BioShock 2 Preview
March 27,2009 - Back in 2007 Bioshock was released and the first-person shooter genre has never been the same since. Achieving stellar critical praise and impressive sales, Bioshock quickly became one of the most popular titles on the Xbox 360 thanks in part to its eerie underwater -utopia atmosphere and innovative plasmid mechanics. The PS3 got its hands on Bioshock last year and even more fans have grown to love the game’s thrilling action and chilling vibe. With all of Bioshock’s success, it is hard to imagine how the sequel could trump the first game’s popularity, but from what we have seen already, 2K Marin looks to make Bioshock 2 even more engaging and enjoyable than Bioshock ever was.
Bioshock 2 takes place nearly ten years after the events of the first game and things have been really going downhill in the world of Rapture. Since the hero you played as in the first game as risen above and left the underwater world, there was no one to save the splicers from wreaking havoc in Rapture during the decade-long disappearance. Simply put, Rapture is even more dilapidated and chaotic than ever before and it will take much more fortitude and strength to survive your next adventure here. Thankfully though you won’t be playing as an ordinary Joe who stumbled upon Rapture, instead you get to control the reigns of the mighty Big Daddy.
Controlling a Big Daddy for the entire game might sound dull to some (most notably because you got to play as one at the end of Bioshock), but 2K Marin insists it works well with the overall gameplay and story mechanics. You don’t control any ordinary Big Daddy either; you control one of the first experimental prototypes. Needless to say you aren’t as powerful as the latter ones but you can still pack quite a punch whenever the situation arises. Because you were one of the first Big Daddies, experimental procedures left you with the ability to use plasmids as well, meaning you can pack a heavy punch as Big Daddies usually do but also have the necessities to mix up your attacks and truly let the splicers know who is in charge.
One of the cool things about being able to control a Big Daddy is that you accumulate all of the massive weapons that come with it, meaning you no longer need to worry about your wrench knocking a splicer out since you can just pummel them without mercy with your new drill. The drill replaces the wrench as your melee weapon of choice and is quite handy when surrounded by numerous splicers at once. Players can now also equip weapons that were formally unavailable in Bioshock due to their immense size and weight. Rivet guns can now be used to mow down anyone in your path, and 2K Marin revealed that the weapons in Bioshock 2 now have a much more impactful feeling, meaning you will find them more useful than most plasmids in certain situations.
Plasmids have also been given a nice upgrade allowing you to combine certain ones. Although 2K Marin is being tight-lipped about their uses, they did say you could combine certain aspects of the tornado plasmid with the incinerate one to create a devastating flame tornado hybrid. It will definitely be interesting to see how the various other plasmids will react to one another as well. Plasmids also have new abilities for upgrading, letting you hold down the button longer for more devastating attacks. If you invest ADAM into a certain plasmid until it reaches its max limit, you can go from shooting simple fire bursts at enemies to engulfing them with fireballs from across the screen.
But while the plasmids and weapons are a key facet to the gameplay of Bioshock 2, the story is what will drive you to truly explore Rapture. Since you are now in control of a Big Daddy everyone will seemingly leave you alone as you roam the halls. Splicers won’t attack you one on one, Big Daddies won’t get unnerved when you approach them, and events and machines will react differently thanks to your new social status. However, that doesn’t mean that Rapture has become a simple walk in the park. Far from it. A new nefarious foe known as the Big Sister, a former Little Sister who escaped and has returned to take Rapture for her own, is hell bent on taking you down and will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. But more on her later.
Like in the first Bioshock, you can take down other Big Daddies who are wandering the empty halls of Rapture and capture their Little Sister companions. These fights are still just as aggressive and deadly in nature, and since you aren’t quite as strong as the current line of Big Daddies you still have to remain on your toes. After you get rid of the Big Daddy, the same moral options that were available in the first game arrive, making you choose between adopting or harvesting the Little Sister for ADAM. ADAM is the substance that drives Rapture and it is the only way to upgrade new plasmids and gain new abilities, so naturally every living being in Rapture is out to get their hands on one of the Little Sisters. If you choose to harvest the Little Sisters than you will gain a substantial amount of ADAM but may have to live with the consequences while adopting the Little Sister will allow you to carry her around Rapture and harvest ADAM from corpses. Once you arrive at a corpse and the Little Sister begins harvesting, you must fight off swarms of splicers who have arrived to steal all the ADAM. From what we have seen, these fights are timed events in which you must hold off the impending attack long enough for the Little Sister to harvest all the ADAM.
To make matters worse, a devious being is watching over you as you travel throughout Rapture as you plan your route accordingly. The Big Sister, as mentioned above, looks just like a Big Daddy except she is equipped with a giant harvesting needle instead of a drill. The Little Sister is not a random encounter like the Big Daddies or splicers; instead she drops in on you when she feels her city being affected by your decisions. Depending on which route you take, either harvesting or adopting the Little Sisters, her appearance will come at various intervals. When you do meet her, her giant needle can be used like a giant sword that can gash and slash at you while her unique ability at telekinesis can send objects flying at your every direction. Killing her is not an option since during most encounters she simply knocks you out long enough to take your Little Sister and retreat, allowing you to restart the process all over again. The impact of a Little Sister as a supreme being that is unmatched in power and strength constantly watching over your every action in Rapture is sure to make your second visit even more terrifying.
While there is much to be desired, Bioshock 2 is looking to be just as enjoyable as the first, if not better. Multiplayer has already been confirmed which should surely add to the length of the title, and with players assuming the role of a Big Daddy this time around, things could get much more interesting when you step into Rapture once again. Bioshock was given our highest honor back in 2007, and if things shape up for Bioshock 2, it looks like that game might get the same results as well.
Written By: Joshua Schwartzman | Tags: BioShock 2, Xbox 360, 2K Games, 2K Marin
Bioshock 2 takes place nearly ten years after the events of the first game and things have been really going downhill in the world of Rapture. Since the hero you played as in the first game as risen above and left the underwater world, there was no one to save the splicers from wreaking havoc in Rapture during the decade-long disappearance. Simply put, Rapture is even more dilapidated and chaotic than ever before and it will take much more fortitude and strength to survive your next adventure here. Thankfully though you won’t be playing as an ordinary Joe who stumbled upon Rapture, instead you get to control the reigns of the mighty Big Daddy.
Controlling a Big Daddy for the entire game might sound dull to some (most notably because you got to play as one at the end of Bioshock), but 2K Marin insists it works well with the overall gameplay and story mechanics. You don’t control any ordinary Big Daddy either; you control one of the first experimental prototypes. Needless to say you aren’t as powerful as the latter ones but you can still pack quite a punch whenever the situation arises. Because you were one of the first Big Daddies, experimental procedures left you with the ability to use plasmids as well, meaning you can pack a heavy punch as Big Daddies usually do but also have the necessities to mix up your attacks and truly let the splicers know who is in charge.
One of the cool things about being able to control a Big Daddy is that you accumulate all of the massive weapons that come with it, meaning you no longer need to worry about your wrench knocking a splicer out since you can just pummel them without mercy with your new drill. The drill replaces the wrench as your melee weapon of choice and is quite handy when surrounded by numerous splicers at once. Players can now also equip weapons that were formally unavailable in Bioshock due to their immense size and weight. Rivet guns can now be used to mow down anyone in your path, and 2K Marin revealed that the weapons in Bioshock 2 now have a much more impactful feeling, meaning you will find them more useful than most plasmids in certain situations.
Plasmids have also been given a nice upgrade allowing you to combine certain ones. Although 2K Marin is being tight-lipped about their uses, they did say you could combine certain aspects of the tornado plasmid with the incinerate one to create a devastating flame tornado hybrid. It will definitely be interesting to see how the various other plasmids will react to one another as well. Plasmids also have new abilities for upgrading, letting you hold down the button longer for more devastating attacks. If you invest ADAM into a certain plasmid until it reaches its max limit, you can go from shooting simple fire bursts at enemies to engulfing them with fireballs from across the screen.
But while the plasmids and weapons are a key facet to the gameplay of Bioshock 2, the story is what will drive you to truly explore Rapture. Since you are now in control of a Big Daddy everyone will seemingly leave you alone as you roam the halls. Splicers won’t attack you one on one, Big Daddies won’t get unnerved when you approach them, and events and machines will react differently thanks to your new social status. However, that doesn’t mean that Rapture has become a simple walk in the park. Far from it. A new nefarious foe known as the Big Sister, a former Little Sister who escaped and has returned to take Rapture for her own, is hell bent on taking you down and will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. But more on her later.
Like in the first Bioshock, you can take down other Big Daddies who are wandering the empty halls of Rapture and capture their Little Sister companions. These fights are still just as aggressive and deadly in nature, and since you aren’t quite as strong as the current line of Big Daddies you still have to remain on your toes. After you get rid of the Big Daddy, the same moral options that were available in the first game arrive, making you choose between adopting or harvesting the Little Sister for ADAM. ADAM is the substance that drives Rapture and it is the only way to upgrade new plasmids and gain new abilities, so naturally every living being in Rapture is out to get their hands on one of the Little Sisters. If you choose to harvest the Little Sisters than you will gain a substantial amount of ADAM but may have to live with the consequences while adopting the Little Sister will allow you to carry her around Rapture and harvest ADAM from corpses. Once you arrive at a corpse and the Little Sister begins harvesting, you must fight off swarms of splicers who have arrived to steal all the ADAM. From what we have seen, these fights are timed events in which you must hold off the impending attack long enough for the Little Sister to harvest all the ADAM.
To make matters worse, a devious being is watching over you as you travel throughout Rapture as you plan your route accordingly. The Big Sister, as mentioned above, looks just like a Big Daddy except she is equipped with a giant harvesting needle instead of a drill. The Little Sister is not a random encounter like the Big Daddies or splicers; instead she drops in on you when she feels her city being affected by your decisions. Depending on which route you take, either harvesting or adopting the Little Sisters, her appearance will come at various intervals. When you do meet her, her giant needle can be used like a giant sword that can gash and slash at you while her unique ability at telekinesis can send objects flying at your every direction. Killing her is not an option since during most encounters she simply knocks you out long enough to take your Little Sister and retreat, allowing you to restart the process all over again. The impact of a Little Sister as a supreme being that is unmatched in power and strength constantly watching over your every action in Rapture is sure to make your second visit even more terrifying.
While there is much to be desired, Bioshock 2 is looking to be just as enjoyable as the first, if not better. Multiplayer has already been confirmed which should surely add to the length of the title, and with players assuming the role of a Big Daddy this time around, things could get much more interesting when you step into Rapture once again. Bioshock was given our highest honor back in 2007, and if things shape up for Bioshock 2, it looks like that game might get the same results as well.
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