DarkHalo003
November 21st, 2011, 02:34 AM
Foreword
I'll put it to you guys this way; this game is great. From the environments, to the intense gameplay, to the surprisingly fun multiplayer, Bioshock 2 definitely has something to offer. Many reviewers tend to compare it to its predecessor Bioshock, when both game are difficult to compare without tearing the other one down. That's simply because both games are great at what they aim to accomplish in their Single Player campaigns. But on to Bioshock 2's in particular:
Splicers and You
In this game, you take control of a Big Daddy, and not just any Big Daddy; one of the first Big Daddies back when they were paired to their own exclusive Little Sister. As a Big Daddy, you may be thinking that Splicers will seem miniscule in your wake; this is only half true though. Splicers, over the past decade you've been reviving from story complications, have gotten, well, uglier since you last fought them in Bioshock. In other words, Splicers can play ball and are more than aggressive towards you. Though the melee wielding Thuggish Splicers are easy to mow down with your 7 different kinds of weapons (all of which come with three different kinds of ammunition), though the Splicers soon have their hands on weapons from a simple revolver to a concerning shotgun finally to an alarming Machine Gun (machine guns fuck you up pretty badly too). Next to these common folk, you will run inevitably into Brute Splicers, overly strong supersplicers that can basically fuck you up if you don't play smart (or use your bloody drill or plasmids). Eventually, the infamous Spider Splicer makes its demented debut into the fray, which in case they will kick you and stun you from their aerial spins to wall jumps. You will even run into the evasive and particularly formidable Houdini Splicers that scared the live out of everyone in the first game. But what makes these Splicers so tough isn't their individual strengths, but their overwhelming team work. Splicers in Bioshock 2, not just out of story purposes, are all on one team and it's fair to say who's team they aren't on.
Little Sisters
It should be also dually noted that as a Big Daddy you will also be taking care of Little Sisters to obtain ADAM. These are some of the most intense moments of the game. To protect her from harm and keep yourself alive, you must set down a wide array of traps before hand. These can be Trap Rivets or to Cyclone Traps or even Mini Turret, but rest assured, those aren't your only options. In the world of the decaying Rapture, you have a TON of methods to protect your Little Sister. From water pools to oil patches, the environment suits your every trap-setting need. By the time you obtain your last weapons and plasmids of each level, you'll have so many advantages to choose from, the Splicers won't know what hit them. Yet, there is one small problem; to obtain the Little Sister, you must defeat their Big Daddy. These Big Daddies range from the familiar Bouncers and Rosies, to the newer Rumblers that blast you with grenades and mini turrets. However, with enough traps and gusto in mind, they are no match for a well thought out strategy. As you go along with your new Little Sister, you will find bodies that are covered in a fog that mark where the ADAM is for your Little Sister. Thus protecting her begins. The real challenge, however, isn't until after you have taken care of your last one of the level. Here is where you will need every advantage possible; the Big Sister awaits you at the end of your Little Sister gatherings and she'll give you a run for your money. From Telekinesis throws to rapid-fire Incinerate, she'll pounce (literally) all over you until she is defeated. It takes a good amount of strategy, strength, endurance, and EVE to beat her, but ultimately defeating her will give you some ADAM for your troubles.
Plasmids and Weapons: Dual-Wielding At Its Finest!
As I mentioned before, Splicers are meaner and far more dangerous now. You also have tougher Big Daddies and Big Sisters to worry about. Thus you bring out your own arsenal of devastation. What Bioshock 2 does greatly is combine weapons and plasmids into a Dual-Wielding frenzy. As you fight your way throughout Rapture, you can Electrobolt and Melee any Splicer in an instant. At the same time, you can let loose an Insect Swarm while you line up a headshot with your Spear Gun or deliver a hail of bullets from your Machine Gun. But this is all necessary; it's very challenging in Bioshock 2 without using both Plasmids and Weapons simultaneously. From using your basic Electrobolt with your Drill to formulating traps by charging a Cyclone Trap near a doorway while preparing to open fire on the Splicers running to greet you, guns in hand. The game's Dual-Wielding of Plasmids and Weapons is as seamless as could be.
Environments...The Decaying World of Rapture!
Unlike in Bioshock where Rapture was beginning to fall apart, but was still mostly intact, Bioshock 2's Rapture is in decay. Half of the time you wander this sunken treasure, you will be watching pieces of Rapture's buildings fall apart. In combat, enemies use the city's dying state to breach walls and gain access to your location easier than before. Regardless, the environment is still beautifully well done. The attention to detail is still great like in the first one and your ability to interact and discover new locations is unmatched by any other game I've played this year yet. A great new addition to the setting is the demand to travel outside the city's decrepit walls and travel across the surrounding ocean floors. Rapture is definitely still a wonderland to behold and almost every playthrough bolsters something new I had not seen before. By the way, I am on my fourth playthrough currently.
Multiplayer and Why You Should Play It!
Here is one of the most overlooked parts of this game; the multiplayer offers a fun, if not original, experience. The setting is New Years, when the Fall of Rapture occurs. You play as either Ryan's or Atlas' side. The game gives you some nice personalization and homey feelings. from having your own virtual apartment for your character that has its own record player (to play those old-time tunes) to your own Bathosphere that takes you to the Player Lobby, this game definitely has a personalized view on how to tackle a multiplayer experience. In terms of actual gameplay, you're given three loadouts you go into each match with. These loadouts consist of two weapons that you pick from a list that you gain through ranking, two plasmids from a list you gain through ranking, and three tonics you gain from a list through ranking. So, as you can tell, ranking is important to gain access to new weapons. However, that does not mean the game is unfair for lower ranks. Though higher ranks will have access to more weapons, it is entirely feasible to have a great game with the starting arsenal of the Pistol, Shotgun, and Elecrobolt. Ultimately, each weapon you gain through the ranks allows you a more personal choice on how to tackle the match. Similar to how Bungie explained Reach's reasoning behind Loadouts, Bioshock 2's Loadout system is based more on a personal tackle on a changing situation; in other words, the Loadout system allows players to decide, personally, how to adapt. From my experience, this has gotten me to come back to the MP.
Ranking Up, But Never Down!
In Bioshock 2's Rapture, you can only go up! Ranking is done by earning points based on how well you perform in a match. In matches, there is a plethora of ways to earn point for leveling, from basic kills to hacking machines such as vendors and turrets. You can also collect ADAM Vials, which on their own can supply a good amount of points per match. In other game modes, protecting and returning your Little Sister can provide for more points as well, not to mention fast-paced games such as ADAM Grab and Civil War (where gaining points is very easy to accomplish) will usually fill your meter halfway. On top of everything else, Trials are introduced per weapon and plasmid that give you great amounts of point per accomplishing them. Ultimately, though you do need to rank up to obtain a lot of new abilities and features in Multiplayer, there is no need to worry about falling behind or losing your abilities. There is no frustrating loss of rank in this game. This ranking philosophy, I feel, allows people to enjoy themselves a lot more, though there are leaderboards among friends if you are the very competitive type.
How to Multiplayer in Bioshock 2!
Basically, once in a match, the Loadout screen appears that contains your Loadouts you customized before the match. Upon selecting, you then can switch your plasmids or weapons upon command. You can use each consecutively, or right after the other, but not simultaneously. This schematic makes playing as much a strategy as it is an FPS. Once again, you have your environment to use against the enemy players; turrets can be hacked to your side and hacked vending machines produce bombs for enemy players that wander too close. The same can be accomplished by your enemies though, so it's important to always remain vigilant. You have recharging Health over time that can be monitored via a red health bar in the top left alongside a blue EVE bar for your plasmids (both can be modified by tonics). Personally, it feels like a mix between recharging CoD health and Recharging Halo shields; it's definitely somewhere in between the two, but it definitely feels balanced. It should also be mentioned that team games call for team work; no being being Leroy Jenkins in this game. However, there are certain times where you can utterly berate the enemy team alone. Once that announcement appears on the screen, it comes time to search for the Big Daddy Suit. This suit effectively makes you a Big Daddy till death. As a Multiplayer Big Daddy, you are effectively the Rosie Big Daddy from the Single Player; your Rivet Gun can beat any Spicer at any range in 4 hits at the most, you have 4 devastating proximity mines at your disposal, and you have a stomp/melee that sends any nearby Splicer sprawling to the floor. You are an asset for your team, but also a huge target; you'll need to spend as much time in decent cover or trap setting modes as you will actually dominating your enemy. These basic features together provide a fun and original multiplayer experience, which is shamefully overlooked by a lot of mainstream war games, unfortunately.
Problem?
Unfortunately indeed, Bioshock 2 isn't entirely perfect. The Single Player, though as fantastic as it is, makes you wanting even more to do, but doesn't exactly remedy that by the end. Though there is mention of Bioshock's protagonist, there is no mention of his ultimate fate, whether or not he decided to be the ruler of Rapture or flee from it. In the end, it felt like there was a LOT more that could be done with Bioshock 2 that simply wasn't. This lost potential doesn't really effect how great the game is, but it does make you want even more from Rapture.
Basically, by the end, only one part of Rapture is ultimately returned to the depths of the sea. The rest is still intact, at least considering Eleanor states that the building you are on the last levels are going to be sunk by depth charges. What I'm trying to say is, there is no clear ending to Rapture itself. I suppose if there is a Bioshock 3 (not Infinite, but a Bioshock 3), that wouldbe the time to close the Rapture story, depending on how intriguing Infinite's is.
In terms of Multiplayer, the game begins to fowl up when the DLC content violates the original designs of the game and when additional support for balancing tweaks or what not does not happen. Though DLC maps are always fun, DLC weapon modifications can always be debated. For this game, the Elephant Gun is an utter superfluous and over-powered weapon to begin with. The Crossbow, of which was the original sniper weapon, is utterly castdown by this weapon upon reaching level 18 and the Shotgun's purpose as a close-quarters weapon is obsolete. It breaks the formula that every weapon can defeat someone with reasonable effort and timing in its own distinct way; instead, it takes people out so fast from any range that it's over-tedious for the other player to maneuver. Basically, it shouldn't exist in the game and doesn't mesh well with the existing weapons. It with its accompanying DLC, as well as many other weapons and their DLC modifications, really makes the game feel like the person who spends the most money will do the best, which should never be the case for any video game. The game also goes by an Xbox 360-port matchmaking, which though it does scramble players together, usually has sub-par connection and crippling lag (goes by Host system). If the multiplayer had dedicated servers, active support to fix balance issues, and DLC that didn't violate the originally intended formulas and weapon functions of the game, then it would definitely be one worth choosing over CoD or even Battlefield. Hopefully, if Infinite comes to the PC and it has a multiplayer, then maybe these issues will be rectified and the game will blossom into another great addition to the mainstream multiplayer.
So, uhh, I giving this game....
An A, 5/5, 9/10. Though it does suffer some problems here and there in the multiplayer, or doesn't exactly satisfy the player by the end of its single-player 100%, Bioshock 2 is definitely a game to be picked up and played at least twice. Principally, aesthetically, and schematically, it's just a great game and I hope you readers will be convinced to play it! Thanks for reading, hope to see y'all playing this game some day.
I'll put it to you guys this way; this game is great. From the environments, to the intense gameplay, to the surprisingly fun multiplayer, Bioshock 2 definitely has something to offer. Many reviewers tend to compare it to its predecessor Bioshock, when both game are difficult to compare without tearing the other one down. That's simply because both games are great at what they aim to accomplish in their Single Player campaigns. But on to Bioshock 2's in particular:
Splicers and You
In this game, you take control of a Big Daddy, and not just any Big Daddy; one of the first Big Daddies back when they were paired to their own exclusive Little Sister. As a Big Daddy, you may be thinking that Splicers will seem miniscule in your wake; this is only half true though. Splicers, over the past decade you've been reviving from story complications, have gotten, well, uglier since you last fought them in Bioshock. In other words, Splicers can play ball and are more than aggressive towards you. Though the melee wielding Thuggish Splicers are easy to mow down with your 7 different kinds of weapons (all of which come with three different kinds of ammunition), though the Splicers soon have their hands on weapons from a simple revolver to a concerning shotgun finally to an alarming Machine Gun (machine guns fuck you up pretty badly too). Next to these common folk, you will run inevitably into Brute Splicers, overly strong supersplicers that can basically fuck you up if you don't play smart (or use your bloody drill or plasmids). Eventually, the infamous Spider Splicer makes its demented debut into the fray, which in case they will kick you and stun you from their aerial spins to wall jumps. You will even run into the evasive and particularly formidable Houdini Splicers that scared the live out of everyone in the first game. But what makes these Splicers so tough isn't their individual strengths, but their overwhelming team work. Splicers in Bioshock 2, not just out of story purposes, are all on one team and it's fair to say who's team they aren't on.
Little Sisters
It should be also dually noted that as a Big Daddy you will also be taking care of Little Sisters to obtain ADAM. These are some of the most intense moments of the game. To protect her from harm and keep yourself alive, you must set down a wide array of traps before hand. These can be Trap Rivets or to Cyclone Traps or even Mini Turret, but rest assured, those aren't your only options. In the world of the decaying Rapture, you have a TON of methods to protect your Little Sister. From water pools to oil patches, the environment suits your every trap-setting need. By the time you obtain your last weapons and plasmids of each level, you'll have so many advantages to choose from, the Splicers won't know what hit them. Yet, there is one small problem; to obtain the Little Sister, you must defeat their Big Daddy. These Big Daddies range from the familiar Bouncers and Rosies, to the newer Rumblers that blast you with grenades and mini turrets. However, with enough traps and gusto in mind, they are no match for a well thought out strategy. As you go along with your new Little Sister, you will find bodies that are covered in a fog that mark where the ADAM is for your Little Sister. Thus protecting her begins. The real challenge, however, isn't until after you have taken care of your last one of the level. Here is where you will need every advantage possible; the Big Sister awaits you at the end of your Little Sister gatherings and she'll give you a run for your money. From Telekinesis throws to rapid-fire Incinerate, she'll pounce (literally) all over you until she is defeated. It takes a good amount of strategy, strength, endurance, and EVE to beat her, but ultimately defeating her will give you some ADAM for your troubles.
Plasmids and Weapons: Dual-Wielding At Its Finest!
As I mentioned before, Splicers are meaner and far more dangerous now. You also have tougher Big Daddies and Big Sisters to worry about. Thus you bring out your own arsenal of devastation. What Bioshock 2 does greatly is combine weapons and plasmids into a Dual-Wielding frenzy. As you fight your way throughout Rapture, you can Electrobolt and Melee any Splicer in an instant. At the same time, you can let loose an Insect Swarm while you line up a headshot with your Spear Gun or deliver a hail of bullets from your Machine Gun. But this is all necessary; it's very challenging in Bioshock 2 without using both Plasmids and Weapons simultaneously. From using your basic Electrobolt with your Drill to formulating traps by charging a Cyclone Trap near a doorway while preparing to open fire on the Splicers running to greet you, guns in hand. The game's Dual-Wielding of Plasmids and Weapons is as seamless as could be.
Environments...The Decaying World of Rapture!
Unlike in Bioshock where Rapture was beginning to fall apart, but was still mostly intact, Bioshock 2's Rapture is in decay. Half of the time you wander this sunken treasure, you will be watching pieces of Rapture's buildings fall apart. In combat, enemies use the city's dying state to breach walls and gain access to your location easier than before. Regardless, the environment is still beautifully well done. The attention to detail is still great like in the first one and your ability to interact and discover new locations is unmatched by any other game I've played this year yet. A great new addition to the setting is the demand to travel outside the city's decrepit walls and travel across the surrounding ocean floors. Rapture is definitely still a wonderland to behold and almost every playthrough bolsters something new I had not seen before. By the way, I am on my fourth playthrough currently.
Multiplayer and Why You Should Play It!
Here is one of the most overlooked parts of this game; the multiplayer offers a fun, if not original, experience. The setting is New Years, when the Fall of Rapture occurs. You play as either Ryan's or Atlas' side. The game gives you some nice personalization and homey feelings. from having your own virtual apartment for your character that has its own record player (to play those old-time tunes) to your own Bathosphere that takes you to the Player Lobby, this game definitely has a personalized view on how to tackle a multiplayer experience. In terms of actual gameplay, you're given three loadouts you go into each match with. These loadouts consist of two weapons that you pick from a list that you gain through ranking, two plasmids from a list you gain through ranking, and three tonics you gain from a list through ranking. So, as you can tell, ranking is important to gain access to new weapons. However, that does not mean the game is unfair for lower ranks. Though higher ranks will have access to more weapons, it is entirely feasible to have a great game with the starting arsenal of the Pistol, Shotgun, and Elecrobolt. Ultimately, each weapon you gain through the ranks allows you a more personal choice on how to tackle the match. Similar to how Bungie explained Reach's reasoning behind Loadouts, Bioshock 2's Loadout system is based more on a personal tackle on a changing situation; in other words, the Loadout system allows players to decide, personally, how to adapt. From my experience, this has gotten me to come back to the MP.
Ranking Up, But Never Down!
In Bioshock 2's Rapture, you can only go up! Ranking is done by earning points based on how well you perform in a match. In matches, there is a plethora of ways to earn point for leveling, from basic kills to hacking machines such as vendors and turrets. You can also collect ADAM Vials, which on their own can supply a good amount of points per match. In other game modes, protecting and returning your Little Sister can provide for more points as well, not to mention fast-paced games such as ADAM Grab and Civil War (where gaining points is very easy to accomplish) will usually fill your meter halfway. On top of everything else, Trials are introduced per weapon and plasmid that give you great amounts of point per accomplishing them. Ultimately, though you do need to rank up to obtain a lot of new abilities and features in Multiplayer, there is no need to worry about falling behind or losing your abilities. There is no frustrating loss of rank in this game. This ranking philosophy, I feel, allows people to enjoy themselves a lot more, though there are leaderboards among friends if you are the very competitive type.
How to Multiplayer in Bioshock 2!
Basically, once in a match, the Loadout screen appears that contains your Loadouts you customized before the match. Upon selecting, you then can switch your plasmids or weapons upon command. You can use each consecutively, or right after the other, but not simultaneously. This schematic makes playing as much a strategy as it is an FPS. Once again, you have your environment to use against the enemy players; turrets can be hacked to your side and hacked vending machines produce bombs for enemy players that wander too close. The same can be accomplished by your enemies though, so it's important to always remain vigilant. You have recharging Health over time that can be monitored via a red health bar in the top left alongside a blue EVE bar for your plasmids (both can be modified by tonics). Personally, it feels like a mix between recharging CoD health and Recharging Halo shields; it's definitely somewhere in between the two, but it definitely feels balanced. It should also be mentioned that team games call for team work; no being being Leroy Jenkins in this game. However, there are certain times where you can utterly berate the enemy team alone. Once that announcement appears on the screen, it comes time to search for the Big Daddy Suit. This suit effectively makes you a Big Daddy till death. As a Multiplayer Big Daddy, you are effectively the Rosie Big Daddy from the Single Player; your Rivet Gun can beat any Spicer at any range in 4 hits at the most, you have 4 devastating proximity mines at your disposal, and you have a stomp/melee that sends any nearby Splicer sprawling to the floor. You are an asset for your team, but also a huge target; you'll need to spend as much time in decent cover or trap setting modes as you will actually dominating your enemy. These basic features together provide a fun and original multiplayer experience, which is shamefully overlooked by a lot of mainstream war games, unfortunately.
Problem?
Unfortunately indeed, Bioshock 2 isn't entirely perfect. The Single Player, though as fantastic as it is, makes you wanting even more to do, but doesn't exactly remedy that by the end. Though there is mention of Bioshock's protagonist, there is no mention of his ultimate fate, whether or not he decided to be the ruler of Rapture or flee from it. In the end, it felt like there was a LOT more that could be done with Bioshock 2 that simply wasn't. This lost potential doesn't really effect how great the game is, but it does make you want even more from Rapture.
Basically, by the end, only one part of Rapture is ultimately returned to the depths of the sea. The rest is still intact, at least considering Eleanor states that the building you are on the last levels are going to be sunk by depth charges. What I'm trying to say is, there is no clear ending to Rapture itself. I suppose if there is a Bioshock 3 (not Infinite, but a Bioshock 3), that wouldbe the time to close the Rapture story, depending on how intriguing Infinite's is.
In terms of Multiplayer, the game begins to fowl up when the DLC content violates the original designs of the game and when additional support for balancing tweaks or what not does not happen. Though DLC maps are always fun, DLC weapon modifications can always be debated. For this game, the Elephant Gun is an utter superfluous and over-powered weapon to begin with. The Crossbow, of which was the original sniper weapon, is utterly castdown by this weapon upon reaching level 18 and the Shotgun's purpose as a close-quarters weapon is obsolete. It breaks the formula that every weapon can defeat someone with reasonable effort and timing in its own distinct way; instead, it takes people out so fast from any range that it's over-tedious for the other player to maneuver. Basically, it shouldn't exist in the game and doesn't mesh well with the existing weapons. It with its accompanying DLC, as well as many other weapons and their DLC modifications, really makes the game feel like the person who spends the most money will do the best, which should never be the case for any video game. The game also goes by an Xbox 360-port matchmaking, which though it does scramble players together, usually has sub-par connection and crippling lag (goes by Host system). If the multiplayer had dedicated servers, active support to fix balance issues, and DLC that didn't violate the originally intended formulas and weapon functions of the game, then it would definitely be one worth choosing over CoD or even Battlefield. Hopefully, if Infinite comes to the PC and it has a multiplayer, then maybe these issues will be rectified and the game will blossom into another great addition to the mainstream multiplayer.
So, uhh, I giving this game....
An A, 5/5, 9/10. Though it does suffer some problems here and there in the multiplayer, or doesn't exactly satisfy the player by the end of its single-player 100%, Bioshock 2 is definitely a game to be picked up and played at least twice. Principally, aesthetically, and schematically, it's just a great game and I hope you readers will be convinced to play it! Thanks for reading, hope to see y'all playing this game some day.