Customer Reviews

BioShock 2 Special Edition

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great edition; it is well worth the extra $ if you are a fan of the game; the book, the posters, and the soundtracks are very cool collectibles and the overall packaging is far from cheap.

Based on single player only!!

As far as the game goes, I really enjoyed it; lots of insight and connections to part 1, and there are also so many upgrades and improvements to this sequel over the original; from the opening scene you know you are in for a unique gaming experience. You get good weapons early on, and from being able to walk under water w/floating corpses all around to fleece, to the hordes of new villains that come at a break neck speed at times, this game recreates itself w/in a familiar framework; it offers a lot of tweaks on what made the original game so great; and while I never found Rapture all that scary, i did find it 'dark and mysterious'...and much like a Silent Hill game, half the fun is walking around and looking. The shrines that litter the world are a nice touch. There are also a lot more items around this time, and money is a little more plentiful.

The graphics are amazing and more colorful that part one; the old school/retro ads are everywhere, and the water effects--whether falling from the ceiling or running down the stairwells--are just cool to look at, not to mention listen to. The detail to all the settings is amazing, and it seems so wrong just to rush through this game. The splintering light through the windows, the sight of a Big Daddy doing work underwater on the outer side of the structure though a window, to the various messages scrawled throughout the hallways...all so detailed and so matter of fact. Even more detailed than part one, Bioshock 2 shows another side of the city not seen before in part one; you are not retreading the same sets or fighting the same people. The splicers are back, but so are a host of tougher and in some cases even freakier splicers and creatures than those in part 1.

There some nice flashback scenes too where the city takes on almost a 'shining' type of feel, w/splicers standing around in masks, sharing drinks and small talk. One level is almost like a dream state harem. The butterflies are a nice touch, but especially of note were all the incredibly detailed pictures of people posted everywhere on the wall; almost real pics it seemed, very interesting just to check them out alone.

In addition to the beautiful, artistic graphics, there is also a good story w/ a nice twist. As in part 1, you can control you ending I think...I got one ending because I saved the little sisters; I imagine there is a different ending if you harvest them instead of helping, like in part 1. I found it different enough than part one, and equally surprising at times. Like coming out of a room to find the city flooded and a huge shark passing over me. Freaky.

The game controls like a dream, too. All buttons become 2nd nature w/in minutes of playing. The sound is just as creepy as part one, and creates a general sense of menace throughout...the distant voices, water effects, & creaking metal can certainly set you on edge.

While some complain this is more of the same, I would have to disagree; the action is certainly ramped up, and the game shows/gives you things early on you had to wait to see/get in part 1; it's like you are taking a faster path thru the unseen places of some place familiar; The colors of the locations are brighter than the previous game; some of the darker settings even reminded me of something you may see in a Silent Hill game.

Needless to say, I was very happy with this game and enjoyed my return to a city that still has a lot to offer, and is still one of the most unique game settings in recent years. I seem to spend much of my time here just looking around...the detail is meticulous, and not to be missed; And while Ms Lamb is not as menacing as Ryan was in pt 1, she serves the purpose.

This is a worthy and original approach in terms of sequels; Fans of part one should not be disappointed, and the game seems like a natural progression from the first. Enjoyable, thrilling at times, and truly a visual masterpiece.

I have read many reviews saying this is more of the same stuff, & that 2K didn't take enough chances; I suppose for people who make their living playing every game that comes out, the standards are probably a little higher to find a new experience. But even if you are and experienced gamer and know you like this kind of stuff, it is more than a so-so retread. After all, when you go back to Silent Hill, you know you are going to spend time in a hospital and a subway, with lots of fog and rabid dogs. But it's still fun to go back and see the old, and hope for the new. Bioshock 2 delivers the perfect balance.

I was impressed with the contents of the SP edition in the first place, but when I put the three posters on my wall and turned on a blacklight (for other posters on my wall) the rapture posters have graffiti on them like in the game! Byfar the coolest gimmick in game swag ever. Try it out.

As far as the game...well come on now, its bioshock how is it not awesome in its own right :)

Bioshock 2 is a first person shooter set in an underwater dystopia called Rapture. The player must seek resolution to events that occurred over a decade ago, when times were much simpler, and of course before the downfall of Rapture. Things have changed since the first time you submerged in the original Bioshock. Things seem to of gotten worse, to balance this you will become one of the most feared enemies in the original, a Big Daddy.

As a big daddy your arsenal has been altered, and why not when you're a metallic gargantuan wonder, in place of a tiny Thompson you'll now be equipped with a destructive .50 cal machine gun. A Big Daddy has a very special role in the series, as a protector of Little Sisters, things can get up and personal no worries your hand is drill. So while a few tweaks definitely make the gameplay more interesting, sadly a few water drops pelt this sequel.

While a story of decaying sanity is still apparent, by finding audio logs of past residents within Rapture, the overall premise of the story at foot here just isn't as engrossing as the original. This could be due to the original having so many firsts, from plot twists to the marvel of realizing the scope and location of the game. Fortunately Bioshock 2 makes up for this by strengthening the gameplay. The graphics are richened, blues glow, reds violently explore dark depths, and colors swell and pop. Atmospherics reign supreme in this game, from every flickering shadow, leaking ceiling and warmly lit room, this game illustrates a world worth inspecting. Controls can be a bit confusing when compared to the standard fps floating amongst the market. Rest assures they become second nature, and are quite convenient for the game play at hand. You'll be shifting through weaponry and plasmids in no time. Good thing to with the vast unlocks available online and off, you'll want to be exploring all these techniques.

In case you're wondering, plasmids are specially altered genetics capable of giving one the ability to launch fire, shoot lightning, or launch a swarm of bees toward enemies. Mulitplayer is a large and fun addition to the game. Plasmids and gene tonics (always active bonus skills) are the core build up for the mayhem. A tiny plot is mixed into the multiplayer serving as a brief prolog even before the events of Bioshock 1. Before you begin the onslaught, take some time and pick out your character, there aesthetics and there melee weapon. Players can duke it out online (no splitscreen to speak of sorry) in a free for all, a capture the flag variant (involving little sisters), or classic team death match. Other modes are available on top of it all. As you play online you'll earn experience, though in this case it's called ADAM, with enough you can unlock new weapons, weapon attachments, and all the genetics one could possibly want. Per loadout (customizable class) two weapons can be held, two plasmids, and three gene tonics. Play with them and find what works best for you, are you the stealthy type?

My only true gripe with the game deals with the Big Daddy you play as. For such a powerful and terrifying foe in the original, you seem to be quite the runt in this one. I understand that there are different models to be dealt with here, but it's almost as if a reskin was trying to cut it (oh and louder footsteps). This isn't bad but can take one out of the experience. Making it feel like you are just playing a leangthy expansion to the original, as no real significant changes are present.

--Edit-- My gripe may have been resolved, after a second play through of the game, I've come to realize most of the issues with not 'feeling' like the big man behind the suit may of been due to the difficulty setting. After paying a bit mroe attention I will say this, one will not feel so much the powers of the Daddy until later on. At that point you'll be thankful your reinforced in a metal suit.

Returning to Rapture, there is a lot to discover. Tons of items and exploration can lead to hours of extended gameplay. Alternate endings, lengthy 10+ hour campaign (online multiplayer I've already logged on over seven hours and still am having a blast), weapon upgrades, it's all here. Rapture and its inhabitants probably wouldn't welcome you back, but the developers certainly made sure it feels that way.

In case anybody was wondering, I purchased the Collectors Edition. The contents have been clearly analyzed by many, just to add to it all I to find it worth the 100$. The music from Gary Schyman really impressed me with his understanding and appreciation for music. The vinyl record included (featuring the original titles score) was intensely satisfying to listen to, the CD I have not checked out as it features music from this game and I've been playing with my ears open. The book is richly detailed, serving as a much better commentary then any disc in recent years for a game has. The three posters I have not checked out yet, but intend to sooner or later. Everything about this boxset is quality, and it really makes me happy to know I didn't purchase yet again another bottom of the barrel `special' edition. (I also decided to post some pictures, hope any of them help).

i bought the special edition for the xbox360 and was very impressed with the quality of the garbage that came packaged with the game, the special edition comes with an lp vinyl record of the origional games music score as well as 3 11x14 posters all of which look fantastic framed on my wall. (not to mention there are hidden messages on them if you use a blacklight on them) also included are a hardcover artbook, a CD with the second games music score and of course a game. all in all this is one of the coolest and highest quality special edition video games i have ever seen. and for $50 down from the origional $100 it is a very good buy.

The game itself is worth half the list price ($99), and the extra stuff (like the LP of the original BIOSHOCK score, cd sound track, art book, and posters) is easily worth the other half. So not only do I really enjoy having the art book and sound tracks, but I also feel like I got more that my money's worth (since I bought it for $70).

The Art book is wonderfully captioned with quotes from the people who worked on the game, and is a work of art in-and-of-itself. It reveals how the developers worked on aspects of the game from characters and weapons to maps and levels, in both single and multi-player. The BIOSHOCK 2 score is awesome! Just listening to it, I felt I was walking down the halls of Rapture, at the bottom of the sea.

It's safe to say, I am a PROUD owner of this Special Edition BIOSHOCK 2.

I have become obsessed with this game. I loved Bioshock and Bioshock 2 is just as good if not better.
The Special Edition has an art book that shows all the work put into all the environments and characters including the genetic splicers who have messed their DNA up. It includes a record album of the first soundtrack for Bioshock and has a Bioshock 2 CD with the score for it included. This edition has lithograph copies of some of the posters from Rapture in it. They are very nice. The game of course is in the box too. Everything comes in a stunning collectors edition box.
Bioshock 2 tells a new story that that started right before the Rapture Civil War but mainly happens 10 years after Jack the main character of Bioshock does his damage kills Andrew Ryan and Fontaine and the war is over. Little girls from all over the Atlantic coast are going missing. Little Sisters and Big Sisters now roam Rapture. The Big Daddies are being produced again. Adam flows and now one Sophia Lamb rules Rapture. Play and find out how Delta the Big Daddy will change Rapture and get back what was stolen from him. Eleanor Lamb needs her Daddy. Only Big Daddy can protect her right.

The box is amazing, it felt very well done, the LP is a nice touch! the CD contains the same music from the LP in digital format.

The posters is nice and the book is the best I had seen on Xbox 360 LCE games.

The game is very similar with the first, you have some improvements but nothing especial. If you really like Bioshock like me, I really recommend you the game. If you are only a casual Bioshock player the first game is enough...

The original BioShock's story was initially intended to be a somewhat subtle review and commentary of Objectivism, Ayn Rand's noteworthy philosophy. The game's story was to challenge Objectivism's view that each person should live for him/herself and via a collective selfish movement they would all end up moving society forward.

There were a few problems with this, however. Most notably that they got the Objectivism bit wrong; Objectivism is not about being purely hedonistic, it's about people being smart, independent, self-sufficient beings that don't rely on others to carry their dead weight.

But enough of that. The plot continues 10 years after the events in the original BioShock, but instead of a purely "Objectivist" society, the character is thrown into a purely Collectivist one. Objectivism is portrayed somewhat more reasonably in this game, but still not wholly satisfactorily, and the Collectivists are portrayed fairly well. The script writing is excellent, the voice acting and animation top-notch, and the pre-rendered sequences and other "cut scenes" (In quotations because the player oft remains in control during these moments.) are beautiful and effective.

The gameplay flows rather well, providing a healthy mix-up of moments where you have to be atleast mildly strategic whilst defending Little Sisters and moments where strategy is flushed down the toilet in lieu of just letting loose on some spliced-up Collectivist nutheads.

I've heard people say that this game looks worse than the original. I don't see it. The game is just as beautiful as the first, and in many sequences even more beautiful.

Free-choice plays somewhat more of an important role. If the character harvests the Little Sisters throughout the game, they will end up receiving a great supply more Adam than a player that had saved all of the Little Sisters. However, a player bent on being The Nice Guy will receive exclusive tonics and extra money/ammo. The player will have to decide which of the above two is more valuable to them. Furthermore, outside of simple gameplay mechanics, there are repercussions on the story for various choices made, which affect a few near-end-game and end-game sequences.

The online is simple but highly enjoyable.

The Special-Edition Bonuses included in this copy of the game are well worth the extra money to any fan. Putting the BioShock Record in a case and hanging it on the wall, putting up the pro-Rapture propaganda in the house, and leafing through the art book after ripping the BioShock 2 CD onto your MP3 player are all wonderful Rapture bonding experiences.

Most importantly, however, is the fun factor. Considering how addicted to this game I was, and how much I enjoyed it, I'd give it a 10/10 fun factor. Based on my friends' opinions of the game, I'd give the fun factor a 9/10 or a 9.5/10

All in all a great game, well worth the extra money for the bonuses.

No, not necessarily. Bioshock 1 was obviously better, but its sequel is a very close second. It may not be as inventive a story or plot this time around, but the graphics are much improved and will make your second venture down to Rapture feel like your first. I did enjoy this game slightly more than Mass Effect 2, and because of its multiplayer, I have played it more as well.

Just for reference I would rate:
Bioshock 1. 4.8/5
Bioshock 2 4.5/5
Mass Effect 2 4.4/5
Mass Effect 1 4.0/5
FFXIII 3.5/5

Summary of Pros:
- Good graphics
- Best voice acting in a game I have ever heard.
- Excellent score and music.
- Multiplayer.
- Relative high replayability (Due to it not being that long and the multiplayer).
- Some twists in the plot that will surpise you.
- Good story

Are there any negatives?
- You pretty much have to play bioshock 1 (which I highly recommend) to understand the story fully.
- If you played the first bioshock then you will be surprised and maybe even angry, that they changed some things (like hacking or researching), but by the end of the game I was wondering how I played the first without these changes.
- Not much character depth when it comes to the villains in the game.
- Game is short compared to the first (about half the levels of the original).
- Multiplayer at this time freezes on occasion and may force you to restart your xbox.

My verdict: If you like shooting things indiscriminately, you'll be happy. If you're here for a story as powerful and incredible as the first Bioshock, you'll be horribly disappointed.

Special Edition
Loved it all, especially the art book, the record, and the soundtrack. Great swag, very much worth it. The art of BioShock is incredible and fun and inspiring, and Garry Schyman's gorgeous score does not disappoint. (Check out "Pairbond," which is fabulous in particular.)

Gameplay
Is definitely improved, especially since you can double-wield. In fact, the only reason that I didn't throw down my controller with rage by the end of the game is because it's so fun to protect Little Sisters and kill Splicers in inventive ways. Also, unlike the first Bioshock, where it seemed EVE hypos and ammo were in endless supply, in Bioshock 2 it's harder to find resources. In a few levels you're simply scraping by--which is exciting in its own right. It forced me to adapt and improve. I was awful in the first few levels; by the end I was actually pulling off clever kills.

I'm sorry to say that the Big Sisters don't live up to the hype. They're just a nimble, plasmid-wielding Big Daddy who shows up after you Rescue or Harvest the first Little Sister of every level. Look. I am an awful FPS player. I played through on Medium. At one point, when I had to fight two Big Sisters at the same time, I destroyed them handily. Yikes.

There are also plenty of bugs. The most noticeable one for me was in Pauper's Drop, wherein the Big Sister song started to play over and over and over for no discernible reason, until I finally had to turn off the music entirely. Another time, a Bouncer was so frightened of the stairs I was hiding on that he just stood beside my trap wires and let me shoot him from afar.

The Story
I don't care for survival horror or FPSes. I never play these things unless there's a good story to go along with them. So I was not playing this game to shoot things up. I was playing this game to experience some Grade A storytelling. Needless to say, I came away from the story feeling disappointed and irritated. There was a big setup and then no equally big payoff. At every plot point, I found myself saying, "Really? That's all?"

The saddest thing is that it has so much potential and does nothing with it. I mean, just try to get over that cool opening movie. I think that's the best beginning to a game I've ever seen. The writers of this story dreamed up all of these COOL things, and they hooked me from page one. I was ready to rock and roll.

Then, what do they do? The vast possibilities just hamstring them. They must have looked at the basic ideas for their story and froze in place. "What do we do with this character? I could do this or this or... ahhhh there's so many possibilities and so much backstory and... oh screw it I'll just turn Subject Delta into a conductor!" Yes, did I mention you're ferrying Sinclair all over creation while he yaks commands at you? Not to mention, you could see the storywriters wildly trying to think of what the heck they were supposed to do with all of the characters. Sometimes, they do nothing. Other times, their solution is to... well... you'll see. Three people: You, Meltzer, Sinclair. It just gets goofy after a while.

You do get little payoffs that make it somewhat worthwhile. Unfortunately, for the most part, what you see is what you get. Sometimes the game edges up very close to you and whispers, "Hey, guess what! Something cool is probably maybe sort-of around the corner!" I would hold my breath, waiting for the twist. Then no twist came, not even a vestigial one, and I felt rather let down. "Well, maybe a good twist will come up later!" Meanwhile, the story giggles nastily in a shadowy corner somewhere and traipses off to... do nothing! And it will never do anything, either.

I kept hoping for big twists, memorable villains and heroes and incredible characterization. There were none. Grace Holloway and Alex the Great were the only characters who really stood out. The radio diaries were great, but didn't escalate the feelings of tension and horror or further the story. (Frankly, there was no story. It was so disjointed and incoherent that it never got off of the floor.) Tenenbaum only has a bit part--and she is promptly swallowed by a Plot Hole, so you never see her again (the timing of this disappearance isn't explained in the DLC either, I might add). All in all, there was something huge missing and I couldn't put a finger on what it was. I don't know that I ever will. It's funny how some games get all of the technical things right and just don't seem to have a "soul," for lack of a better word.

The "Best" and "Middle" endings are unsatisfying and awkward; the only one that's very satisfying is the "Bad" ending.

The Villain
So how about our villain? In Bioshock 1, it was millionaire industrialist and Rapture founder Andrew Ryan. And what a foe he was! But in Bioshock 2, our enemy is... A PSYCHIATRIST.

Initially, I had a bad feeling about this. I'm sure you can see why.

Psychiatrist and cult leader Sophia Lamb is the perfect picture of a holier-than-thou English madam, but not much else. She only inspires fear at first, because you don't know who she is or what she can do. In the middle of Pauper's Drop, I realized that all she was was a blowhard. She's annoying, has nothing substantial to say, and her voice becomes an incessant drone. I kept hoping that by the end of the game, I would be given a QTE that would allow me to repeatedly punch her in the face.

I could only compare her to Andrew Ryan, who was terrifying and awe-inspiring throughout Bioshock 1. Ryan's upper-class bearing and innate charisma was terribly effective and utterly believable, and his intelligence and power were frightening because he could do so much with them. Even stranger, you could really understand his point of view, and even felt sorry for him when you saw his lofty ideals crumbling all around him. He was an incredible character. When Jack finally meets him... it's the perfect climax. In fact, when I picked up Ryan's diaries in Bioshock 2, I almost always found myself shivering.

On the other hand, when I picked up Lamb's diaries, I gritted my teeth. I HATE HER VOICE. And I hate her. I didn't hate her because she was a good villain; I hated her because she was boring and annoying. And I really couldn't tell you why, because she's just the female version of Ryan. Upper class? Check. Arrogant? Check. Intellectual? Check. Powerful? Check. She's everything Ryan is. So why is she a dud and Ryan so frightening?

Maybe it's because Ryan is so much more than Lamb is. Lamb is, to use Ryan's terminology, a "parasite." She moseys on in to Rapture, which was built by the efforts and resources of somebody else, and takes over in the vacuum when the Big Players exit. Not very impressive--just a vulture swooping down to take advantage of an easy meal. Furthermore, she has no foil in any character in the game--except for you as Subject Delta. That's not exactly a good sign, especially as you are a mute gun-toting idiot who can't remember his own first name. In Bioshock 1, Ryan had Atlas and Fontaine, and Jack was the hapless little guy who showed up in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's not comparable at all.

The writers try and try to make Lamb sound impressive--but a character won't become "impressive" just because other characters say so. They must exhibit "impressiveness" on their own. Lamb does not ever do this. According to several Audio Diaries, she engaged in several public debates with Ryan and became a large sensation with the Rapture populace, eventually instating a large cult presence. But if she was such a Big Player herself, why is she so noticeably omitted in Bioshock 1? My friend, who played through the game concurrently with me, said that she thought it was because our adventures were limited to the poverty-stricken areas of Rapture, where such ideologies could take better root. This makes sense to me. Even so, Lamb is STILL not impressive. So, the only people she can sway are desperate? That's not a good sign.

Perhaps it's that she doesn't have anything to lose. Ryan tried to save his city and vision to the end. By the same token, he had lost so much by the point you start the game--his ideals, his vision, his moral code, all of his dreams. He became what he professed to hate and he knew it, even if he couldn't bear to admit it to himself.

What would happen if Lamb failed at her goal? Nothing. She'd start over again, I guess. Her story could happen anywhere, with anyone. It wasn't specific to Rapture, in short. Where Ryan was multifaceted, she was flat and static... the same person from the earliest radio diary to the last squawky monologue. Boring, boring, boring, and pretentious to boot.

The Philosophy
The first Bioshock was intelligently written and envisioned, and is, in fact, based on a philosophical treatise (Ayn Rand's Objectivism). So how about Bioshock 2? Supposedly, it's based on John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism.

Sadly, 2K Marin has no idea what Utilitarianism really is--I firmly believe they just went diving into a big bucket of philosopher names and picked out the one that was closest to their character. But I can say that I understand what 2K Marin was aiming for.

The whole idea of this Bioshock was to present the extreme alternative to Ryan's extreme individualism. Lamb believes in a Utopia achieved through the eradication of self consciousness and the attainment of earthly nirvana, in which each "individual" seeks to increase the common good. Think a "hive mind" (to oversimplify things). It's an interesting idea--seeing what would happen if the pendulum swung too far the other way. It just isn't very striking, is all. Why? Because it's impossible. You know she's going to fail. Because, whereas you can visualize complete individual freedom, it's almost impossible to visualize complete lack of self. Ryan's plight was so sad because his plan had seemed to work so well, then backfired; but how can Lamb's plan lose any "progress" when she hasn't made any to begin with? She fails right and left from step one.

Jack v. Subject Delta
Forgiving the fact that you start out the game as the Model T of Big Daddies (which was extremely disappointing), it's still great, great fun being a Big Daddy. I loved saving Little Sisters and laying the smackdown on those who crossed me. By the end of the game I was an incredible powerhouse. But maybe part of my disappointment with the game deals with Subject Delta, who had so much promise story-wise--promise that never pays off. What does Subject Delta want? Eleanor, his Little Sister, right? And if he doesn't find her he's going to go kaput, correct? Well... the entire angle of "you're going to die if you don't find Eleanor" doesn't ever seem like a threat. You don't ever "suffer" for not being close to her, except for maybe one or two "moments" per level. Eleanor tells you your heart is weakening, and Sinclair informs you of your certain demise, but words are insubstantial things in this case.

Remember Code Yellow? Remember your health bar dropping? I was so terrified that my character was going to die that I practically skipped all of the Apollo Square level. In the first Bioshock, Jack is just trying to get the heck out of Dodge. The game is terrifying because in every level, you keep hoping that maybe this time, this time, you'll find the way out... the result being, it's an adrenaline rush from beginning to end.

Bioshock 2... not so much. It's painfully slow. Why? Because the story doesn't pay off, and just kind of slopped out half-baked. Gameplay is everything here, story gets a boot to the face. When will people learn that story and gameplay should go hand in hand? I don't blame those players who think that Bioshock 2 is just a grind, killing the same enemies over and over; without a compelling story, that's what most FPSes are and that's why I don't play them.

In Conclusion...
The magic of the first game wasn't really here. I realized that I brought a lot of Bioshock 1's magic with me when I played Bioshock 2, and I had ridden my combined hopes right to the end. And nothing happened of any value whatsoever. All in all, it was very anticlimactic. I had to face facts: BioShock 2 is just a cheap cash-in riding on BioShock's coattails.

I still think that some people will enjoy it. The gameplay is solid, after all. But if you're like me and you want a story that rocks, this game will not deliver. That's a tragedy.