BioShock 2

If BioShock 1 is ultimately about what it is to be a slave, the sequel shows – with a sophistication rarely seen in gaming – what it is to be a parent, with the power to love or to harm.

As far as single player goes, I think nothing will capture the initial highs you got from taking in Rapture for the first time, and the enormous twist the original delivered. However, the sequel’s story is just as intense and has its own narrative highs and a mean twist of its own, and I think the end payoff is a bit more impactful and sinks in better than the ending of the first BioShock.

Was the return to Rapture worth it? Absolutely. Although the odds seemed stacked against the developers, having to do without both Ryan and Levine, they have delivered a rich, awesome trip through one the most fantastic video game environments ever built.

Bloody amazing! The original game went beyond those clichéd first person shooters and in creating a sequel, the developers have fleshed out the city of Rapture even more but more importantly, have streamlined the gameplay, making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Of course, without the detailed characters and story of BioShock 2, it would not have reached these levels and of course, the luscious graphics.

To my mind, this is a better, tighter and more emotionally engaging game. [Apr 2010, p.78]

Rich, philosophical story...that's not as clever as the original story.

It's a game in which story, setting, and gameplay are expertly blended to create an experience that's as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

Maybe Bioshock 2 is not as emotionally engaging as its first iteration, but at same time retains the main virtues of its predecessor. A game that shows the maturity that the First Person Shooter has achieved in this generation.

They may seem like fairly minor tweaks, but what's changed in this sequel makes for so much more than the original. [Mar 2010, p.84]

Similar and slightly improved mechanics make this a worthy sequel, despite a sadly less-memorable story. [Mar 2010, p.70]

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.

Bioshock 2 is an atmospheric, immersive game that does more than just hold a candle to its beloved predecessor. The campaign is engaging, the multiplayer is great, and the new gameplay elements are excellent.

Who’s the Daddy? You are - if you choose to play this brilliant action game.

BioShock 2 feels like coming home after a long holiday. The game has a lot of elements which we saw in the first game, but also some nice improvements. Rapture is still a very nice place to explore and we love the fact that you can use guns and plasmids at the same time.

Sure, it's all here, but we've seen it before. BioShock 2 manages to pull through with superior action, though, and despite its problems, it still makes for a damn great game.

While it doesn't quite have the same penetrating, vivid experience as the original, BioShock 2 spins a thrilling tale of Sofia Lamb, "The Family," and their maniacal ideals of Utopian society. Multiplayer does have its' high points, but pales in comparison to the finely crafted single player.

Immersive, engaging, versatile, and packed to the brim with character and backstory. [Mar 2010, p.56]

Stunning and emotionally engaging with a sadistic tactical combat system. As much fun as the original. [Issue#30, p.45]

A wonderful shooter with a lot of well-crafted details which almost reaches the outstanding quality of its great predecessor.

Although I understand why BioShock 2 was made, I appreciate some ideas the designers had and acknowledge that it improves certain areas, I can’t help but feel that some of the magic was lost along the way.

A conservative return to Rapture, but full of quality.

It can't top the original, but BioShock 2 stands on its own as a great installment to a hopefully continuing series.

The second trip in the sick architectures of Rapture is still highly enjoyable, but this time you'll miss the fascination of discovery. PC version suffers from some minor glitches that should be fixed soon.

BioShock 2 is still worth the price of admission to Rapture. Although it feels far more action-packed and is more of a linear submarine ride into the deep blue than the original title, what it does exceptionally well is bringing even more of Rapture's storied existence to the surface for some closure.

BioShock was so ahead of its time when it first came out, that its sequel can be forgiven for simply following in the same path and hitting the same notes.

Whilst Bioshock 2 may feel very similar to the original game, it does expand on the characters and story that were introduced in the original game and once again allows you to create a very customisable playing experience through the use of Plasmids and Tonics.

On the one hand it’s like the first game, on the other hand it isn’t. The philosophical background and the shocking moments are gone. But the new game still offers lots of weapons, interesting fights and great environments.

BioShock 2 is a great game that I thoroughly enjoyed playing. Unfortunately, the experience wasn't as fresh as I'd have liked. It seems like the dev teams didn't take enough chances for fear of alienating the rabid fan base. Still, despite the overwhelming familiarity of the title, there's a load of quality gaming to be found here. It's definitely worth suiting up and heading back into Rapture.

This game is still very enjoyable. If you’ve played the first one (and you should, if you haven’t), there will be some severe déjà vu happening, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still better than a lot of games these days.

Overall, Bioshock 2 is a good game. Not stupendous like the first one, but then again, it doesn't have a lackluster ending like the first one did.

The first time was rapture, the second time's been solid, but a third visit to the depths would make me wonder if creativity's been lost to the abyss.

Bioshock 2 is a fun game. There’s nothing here that’s groundbreaking, and if you’ve played the original you’ll fit back into the sequel like a comfy pair of slippers.

In some grand, twisted irony, the multiplayer integrates itself into the fiction in a much better way than the singleplayer does.

BioShock 2 is a sequel inspired not by the Muses, but by quarterly financial reports.