Bioshock 2

- Reviewed on PS4 -

Bioshock 2 released on February 9th, 2010. 

Also, Bioshock 2 re-released as a part of the Bioshock Collection on September 13th, 2016. 

I played Bioshock 2 as a part of the Bioshock Collection (which also includes Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite) and right off the bat, I immediately loved this Bioshock title way more than the original Bioshock game. 

Bioshock 2 was a step down from Bioshock Infinite, but it was a major improvement of the original, first Bioshock game which released three years prior, on August 21st, 2007. 

This review WILL have Major Spoilers so keep that in mind before continuing...

Bioshock 2 takes place in the same underwater city as the first Bioshock game, Rapture. 

I love games (and movies) that get right to the story / conflict from the very beginning. You play as a Big Daddy inside a big suit of metal armor and right off the bat, in the beginning, you feel indestructible and not afraid of your enemies, which in the first Bioshock you did feel the fear. 

This confidence and not being afraid can be a good thing to some people or a bad thing to people who do want to be scared. I personally loved the idea of becoming a Big Daddy right from the start!

The beginning of Bioshock 2 shows that Sofia Lamb (the main antagonist of Bioshock 2) has taken custody of Eleanor Lamb and after 10 plus years, you must make a journey through Rapture alive to save Eleanor. 

I immediately liked Sofia Lamb more than the previous antagonist for the first Bioshock, Frank Fontaine. 

The sheer confidence in Sofia Lamb and the way she acts throughout the game is how (in my eyes) a final boss / leader should act in a video game or even a movie. 

Like previously mentioned, Bioshock 2 immediately puts you in conflict and you see right away that Sofia Lamb is the person responsible for all the future mayhem you (as a player) must go through. 

I always love collecting unlockables / collectibles in video games and Bioshock, as a series, did not disappoint me and like the previous, first Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite, Bioshock 2 has audio logs for you to collect where you can hear the voice recordings of past / present residents of Rapture. 

Enemies are in classic Bioshock fashion and by this I mean they act like the previous Bioshock title, where they are always talking to themselves, screaming, and acting completely insane which does cause a fear element while playing (at least for me it did throughout the game). 

There is a negative appeal to the enemies in which they tend to respawn in areas you already cleared and sometimes it's a little unfair that you have to clear out a level / area after already clearing it of hostiles. 

One key game mechanic in Bioshock 2 relates to the Little Sisters. 

Little Sisters are always protected by Big Daddy's and because you play as one yourself, killing a Big Daddy who is protecting a Little Sister, will grant you the option to Rescue (Adopt) or Harvest that Little Sister. 

Rescuing Little Sisters gives you less ADAM (power to increase max statistics), and Harvesting them will give you max ADAM but you won't have the sister anymore to collect extra ADAM. If Rescued, Little Sisters can collect extra ADAM but you have to protect them as they do so. I personally, always rescued the Little Sisters in both Bioshock and Bioshock 2. Doing this grants you the good ending for both games and that's what I got for my playthrough. 

As I mentioned earlier, you must make a journey through Rapture alive to save Eleanor. These locations all have their own separate themes and feel to them which I really enjoyed and it helped with finding collectibles. 

The names of all the locations are below...

    - Adonis Luxury Resort 
    - Atlantic Express Depot 
    - Ryan Amusements
    - Pauper's Drop
    - Siren Alley
    - Dionysus Park
    - Fontaine Futuristics 
    - Outer Persephone
    - Inner Persephone 

Unlocking plasmids, increasing health, gathering ADAM, battling Big Daddy's, Bioshock 2 to me was the better game between the first and second title in the series. 

Sequels can make or break a series, in this case, Bioshock 2 elevated the Bioshock series and I would definitely play this game again!

Pros: 

    - Memorable Antagonist 
    - Interesting Locations (All Different as Well)
    - Great Plasmid Options 
    - Great Music 
    - Quick Loading Times 

Cons:

    - Short Story 
    - Unfair Respawn of Enemies 

My Rating for Bioshock 2 (on PS4):

4 / 5


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Disclaimer

All Reviews, Ratings, Pros, Cons, and Opinions Shared on this Blog (Press A Reviews) are my (Connor Butler) own Thoughts and Feelings.



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