Facebook – Top 100 FAVORITE Video Games: 93

93: Bioshock 2 (360/PS3/PC)
Developer(s): 2K (Marin/China)/Digital Extremes/Arkane Studios
Year: 2009

One of the newest games on this list, 2K’s follow-up to the incredible spiritual successor to the incredible System Shock 2 was unleashed just earlier this year to great fan-fare. Without damaging or tarnishing the franchise, the team made a great sequel with what appears to have been little effort. An engaging story, wonderful gameplay, and a curious take on multiplayer deathmatch followed.

Set years after the events of the first game, Bioshock 2 has you filling the giant metal boots of a Big Daddy, code-named “Subject Delta” as you hunt for your daughter, Eleanor. This takes you through the regular FPS ropes; run-and-gunning your way through levels and moral choices, blasting robots and Big Daddy’s alike, finding keys and unlocking doors, getting new weapons and power-ups, etc. It has the same Bioshock-appeal that the original had, too. You gain more money and options for your guns and plasmids, upgrading as you go, becoming a more powerful, more unstoppable killing machine.

The game’s real niche, though, is in its father-daughter story-telling device. Since you are a Big Daddy, you and your Little Sister firmly believe you are family. As such, when she enters into a dangerous situation, you feel compelled to rescue her, even if that means doing so from her overbearing and tyrannical mother. You will have to go through anything and everything to reclaim your child, even if – in the end – you realize she isn’t really yours at all. The back-story on Rapture, as well as the locations and their importance to the city’s history are welcome, adding further depth to the world Andrew Ryan dreamed up.

The best addition isn’t the terrifying Big Sisters or any of the new weapons, though. Its the ability to use guns and plasmids at the same time. I hope whoever thought of this had the entire board room saying “Duh!” when it was brought up in conversation. Not having to switch between the two really added to the action and intensity and the impact you can have in using them in unison. Freeze and enemy then shoot him with the shotgun at close range: instant kill.

All in all, the downsides really didn’t detract from the game and all the pluses were welcome. The ability to turn off Vita-chambers, for instance, really allowed for further challenge in the gameplay, and the multiplayer – while it will eventually become entirely forgettable – is fun and imaginative. But it just didn’t have the same scope and wonder as the original game. As such, it falls much further down the list. Expect to see the first Bioshock later down the line, however…

Classic Moment:
Near the game’s ending, you are forced to take over control of a Little Sister. During this time, you see the world through their eyes, and what a world it appears to be. Gone are the rusty, dingy, flooded hallways, with poor lighting and scarred, mutated Rapture citizens aiming to gut little girls for ADAM. Instead, these are replaced with gorgeous bloom lighting, butterflies aplenty, and calm, civilized citizens wearing masquerade masks for fun, not to hide their disfigurement. At times, the illusion is jarringly shattered, giving you a first-hand glimpse at what their lives are like in the REAL Rapture, but – for the short time things are at peace – its a great way to stroll through the underwater city.

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Added September 29, 2016
Hopefully the remastered collection goes on sale this Black Friday. I’d play this franchise through, again. Primarily because I stand firm in my belief that 2 is better than Infinite.