Review: Bioshock 2 (PC)
It is a difficult task to create a sequel that can live up the last entry in the series, and even more so when that game is held to such high regard as Bioshock. Bioshock took rarely discussed Ayn Rand topics and set them in a dystopia wasteland that was Rapture. Half of the Bioshock experience was delving into Rapture and what can happen when a Laissez faire attitude is taken towards research and development of technology. Bioshock 2 manages to hold in place the concepts that are started in the first game, and take them in new directions, but never really pushes new boundaries. It tends to fall flat at times, but is saved by a solid last third of gameplay, that will satisfy gamers that hold out for the end.
Bioshock starts out with a bang, literally as you are apparently controlled into taking yourself out of the picture in 1958. Yeah, it seems that death as a device to move the plot is all the rage in 2010. The story then moves you forward 12 years to 1970, where your character awakes to the horrors of Rapture after its fall into ruins. However, you are no longer a simple human being, but instead a Big Daddy, with all of their tools and one extra bonus – the ability to use plasmids. Yes, it is a bit gimmicky, and allows 2K Games to bring back plasmids from the first game, but surprisingly it works, and as the story progresses, it starts to make sense as to why your character is able to use these powers.
As the story unfolds you find out that Rapture has gone into more disrepair, with a new power filling in for the vacuum that was left after Andrew Ryan and Fontaine disappeared from the scene. Sophia Lamb has instilled an almost religious society among the slicers, and she seems to find the Big Daddies as abominations brought upon Rapture, and responsible for the plague that affects the Little Sisters. She does have a personal connection to the story that you are not quite aware of until half way through the story, and once you find the bond, it is another great moment, not unlike the big twist from the first game. At this point, the story finally picks up, and the game becomes an interesting story about the strength of personal bonds and how they can affect the body physically and mentally.
The environment and style of Rapture was almost a character unto itself in the first Bioshock. The idea of a thriving metropolis under the sea was a new aspect that we had not witnessed in a game, and the look was distinct and memorable. In Bioshock 2, you return to Rapture, albeit, new locations that you have not visited in the first game, but the sense of awe that you had in the first game, ends up disappearing shortly after you arrive. Bioshock 2 look fantastic, but as you travel the world, everything has a familiarity, lacking any sense of awe or wonder. You do get to go outside of the city and walk along the ocean floor, but these sequences are far and few between and nothing happen during your trips outside of Rapture. The character models are nice, but as you continue on your journey, you start to notice that there are only about a dozen or so character models, wearing the same sets of clothing. It just seems like there could have been more variations in the enemies, but it is not a deal breaker.
One thing that is new to Bioshock 2 that was not in the first one, and makes a huge difference, is the collection of Adam. As a Big Daddy, you have the option to engage other Big Daddies in combat, and if you win, you can adopt or harvest their Little Sisters. If you adopt the Sister, you can harvest Adam from bodies, adding to your ability to upgrade and buy new plasmids and other items. Collecting Adam has you protecting your Little Sister from Slicer attacks, and these battles become very tactical. You can set up traps, and fortify your position, depending on your upgrades, making each battle a nail biter. I grew to enjoy each Adam collection segment, and how well I could set up my position for the incoming swarm of enemies. You can skip these collection segments, but you will struggle to get through the game with the most basic of Plasmid upgrades.
Combat as a Big Daddy is also a completely new and surprisingly refreshing experience. The biggest change in combat is the ability to use plasmids and weapons at the same time, no longer having to go through a convoluted menu to switch between a weapon and a plasmid. Combat is more fluid, and moves at a quick pace, even though you are a rather slow moving creature. As you play through the game, you start with a drill, and end up with a host of optional weapons at your disposal. While I did end up going with the Rivet gun quite a bit, there was something satisfying about taking a big drill and shove it into someone’s face, turning it into mush. Yes, very satisfying indeed.
One place where Bioshock 2 really outshines its predecessor is with its sound quality. As you walk through the halls of Rapture, the ambient sounds you hear are sometimes chilling in nature, almost feeling like a horror game. You hear things in the walls, around corners and in the air, but you will never see anything. The sound excels at creeping you out at every turn, leaving you wondering where the next attack will come from. You still have the same 50’s era of music present, but it is not as dominant this time around, which is fine, because I will take creepy ambient sound over nostalgia music every day of the week. All of the audio is delivered through a radio, or audio logs and the voice work for these dialog segments are fantastic. Every voice is filled with passion and emotion, giving you a sense of the fear or anger that may be in someone’s intentions. I made it a point to grab as many audio logs that I could find, wanting to hear what had happened in Rapture in the last 10 years.
It was inevitable that multiplayer would come into play with Bioshock 2. The first game was fantastic, and had great sales, but it was also one of the most traded in games at GameStop, due to very limited replay value. Digital Extremes was tasked with creating the multiplayer component for Bioshock 2, and they have created a highly atmospheric section of Rapture for you to live in, but the actual gameplay is average at best, and lag filled at worst. The multiplayer tells the story of the fall of Rapture. It is set in the late 50’s, and shows Rapture as a still thriving metropolis. As you play through the maps and gain experience in the Civil War mode, you unlock new messages that advance the story, telling you what is happening in Rapture and how the conflict between Atlus and Ryan sends the city spiraling into despair. The Civil War is the main mode in multiplayer, but not the only mode. There is Capture the Little Sister, free for all, team deathmatch, and a few other modes. All are well polished in look and gameplay, but lag kills any sense of enjoyment. I tried on several occasions to play a match via Games for Windows Live, and every match was crippled by jumps in frame rate and heavy lag. It was thoroughly unplayable at times. Also, due to playing this shortly after launch, there was a small community playing at the time, so setting up a match was a bit difficult at times. Later in the week, I was able to get into a lot of matches, but it ended up being a lost cause due to the lag.
In Bioshock 2, 2K Games has created a competent sequel to a game that needed no real sequel. It is an enjoyable trip back to a familiar place. You have a slow-paced story that really ramps up towards the end, and the new combat mechanics add a new sense of depth to your tactics, but it never reaches the heights of its predecessor. As a standalone game, Bioshock 2 is a great game, but when compared against its legacy, it leaves a bit to be desired. Rolling the dice with multiplayer ended up being a lost cause, as it never worked properly to make it an enjoyable add-on. You will find a good game in Bioshock 2, but it never steps into the limelight on its own. Bioshock 2 gets 4 out of 5 Aeropausonauts.
Check out Bioshock 2 and other PC reviews at Test Freaks.
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Engles
