Yes, the long wait is over as Bioshock 2 was released upon the world today. I was really looking forward to it, as the first game really blew me away like no other game had done in such a long time. Also, because I was so interested in the game, I refused to watch trailers and read in-depth reviews since I wanted to wait and experience everything as fresh as possible. Im a little under two hours into it, and thus far I am pleased, and I can honestly say that Bioshock continues the trends started by the first game.
The game takes place ten years after the first, and you play as a Big Daddy. Thats all I will say about the story. Right off the bat, the controls and the look of Rapture itself take you back to the first game. If you played the first, you will feel right at home, as the game looks and plays just like its predecesor. If you never played the first one, then why the hell are you reading this? Go out, play the first one, then get back to me.
So what exactly is the same? Quite a bit, except that some aspects have been tweaked. There are weapons and plasmids that can be used to take down splicers and other freaks. However, what is different is that you can literally “dual wield” a weapon in one hand and a plasmid in the other. This makes doing the one-two combo (electrobolt plasmid followed by a melee attack) all the easier and smoother to perform. Only this time around, since you are a Big Daddy, the wrench has been replaced by a drill (which is pretty sweet.)
Hacking machines still plays a big part in the game, but it has gotten a little easier (and less stressful.) The frantic pipe hacking mini game of the first Bioshock has been replaced by a whole new system. Now when you hack, you get a gauge with a needle that fluctuates back and forth. You simply have to stop the needle on a green or blue section of the gauge to succeed (landing on blue will net you a bonus). Most machines require you to do it in two steps (hence stop the needle on two different gauges), but Ive encountered at least one so far that needed you to do it three times. Oh, and you have to watch out for red and white sections of the gauge. While white will just give you a nasty shock, the red section will sound the alarm and send the security bots after you. Another thing that changed with the hacking system is that you can now do it from a distance. Early on you acquire a gun that fires hacking darts, so that you can hack a machine that is out of reach. I liked the change they made in this, particularly with the long-distance hacking.
The environment itself is very much the same. As you wander around the dark halls of Rapture, you will come across crazy splicers who are talking to themselves or arguing together. You will constantly see their crazy rants written on the walls. As you explore, you will pick through corpses and trash cans for money, ammo, and edible items. The cassette tapes also make a comeback, and as in the first game, they are essential to filling in the gaps in Rapture’s lore. As I began exploring Rapture at the start of the game, I felt like I never left.
I took a quick peak at the trophies, and I was disappointed to see that quite a few of them are reserved for online play, which is sad. I dont see myself playing the online death matches too much, so there will be quite a few trophies I dont snag along the way. I really dislike trophies that are only accessible in online multiplayer, simply because those modes do not interest me as much, and I will not play too often. I didnt check it out yet, but I will at some point tomorrow, just to see how it is.
Overall, my initial reaction to Bioshock 2 is one of supreme pleasure. Very little about the first game was changed, and things that were changed were, for the most part, good changes. Of course, I am only about two hours into the game, but I am confident that the game will continue to deliver. If you liked Bioshock, you will love Bioshock 2. If you didnt check out Bioshock yet, do yourself a favor and give it a rent. You wont regret it.
