One of the more interesting gameplay elements is the new and improved research camera. Unlike the camera from the earlier game, this one can record video. All you need to do is select a target and finish it off using different combinations of plasmids and weapons, the more varied the better. Once you’ve scored enough points you’ll be given more info on the enemy’s weakness along with some special rewards. This new mechanic works better than the earlier one where you had to close in to get a perfect shot. The hacking mini-game has also been replaced by a new one which relies on timed button presses and can be done in real time instead of a separate screen. This keeps the action flowing instead of cutting to a static screen every time you hack.
Another new addition to Bioshock 2 is a multiplayer mode. Before you write it off completely, let me say there’s a fair bit of fun to be had with it. It surely can’t compete with other online heavyweights, but has a certain charm of its own, especially if you love the world of Rapture. The multiplayer plays as an offshoot of the main story set before the events of the first game. There’s even a short narrative before you jump online for your first game. The gameplay feels more like old-school multiplayer games like Quake or Unreal Tournament. Running and gunning is the order of the day here. So if you like your online play slow and tactical then better steer clear of it.
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The game types are standard fare – deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag, last man standing etc. each with a BioShock twist. For example, the capture the flag mode involves a Little Sister instead of an actual flag. You can unlock various weapons and plasmids the more you play and level up. Almost each game lets you pick up a Big Daddy suit and wreak havoc on other players. While the multiplayer game can be fairly entertaining for a while, it’s certainly not something most players will stick with for a long time. Matches are hard to find even now and you can expect it to get worse as the game ages. It’s a fun little add-on, but 2K Marin should have just stuck to the making the single player experience better by adding a couple of more levels to the campaign instead.
BioShock 2 is a much shorter game than the first. It should take you around 10 hours to complete the main story; maybe a couple of hours more if you take your time to explore every level thoroughly. Also, unlike the first game, you cannot go back to earlier levels once you clear them, so if you miss an upgrade or a special item, it’s gone for good. As result, Bioshock 2 feels far more linear compared to the first. Linearity is not a problem, but for a game that’s built around exploration and has tons of hidden stuff, it comes off as a bit restrictive. The environments themselves are also somewhat redundant. Almost every level looks just about the same. The 1950s art deco design looks cool but there’s hardly anything that sets levels apart from each other, so don’t go into this one expecting environments like the lush Arcadia or the twisted Fort Frolic from the first game. Some high points are the sequences where you have to traverse underwater areas outside of Rapture’s controlled environments, but these are very brief.
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It’s also a bit of a downer that BioShock 2 looks almost exactly like its predecessor. BioShock looked great three years ago, but the visuals look dated now. It looks decent from an aesthetic point of view, but closer inspection reveals some ugly low resolution textures and uneven character models. It’s not really the fault of the game engine; it just seems like 2K Marin took the easy way out by utilising the same in-game resources. There is also a fair amount of texture pop-in on the console version of the game and the framerates can get jittery when there’s too much happening on-screen. The game excels in the sound department though. Most of the sound effects are recycled from the first game and the moody music adds a lot to the game’s setting. The voice acting is great across the board, although some of the accents do come off as a bit forced.
Conclusion
BioShock 2 is a sufficiently good sequel to one of the most memorable games of recent times. It may lack the charm of the original due to the been-there-done-that feel that it cannot shake off, but it still manages to be an engaging game that gets better as you play thanks to a decent story and varied gameplay. The multiplayer offers a few hours of fun, but it’s ultimately forgettable. If you loved the first, give this one a chance, even if, like me, you thought a sequel was a bad idea. It takes a while to grow on you, but once it has you hooked, you’ll be glad you did.
(+) Decent story with some memorable sequences
(+) Lots of different ways to approach combat
(+) Upgrading your character is fun and quite addictive
(+) Good voice acting and soundtrack
(-) Lacks the charm of the original
(-) Visuals look dated, not much variety in the environments
(-) Doesn’t allow backtracking
Title: BioShock 2
Developer/Publisher: 2K Marin/2K Games
Genre: First-person shooter
Rating: 18
Platforms: Xbox 360 (Rs 2,499), PS3 (Rs 2,499), PC (Rs 699)
Reviewed on: Xbox 360
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