There Is Something In The Sea

No, it isn't groundbreaking. Yes, the story pales in comparison to the original Bioshock's darkly disturbing masterpiece. No, it hardly adds anything that makes the gameplay any different than the last time we visited Rapture three years ago. Yes, it's still a fantastic game, and worth every penny.

I can see Bioshock 2 dissapointing a lot of people. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who didn't take the trip to Rapture last time; without knowing the backstory of this game, the story would fall rather flat. However, oddly enough, I feel that if I never played the first, and got to experience that truly unique experience, I'd probably say that Bioshock 2 is one of the best games I've ever played.

It's definitely up there. Bioshock 2 has you return to the utopia under the sea, only known as Rapture. This time around, you get to fulfill what EVERYONE fantasized about in the first one, aside from a crazy-syringe induced orgie with Fontaine (am I the only one?); you become a Big Daddy. Mr. Bubbles. The protector of all sisters that happen to be little. The motherfucker that made your controller rumble like an earthquake had just hit your front lawn. The creature that has a roar as intimidating as anything JJ Abrams has ever created. You're a goddamned Big Daddy, and not just any Mr. B; you're the very first. Welcome, Project Delta.

So instead of starting off the game with a wrench, we get a drill attached to our arm. That's certainly an improvement. We also get our first plasmid rather quickly in the game. In fact, maybe one of the things that's inferior about this title to the first is it's pacing; you're thrown into Rapture, and hardly ever do you get a moment to think about the amazing world around you. Not like in the first title, at least, where death could come from any corner. It still can in Bioshock 2, and you're not nearly as indestructible as you'd think a Big Daddy would be (you're definitely no Bouncer); but you're not some guy named Jack who just happened to have a really shitty day (or so he thinks).

The story revolves around you, Project Delta, the very first Big Daddy, and Eleanor Lamb, your Little Sister, who is also the first of her type. A lot of bad juju happened to you in the span of ten years, and you get seperated for many different reasons; the main one being Elle's mom, Sofia Lamb, who is a serious fucking bitch. Reminds me of my mom. And any woman my dad's ever brought home. And every woman I wanted to bring home. Go figure.

The graphics, engine, and gameplay is completely lifted from the first; which isn't a bad thing, seeing as the first excelled in all areas. Very little innovation in gameplay, aside from being able to both duel-wield a plasmid and a weapon, which is far more convenient than it was in the original. At the same time, with all this time, I expected at least a couple new elements to be added. Don't fix what's not already broken, and all that, but I do feel like I'm playing some really belated albeit great DLC for OG Bioshock.

Where as the first game had a host of characters you'd never forget (Andrew Ryan, Suchong, Sander Cohen, Dr. Steinman, even Atlas and Fontaine), aside from the main cast, your buddy Sinclair, and a strong black woman from the Bayou named Grace, the characters here are really lacking when compared to the first. Horrible lacking, even. Plus, there's only really 6 different types of enemies in this game; splicer, spider splicer, brute splicer, big sister, big daddy, alpha big daddy. Every boss is just a suped-up version of one of those; most of the bosses don't even bother fighting, they just send those aforementioned goons at you, and then proceed to fucking die. Sofia Lamb has NOTHING on Andrew Ryan, or even, Atlas. I might come off as sexist, but a woman in charge of Rapture? One who acts like Rodham, looks like Palin, and is only slightly higher on the IQ scale than both? No, no thank you.

The multiplayer, from what I played, is good. Nothing groundbreaking here; you won't give up Gears, L4D, Halo, GTAIV, and Modern Warfare to start building up your Bioshock skills, but it's fun, and it's a real treat for fans of the first game. Definitely a nice feature, but I hope other single-player classics that're coming out this year (I see you, Dead Rising) have more established multiplayers. 

So, I addressed mostly my complaints on this game. And I still thoroughly enjoyed it, and plan on playing multiplayer for awhile. The story is great for a video game, if you're not comparing it to the original (and you shouldn't, though it's hard not to). It's emotive, and it does allow you to get very submerged in that scuba suit (no pun intended, nhjic),  especially in the parts with Eleanor. The father/child story is very moving, and one of the better emotional moments I've seen in a video game. It really does touch your heart (pause), and I'd like to see Eleanor's story continue. The ending, unlike the first, and the final boss battle, is pretty goddamned incredible. taking on the role of the Big Daddy is also both very tense, and enjoyable. Since you're a Big Daddy, this game throws everything and the kitchen sink, stove, and refridgerator your way; you're gonna need to keep those first-aid kits on deck. the moments where you have your little sisters collect adam is one of the tensest moments of the game, and also, most strategic; i always enjoyed the time I spent protecting my little sister. Plus, the Big Daddy is just badass; much better than being some guy named Jack.

Bioshock 2 is great. Not amazing, not outstanding, not spellbinding, or anything Peter Travers would write about Avatar in Rolling Stone. Definitely my favorite game in awhile, despite its flaw. Anyone who was a fan of the first needs to play this at least once; and if you weren't, well, what the fuck is wrong with you? Regardless, Bioshock 2'll make you appreciate Bioshock that much more, and not just because Bioshock is infinitely superior.

Invest in it.

Would you kindly...?

So, Bioshock 2 drops tomorrow. I'm as psyched for this as anyone else, if not more so; the original Bioshock remains one of, if not, my favorite game. I was a little late to play it in early '08, as I didn't have a 360 until then; however, Bioshock was the first title I grabbed upon getting it, and once I started playing, I couldn't stop.

I could go into the usual hoopla about Bioshock; how it had some of the most innovative game-play of its time, and absolutely gorgeous graphics. Which I will, and which it did. The combination of puzzles and first person shooters wasn't completely new territory, but with all the hacking mini-games, and genuine mysteries you had to solve throughout the title, it took it to a new level. I can't say I was the biggest fan of the aforementioned mini-games, as they became annoying as they grew more difficult; however, it's no surprise that future titles, such as Fallout 3, took a similar premise when it came to hacking mini-games, though Fallout's password-manipulating were significantly less annoying than the pipe-puzzles. The mysteries surrounding Rapture, a puzzle in themself, hold some of the true allure of Bioshock; for one prime example of this, the demented Sander Cohen has you dabble in some real Haunting In Connecticut shit by taking photos of the dead. However, unlike those funeral parlor photos, those poor folks you're taking pictures of were sentenced to this fate by you. Although, yeah, that's kinda a similar story in Haunting in Connecticut too.

The graphics.. still look at beautiful today as they did over two years ago. Rapture is gorgeous. Easily my favorite video game setting, as it is just as emersive as it is stunningly macabre. Although you can never travel outside of the inner city of Rapture (a fault they're correcting in the sequel), the ocean surrounding Rapture looks beautiful; the city itself is based on every 1960's living stereotype gone terribly awry. Billie Holiday's haunting voice serenades you through the radio; the aforementioned Sander Cohen is pretty much Rod Serling meets Alfred Hitchcock if both lost their minds any further, and had an unhealthy fascination with bunny rabbits. The very first boss battle is an early practioneer of plastic surgery, and the leading moments to this battle depict one of the most morose, yet stunning crucifixions you'll ever witness in any form of media; and if you know of any others, please keep them to yourself. The less we know, the better.

The story is the real bread and butter of Bioshock, though. It boasts a story on tie with some of cinema's greatest thrillers; the first two acts of the game's story driven solely by the egomaniacal Andrew Ryan, easily one of the greatest villains to ever grace his face in a video game. Andrew Ryan's monologues are stuff of legend, as seen in the youtube video that proceeded this review, and they only get better. He is the greatest atheist, chauvenistic, God-complexed, sociopathical, genius-intellect asshole ever. Aside from uncle at Christmas parties. But he's dead now, so he doesn't count.



Unforuntately, when the story switches hands in the third act, it takes a HUGE slip in quality. It's still worth finishing the game, as it continues to be great, however once that golfclub leaves your bloody hands, the absolute best part of this game is over. The final boss battle is also one of those huge dissapointments, however that's another thing they're fixing in the sequel.

So yes, even though the third act is took a dip, this game stands as wholly enjoyable; an experience anyone whose even casually into video games should try at least one. One of the most beautiful, thought-provoking, and action packed forms of entertainment ever released upon the world; not just in the realm of video games. Bioshock will always stand as one of gaming's greatest achievements, and stands triumphant amongst all the cookie-cutter shooters that're released seemingly monthly. Hopefully the sequel can due this game's legacy everything it deserves.

Now, would you kindly go and give this game a try if you haven't already?