BioShock 2: A More Than Worthy Sequel

Ten years have passed since the self destructive events in the original BioShock have occurred, and now players can return to the underwater city of Rapture and its madness in BioShock 2.

With an array of available weapons, the player as a prototype Big Daddy protector, a mix of human being and diving apparatus combined by genetics, must fight his way through the dementia of the ruins of Rapture to find the Little Sister (a being altered and conditioned to harvest the drug ADAM from dead bodies) that he was designed to protect. That Little Sister, Eleanor, is now being held captive by her mother Sophia Lamb, the current master of Rapture who suffers from madness. In the journey to find her, the player encounters members of Lamb's army, citizens of the underwater city who are now insane mutated beings called splicers that have achieved superhuman powers through the abuse of using ADAM.

With a first-person approach, game play is standard for a shooter with clear objectives set in a visually rich and haunting environment filled with horrific yet graceful decay. While using a variety of weapons and altered serums of ADAM called plasmids and tonics, the player must battle through the dark remains of Rapture and complete tasks along the the way. Although fighting is a large portion of the game, the key component is its compelling story and its presentation through narrative devices. With a spin on typical shooter style gameplay, the game's storyline allows for "moral" choices to have an impact on the game's outcome, giving the title more replay value. As choosing a certain path of behavior in unique situations will play out differently for the Big Daddy, it becomes evident that shooting and killing everything in sight isn't always the best answer. It should also be noted, that as twisted as the story may seem, playing the first title in the series, BioShock, isn't required to enjoy or finish this game. For a more cohesive experience, and deeper understanding of the history of Rapture, players may be interested in giving the first title a try as it is also a worthy title in any gamer's collection.

Unlike BioShock, BioShock 2 offers single player and multiplayer modes. Like a bonus extension to the game, multiplayer mode offers a story driven approach that gives a look into Rapture's historic past and has 7 playable options.

As players will discover, Rapture is an odd and mysterious place, and this newest entry in the franchise brings something new to the table without neglecting or damaging its own past, making it more than a typical sequel. BioShock 2 successfully creates a solid and unique environment, giving game players a deeply immersive, and entertaining experience.

BioShock 2 is published by 2K Games, and has an ESRB rating of "M" for Mature (17+) due to blood, intense violence, sexual themes, and strong language. The title is available for PC, Xbox 360, and Sony Playstation 3 with a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Sources/Resources:

BioShock Wiki