Review:
Bioshock 2

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Bioshock was overrated. Let that sink in for a moment. Revel in it. The truth will set you free. It was enjoyable, with a mixture of good shooting and great plasmid-based superpowers, but the best part about the game was the environment. The undersea city of Rapture was an absolute masterpiece – a fully realised, well thought out, detailed, living, breathing empire. Fortunately for us, this sequel continues to expand on the world, adding more details, new enemies, new survivors and more history.

Ten years have passed since Andrew Ryan’s dream collapsed at his feet and the remaining Splicers have a new master: Sofia Lamb, Ryan’s most outspoken critic. You step into the oversized boots of a new model Big Daddy, a Delta Series monstrosity, who has lost his Little Sister. Unfortunately for you, your Little Sister is Eleanor Lamb and her mother will stop at nothing to keep the two of you apart.

In the interest of keeping the remainder of the narrative a secret, the rest of the game’s fairly engrossing story shall not be revealed here. Needless to say, though, it will probably divide the players on whether or not it’s better than its predecessor. This critic enjoyed it a lot more than the first time around, if only because the original Bioshock’s plot was so pretentious, and the twist so warped, that it became laughable. This time the story is more human, more personal, and this makes it so much more gripping.

The gameplay has evolved too, with the most obvious changes being the arsenal of weapons at your disposal. Big Daddy’s familiar drill brings the hurt for most of the game this time, with a great choice for the rest of the other weapons – Rivet Gun, Machine Gun, Spear Gun and Rocket Launcher all make up for a satisfying array of tools. In addition to this is the camera, which can now record the encounters you have and adds to the research you have of the monsters. This research then adds up, rewarding you with more combat bonuses and abilities with which to lay waste to the inhabitants of Rapture.