The story is suspenseful. It is not as good as the first one, but is still pretty good and will really drive you forward in the game. If you played Bioshock 1, it is certainly a plus; however, certainly not a requirement. Even if you did not play the original, you will be able to understand most of it.
-AMAZING UNDERWATER VISUAL ANG GRAPHICS: The city looks as stunning if not better as Bioshock 1. Better yet in this one you get to play UNDERWATER. While it may not sound as thrilling it truly adds great deal of feeling to the gameplay experience.
-PLAYING AS BIG DADDY: Initially you will be somewhat confused, but this gets to be real fun. You can still use plasmids as in the original, but you get access to heavy duty weapons as you are playing as big daddy. I won't spoil much for you but YOU WILL LOVE THE SPEAR GUN :)
-NEW WEAPONS, PLASMIDS and TONICS: In this game, you get access to all the cool plasmids from the original, but you also get to use some new mysterious plasmids and tonics. Expecially, if you decide to go for good ending, you will get some really cool plasmids. As for weapons, you will just love the big guns. Trust me on it.
-NEW ENEMIES and BOSSES: I don't want to spoil it so I will just say big sisters will make you wet your pants.
-FOUR ALTERNATE ENDINGS: Again refer to choices section
-EPIC MULTIPLAYER: This game offers a very unique multiplayer. It was a wonderful break from games like Modern Warfare 2. The modes such as capture the little sisters can be fun. Just wait till you play as a Big Daddy. The power you get will truly be intoxicating. Oh did I mention you can use very different plasmids than single player in multiplayer mode.
My only complain for this one was instead of focusing on multiplayer, they should have just focused on single player and made it longer. Don't get me wrong , it will still take you a while to go through it (8-12hrs depending on how much you decide to collect).
In summary, to me, Bioshock 2 lived up to the standards. It was enjoyable and has great replay value. |
This game is a great game | | Review Date: April 30, 2010 | | Reviewer: Greg Shoemaker, | | I've heard a lot of complaints about this game being just more of the same, and its just not true. The major complaint is that its not original enough. I think they are missing the point, anyone who played the first game probably enjoyed the story as much as the game. But there in lies the problem once the cats out of the bag you can't put it back in. So why complain about originality when this is so obviously a sequel. Its like saying spiderman shouldn't have been the hero in Spiderman 2. What were people expecting an all new rapture on the moon. I enjoyed the story from the second one and I thought it was pretty good. Don't listen to the ney-sayers as they apparently have never pondered the thought that the first one already existed and that there is no way to ever go home again, it was time to move on and they did. The multiplayer is good but not great, it is competitive, but the servers do need some help. Overall I would give this game a 9.5 out of 10, if you enjoyed the first one chances are you will enjoy this one as well. I guess you just can't please everybody. |
Rapture rises in a spectacular sequel | | Review Date: February 27, 2010 | | Reviewer: Kevin, USA | Initially, I wasn't wowed by Bioshock 2 as I was by the introduction of Bioshock. Bioshock certainly makes a much better first impression with the awe-inspiring descent into Rapture, and introduction to the objectivist ideals that underlie the city. And as the game progressed, I was surprised to find that the graphics of Bioshock 2 are actually a bit worse in some regards. Character models somehow don't look as detailed when scrutinized by zooming in with the sniping weapon (the speargun or in Bioshock, the crossbow).
Also, the integration of the story within each location is generally less seamless and interesting than it was in Bioshock. Fort Frolic, for example, was a mall district of the original game that was teeming with amazing details and landmarks, and was presided over by a character who commented on your actions, and felt directly involved in the plot. The atrium, with the staircase covered in water leaking in from the cracked ceiling, and a spotlight that inexplicably follows your every move, was a great centerpiece of the action in the level. And the objectives, which required you to terminate and photograph Sander Cohen's disciples, were appropriately disturbing. The area was a high mark in Bioshock that Bioshock 2 never matches.
The narrative of Bioshock is also more interesting overall, since it contains so much exposition about the foundation of Rapture, and its decline. The story of Bioshock 2 is not always as thought provoking and novel as Bioshock, partially because Bioshock was so successful in developing a credible world. The plot in this sequel revolves around a devious psychiatrist, Sofia Lamb, who creates a collectivist society within Rapture, intending to forge a truly selfless human through DNA splicing, and has little girls from the surface kidnapped and forced to continue the ADAM gathering process. Contrary to Bioshock, which drags to an unceremonious conclusion, it gets better as it goes along, then ends on a high note. The audio diaries, which may be even more abundant than those in Bioshock, continue to provide exposition into the lives of Rapturians during the city's descent, and occasionally take the form of continuous mini stories that might have been emotional if I wasn't stoic and heartless. Also, the player is forced to make decisions that are morally ambiguous, and definitely more enthralling than the dilemma of choosing to save or harvest Little Sisters in Bioshock.
On the other hand, the gameplay of Bioshock 2 is by and large much more entertaining than that of Bioshock. In Bioshock, you play as a human who can be disposed of by Big Daddies, the most formidable enemies in the game, in two shots or less. This left the player to use more indirect, clever methods to defeat the metal behemoths. Namely, it forced you to lay down a bunch of traps, and incite them into killing themselves. Whenever I deviated from this means of killing Big Daddies, I was either defeated, or found the encounters vastly more difficult.
Either way, it felt that the game discouraged you from varying the way you approached situations. If you used traps, you easily overcame obstacles, but there was hardly any challenge involved, but if you didn't use many traps, the game was incredibly difficult. Fortunately, Bioshock 2 actually rewards varying the plasmids and weapons used against enemies. The camera system, which upgrades the main character's abilities, progresses more quickly when different types of attacks are used. Much like how a skateboarding game might give lower scores when the same trick is used repeatedly, the camera system in Bioshock 2 diminishes returns on using the same attacks over and over again.
Furthermore, a few new breeds of enemies diversify the gameplay. Rumblers deploy mini-turrets and fire rockets, Brute Splicers are an evolved form of Splicer that prefers fighting up close and personal, and Big Sisters, the most dangerous foe in the game, are fleet of foot, acrobatic, and use telekinesis to toss objects at the player.
These ostensibly simple improvements in Bioshock 2 serve to make for a streamlined game that is more enjoyable to replay than the original Bioshock. The value in Bioshock lies primarily in its storyline, which is excellent, but never as magnificent after the first time you've played it. Bioshock 2 has a similarly compelling narrative, but it is also far more fun to play, regardless of story. |
I actually like it as much as the original! | | Review Date: April 14, 2010 | | Reviewer: Laura Lambert, | | I have to agree with previous reviews: This could very well have been an expansion pack. Granted, a very large expasion pack, but one nonetheless. HOWEVER, I have no complaints about that. If you loved the first game then you will love this game since it's so similar. There were several new areas to explore, tons of items, cool new plasmids, the ability to wield plasmids and weapons at the same time, and a great new storyline. It was still eerie, the music was still good, the story was still disturbing and interesting, the audio files were still good enough to listen to, and the enemies were still sometimes shocking and freaky. It was a bit shorter than the first game but not so much that it really matters...I am completely satisfied with this game! It is very fun and captivating; I'd never want to stop playing and only would when I'd get tired cause exploring new areas can get exhausting at times. Great game! |
Fantastic | | Review Date: April 2, 2010 | | Reviewer: Damian S., | | This game is amazing. However it really is more for the gameplay, and multiplayer. The story is nothing compared to the first but is still a pretty good story. The gameplay however is fantastic, and the multiplayer is amazing in my opinion because its so different then just your typical shooter. Half of my friends seem to love it and half of them seem to hate it so i guess the multiplayer is liked by people or hated. I on one hand loved it. |
Good sequel | | Review Date: May 27, 2010 | | Reviewer: C. leveling, Hebron,N.Y. USA | | I loved Bioshock and had to get Bioshock 2. Perfect sequel, I don't know how they could have done it any better. In fact some things are better. The weapon use is improved and hacking is far less frustrating. To put it simply, if you liked the original you'll Bioshock 2. |
Enjoy it as it is without the urge for comparison | | Review Date: July 13, 2010 | | Reviewer: Benjamin S. Sprague, North Carolina | So when a game does something "original" lightning rarely strikes twice. The sequel will not be able to be quite as awe inspiring as its' forebear on account our minds have been conditioned to know what to expect.
Frankly Bio Shock 2 is "more of the same" in most regards though it does mix it up nicely. To me the story here is more personal. As the first Big Daddy "Delta" your little sister Eleanor is stolen to be made into an altruistic martyr by Sophia Lamb who was a person constantly in conflict with Andrew Ryan. Aka instead of seeing the evils of selfishness and capitalism you're having to deal with a mind bending psychologist and her cult of splicers called "The Family" who want to change the world by creating an ultimate saint with godly powers. Of course Eleanor is being forced into all this against her own will which is why she awakens you to help her.
Later you bump into Sinclair, a greedy opportunist swindling his way into an unlikely partnership with you. However there is more to him than that and honestly it surprised me how much he changes throughout the game. For me this had the same impact as "would you kindly" though it was delivered from an entirely different angle. Aka Sinclair is not simply another Atlas so don't fret over it!
Improvements are you have the awesome Big Daddy Drill and you can dual wield your weapons with your plasmids. In case this is your first deep sea dive into Rapture "plasmids" are genetic alterations that give you super powers. The essence of plasmids were harvested from sea slugs. Rapture's citizens indulged in these upgrades to make themselves "perfect" within their own delusional Utopia. However an addiction to "Adam" the very essence that allows people to use an ever increasing array of supernatural abilities caused fights to break out everywhere. In addition plasmid users became increasingly less human until they were nothing more than the violent splicers which you're forced to contend with throughout your journey.
As if plasmids did not make you formable enough you can also upgrade fire arms, improve your drill, and hack both bots and gun turrets. Bioshock 2 is as simplistic or as strategic as you want it to be thus continues the spirit of its' predecessor.
Personally I'm happy the "hacking" segments are easier this time around. There is no more making an elaborate pipe from point A to point B. Now all you have to do is tap a button when the giger needle going back and forth passes over the right colors.
In the tradition of action and consequences you can save or murder the little sisters. The best addition is having a little sister on your shoulder sniff out Adam for you. As she kneels over a cadaver to gather the good stuff you must set up a protective parameter and defend her from impeding enemies. This added yet another tactical wrinkle to the game which I was appreciative of!
To elaborate on the above you will of course get a different ending fringing upon whether or not you play through the game as a benign savior or a blood thirsty tyrant. More complexity comes into play on account choices made with a few other residents you meet along the way are taken into consideration. At least one encounter presents a difficult decision not so easily categorized as being right or wrong. I commend BS2 for making us contemplate our actions. Most FPSES do not bother to make their audience "think" which is a bar Bio Shock as a series has raised in a positive fashion.
Plasmid variety is still decent. You can electrocute foes in water, freeze them, hypnotize them to open fire on each other, set them aflame, or toss grenades back at the baddies with telekinesis. In addition my favorite new power is the "cyclone trap". When splicers run atop these marked areas they are thrown into the air and take damage when they fall. Only complaint I have is the "Bee swarm plasmid" from the previous BS is either absent or very hard to find. C'mon guys! That ability was priceless!
Bottom line
Bio Shock 2 does a lot right. It is a serviceable sequel and retains having a strong emotional story line. While it may not be better than Bioshock 1 in every way it does add a few new nuances to the gameplay. It is another under-water pulse pumping adventure you cannot put down until the credits roll!
Overall for every fault Bioshock stumbled with it presented more improvements to overcompensate thus it still gets a perfect score out of me.
Pros
+ Ability to finally use the Big Daddy Drill.
+ You can dual wield plasmids with other weapons.
+Great plot so long as you don't try to instantly over analyze it with the expectation it should be exactly like the previous story line.
+Some people have already complained BS 2 doesn't make you feel as if you're a Big Daddy. However even by the synopsis given you are the first one off the assembly line so of course you're not going to be quite as versatile as later models. Rest assured after you've spent time upgrading yourself accordingly you WILL achieve the satisfaction of being a mauling death machine!
+ Good voice acting, ambient sounds, and nice music. The audio atmosphere is top notch as always.
+New tactical element of defending the little sisters as they harvest Adam.
+Big sisters are rightfully terrifying the first time you're forced to contend with them.
+Nostalgic tributes to the first Bio shock including an animatronic Andrew Ryan in the Rapture museum.
+Stakes seem more personal in BS 2 because you're trying to rescue someone you deeply care about whom communicates with you via telepathic visions through the whole game.
+The good ending I got pleased me in every way.
+Death match multi-player if you want it. (I'm not big on it though.)
Cons
-Remember those promised under water segments? Yeah, they're here but are little more than a linear path leading from one part of Rapture to the next.
-The train doesn't allow you to go back to previous areas.
-Not as many splicer boss encounters. Show downs such as the one with the homicidal plastic surgeon Dr. Steinmen and the nut job art appreciator gave the first Bio Shock a lot more personality.
_Graphics have not upped the ante but what was there was great eye candy to begin with anyway.
-As with the first BS if you play this non stop you can beat it in a relatively short peroid of time.
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Excellent... | | Review Date: July 20, 2010 | | Reviewer: Frank Wood, | | If you loved 1, you'll love 2! Simple as that as far as I'm concerned! |
Greater gameplay, lesser story | | Review Date: July 27, 2010 | | Reviewer: Scott I. Rabin, | For the story-loving RPG fans out there, Bioshock 2 is not the thrilling sequel (prequel?) to Bioshock 1. There is not nearly the level of mystery and intrigue that made the single player of BS1 so enjoyable, and the characters seem stereotypical and trite.
Having said that, the gameplay is light-years ahead of the original. Plasmids (special powers, for the uninitiated) now have charge up abilities when you upgrade, including a beam-discharge type attack at level 3. Additionally, you no longer have to switch between a weapon or a plasmid, and can have one of each ready to go and swap between them without issue. The weapons have also undergone some upgrades, and now that you walk around as a Big Daddy, the drill and rivet gun are available to you. Combat has been refined, mostly due to having both a plasmid and a weapon out at the same time, and hacking is not the tedious Pipe Dream ripoff from the first, but rather a quick time-based event that does not stop game time (meaning you can't hack, get a break, and come back - hacking happens in real time!).
The multiplayer is definitely the highlight of this game. You start out at rank 1 of 40 and as you 'rank up' you gain access to new weapons, plasmids, and tonics. While it might seem that higher rank players have a significant advantage over lower rank players, you can only have two weapons, two plasmids and three tonics at any time - so higher rank players have more choices, but not necessarily more power. The progression as you rank up also provides an excellent reward system to encourage you to keep playing, and restricting access to all the options at the outset helps acclimate players to the much faster paced online arena.
I can't wait for Bioshock 3! (And yes, they are making it) |
just as good as the first ! | | Review Date: August 7, 2010 | | Reviewer: skipper, Gallipolis Ferry, WV United States | | This game was just as good as the first! I had fun playing as a big daddy! If you played the first you will like the second. If you didn't play the first you will still like this! |
Still amazing the 2nd time with new experiences and story | | Review Date: August 17, 2010 | | Reviewer: D. Davis, Dallas, TX | | I wasn't sure if they could do it again and hold me vexed by the story and drama but they did. I enjoyed as much as the first time I played it. It has high re-playability as well in my opinion. |
fun game, great value | | Review Date: August 19, 2010 | | Reviewer: PG, | | Very fun game and explains more of the story of Bioshock. Definately worth picking up and has over 20 hours of playback. Pretty much very similar gameplay to Bioshock 1 and that isn't a bad thing. The story isn't as well presented as Bioshock 1 but still is interesting no less. |
Great Game | | Review Date: August 20, 2010 | | Reviewer: Ruckus, | | Bioshock 2 does a great job continuing the fun of Bioshock 1. It was a lot of fun. The suspense and wonder was a little less because I already know the story from the first Bioshock, but it was still really good. |
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