Techtite Game Reviews ---

Unless you are the most agnostic gamer in the world, you already know all about Bioshock 2; the sequel to one of the best games of the past decade. While the first game was intended as a spiritual sequel to System Shock 2, this game is a Bioshock sequel in every way. This time around, we dive (no pun intended) deep into the bowels of Rapture, with new levels to explore, a new story, a new lead character, and frankly, another game of the year contender.

Is this coming from a fanboy? No. That said: there's no point ignoring the most frequent nitpick, right off the bat: that Bioshock 2 isn't as "fresh" as the original. Come on, kids; no sequel is going to be as "fresh" as the original. Even The Empire Strikes Back, in all its glory, was hardly "fresh." We already met Luke, Leia, and Han. We already saw star destroyers, X-wings, and droids. Yet how many Star Wars fans insist that Empire was their favorite movie in the whole series? Sometimes a sequel is like that: it might not be "fresh," yet in some ways it's...better.

It's not like the game designers didn't make some major changes here, either...especially with the lead character. Many game enthusiasts insist that every sequel must have the same lead character, and for those people let me repeat what's already been spoiled: "Jack" is gone from the picture, and frankly, is barely mentioned aside from a few recordings scattered around. Yet spoilers intact: including "Jack" in a sequel was impossible. Jack's story might not have ended per se, though it's clear his story was complete. So Bioshock 2 is the story of another lost soul of rapture, who, as the opening prologue reveals, was one of the prototype "big daddies" (aka: the behemoth "bodyguards" of Rapture). Oddly enough; the prologue shows your character shot in the head. Ten years later, he's up and about and ready for revenge. How this can be so is just one of the many mysteries you must solve.

Changes...? Thankfully; yes...and no. While there are "tweaks" to the game environment, the game play is the same, allowing Bioshock fans to jump right into Rapture with no major tutorials needed. One weapon hand is still for plasmids like "fire" and "ice," while the other hand is your "weapon" hand. Most weapons haven't changed, in case you grew to love the classic Tommy-gun, or the trusty shotgun. Plasmid favorites are also present, with some nice upgrades for each (more on that later). Rapture's automated security (mounted guns, robots and security cameras) can once again be hacked to work in your favor and attack your foes. Safes and locked doors can also be hacked. You can also "photograph" items for research, to learn better methods of defeating tougher foes. True, each of these elements of the game have been "tweaked" somehow, and yet, at its core, this is the same game we all love.

The first "tweak" you'll notice is the default weapon. Remember: your character in this game is a Big Daddy, so your default weapon is no mere pea shooter. It's the Big Daddy power drill, and it's a real killer... even more so, once you upgrade it. The final upgrade allows your drill to spin fast enough to deflect all enemy fire when in use. The catch: the drill requires gas to operate, and like most items of the 1960's; it's a major gas hog, so seek out those gas containers wherever you can!

Here's the biggest tweak of all...and I loved every minute of it. Simply put: the little sisters in the game are a whole new (optional) mini-mission. Let's first cover what little sisters are, to those gamers who are unaware. In rapture: "ADAM" is everything. Think of it as the gasoline to your super powers. The only way to get it is via the "little sisters" roaming about the city...each of whom is guarded by a "Big Daddy" such as yourself. In the first game you engaged in a mini-boss battle against a Big Daddy, then either kindly "cured" the kid of her zombie-like curse, or cruelly killed her, for more ADAM (this choice led to the multiple endings of the game).

Which brings us to the best tweak of the game: the big daddy quests. As soon as you capture a little sister, you have essentially "adopted" her. You are, after all, a "Big Daddy" yourself...or so the little sisters see you! You can either save the girls right away, kill them (aww...!), or better yet: use her as a bloodhound of sorts, to find more ADAM. This leads to mini missions not unlike the final level of the first game, where you must protect the little sister as she goes on an ADAM quest. The good news: all the ADAM she finds is given right to you. You can then save her...or not (awwwwww...!). Mind you; there are many FPS fanboys out there who hate "escort missions" such as this, so let me remind these people: this part of the game is optional, just like other mini-missions in the game. Rapture is, as always, yours to explore, in your own individual way.

Another cool tweak: hacking. Some people were a bit put off by the pipe puzzle of the prior game. To be honest: I loved this mini puzzle, and yet I can see people's complaints about how illogical it was in the confines of the game's story. How could anyone, in the middle of a gunfight, stop to play a mini-game? Suffice to say they listened to fans, and added a new hacking "puzzle" done completely in real time. In short: you have to stop the arrow of a meter in the "green area" by clicking at just the right time. This new real-time hacking puzzle means that the action never stops. In a first person shooter, that's welcome news.

Here's another challenge: "Big Sisters." You might have wondered what happens to a little girl, filled with ADAM, when she grows up. Here's a hint: nothing good. You are quickly introduced to the female equivalent of a Big Daddy, whose mission is to protect the little sisters at all costs. Whether you are "saving" or "killing" these little girls is immaterial: you're meddling in Rapture affairs, and periodically, a Big Sister will be coming! In short: Big Sisters are just like Big Daddies except they are thinner and much more agile in combat. The only nitpick: you quickly learn that these battles are not random at all, so you quickly learn when and where they will strike, which takes a little of the "fun" out of things. They're still a fun added challenge, however.

Then there are the plasmids. To be honest: there wasn't much to improve here, so it's not surprising how little is changed. Ice and fire are still the best plasmids, though now they can be upgraded to do additional tasks. Ice, for example, can later be used to make an opponent into a giant ice block, which (with the telekinesis plasmid) can then be thrown at a bunch of enemies for added damage. However, the only new power up of note, in this critic's opinion, was the "sentry" plasmid, which allowed you to hide somewhere and then scout nearby, like an invisible ghost. Upgrades to this plasmid even allow you to use additional plasmids, and get a good surprise attack against your enemies. However, it's a shame so few totally different plasmids are available. This review's sidebar (at upper-right) lists a few ideas...maybe for the inevitable Bioshock 3?

Yet at the core of the original game was the engrossing story...and the story here is simply amazing. I refuse to spoil anything major, though as you've probably been told already; the prototype Big Daddy was linked to one specific little sister. It is your quest to find this girl. As always: it helps to seek out all those relic "recordings" left behind by the Rapture populace, to figure out what's going on here. Suffice to say it's a very imaginative story, leading to multiple endings that are either very dark or very charming and sweet, depending on the path you chose.

Nitpicks for me, specifically, are very minor. For one: there's no way that this game would ever be as long as I would have hoped, so yes, it's predictably shorter than hoped for. There is also the matter of very few "arcs" to the mini missions. There are three moments in the game where you get to choose where the story will lead. Yet these moments are purely there for the ending of the game. Personally; I would've preferred that you were somehow rewarded or punished for your decisions, within the game itself: a new plasmid, an added challenge, or a whole new mini-mission, for example. There's also a mini-story where you learn that a dad went to Rapture to look for his daughter. Spoilers intact; this story has only one possible ending. Given that your character probably found this girl somewhere in the game, and either saved/killed her, shouldn't this mini-story have multiple endings, itself?

All this leads to the inevitable question for any multi-platform game: how does this version compare to the others? [Believe it or not: there are a few subtle differences in this game, depending on the platform you buy it for. As a result, you might want to read the reviews for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Windows/PC versions of this game, before you buy...]

Let's first cover the pricey yet cool "special editions." These are exclusive to just the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. They are also very cool, very hard to find, and are probably sold out by the time you read this. However, if you can nab one, the "special edition" includes the game itself, an art book, posters, and an audio recording that is pure "Rapture."

There isn't much additional information to report about for the Playstation 3 version of this game...in a good way. The last time Playstation 3 was given a multi-platform game it was filled with additional gripes exclusive to the PS3 version. Yes, I'm of course talking about Bayonetta, which has quickly become infamous for its not-so-perfect PS3 performance, as well as its peculiar additional load times, compared to the version on "that other game system."

No such gripes here; as far as I can tell the load times are identical. Furthermore; so are the graphics. Once again: it's all a matter of taste between PS3 and 360. So the real question is: do you want to get that cool Special Edition version? If you can, I say go for it. The game rocks and having the special edition is bound to be either a fun memory, or at the very least, a neat little auction item on eBay someday(!).

In the end: Bioshock 2 is, quite frankly, a great game sequel. Sure, it might be "more of the same," though let the trolls pretend that's a "bad" thing, as we all enjoy more Rapture. After all: what did these trolls expect? For the lead character to turn into a "Werehog"...? Sometimes sequels should simply be a continuation of the prior game. Since the prior game was classic, "more of the same" sounds perfect to this critic.

	Final Rating : Deep Impact. More of the same? Of course! Though with a new story, new levels and some nice added "tweaks" to the original game; this is one of the best sequels I've ever played.
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Bioshock 2

A Techtite Review by Steve Akyuz