So to continue to hype myself up for Bioshock Infinite Im reviewing the 2nd installment in the series Bioshock 2. If you havent checked out my review of the first game be sure to do that and just a disclamer there are some spoilers for the first game in this review.
Story:
Bioshock 2 takes place about 10 years after the first game, following the death of Rapture's creator Andrew Ryan a new leader has arisen Dr Sofia Lamb. This time around you play as a Big Daddy, Delta series and at the start of the game your Little Sister, Eleanor is taken by Sofia Lamb and the game follows your attempt to get her back.
While the world of Rapture is not quite as fresh this time around, the new areas add atmosphere and the new characters are interesting and engaging. Especially that of Sofia Lamb, she makes a great villian that in my opinion stands shoulder to shoulder with the iconic Andrew Ryan. She is cold and threataning, however the mother daughter relationship between her and Eleanor made her feel a little more human than Ryan so at times I actually sympathised with her. The basic plot is fairly similar to the first game you have a goal to achieve (kill Ryan, save Eleanor) and along the way you meet a host of characters who try to help or hinder you. Their opinions, views and the events going on around them are once more displayed in the audio diaries left around Rapture which really help to flesh out the world and story. Like the first game mature themes are explored in this story such as motherhood, religion and what it means to be free. The story is definetly one of the strong points of the game however there is one problem. Unlike the the first game there is no major plot twist the likes of "would you kindly" which means its not quite as memorable.
Gameplay:
Playing as a Big Daddy offers some new gameplay elements in Bioshock 2 firstly instead of a wrench you have a drill and there are several variations on the weapons from the original game. Also you can now use your plasmids and weapons at the same time which makes combat flow smoother than before. However the biggest change is that once you have killed the Big Daddy guarding its Little Sister you now have the option to adopt her and put her on your back (instead of just saving her). You can then get her to gather ADAM from corpses around Rapture, which results in a tense sequence where you have to protect her from splicers. Another new element is the Big Sisters these agile and tough enemies appear after you have dealt with all the Little Sisters in that area and fights with them are intense and exciting. Apart from that the game has the same fun, unique plasmid and gun based combat as the first game.
Multiplayer:
Another new gameplay element is the inclusion of multiplayer this is set before the fall of Rapture and pits splicers on Atlas and Ryans sides against each other. It features the same modes as many multiplayer games (like Call Of Duty) but with a Bioshock twist, for example capture the flag is capture the Little Sister. Its a lot of fun and the charaters that you play as have very funny taunts and sayings which makes them feel less like random soldiers and more like residents of Rapture (albiet slightly crazy ones). Finally the multiplayer is set in locations of the first game which adds a bit of nostalgia and playing as the Big Daddy (a special boss during each match) is a lot of fun.
Presentation:
As with the original the artistic style is great and the visuals hold up very well. The lighting and sound design is also great with haunting and stunning music that really adds to the tone. Some of the loading screen music was so good I waited until it finished before starting the game. As with the original the voice acting is superb with even minor characters getting great voice work.
Verdict:
While this second visit to Rapture may not be as fresh or memorable as the first the exciting new gameplay elements including multiplayer, engaging story, great villian, atmosphere and presentation make this a must own for fans of the original or shooters in general.
