Developer: 2K Marin & Irrational Games
Playable On: XBox 360, Playstation 3, & Windows Operating System
The game is set in fictional dystopian city Rapture, in a steampunk alternative history 1968, eight years after the events of BioShock. The protagonist and player-controlled character is a Big Daddy, a being that has had its organs and skin grafted into an atmospheric diving suit. Among the first of its kind, the player-controlled Big Daddy reactivates with no recollection of the past decade's events, and scours the city in an attempt to relocate the Little Sister that he was paired with. When it becomes obvious that Rapture's leader Sofia Lamb will become responsible for the city's destruction, the Big Daddy attempts to overthrow Lamb and her army of Big Sisters.
(The above was taken from wikipedia.com)
The gimmick of Bioshock is that it is a first person shooter and you are able to upgrade your character by obtaining plasmids. With your left hand, plasmids allow you to throw electricity, fire, use telekinesis, and much more while still having a gun in your right hand. One of my favorite combos to use was stunning a opponent ("Splicers" as they are called in Bioshock for having used to many plasmids on themselves) with electricity and then finishing them off by shooting them with a double barreled shotgun.
In addition to all of the crazy guns your character can use, a giant drill, a rivet gun, shot-gun, rocket launcher, to name a few, you can get different types of ammunation for each gun. For example, with the shot-gun, why use regular shells when you can use phosphorus shells, shells that will ignite an enemy into a giant ball of flames after you shoot them.
In addition to the different types of ammo, you can even up grade your weapons. For example, with the gatling gun, you can upgrade it to reduce recoiling every time you fire it.
The environment, although gritty and dark, is still very inviting. With most games, I just want to run through them as quick as possible, but with Bioshock 2, I wanted to investigate every room and see what I could find, even if it had nothing to do with whatever my current objective was.
Aside from the gameplay and the great art direction found in Bioshock 2, probably my most favorite feature is the checkpoint system that is used. Through out the levels there are "Vita-Chambers." Every time you die, you respawn at the nearest Vita-Chamber. But what is so cool about Vita-Chambers is that you do not lose any progess that you have made after you die. For example, say you are in a boss battle and you take down half of the boss's life and then die. After you come out of a Vita-Chamber the boss's life will still be half down. You never, technically I guess, have to start over even after you have died.
One new addition to Bioshock 2 that part one didn't have is online multiplayer. The multiplayer uses a fairly common upgrade and ranking system that allows you to choose which weapons, plasmids, and tonics you spawn with. The more you play, you are given access to better weapons, plasmids, and tonics that you can choose to use in a match. And although I do think the multiplayer is cool, I'd rather just play Halo 3 or Modern Warfare 2 if I am going to be doing some online gaming.
The score is also way good. It certainly makes moments that need to be tense, such as preparing for a boss fight, tense. And the music that was used during load screens, sounding like 1950ish jazz music, I thought also really set the mood for the game. I know the special edition on Bioshock 2 came with a vinyl and I am assuming it is that music. I am sure it is cool to have.
Beleive it or not, as of this writing, I have never played through the first Bioshock. But after beating Bioshock 2, I have already gone and bought a copy of Bioshock 1 to play through.
I really don't think I found anything wrong with this game.
I give it: 10 out of 10 stars.
Trailer for Bioshock 2:
