GAMETIME: Bioshock 2

By Cody Webb

The original Bioshock made a big splash, pardon the pun, back in 2007 when it arrived on the scene. The unique underwater setting, the immersive atmosphere and stunning plot twist won over many gamers, landing it on plenty of Game of the Year charts. The sequel has finally come out, but can it dive as deep as the original? Warning, the following article will contain spoilers of the first game; it’s been three years, most gamers already know the story to the first game.

Let’s catch up on the story leading up to the second game: in the original Bioshock, players were put into the shoes of “ordinary” Jack as he was on a flight over the mid-Atlantic. To make a long story short: the plane crashes, Jack finds himself in the underwater utopia of Rapture, and he learns the secrets of his origin. He is the son of Rapture’s leader, Andrew Ryan, and after meeting him, he learns that he has been controlled for most of his life. Another foe reveals himself and Jack defeats him in a rather lame boss fight. Jack escapes and lives his life.

Now we arrive at the second game: after Andrew Ryan and Fontaine’s demises in the first game, something has been kidnapping little girls from the surface. Instead of being a newcomer to the city of Rapture, players get to strap on the diving suit of one of the Big Daddies. Not just any normal Big Daddy, but one of the original prototypes designated “Delta.” Delta has been reawakened after a decade of being unconscious, and is now on the search for his assigned Little Sister.

This is where the game starts for us, Delta picking himself up off of a flooded floor. The first thing that you will notice is how good Rapture looks for a place in such disrepair. The ocean hasn’t stopped its advance in the decade between games, and it shows in how various sea flora grows from the walls and floors. Years of periodic riots have only added to the bodies littering the halls; and there are even shrines to a woman named “Lamb.” The next thing gamers will notice is how improved the combat is. Gone are the days of having to have either a plasmid (special powers like setting things on fire or shooting lightning bolts) or a weapon out. Being a prototype, Delta has been equipped with the ability to wield both at once, a trait missing from other Big Daddies. This leads to some very strategic fights, with players switching between weapons and powers on the fly to deal the most damage. Unfortunately, however, being the prototype that he is, Delta is nowhere near as slow as the other Big Daddies.

This also means that he isn’t as strong as they are. A few seconds of being fired upon will send our beloved Delta to the nearest Vita Chamber. It’s a good thing Delta gets such big weapons, you’ll need all of the firepower you can get to handle the amount of Splicers being thrown at you. Once you get hold of things and find a weapon that suits your playstyle, and a few upgrades for it, combat shines. You’ll carve your way through waves of Splicers without batting an eye. It’s easily the highest improvement over the first game. It’s unfortunate, however, that the new enemy types are rather boring. The saddest flaw would be the “Big Sister,” who has an awesome intro, and then just becomes another uncommon enemy. The story is good and interesting, but it taps onto the original’s quite often. While this is not a bad thing, it won’t amaze people looking for a completely new story. Hey, at least the ending is epic. Believe me, you’ll be unable to put your controller down during the last couple of hours; where the first game stumbled at the finish line, this one zooms through without a look back. When you get right down to it, if you absolutely loved the first game, you’ll enjoy this one. If you just wanna play as a Big Daddy and mow down Splicer after Splicer, you’ll enjoy this game as well. I’ll give Bioshock 2 an A; good luck revisiting Rapture, folks. Remember, your actions matter in this one; don’t be evil unless you want a bad ending.

Cody Webb lives in Live Oak.

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