Bioshock 2 Review

Here it is.

Just came out today. I am really looking forward to playing this. I loved the story line from the first, I hope the second lives up to all the hype.

If you have started playing it, or are just about to, feel free to discuss your thoughts/opinions.

(I didn't see an official Bioshock 2 thread, so if there isn't, Mod's are welcome to make this one the official one).

 

I'm looking forward to the day Irrational release System Shock 3 with the same addictive gameplay as the 2nd, but Bioshock fans will like the latest iteration nonetheless.

 

i dunno about anyone else.... but when i looked a couple times over a few hours the release time on steam went from 10pm GMT to 8am GMT :S the time change for anyone else?

 

I received it today, you can't save the game without having a gaming for windows -live account and getting a gamertag and other 13 year old xbox player demographic BS.

 

it's not really that bad, although I liked the idea only b/c I have an xbox 360 too and can tie in the achievements hehe

I think there's an offline mode for saves if you prefer it.

 

i loved bioshock, and i am loving bioshock 2

 

I'm going to pick up a copy today, too bad the review says its more of an expansion than a sequel though.

 

Create an offline Windows Live account and you'll be able to save games. Some games won't let you get achievement to contribute to your gamerscore, but you can save.

 

Ya, it does seem like it is. Although it is still a fun game.

Having a hard time playing this and ME2 at the same time.

 

good so far!

 

I don't feel like playing through the first game. Do I really need to? I've watched a majority of it at my friends house. Anyone care to fill me in on the things I need to know?

 

how is navigation in the second one compared to the first version. in the first version it was hard for me to figure out where i needed to go. like it would say head to the hospital wing. but not actually give you a clue to where that was. i think this is why i liked dead space better. it was always perfectly clear where i needed to go and what i needed to do. the map in the first bioshock i dont think was very useful at all.

 

You should, its a terrific game.

This one has a feature where you just press "M" if you are stuck to get a hint, and also has a way-point up most of the time. They are optional.

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So far I'm enjoying it, I've played for about an hour. The graphics look great imo, and it has the same creepy atmosphere the original had.

One thing though that stinks is I noticed that the vending machines don't make any noise when you use them; like the Circus of Values, it doesn't do the cheesy "Welcome to the Circus of Valuuuuuuuuessss". Kinda miss that.

 

I only linked it because when I made it, the game literally JUST came out 20 minutes before I made it.

And I wouldn't make a review on a game if I haven't played through it first.

 

It's a very fun game and I recommend you play through it. It's a fairly easy game due to the chambers. The gameplay, I loved due to the RPG'ish stuff. But if you just want story, I'm sure someone can fill you in. Apart of it, is just atmosphere..

I'm 76% done downloading on steam, but still have to wait to play it. Prob another month!!

 

I suck at most FPS games. But I loved BioShock. It wasn't too fast paced. You could take your time for the most part. Bioshock 2 of what I've played so far is very remniscent of the first one, although I thought the intro to the original Bioshock was a lot better, except this one gave me shiver down my spine.

 

Yeah well, I don't play any online games, don't want a gamertag, or want to chat with my pretend online friends, and I fail to see why MS even needs to have their meddling fingers in this pie, I bought a piece of third party software from a game maker, not microsoft....all I want to do is play the game that I paid for.

 

I am incredibly underwhelmed by Bioshock 2 after playing through it for an hour or so. Pretty much my favorite games ever are the System Shock series, which made the first Bioshock an instant sell to me (loved it). This second one does not feel like homage to any of those games though . Not to mention (I don't know if it is or not) but it feels like a cheap console port (lack of inventory system, dumbed down controls, etc). You CAN'T have a real ***shock game without an inventory system, half the gameplay is scavenging items you find! The graphics while set on high look almost...worse than the first one (not saying they are bad to begin with, both games look very nice, but I expect the second to look BETTER usually). Along with that, there is no mystery to the story, very little to draw you in. The storyline in all the other ***shock games was incredibly compelling.

Not knocking it that much though, the combat is MUCH improved, very impressed by that. Plus I have to love the game simply for what it is and the name it has. Maybe I'm so harsh because I'm coming off of finishing mass effect 2...and it's kind of hard to top that . Still, I'm left wondering if my 50 dollars was worth it this time...

 

I'm liking the first one better atm, anyone else feel that way?

 

Understood. Pretend friends? haha I know and met all my friends on Xbox =)

 

Any multiplayer reviews?

I've had the first Bioshock for a while and haven't brought myself to try to finish it until now. I'm going to try to finish it in the next few days...will Bioshock 2 be worth the buy? The thing that interests me the most about it is the multiplayer gameplay, so I want to hear about that before I buy.

 

The multiplayer is nothing that will keep you playing for long hours, it's just a nice break from the story. Personally I wish I had waited a few months until steam had like a 50% off deal or something on it.

 

I'm getting these exact impressions from a lot of people.

Makes me not want to bother installing the game.

 

I have also met friends via online gaming. I even went down to Georgia and stayed with a buncha them for 5 days and I have had friends from Texas and Georgia come up here to meet my friends and me as well (We live in PA).

 

I never finished Bioshock one. When I needed to find some plants to do something for that whiny woman, I quit. I got too annoyed.

But I'm planning to give it a second go. The review for 2nd seems, meh. I may not bother with it, as I'll be having fun going through ME2 instead.
- I still haven't finished Fallout 3 also.

 

that's awesome, yeah I'm picky about who's on my friends list.. I get annoyed otherwise.

 

The DRM tied to this game is absolutely ridiculous. I've never heard of such stringent controls before. Does anyone else agree?

 

Not the greatest drm actually, i just borrowed the game off my friend who bought it, i already have a GFWL account i use to play sf4 and as soon as i ran the game, it auto signs me in as offline, which is pretty convenient since i can play the game with no hassles, as well as tracks my achievements. It was the same case for fallout 3/resident evil 5/batman.

But my friend who didnt have gfwl or an account had problems updating it, and running it, so i guess if you dont already have a game that uses gfwl it is a bit annoying to get it running

 

Not to get it running so much, the fact microsoft has anything to do with controlling third party software to this extent full stop, isn't good.
If it were optional, I couldn't care less about GFWL, but when they neuter functionality unless you register with GFWL it crosses a very broad line and is playing into microsofts wet dream fantasy of DRM , digital content delivery and control that they so obviously have wanted to happen since making vista.

It's a bit like buying a new car and then having to register with the company who supplied the engine and agree to their eula, otherwise you won't be able to change out of second gear regardless of what the car manufacturer claimed in their advertising.

 

Hopefully the second one isn't as loosely structure as the first one. I couldn't bring myself to finish the first one.

 

Too loosely structured? This kind of game would not be as successful if it was put on rails... although I still dont consider this game that open ended

 

The level design is worse than the first game's.

 

I played the first one and like the second one just as much. To each his own I guess.