Starts slow but becomes a very worthwhile addition to the series

User Rating: 8 | BioShock 2 PC
Coming into Bioshock 2, I was unsure about playing as a Big Daddy. From the first Bioshock, the Big Daddy seemed like a lumbering dolt with only one job and a one track mind. I did not see how playing as one could possibly be very interesting. While I felt the game started slow, I found it finished very well and certainly overcame my overall fears for this iteration at least to a large degree.

Technically speaking, Bioshock 2 doesn't look or sound much different than the first. Given how unique the first Bioshock game looked and sounded and I cannot say that I was upset to see and hear more of the same. I played with full graphical options running on a Q6600 with an 8800GTS video card. The game ran smooth as silk which should be expected from a game engine that is now a few years old. You do need to have a Games for Windows account which is a bit of a pain especially if all you are after is the single player experience. That said, and once this is setup it really doesn't intrude (nor does it offer any value). The only big issue I encountered had to do with a piece of looping audio that occurred on a particular level. 2K was aware of this issue, but the only "fix" was to play through until the next level with the music turned off. Not much of a fix which is frankly made even more egregious due to the fact that this very same issue occurred in the first Bioshock game as well. Exactly how many years does it take to solve this problem? The cut and paste job really showed its ugly side in this instance. Other than that, however, and I didn't encounter any real bugs outside of the occasional pain in finding the right "hot spot" to pick something up.

As mentioned, the game does take a while to pick up speed in the story department and while it never reaches the lofty heights set by the original, it still does a good job of further fleshing out and explaining rapture. I think it is unfair to believe that we could be as caught up in Rapture as our first encounter since the place is no longer new to us. Where the game really falls down, however, is in making you feel like a Big Daddy. Simply put, your character is so weak that outside of the water hitting your metal suit or the glimpse of your drill hand, and you never feel like you are playing as a Big Daddy. We all remember how hard in both games it is to put down a Big Daddy. Yet, playing as this character, you are greatly damaged by a .45 shot at a distance of football field. This great imbalance kills any possible feeling playing as a Big Daddy should offer. I certainly understand that if you are omnipotent than the game would be too easy; however, it wasn't my idea to make the game centered on the fact that you are a Big Daddy. I think 2K wanted it both ways and the fact is that making you an incredibly weak Big Daddy is nonsensical within the game world. For the most part, especially since you rarely see yourself anyway, I forgot that I was supposed to be a Big Daddy at all.

The fighting mechanic is the same as in the previous games with some new weapons and plasmids thrown in. It is still a pain to switch between all the options (including different ammo types) in the heat of battle given how fast battle progresses. Additionally, you run out of ammo in a hurry and although it is plentiful to find in the game environment, it does sometimes make battles frustrating as you fumble around switching weapons, plasmids, and ammo frequently. There are also times when getting new weapons or plasmids changes the key used to access your guns or plasmids. Having the game change the key I press for certain plasmids is very unwelcome when you are trying to juggle things quickly in a big fight. It would also help to have the game switch ammo/weapons automatically when you run out of what you are currently using.

Sadly I feel I need to specifically point out for kudos anytime a PC game allows you to save anywhere, so big kudos to 2K for allowing this in Bioshock 2. I loath checkpoint saves and sadly too many PC games have taken that lazy route if for no other reason than it often artificially prolongs a shorter game. As it is, Bioshock 2 offers plenty of content even with their save anywhere system and I felt that I got my monies worth with this one.

Certainly if you didn't like the first Bioshock than there is absolutely nothing to lure you into playing Bioshock 2. If you liked the first than you probably are going to buy (or have purchased already) Bioshock 2 regardless of reviews. The issue of not feeling much like a Big Daddy aside, Bioshock 2 offered a wonderful new trip to Rapture that further explained this tremendously enigmatic place. I highly recommend it.