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BioShock 2

BioShock 2: Hands-On Impressions

During our first trip to Rapture we merely got a taste of what it would be like to become a Big Daddy. In BioShock 2 the team behind the original’s Fort Frolic level, 2K Marin, have placed us in the diving suit of Subject Delta, the first Big Daddy, who has awakened after 10 years of unconsciousness. We recently spent a few hours in the post-Ryan underwater dystopia and can assure you that things have certainly changed.

Our latest visit to Rapture starts off at Adonis Luxury Resort, a once fabulous spa turned nightmare as heavily mutated Splicers destroy each other, and the environment, for Adam. Delta lies in a puddle near a Vita-Chamber and is awakened by the voice of Tenenbaum, who asks us to perform a few simple tasks. This level serves as a training ground for newcomers and a refresher course for players of the original.

One of our first tasks is to find a Plasmid. We use our drill to break past a barrier keeping us from the Gatherer’s Garden. As we approach the machine we see only the eyes of a girl followed by her voice. It’s Eleanor, one of Rapture’s sisters who is bonded to Delta and desperately needs you to find her. Our overarching goal in the preview build is to find Eleanor, but first we must complete other goals to progress. Audio diaries reveal Eleanor Lamb has ties to Rapture’s leader and Delta’s antagonist, Sofia Lamb, but little information has been revealed on how Delta and the Lamb’s are connected.

Eleanor leaves us a little gift at the Gatherer’s Garden—Electro Bolt. As we turn around a Little Sister tells us Delta has been sleeping a long time. “Eleanor misses you,” she says as a Big Sister runs past and knocks the little one down.

Our next task is to use the new Plasmid to power up a generator. Once we find the rusted machine and spark it up, the darkened rooms of Adonis light up while an old school lounge music plays in the background. Tenenbaum asks that we meet up with her at the Atlantic Train Station.

En route to the station we find an audio diary from Tenenbaum that reveals the reasoning for her return to Rapture. With the disappearance of children around the Atlantic she suspects someone may be trying to continue the work she regretfully started and wants to put a stop to it.

Up to this point we were only armed with the drill and Electro Bolt. While exploring Adonis’ various rooms, we find our first ranged weapon, the Rivet Gun, then enter a large room with a Little Sister gathering Adam from a Splicer’s corpse. She warns us of the wrath of Big Sister, and just like that, the twiggy, metallic beast unleashes an ear-piercing shriek just as she ambushes our Big Daddy. We hit her with the Rivet Gun and send shockwaves with Electro Bolt, but were no match for the Big Sister. She drains us of all our health and resources leaving us with just enough to live before she disappears.

In BioShock 2, damage is indicated by blood splatter on the sides of the screen that will remain until you find a health item. Thankfully the previous battle unearthed health and other replenishing items across the room. We were now prepared to follow the tiny terror and finish what we started.

Comments
  • looking good!

  • Looks amazing!! Can't wait to get ahold of this one.

  • this game is shaping up well! Day one purchase for sure.

  • this game looks really good! i was a big fan of the first one and can't wait for the return trip to Rapture.

  • the first game was really good so i hope they can follow it with a great sequel

  • I bet this one will be insanely good.  Possibly another 10.

  • Ah. Just reading that got my head spinning. Cannot wait for this game. :)

  • I can't wait!!

  • i think im gonna go and replay the first one. this one looks great!

  • Oh yeah, this is shaping up nicely.  I generally stick to the story mode, although I can see myself spending some time in multiplayer with this one.  I think there might be more AAA titles in Jan, Feb, and March releasing than there have been this Holiday Season.  Great games year round FTW.

  • Yet another good game to add to the list for this year....:] Exciting.

    I really hope they continue with the movie for this one.

  • I truly enjoyed the first "Boishock" title, but found it somewhat like a huge fetch quest. Hopefully the change it up a bit, but it looks like its still heading in the same direction. The multiplayer is still a major plus for me.

  • My gaming friend will like this. He said that Bioshock 2 will not beat the original because he liked it a lot. But he may change his mind now that it has multiplayer. I pesonally don't like the game.

  • Can't wait for the release. Although I'm a bit skeptical about the multiplayer. To me, some games are just meant to be a single player format.

  • the delays must be worth it

  • If this game manages to disappoint me I very well may burst into tears.

  • This is gonna *** own!

  • Glad to hear that multiplayer is running smoothly.

  • I'll probably buy it, but I'm still super mad they made a sequel to such a great game.  A sequel never made sense to me since the game no longer holds any mystery.  They put the game in the same city, which doesn't make any sense.  A cooler version would have had the air force or something go in and try and clear it out, but find that rapture holds even worse things than we saw before.  It would have been even better if they had some story outside the city of rapture that would add to the suspense of such a survival horror.  They could have done so much, but instead they are trying to make money off of a rehash.

  • HYPE TRAIN ON FULL EXTREMES! CHOO CHOO!

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