BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

[Flawless]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

IGN AU Review

In raw gameplay terms, BioShock 2 improves on the original in everyway, with a deeper combat system, a broader set of enemy types and the addition of a fully-featured multiplayer mode. It’s an undeniably enjoyable and slickly polished shooter from start to finish, jam-packed with secrets off the beaten path and hidden references to the first game that Rapture cultists will delight in seeking out.

The fact that its plot is merely almost as good as one of the most memorable gaming plots of all time shouldn’t be taken as a slight against its creators, as it’s still a narrative that’s better scripted and more expertly delivered than the bulk of the games released in the years since the original game. The underwater city of Rapture might not have quite the same impact this time, but it still deserves to make a splash.

[Flawless]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

Eurogamer Review - 8

Moreover, BioShock 2 arguably does escape the shadow of that moment in Andrew Ryan's office two and a half years ago. Your passage through Rapture may not be a matter of free will - a challenge someone surely ought to take up with this series - but BioShock 2 argues even within the strictures of fate that mercy and compassion or bitterness and revenge ring loud enough to echo through the lives of those who follow. The result is a less openly provocative game than its predecessor, and one that will capture less attention, but while it may be damned for subtlety it is every bit as deceptive, and perhaps that's the greater of the series' illusions regardless of what else a BioShock sequel might have become.

1UP Review - B+

If you were hoping for another chance to jump in and explore Rapture, BioShock 2 probably won't disappoint you, but you're not getting the same caliber of twisted, engaging story this time around. It's a standard, straightforward tale, with a few too many holes to be called truly "great," but it's still a fun ride.

TeamXbox Review - 9.2

The original BioShock is a hard game to top, and BioShock 2 doesn’t quite do it. That doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the best games of this still early year, or that it won’t still be considered to be one of the best come year’s end. Where the series goes from now is hard to tell, but there are some elements of the game that will need to significantly change to avoid going stale. But BioShock 2 remains one of the most original, exciting, subversive and intriguing shooters out there for you to play, and you shouldn’t miss the experience of doing that.

Videogamer Review - 9

In many ways BioShock 2 is a game about refinements, rather than wholesale changes. Combat is better, thanks to the dual wielding, better enemy variety and larger scale encounters; hacking has been simplified, now making use of a timing-based button pressing mechanic that fits far better than the tubes seen in the previous game; and replay value has been enhanced by the sheer number of ways you can customise your character through use of Adam and upgrade stations. The game's finale appears to have benefited from the criticism levelled at the first game, and there's even a far better than expected multiplayer mode; one that is more likely to keep you away from Modern Warfare 2 than almost every other multiplayer FPS released in the last six months, simply because it's something a bit different. If 2K had managed to tell a story that equalled or bettered that found in the original, we'd have been left with an unquestionably better experience, rather than just a more exciting, smarter shooter.

Gamesradar Review - 10

The weapons are better. The plasmids are better. The enemies are better. At some points, even the storytelling is better. What’s most amazing and surprising about BioShock 2, however, is that by diving deeper into Rapture’s tortured history and exploring more of Rapture’s haunted world, it actually manages to make the original BioShock better, too.

Giant Bomb Review - 4/5

It's hard to make too many direct comparisons to the first BioShock when talking about this sequel, because such a big part of the first game was seeing Rapture for the first time and experiencing a real sense of discovery as you went deeper and deeper into its fiction. Returning to Rapture--even a different part of the city--is naturally going to be less impressive. But the smart additions on the gameplay side make BioShock 2 rewarding in a different way, while those who want to know more about Andrew Ryan's underwater city will find just enough to make the return trip worthwhile.

Joystiq Review (single player)

I went into BioShock 2 not trusting the 2K Marin team, though I was trying to. But with a compelling story hidden in the final hours and gameplay tweaks that were appreciated but too few in number, the biggest surprise for me was that I ended up wishing they trusted themselves more.

Arstechnica Review - Buy

It took Bioshock 2 a little longer than the first game to draw us in, but once we saw the exterior of Rapture through the grimy glass of the Big Daddy's helmet, it was clear that this is a world that still has more secrets to tell. Just like Jurassic Park, however, it's going to get harder and harder to justify returning to this setting in subsequent sequels.

The weapons and plasmids are very similar to the original, the graphics don't seem to have made a leap since the first game, and the ending sequences go on for longer than they need to. All of that being said, Rapture is more than able to support this sequel. But will there be room for a third game? That's a much tougher question, and nothing here seems to set up any other games. Don't expect much in the way of new ideas or mechanics to the Bioshock formula, but we're not about to complain about more of a good thing.

The Good

• Strong story, interesting characters
• New weapons
• The setting of Rapture remains unique and fascinating
• Some very disturbing details and scenes
• Solid length for a single-play game: 15 hours or so, and with limited weapon and plasmid upgrades multiple playthroughs will allow you to experiment with different loadouts
• Multiplayer gives the game longer legs
• Claustrophobic underwater scenes
• Good use of rumble
• Expanded moral choices, interactions with Little Sisters
• Money, ammo, ADAM is doled out well: you always have to be smart, but it never feels frustrating

The Bad

• Multiplayer uses very familiar modes
• Game looks and plays a little too similar to the first title
• Vita-Chambers still allow you to turn battles into a matter of attrition
• Hacking can get annoying

The Ugly

• Trying to find a reason to return to Rapture again in the inevitable third installment. This story didn't need to be told, but it works. A third game? We may be looking at diminished returns.

Verdict: Buy

Gametrailers Review - 8.8

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[LingeringRegime]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

Thanks Flawless, as always. Still not quite sure about it. I would like to hear some impressions from someone about the MP.

[Pokes]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

I'll be getting this but not for the MP. Kind of reminds me of Uncharted 2, never touched the MP in that.

[Flawless]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

Excellent review by Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/02/08/wot-i-think-bioshock-2/

[MachoMyers]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

Preordered on Steam. What can I say? I couldn't resist.

[Miles_Yuhas]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

Some of the stuff I am reading is a little concerning, cause I am a huge fan of the first game and make no mistake I am buying this game for the narrative. I'm still gonna get it of course and I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

I'll be getting this but not for the MP. Kind of reminds me of Uncharted 2, never touched the MP in that.

Uncharted 2's MP was vastly underrated, very fun. Better than MW2 in my opinion. If Bioshock 2's MP is in the same ballpark of Uncharted 2's, I will definitely pick it up.

[Beantown]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

I'm pumped to pick this game up tomorrow after class. It's my gift to myself after completing my test.

[NEOPARADIGM]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

It takes Bioshock even further in the direction of pure-combat ... step down in spooks and unforgettable moments in favour of out’n'out action.

Dude. WTF.

[Cubfan]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

Im ready to return to Rapture. Shipped from ebgames.com suppose to be here tommorrow baring weather delays.

[Pokes]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

I had a Limited Edition reserved at Gamestop for a midnight launch but the weather is keeping me in, damn snow.

[Miles_Yuhas]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

I'll be playing tomorrow afternoon.

[Cyros]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

I had a Limited Edition reserved at Gamestop for a midnight launch but the weather is keeping me in, damn snow.

Wooh, Oklahoma weather!

Can't wait to leave this evil place.

"Ooh, it won't get much colder than Texas." - My mother on the Oklahoma weather as I'm deciding on a college.

[MachoMyers]

Re: BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams

Going to have to wait until tonight for it to release on Steam. Wish I could preload it.