• On MovieTome: The 10 worst movies of 2009 so far!
April 23, 2009 8:57 AM PDT

First Impressions: BioShock 2 goes back to Rapture

by Dan Ackerman
  • Font size
  • Print
  • 8 comments

How do you follow up one of the most critically acclaimed video games in recent memory? 2K Games is facing that very challenge with its sequel to the 2007 hit BioShock. We recently sat down for an eyes-on preview of the upcoming BioShock 2 from the game's developers.

The original game succeeded by mixing a solid first-person shooter mechanic with a wildly imaginative fictional world, set in the ruined underwater city of Rapture. The art deco design of the 1940's city was a welcome break from the warehouses and space stations most games are set in, and the background story of a utopian social experiment gone wrong incorporated influences from Ayn Rand to Jules Verne--heady stuff for gamers used to a steady diet of zombies and elves.

The dangerous Big Sister, glimpsed in the darkness.

(Credit: 2K Games)

BioShock 2 keeps the underwater setting from the first game, but shifts the point of view from an amnesiac plane crash survivor to a prototype Big Daddy, putting you in the oversized boots of one of the most fearsome adversaries from the first game. Playing as a hulking man-monster, we're concerned that audiences won't be able to identify with the protagonist, and not be drawn into the story. Fighting seemed very similar to the original game, but instead of using a gun along with his various "plasmid" powers (essentially genetic engineering that looks and works like a magic spell), your Big Daddy sports a giant drill on the end of his right arm.

The demo level we saw, which may or may not be in the final game, gave us a basic overview of the game, and involved a meeting with a new super-powered adversary, the Big Sister. If you're familiar with the original BioShock, she's a Little Sister (one of a community of creepy little girls who harvest energy from dead bodies), who has evolved into something much bigger and more dangerous.

Genetic powers, such as this fireball, return in BioShock 2.

(Credit: 2K Games)

New plot aside, the settings, graphics, combat, and gameplay all seemed very familiar, and we could see BioShock 2 suffering from a case of sequelitis--without significant upgrades in the graphics, locations, and action, it feels at this point more like a downloadable add-on pack than a whole new game. Adding to our concern is that BioShock's original Creative Director, Ken Levine, apparently has only minimal involvement with this sequel.

Still, an overly familiar sequel to a great game is better than a sequel to a bad one, and we're looking forward to checking out more of BioShock 2, which should be available on Xbox 360, PC, and PS3 later this year, with further details to be unveiled at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo trade show in June.

New York native Dan Ackerman, a former radio DJ turned journalist, has written about technology and music for publications including Spin, Blender, The Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. He hosts the weekly Digital City podcast and the New York edition of Editors' Office Hours. Dan's new album, Tales Out of Night School, is available now. E-mail Dan.
Add a Comment (Log in or register) (8 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
by April 23, 2009 1:12 PM PDT
seens to be cool
Reply to this comment
by marcaz123 April 24, 2009 5:33 AM PDT
Hopefully there is more going on behind the scenes that you were not able to enjoy within the demo.
Reply to this comment
by J_Ore April 24, 2009 12:29 PM PDT
I'm more excited for Bioshock 2's release than Christmas or my birthday.

Ken Levine is not a part of the sequel's team, but there are quite a few faces from the old development team who are working on the new one. From the video interviews on gamespot.com, they seem to be as obsessed about the game and the world as anyone else. The level designer who created Fort Frolic in the first game is still there, which alone makes me optimistic.

There's a lot about the game that, for now, is being kept under wraps according to all the online sources I can find. Things like the story, what it will feel like to play as a Big Daddy throughout the game's duration (and how that changes), and what their online multiplayer mode actually does are all mysteries. But I think that many of the original game's fans loved the mystery of Rapture the first time around, and the fandom should be enough to pull in skeptics. Unexpected twists and events are what made Bioshock 1 unforgettable.

We won't know if the second game will be as impressive on those fronts until we play it - announcing things like new multiplayer options for an FPS or units like an RTS aren't really appropriate for such a narrative-driven experience. It will just take patience on our part, to wait until we can play through the final product, as well as a helping of faith that things will go as well as they have done in the past.
Reply to this comment
by sassinator333 April 24, 2009 3:51 PM PDT
Too close to the original to be of any interest to me.
Reply to this comment
by Inconnux April 24, 2009 7:13 PM PDT
I hope they aren't stupid enough to infest it with Securom... I passed on the first one (even when on sale for $5 on steam) because I flatly refuse to install any game with that idiotic DRM.
Reply to this comment
by Pizzookie April 24, 2009 11:31 PM PDT
I sure as hell hope that Bioshock 2 runs better than the first one for PC. they really screwed up the pc version bad. It rarely started up properly and crashing when it does start While your saving!!! First off they need to ditch the Microsoft Games for windows B.S. all games with the whole Games for Windows thing run slow and buggy.
Reply to this comment
by polis12 April 26, 2009 10:11 AM PDT
Maybe you should get a new computer... I have Bioshock along with a number of other "Games for WIndows" titles and they all run completely fine once they are patched up. Don't hate the game for running slow on your system if you do not have the hardware to run it. It's like saying "Why does my internet run slow" when you are only paying for dial-up.
by darkpoet25 April 26, 2009 6:57 PM PDT
I can't wait to see how this one turns out. I really liked the original Bioshock, it was different than other FPS games out there. It had an original story, and lite RPG elements. Hopefully more will be revealed at E3 next month.
Reply to this comment
(8 Comments)
  • prev
  • 1
  • next
advertisement

About Crave

The name says it all. Crave is our blog about gorgeous gadgets and other crushworthy stuff. If you would like to contact Crave with a tip or comment, please write to: crave@cnet.com

Add this feed to your online news reader

Crave topics

The browser battles go on and on

roundup From Firefox to IE and from Chrome to Opera and Safari, there's no sitting still for browser makers looking to keep their products fresh and competitive.

3G wireless still holds promise

The next generation of 4G wireless may get all the headlines, but advanced 3G technology will likely dominate services for the next few years.