The sequel to one of the finest games of this generation has arrived. After completing the masterpiece that was the original Bioshock, a sequel seemed somewhat outlandish. 2K Marin delivers another trip to Rapture, but is it even close to it’s incredible predecessor?

SIDE NOTE: As I’ve mentioned before, the original Bioshock was an outstanding experience. The atmosphere, character development, and overall quality presented made it an absolute must-play experience. I strongly suggest to any that have not played the first to do so. Bioshock 2 will be a more enjoyable experience if you do. Also, you will miss references to the first that only veterans of the first will understand and appreciate. There will be spoilers of the original in this review as well, so it’s in your best interest to play Bioshock.

After original protagonist Jack Ryan took care of Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine (Atlas), it was unclear as to how a sequel would even work at this point. Bioshock seemed to have a clear and definitive end, but 2K Marin manages to make the sequel another outstanding experience, but there are a few issues. Taking place 10 years after the original; you now get to take control of the first Big Daddy known as “Subject Delta”. Your goal is to be reunited with your Little Sister, and find out whose the mastermind behind Rapture once more. Without giving too much away, this story is somewhat hit or miss. The first two-thirds of the game aren’t nearly as interesting as the original, but the game picks up immensely in the final hours. It becomes evident that no character in the series will ever fill the shoes of Andrew Ryan or Frank Fontaine in terms of overall quality, but who is here definitely keeps the story interesting.

One of my biggest complaints with the title is that Rapture just isn’t as enigmatic as it once was. What made the first game stand out as such an incredible affair was the sense of paranoia and mystery that Rapture upheld. For one, playing as a Big Daddy does not make you feel nearly as defenseless as Jack Ryan did. The fact that you are what was once looked at as the biggest threat in Rapture takes away from that sense of vulnerability. Although the newly introduced Big Sisters put up quite a fight, it still doesn’t stack up right.

Complaints aside, Bioshock 2 is still undoubtedly a worthy addition to the series. After playing the Big Daddy segment in the last game, I wasn’t too sure as to how much fun playing one would really be. Many refinements have been made to the gameplay, and it’s all for the better. Subject Delta doesn’t control nearly as tank-like as one might think, which was a major relief for me. Your drill, as you would expect, is your default weapon. Now I’ve never really been a big fan of first-person melee in video games, but 2K Marin managed to make the drill feel just about as right as it could. Amongst the drill will be returning weapons such as a shotgun, machine gun, and others. New guns introduced are really just the weapons from the original, but made to suit a Big Daddy. Instead of a pistol, you now have a rivet gun. The crossbow has been replaced with a spear gun. My personal favorite due to it’s convenience (although not a weapon) is the hack tool. This allows the player to shoot a dart at anything they want hacked, and hack it from a safe location. Power To the People machines are also back, so every weapon here can be upgraded to the players liking. Yes, the upgrades are just as cool as ever. Plasmids are also just as important as they always were, but no real refinements have been made other then the fully upgraded form of each, which is absolutely killer.

From a visual standpoint, Rapture looks just as good as it always had. There haven’t really been any changes technically, but the beautiful art style that 2K Marin has preserved is still intact and looks great. The frame rate is locked at around 30, but an option from the menu will change it to 60. You will sacrifice some of the visuals though, so I’d recommend keeping it the way the developers intended. The sound, once again, is absolutely outstanding. Audio diaries found around Rapture are just as compelling as ever, and add extra depth to the already ominous world. Voice acting is just as strong as ever, but for some reason the lip syncing on some characters look off. And as usual, the soundtrack is stellar and fits the time period perfectly.

Surprisingly, the addition of a multiplayer component is what pushes Bioshock 2 from “Great” to “Outstanding”. Digital Extremes did a terrific job in making a fun, competitive online whilst still preserving the essence of Rapture. The multiplayer, which takes place in 1959 (10 years before Bioshock 2) is made to act as testing grounds for Sinclair Solution’s new weapons and plasmids. It doesn’t really mean anything, but is a clever way for the game to provide an online experience without it seeming forced. The modes here are Civil War, Last Splicer Standing, Capture the Sister, ADAM Grab, Team ADAM Grab, Survival of The Fittest and Turf War. These are all game modes we’ve seen in previous games, just made to fit the world of Rapture. A class structure, similar to that of the Call of Duty series is here as well. Players can select their 2 main weapons, plasmids, and tonics. You will unlock more as you go, so it will add a little bit of depth and keep people coming back for even a little while longer.

So does Bioshock 2 live up to it’s predecessor? No. To be honest, I haven’t played too many games in the last few years that even could. But for what it’s worth, Bioshock 2 is a very enjoyable experience. 2K Marin did a great job with preserving Rapture while managing to create a new story that didn’t seem too detached from the original, and Digital Extremes provides a well made multiplayer element that is definitely worth checking out. All of this comes together to make a worthy addition to the Bioshock series. Now Bioshock is supposedly going to be a trilogy, so I’m interested as to how an end will be made to Rapture.

9.0/10

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