Bioshock 2 Returns to Rapture: PS3 Review

When the original Bioshock was released in 2007, it was praised for the intense game play and twisting storyline. Now gamers can visit the underworld city of Rapture again with the release of Bioshock 2. This first person shooter is available now for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC and is rated M for Mature.

Bioshock 2 Story
Set 10 years after the first game, you play as a prototype Big Daddy, Subject Delta. Delta is trying to find his Little Sister. Rapture is in a worse state than before and is now run by the psychiatrist, Sophia Lamb. Dr. Lamb will do anything to derail your search. Bioshock2 explores new parts of Rapture. There are places like Skid Row and an amusement park. Returning from the first game is Dr. Tennebaum, who will send people to help you. Also returning is the spliced up citizens of the city, including a new splicer called a Brute. There are also the super fast Big Sisters. As with the first title, the story has plenty of twists and you never know who to trust.

Bioshock 2 Game Play
The game plays and looks a lot like the original. Rapture still maintains its horrible, decaying sense of beauty. The ocean floor sequences shine with brilliant colors as you walk around coral or spot a school of fish. The weapons system is basically the same as the first game. Guns and melee are in your right hand; plasmids in the left. A great new feature is dual welding. It's a convenient way to combine the attacks. As a Big Daddy, you have a drill, Gatling and rivet guns among your choices of weapons. Another aspect vastly improved on is hacking. In the first game, hacking became tedious with the tubes and liquid. In Bioshock 2, you have a hacking device. Shoot the dart and a bar comes up with different colors, land the needle on the correct colors and you're done. This new way of hacking makes it easier to use bots, cameras, and turrets to your advantage. The research camera also returns, functioning more like a video recorder this time. Instead of just snapping pictures of splicers, you need to creatively dispose of them to get the best score.

Players still can harvest or rescue Little Sisters they meet. A new option, adopt, is also available. By adopting a Little Sister, she can harvest ADAM for you. While she's on your shoulders, listen to her comments. I was using the Incinerate! plasmid on a splicer and she asked if I was roasting marshmallows. You must protect her during harvesting, as the splicers will try to stop her. New ammo types like trap rivets and mini turrets are a must while she's harvesting. There are also other choices in Bioshock 2 besides what to do with the Little Sisters.

Bioshock 2 Replay Value
With the choices available there is plenty of replay value. Just like with original, I am compelled to replay. It's interesting to see how harvesting or saving the Little Sisters will change the game. There is more of Rapture to explore if you missed certain rooms or areas in the first play through. Also, you can collect all the audio dairies to fully unlock the story of Subject Delta.

Another feature that adds greatly to the replay value is the inclusion of online multiplayer. Up to 10 people can play as splicers during the civil unrest that started back in 1959. Multiplayer modes include ADAM grab, Civil War, and a variation of Capture the Flag. Kicking and screaming Little Sisters serve as the flag, which is very entertaining. You can customize your character's appearance and unlock different plasmids. The multiplayer portion also lets players get a glimpse of how Rapture fell.

While there are some minor disappointments, like the Circus of Values' silence or the lack of U-invent machines, Bioshock 2 is a stellar sequel. The story is intriguing and thought provoking. The graphics and music make Rapture come alive as you battle through splicers, Big Sisters, and other Big Daddies. The weapons and plasmids make a great fighting combination. While some of them are different from the first game, they feel familiar. Bioshock 2 is worth the price. Rapture will haunt you again and keep you returning.

Sources:

Personal Experience

www.bioshock2game.com