BioShock 2 Review

To help you in your task, you’ll find ammunition and food tucked away in all nooks and corners and you’ll have to search corpses for items they have left behind. The more you search, the better equipped you will be to fight foes. Weapons upgrades come in the form of new weapons, new plasmids and gene tonics, the latter two of which you’ll need ADAM to purchase. You’ll also find bots that can be hacked at various instances in the game. Once hacked through a little time-based mini game, they work in your favor and attack foes instead of firing at you. Unlike the original, the mini game does not pause the whole game. Instead, it takes place while you continue with your main mission.

The world of Rapture appears nearly the same as the original but is equally atmospheric and involving. The backgrounds are detailed and scenic. There’s plenty to explore from train stations to the underwater world . The sound in the game is eerie yet charming. The score sets a retro tone, true to the original. You’ll find bits of audio from your menacing enemy Dr. Sofia Lamb as well as your guides Augustus Sinclair and Dr. Tenenbaum to help you along the way.

Unlike the original, BioShock 2 has a multiplayer mode which is surprisingly good. While you play a Big Daddy in the single player mode, the multiplayer mode will have you in the shoes of a genetically modified test subject. You can pick from various character options — a welder, a housewife, footballer and others) and then select the weapons you want to use. The more you play the multiplayer mode, the more weapons, plasmids and gene tonics you receive. The multiplayer mode is enjoyable but we highly doubt it will be replacing the likes of Team Fortress any time soon.

It’s hard to find much fault in BioShock 2 other than the fact that it’s too much like the original. Rapture feels the same it did in the original and hence the excitement of discovering a whole new retro underwater world is gone. The enemies can get a tad bit repetitive as well. Call us pampered but there’s only so many splicers we can enjoy killing before we get bored. Thankfully, the storyline is so engaging, you’re bound to forgive the repetitiveness.

Overall, BioShock 2 is a much more involving experience than its predecessor. The world of Rapture is as scenic as ever and playing Big Daddy is a memorable experience. Hollywood please take note – this is how good sequels are made.