Another dark chapter from the Under the Sea hit series
I raced through this thing at light speed, finishing the whole thing in under 24 hours (Though that's not a horrible reflection on the game's length, it was decently long, I just beat games to @%#$ fast these days), and here's my feelings about the things, in no particular order:
*WARNING: I do address important plot points and other features that will be spoilers to those who haven't played this game*
Good - The game absolutely draws on the atmosphere, the gameplay, the spirit, and the feeling of the original. Those last two elements are potentially hard to capture in a sequel whilst still making sure that there is enough new things there that it doesn't feel like you just recycled a few maps to make a few more bucks off of loyal fans. The setting of the game takes place in an entirely different set of locations inside rapture than the original, and the overall dark feeling and the interesting storytelling from the first game is very well represented in this sequel.
Bad - While the game highly resembled the original in a lot of ways, it definitely felt much more compartmentalized, more so than most shooters that I've played in the last 5-7 years. In the original, up until a certain point you could use the transportation system (Aka "bathospheres") to revisit formerly explored locations at your leisure. While there may not have been much of a point to this, the feature was there, and it made the entire facility feel much more connected rather than like a series of levels, circa 1984. Bioshock 2 very much failed at reprising this feeling. They try to explain it, I suppose, with the fact that the whole game is set in the riding of a train through the city of Rapture, and making stops at different places (Where you, each time, have to interact with yet another main character to get them to unlock the next train station door). However, their thin attempt at an explanation for the fact that each level was moderately recycled from the previous one, didn't really fly all that far with me. Your goal in each level (And they can pretty much be called levels; they may have names instead of numbers, but the purpose was identical) is virtually identical: find the plot character, and either kill them or do what they ask you to, or both, to get them to let you out of that train station and be on your way. The plot/story actually progresses quite nicely during this whole time, so it's a pity that they couldn't have come up with just a couple more variations to make the rest of it less repetitive.
Good - A LOT of the features of the original game have been streamlined in a good way, that definitely make the game less tedious and more enjoyable:
-The research system is much less tedious, and more rewarding than the original game. In Bioshock, it was all based on how focused the camera was, etc. and it became a real hassle to do research, even though it was pretty necessary to help you along in the game.
-The Tonics in the game (I.e. any power that has a passive bonus rather than a direct effect like a Plasmid) were all lumped into one massive category of Physical tonics, rather than each having their own category, which tended to hinder gameplay at times.
Bad- Some of the gameplay features are strange, some nonsensical, and some downright annoying:
-You play, this time, as one of the big daddies from the original game. Yes, that's right, the huge guys that pounded your face in when you tried to get to the little girls. However, for no apparent reason, you are incredibly weak by comparison to both the original Bioshock's Big D's and the ones you encounter in Bioshock 2. The game makes some feeble and vague references to you being an "earlier model" or some other such convenient plot filler, but when you encounter the "Alpha Models", of which you are supposedly one of, they are more powerful than the rest of the big daddies. I suppose the developers felt it would be too much to simply let you be an unstoppable tank, but still, it's quite disappointing when you face off against another Big Daddy, and can't take anywhere near the damage he can, and even more depressing when you discover you're about as soft as a common splicer.
-The collection of ADAM is also more complicated than it was in the first game, and in my opinion, more complicated than it needs to be. Instead of simply defeating their guardian Big Daddy and either harvesting or saving them, you now have to "adopt" them, and then spend quite a bit of time protecting them as they harvest ADAM from dead bodies. These fights are reminiscent of the last parts of the first game, but get infinitely more annoying as there are 24 of them in the game if you choose to participate in all of them (You don't have to, but you'd be screwing yourself out of an awful lot of ADAM if you did.)
-The weapons are very underpowered, just like the first game, and your best bet is often just to use a combination of the Drill and your Plasmids. For crying out loud the .50 cal MG takes multiple bullets in the face to take down a splicer. I don't think these developers know that a single .50 cal bullet could make it most of the way through a house, much less disintegrate a persons' face immediately.
Good- The enemies seem to have a little more character to them this time around. They are introduced at a much more moderate pace than last time, some have been beefed up to make the game a little more challenging, and they seem to fit better in their roles than the previous game. This is no small feat considering they introduced fewer than half a dozen actual new enemies.
Bad- Plot holes. Lots of them.
-The splicers are _apparently_ _supposedly_ working for, collaborating with, etc. the main villain. And yet... they don't always seem to be doing that, and none of it is really well explained. Supposedly, Dr. Lamb, the main antagonist, has assumed a somewhat loose control over what is left of Rapture by inspiring the Plasmid addicted splicers to be part of a "family" that will be reborn through her daughter, Eleanor. However, it is also made fairly clear that the big daddies are working for her as well, especially the Alphas, which eventually just become a kind of supped-up enemy to try and kill you, rather than a protector of the little girls. Except... while you often seem them fighting side by side to kill you, it's also not uncommon to walk into a room and see several splicers trying to take down a big daddy, just like the first game. I also saw big daddies fighting amongst each other. :
-Main. Characters. Disappear. I consider what I'm talking about to be above and beyond simple purposefully left holes for a potential sequel. I mean at least two characters that made frequent radio contact with you along the way suddenly stop talking to you without so much as a "good by, good luck" or a notification that they have died. Hmm.
-The game clearly states that Fontaine and Ryan's death occurred ten years prior to the games beginning (At least the portion of the game after the prologue). And yet, there really doesn't seem to have been ten years worth of events. There are several main characters that inexplicably remain; unaffected by the plasmids like the splicers, still alive, and have remained hidden without starving to death in ten years. The buildings seem in no worse shape, in fact the only real sign of a difference is the frequent propaganda scratched or painted on the walls by Lamb's followers.
-During one of the moral choices in the game, the "good" decision is very backwards from what is portrayed. Rather than respecting the person's wishes and putting them out of their tortured misery, the "good" decision is to leave them alive and let them suffer, even though they're merely insane, not evil. Very backwards.
Good/Bad - The graphics are still very admirable. The settings, the design of the architecture, etc. is all very appropriate and very well done. There are a few textures here and there that are of noticeably poorer quality than those around them, but they're usually on small objects, rather than an entire wall, so it's not such a big deal.
Bad(ish) - aside from the telekinesis skill (Which in my opinion is very useless because it opens you up to all manner of attack while you're messing around, trying to aim and throw an object), there is no real use of physics in this game. For a game that, in many ways, resembles Half Life 2, there is no use of physics. No destructible environments, no knocking over shelves, nothing. Certainly doesn't ruin the game by any means, but I find their decision to leave that element out an odd one.
Good/Bad - the game is quite a bit shorter than the original. It's not that hard to understand, it's very difficult to produce a sequel in the exact same setting, and try to make a game that's as long or longer without totally copying and pasting gameplay. Just noting that.
Good - the game does a great job of wrapping up the previous story, giving some more back information on Ryan and Fontaine, and tying both stories together. Most of this is done through audio recordings, as was seen in the first game, and one of the best moments is when you find Fontaine's "final" message, right before he becomes the imposter that you meet in the original Bioshock. Very poetic.
Overall, if you liked the original game and haven't played this yet, then you need to give it a go. I think you'll virtually be guaranteed another game that you'll enjoy and it does tell a good story, just like the first game. I'd say that across the board, it wasn't as much of an epic game as the original, only because it drew SO heavily on the original, and the totally new things that were introduced weren't quite as inspired. Still, as a stand alone game, it's quite solid. Good luck.