With tighter gameplay and a great multiplayer addition, Bioshock 2 is a worthy successor of the Bioshock name.
Pros:
+A gripping and memorable story
+The atmosphere is absolutely superb
+Every gameplay change the sequel makes is an improvement
+Both graphics and sound are unique and fit the game perfectly
+The added multiplayer is far from being tacked on
Cons:
-The game is not well-suited for those wanting a fast-paced experience
-The experience isn't quite as unique this time around
Bioshock took the world by storm when it was released few years back. It was a fresh take on the FPS genre, with an amazing story, characters and one of the most compelling atmospheres in gaming. Bioshock 2 had some big shoes to fill. Fortunately, BS2 lives up to the sky high expectations, and is an amazing adventure you won't soon forget.
The game starts off ten years after the events of the first game, in the underwater city of Rapture. You step into the boots of Subject Delta, the first ever Big Daddy, big hulking giants that protect the Adam-collecting Little Sisters. As those who have played the first game know, Adam is the substance that led to the downfall of Rapture, but to avoid spoilers, this won't be explained further. As a Big Daddy, you are looking for a certain Little Sister, and you will do everything to get to her.
Rapture was never a hospitable place, but in the ten years since the first game's turbulent events, the city has only gotten worse. Time has not been kind, there is water leaking through aged cracks, carbuncles have made the walls their home, machinery is broken, furniture ripped. The change is enough to make Rapture seem like a brand new place, filled with detail and remnants of a better time. A new dictator, Sophia Lamb, has declared herself ruler of Rapture, and will stop at nothing to kill the intruder, i.e. you. Sophia isn't as impressive or memorable as Rapture's creator and antagonist of the first game, Andrew Ryan, but she is nonetheless an intimidating and dangerous villain.
The story as a whole is absolutely amazing. Every character, area and set piece is filled with personality and detail, bringing everything to life. The pacing is controlled and steady, but for the adrenaline-seeking FPS fan, it may move a bit too slow. However, it is impossible to say that the story is anything other than a masterpiece. It's not quite as revolutionary and powerful as the first game's story, but that is like comparing gold to platinum, BS2 being the gold in the analogy. On the story front, the game doesn't disappoint in any way.
It doesn't disappoint in gameplay either. BS2 is far from a conventional shooter. You are armed with a number of lethal weapons, ranging from spear guns to a gargantuan fuel-driven drill. The gunplay isn't as concise as it is in Call of Duty or other games of a similar nature, but that is part of the charm. It doesn't feel like anything else and works very well. Delta is also able to use plasmids, odd superpowers that can wreak total havoc. These require Eve, a peculiar energy source not much unlike Adam, which can be restored with special Eve hypos. On top of that, you are stocked with first-aid kits that will heal you with a press of a button. These can be bought at special vendors, along with other items and ammo. Searching bodies and canisters is also a good way to obtain a wealth of items and loot. To further enhance your abilities, you can use special gene tonics. For instance, you can affect how much damage you deal in melee or how long it takes security cameras to notice you. The gene tonics aren't split into many categories anymore, which makes it far easier to create desirable combinations.One crucial improvement in BS2 is that you can use weapons and plasmids at the same time. This is incredibly useful, seeing as you had to keep switching between the two in the first game. Elemental combos are far easier to pull off and you will be tempted to try out a myriad of different tactics to take down enemies.
That isn't the only change, however. Now that you are a Big Daddy, you will be able to use Little Sisters to collect Adam. This requires you to drop her near a dead body and then protect her from the Splicers, Adam addicts that roam around Rapture. This offers a chance to get ready for the encounter, setting traps and choosing a strategic point to attack from. The possibilities are endless, and it adds a element of strategy to the experience.
One more large improvement is the new hacking minigame. You can basically hack all electronic devices, such as security cameras, mechanical vendors, health machines and turrets. Whereas you had to rearrange pipes to get a cooling liquid to the goal in the first game, BS2 has a far more simple mechanic. A line goes back and forth across a bar, and you have to try and hit special colored areas of the bar. This happens in real-time, and makes the experience faster and more tense. You can also pay to hack a machine or hit special blue bar to get extra bonuses.
The final noticeable change is how you conduct research on enemies. Research will let you have all sorts of advantages over enemies, and will even give you special abilities and gene tonics. Instead of wildly taking pictures of your enemies, all you have to do is turn on the camera. This will start a countdown in which you'll have to perform as many different attacks as possible. This is both simple to use and incredibly entertaining, making you experiment with all of your abilities.
The game has also expanded on the moral system in the first game. You can, like in the first game, rescue and harvest a Little Sister to gain some Adam. Adam can then be used to buy various upgrades and gene tonics in special vendors. However, you can also choose to adopt a Little Sister first and make her collect some Adam. Collecting the Adam holds some risks, as mentioned earlier, but it yields some advantageous rewards in the form of more Adam.
There are also certain scenarios that will test your morality, and they can all change the game in some way. Examples won't be mentioned so the experience isn't spoiled, but these events aren't your typical black-and-white scenarios. They are tough dilemmas that will challenge your sense of right and wrong, sometimes leaving you flustered, thinking of what you are supposed to do.
Big Daddy fights are still big parts of the game. All Little Sisters are protected by the brutes, and they have to be defeated if you want some Adam. Preparing for the battle is much like making a battle plan, requiring quick thinking and strategic thinking, since the battles are often very tough. However, a new element is added when the Big Sisters come to play. They are lithe, fast and deadly, and will often appear out of nowhere to attack you. They're a welcome change of pace from the bulky Big Daddies, and aren't any less mysterious or terrifying.
However, even with all of these changes, there's still a hint of familiarity to be found. This might relate to the enemies, since most of them are similar to the first game's enemies. There are a few new enemies, like the previously mentioned BIg Sisters and the new Big Daddy type, the Rumbler, but this still doesn't hide the feeling of "been there, done that". This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since the original experience is so polished and unique, but it's still quite noticeable.
The visual presentation is one of the key factors that make Bioshock 2 such a unique experience. When compared to the first game, not much has changed. Facial animation is better and more detailed, and some of the background is more expansive, but it can't be called a huge improvement. However, that in no way means the game looks bad. Actually, it looks superb. Everything, the water, the lights, the architecture, the weapons and enemies, is animated beautifully and looks fantastic, no jagged edges or visual imperfections. There is an almost insane attention to detail in the game, whether it be what is and isn't broken in a room or how bottles topple off shelves when disturbed. Framerate is steady throughout, and there is absolutely no texture pop-up at all. Bioshock 2, like its predecessor, is a graphical masterpiece.
Sound is absolutely stellar in the game. First there's the amazing voice-acting, which plays in audio logs, Rapture and simple dialogue. Every voice and character is unique and superbly written. Whether it be Sophia's cold, heartless voice to the deranged screams of the splicers, you will feel like an irremovable part of Rapture. The music is a blend of cleverly implemented music from the 60s and terror-inducing orchestration, with violins playing a pivotal part. The sound affects add a lot to the experience. The drill revs up before ripping through the flesh of the enemy, the lightning emits a disturbing hum when electrocuting a splicer. These disquieting sounds will set the mood and keep you immersed in the world of Rapture.
What is undoubtedly the biggest addition in Bioshock 2 is the new multiplayer, and there is only good news in that regard. Multiplayer staples, like deathmatch and capture the flag, have received a Bioshock makeover. You will do things like protect Little Sisters, become a Big Daddy or take part in turf wars to claim familiar territory in Rapture. There is also a very clever story in the multiplayer experience, where you are a test subject chosen to test a number of powerful weapons for Sinclair Solutions, an in-game corporation. This adds a deep twist to the mechanic, and keeps the experience far more unique than what was expected. It isn't tacked on in the slightest and is a thoroughly memorable experience that will interest any fan of the series.
Due to all the moral choices you have to make in the game, it is possible to play the game again and still get a relatively fresh experience. There are a lot of "what if" scenarios, and trying them all out is a recommendable experience. The adventure doesn't end at the credits; you'll want to visit Rapture again and again to see all the wonders it has to offer.
It's rather simple to decide whether or not Bioshock 2 is a worthy purchase. If you liked the first game, you will most certainly like the sequel. It offers more than enough change and variety to keep you engrossed for the circa 12 hour adventure, and the multiplayer will keep you going for some time. However, if you weren't a fan of the first game, BS2 isn't the game to change your mind about the series. When all is said and done, though, BS2 is both a worthy successor to the first game and a stellar experience on its own. Rapture might be frightening to look at, but what it holds is one of the most unique FPS experiences out there.
Story: 9.5/10
Graphics: 9.3/10
Sound: 9.2/10
Gameplay: 9.3/10
Replayability: 9.2/10
Final score: 9.3/10