BioShock 2

[Guynemer]

Anyone else playing this yet?


My initial thoughts, a few hours in: more of the same, generally, but lacking that certain je ne sais quoi of the original. The political undertones are still there, with collectivism instead of Randian individualism; however, in the original, the setting mirrored the philosophy perfectly. Here, the setting is the same as before, so there is a bit of cognitive dissonance.

That said, the gameplay is still quite good; the combat is exciting; the set-piece battles when defending a Little Sister are terrific; and the confrontations with Big Sisters are nerve-wracking. However, I feel awfully vulnerable for supposedly being a Big Daddy. I know I'm supposedly a "prototype", but still, other than having a drill, I feel no different than the character played in the original. (Ironically, I felt more like a Big Daddy in that sequence near the end of the original than I have at any time during the sequel.)



From what I've read, it gets quite a bit more interesting later on, so I'm gonna push on through.

[DrSpike]

Most of the reviews are saying the same - a good solid game but a bit samey and no touch of magic this time around.

I'll definitely get it but not a top priority at the moment.

[DaShi]

I hope it has the awesome DRM that the last one did.

[Asher]

Boy, does it ever.

[DrSpike]

360 version FTW.

[Asher]

360 version FTL if you looked at any head-to-head versions.

$10 more expensive, worse graphics.

[DrSpike]

Not much worse, and I'm not bothered about the $10 for hassle free play.

[Asher]

There was no hassle in installing it from Steam, either.

Tell it to install, then when it's done, you play.

[DrSpike]

I heard a rumour somewhere recently that the DRM was annoying.

[Asher]

Depends what you're trying to do. It's annoying in that it prevents you from installing it on multiple computers, which is the same problem with the fact that you can't play Bioshock 2 360 on two consoles at once, either.

[DrSpike]

That's fine - I only have one 360 anyway.

[Wiglaf]

Why haven't consoles been refreshed with a new generation? Even mediocre laptops can put out more than a 360 now. And yes, if this DRM bothers you, you need get laid.

[Asher]

'cause the current ones still sell.

[Guynemer]

Just finished the single-player campaign.

It's a fun game, and it does, in fact, get better as it goes on. The final plasmid you acquire is ****-tons of fun.


However, not only does the game have the sort of philosophical confusion I complained about earlier, it also has a distinct lack of a "Would you kindly" moment. Which, I suppose, isn't a bad thing, since we're all expecting one, following the pattern of Bioshock 1 and System Shock 2, with their holy-****ing-****-what-the-**** plot twists. If you don't expect to have your ****ing mind blown, you'll be able to enjoy the game more.

While there isn't a "Would you kindly" moment, there is a sequence towards the end of the game that is absolutely heartbreaking. And despite the lack of the big plot twist we've been conditioned to expect, there is a greater emotional involvement for the player as compared to the original Bioshock.



Definitely recommended, but I wouldn't call it a classic.