Publisher 2K has cast out a fresh haul of screens for the bound-to-be-awesome underwater adventure, BioShock 2.
We got to grips with the game at the back end of last year. Here's what Andy reported: "Our second visit to Rapture starts in a daze, as our new protagonist, Delta lifts himself up off of the ground, getting a glimpse of his large yet slimmed-down Big Daddy suit reflected in the wet floor.
"Immediately we can see that Rapture's taken a beating since the last time we saw it; in this corner of the city ('Adonis Luxury Resort') water leaks from every surface and nature's slowly started its reclamation as sea coral and other growth spreads across the walls and floor.
"Armed with just a drill, we battle our way through the water rock to escape our sleep chamber to - just 60 seconds into the game - get our first glimpse of a Big Sister, who screams and clatters across the ceiling and into the darkness."
I know the original has some extremely hardcore fans and I understand any criticism of the sequel based purely on previews and journalists articles seems futile, but I'm a little disappointed already. First off, probably like everyone who played Bioshock I think it looked beautiful. The setting and design was very original for a videogame. I liked the customisation available and the upgrading system. The voice-acting, game-engine, sights and sounds were all very good.
Where the game completely fell apart for me was in the combat. As it was effectively impossible to die because of being transported to the life-pod-things, there wasn't any sense of doom or fright as I never actually felt in peril. I also didn't find the combat particularly exciting or enjoyable in so far as most of the enemy moved so fast, and more often than not just rushed you without much care for self-preservation. Because of the annoyance of the combat system I literally spent the majority of the game using the spanner. Yes I died a few times, but I always came back of course. Using the spanner for the majority of the game also had the advantage of saving my ammo and credits for purchasing more for later in the game when it came in handy to speed up a fight or take down a more difficult enemy.
So my criticism with the sequel is identical to that of Modern Warfare 2 insofar as had the original been twice as long the sequel would simply have been the second part. I guess this argument could be used for many sequels, but with so much originality in the first game I expected that creativity to extend to the sequel too.
In daydreaming about what Bioshock 2 could have been I had these ideas. I actually thought the game could have been based on the Irish fella who helped us along with in the original. With an established character it could have been fun and interesting to learn more about him and learn his motives behind the story of the first game. To differentiate the game from the original I imagined how the game could start on land, then lead to a short time on a ship, before sending us below the sea to Rapture. From there we'd see Rapture in all it's glory, populated and thriving. I also had the idea that to mix things up a little perhaps your role, your job could change through the course of the game. Perhaps one section could involve a small submarine, another would justify moving around Rapture and seeing many elements that made up life in the underwater city. The game would have had elements of GTA/Mass Effect/Oblivion before leading to the downfall and collapse of Rapture.
Instead it seems we've ended up with typical sequel, using the exact same game mechanics... lone hero, out to kill everything with everything out to kill us. Collect stuff so that the killing equipment improves with the difficult of those that we need to kill. Perhaps I'm completely wrong and all people want are slightly different adversaries and maps in a sequel. I had hoped with the popularity, guaranteed sales, and more importantly, profits made from the original we'd have ended up with something that could literally blow anything else out of the water (pun intended).
I can type, and I have opinions and this is a forum where people discuss thoughts and ideas if they choose. If spending a minute or two of reading a message is too time consuming or difficult, by all means move along. I certainly don't care to give a synopsis or care to discuss games with people who struggle with or don't care to read a few paragraphs.
I can type, and I have opinions and this is a forum where people discuss thoughts and ideas if they choose. If spending a minute or two of reading a message is too time consuming or difficult, by all means move along. I certainly don't care to give a synopsis or care to discuss games with people who struggle with or don't care to read a few paragraphs.
Sorry Jenson, I couldn't be bothered to read that either. Could you shorten it a bit?
I can type, and I have opinions and this is a forum where people discuss thoughts and ideas if they choose. If spending a minute or two of reading a message is too time consuming or difficult, by all means move along. I certainly don't care to give a synopsis or care to discuss games with people who struggle with or don't care to read a few paragraphs.
The thing is that I reckon I'd agree with a lot of what you're saying, but the quantity of text just makes it unappatising, to say the least. Trim it down a touch and you'd probably get more of a response.
I can type, and I have opinions and this is a forum where people discuss thoughts and ideas if they choose. If spending a minute or two of reading a message is too time consuming or difficult, by all means move along. I certainly don't care to give a synopsis or care to discuss games with people who struggle with or don't care to read a few paragraphs.
Sorry Jenson, I couldn't be bothered to read that either. Could you shorten it a bit?
I can type, and I have opinions and this is a forum where people discuss thoughts and ideas if they choose. If spending a minute or two of reading a message is too time consuming or difficult, by all means move along. I certainly don't care to give a synopsis or care to discuss games with people who struggle with or don't care to read a few paragraphs.
Sorry Jenson, I couldn't be bothered to read that either. Could you shorten it a bit?
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plus AvP following a couple weeks after too. 
