User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 784 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 37 out of 784
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  1. Aug 21, 2010
    9
    The 2 things wrong with this game is it's repetition and its re-playability. It was fun to shoot a splicer the first time but that seems to be all you do the entire story. The story is way to forward with one easily predictable twist,but i really don't care too much about the story. I might have a slightly biased review for this game since I'm good at the multi player but it does a goodThe 2 things wrong with this game is it's repetition and its re-playability. It was fun to shoot a splicer the first time but that seems to be all you do the entire story. The story is way to forward with one easily predictable twist,but i really don't care too much about the story. I might have a slightly biased review for this game since I'm good at the multi player but it does a good job of killing the camping element that dominates call of duty. the combination of plasmids and guns orchestrate a beautiful amount of variety while playing. Even the best of campers can't kill you more than once since they need a constant supply of eve.In short its story is a flunk and its multilayer did well. Expand
  2. DanielH
    Feb 11, 2010
    8
    Bioshock 2 falls short for the simple fact that nothing completely new can be expected out of the game. The first one was awesome because the mechanics and A.I. were progressive and fresh. Bioshock 2 should have been a 30 dollar download to extend the first game. I wanted so bad to like this game and gave it every opportunity to wow me like the first one. Here is an idea. Put an inventory Bioshock 2 falls short for the simple fact that nothing completely new can be expected out of the game. The first one was awesome because the mechanics and A.I. were progressive and fresh. Bioshock 2 should have been a 30 dollar download to extend the first game. I wanted so bad to like this game and gave it every opportunity to wow me like the first one. Here is an idea. Put an inventory in the game along with the ability to combine items into weapons or ammo. Give me a reason to search bodies and containers other than to get money, ammo and food. Thanks for memories 2k, reinvent System Shock 2 and I'll be a hardcore fan once more. Expand
  3. Sep 14, 2012
    8
    The first BioShock was amazing but the game broke on me :(. So I decided to play the second game. Improvements from the old game, decent story, improved gameplay but its too much the same as the first one. BioShock 2 8.1/10
  4. DanD
    Feb 9, 2010
    8
    Realistically, this is about as good a sequel as one could hope for BioShock. The first game had a certain special feeling to it, a mystery, that can't be attained in the second trip to Rapture. I hate to fault this game because of that, when compared to other, non-BioShock shooters it stands up remarkably well, but I'm so attached to the first game that I can't help but Realistically, this is about as good a sequel as one could hope for BioShock. The first game had a certain special feeling to it, a mystery, that can't be attained in the second trip to Rapture. I hate to fault this game because of that, when compared to other, non-BioShock shooters it stands up remarkably well, but I'm so attached to the first game that I can't help but think less of this one. If you haven't played BioShock, this is worth picking up on its own merits (but you'd be better off getting the Oblivion/BioShock package...I mean, duh), and if you have played it, expect a good game -- if not the most mind-blowing experience. Expand
  5. TaylorM
    Feb 23, 2010
    10
    One of the best games ive ever played. It has a storyline just as good as the first one and even better game play with traps and plasmid weapon combos it just gets better and better. Only downfall is a few glitches online that can be fixed with a single patch. I recommend it to anyone.
  6. m2
    Feb 13, 2010
    10
    For single player lovers: Amazingly complex storyline, albiet short, that keeps you going through the whole 5 hours of gameplay. It is one of few shooters who can give you amazing graphics at more than playable rates with special gameplay mechanics yet tell a deep story that throws you for a wild ride from the continuation of MW. I prefer the better story over extended play time but thats For single player lovers: Amazingly complex storyline, albiet short, that keeps you going through the whole 5 hours of gameplay. It is one of few shooters who can give you amazing graphics at more than playable rates with special gameplay mechanics yet tell a deep story that throws you for a wild ride from the continuation of MW. I prefer the better story over extended play time but thats a quality I like to see in my games. >For multiplayer lovers: If you go this route then be prepared to be dissappointed... maybe. I could care less for dedicated servers right now as long as they delievered an intuitive and fast game style where your never doing nothing for a long time. The bad stuff is you can't bend around corners, no dedicated servers, at times bad lag, and a game picking style similar to consol games like Halo 2. Conclusion: Great singleplayer if your looking for quality over quantity, mediocer multiplayer if you enjoy playing with friends for kicks and giggles but definitely not a clan game. I gave it a 9 because singleplayer for me comes first since multiplayer is pretty vanilla for the FPS genre. Don't like MW2 multiplayer? Then go get something else. Expand
  7. Sep 25, 2010
    10
    I f you loved the first game you WILL love this game. There is really no way to hate this game with all the content that is given. It's a fantastic shooter.
  8. Mar 11, 2011
    9
    The gameplay is as excellent ,if not better than the first.However the story as a whole isn't nearly as good
    I loved exploring new parts of Rapture and can thoroughly recommend this to anyone.
  9. Rem
    Jul 10, 2013
    8
    Bioshock 2's biggest flaw isn't one of technical or story parts, but rather the feeling. If you played the first Bioshock, everything feels all too familiar. It is no longer as mysterious and as a result, the game loses some of its luster. However, I will say the game is a step up from the first in its design and gameplay. While not vastly improved, minor annoyances such as the hackingBioshock 2's biggest flaw isn't one of technical or story parts, but rather the feeling. If you played the first Bioshock, everything feels all too familiar. It is no longer as mysterious and as a result, the game loses some of its luster. However, I will say the game is a step up from the first in its design and gameplay. While not vastly improved, minor annoyances such as the hacking minigame has been simplified. I just wish I felt like a Big Daddy throughout the whole game. The story on the other hand, while not as shocking or engrossing, is more clearly told and is much tighter emotionally since there is a set goal from the beginning. The multiplayer of Bioshock 2 is good, but nothing we haven't seen before. In the end, Bioshock 2 does not surpass the original, but boy it sure is fun to play. Expand
  10. Apr 28, 2013
    8
    Fun and entertaining, It will continue to go all out on trying to kill you with wall crawling enemies or giant brutes that will overwhelm you. The Story is amazing if you haven't played the first one. But for a person going blind for the first time, The old fashion futuristic city is almost a dream to play in and kill some rotting ass. Plasmids are fun to play with once you mastered themFun and entertaining, It will continue to go all out on trying to kill you with wall crawling enemies or giant brutes that will overwhelm you. The Story is amazing if you haven't played the first one. But for a person going blind for the first time, The old fashion futuristic city is almost a dream to play in and kill some rotting ass. Plasmids are fun to play with once you mastered them but at the beginning I felt like I had to save it for major battles instead of using it on little guys which really held me back and got me hit. You have some weapons that you could upgrade to make them stronger but at times I just felt like I wanted more weapons enough though they were at poverty, there could of been a lot more than the generic weapons that was given to you. Bioshock 2 is amazing until the end but trying to play it again was very boring for me because I knew what was going to happen and I couldn't really play in any other direction. Expand
  11. Sep 24, 2013
    10
    Perfection yet again! They took an already amazing game and turned it into an amazing sequel with new characters, new enemies, and a whole new situation. You now get to see what it is like to be a big daddy and see what Rapture has now become. Not to mention and the new improvements they added to hacking! I could not have asked for a better sequel! It even adds a new version of the BigPerfection yet again! They took an already amazing game and turned it into an amazing sequel with new characters, new enemies, and a whole new situation. You now get to see what it is like to be a big daddy and see what Rapture has now become. Not to mention and the new improvements they added to hacking! I could not have asked for a better sequel! It even adds a new version of the Big Daddy known as the Big Sister and be ready because she will give you a run for your money! Expand
  12. GarrettC.
    Feb 28, 2010
    10
    The story might not have as many twists and turns and the characters might not be as memorable BUT Bioshock 2 beats out the original in game play in every way. Hacking is improved, duel wield weapons and plasmids, upgrades are more noticeable in plasmids and weapons and controls a lot smother. Sill has the creepy feel with new foes and a lot of decayed environments. Rapture is still The story might not have as many twists and turns and the characters might not be as memorable BUT Bioshock 2 beats out the original in game play in every way. Hacking is improved, duel wield weapons and plasmids, upgrades are more noticeable in plasmids and weapons and controls a lot smother. Sill has the creepy feel with new foes and a lot of decayed environments. Rapture is still awesome and the story of Bioshock 2 is the best you will find, well besides the original. Expand
  13. Nov 19, 2010
    9
    Wow, Bioshock 2 delivers all the freakishly addictive action and suspense of the first Bioshock, but with an even more engaging story. I couldn't believe how good it was. Aside from the half-baked multiplayer addition, this game is fantastic.
  14. May 3, 2011
    8
    For what it's worth this is a good game, It doesn't give bioshock a bad name, but in my mind all it does is make me wonder why they would create a sequel that doesn't live anywhere close to the legacy of Bioshock! Not even in the same ball park! On the plus side the atmosphere is still great, and the gameplay did see some major improvements. The online has great shock value at first, butFor what it's worth this is a good game, It doesn't give bioshock a bad name, but in my mind all it does is make me wonder why they would create a sequel that doesn't live anywhere close to the legacy of Bioshock! Not even in the same ball park! On the plus side the atmosphere is still great, and the gameplay did see some major improvements. The online has great shock value at first, but got old extremely fast. Expand
  15. Mar 18, 2011
    9
    BioShock 2 is one of the best games of all time,really this game is awesome and also better than the first game,is an enjoyable game with many elements of horror,this game will follow me all my life!!!!!!
  16. Jul 8, 2011
    9
    Whilst this game wasn't quite what was expected by me upon it's release it was actually a lot better than what was expected by me, the game includes the same fantastic scenery and newer characters from Bioshock, however this game will sadly never be able to compare with the original bioshock, still a great game however
  17. Sep 16, 2011
    10
    One hell of a sequel! "Bioshock 2" is packed with more action, more characters, more mystery, more story, more fun! Fans of the first installment should have quite a blast with this new, incredible sequel.
  18. Mar 20, 2012
    8
    BioShock is among the greatest games of my generation, and ranks in my top 10 all time games (classics not included). BioShock 2, for the most part, does not live up to the standard of the first. But that's not saying much. It is akin to trying to sequel a masterpiece of art, or a symphony. Sure, the artist will give you a good product, but overcoming the barrier they set forBioShock is among the greatest games of my generation, and ranks in my top 10 all time games (classics not included). BioShock 2, for the most part, does not live up to the standard of the first. But that's not saying much. It is akin to trying to sequel a masterpiece of art, or a symphony. Sure, the artist will give you a good product, but overcoming the barrier they set for themselves seems to be too much to handle most of the time. This game falls squarely into that category. It is a very good game, and one I enjoyed very much. But really, how do you follow up a artistic masterpiece? Expand
  19. Nov 29, 2013
    8
    Don't get me wrong this was an excellent game, thrilling story, polished game-play, enthralling scenery and that same creepy shining-esque vibe of the original Bioshock. I gave the first game a 10, This game i have given an 8 largely based on 2 things. First the atmosphere of this game whilst staying true to the image of rapture never truly creeped me out or scared me, I felt that theDon't get me wrong this was an excellent game, thrilling story, polished game-play, enthralling scenery and that same creepy shining-esque vibe of the original Bioshock. I gave the first game a 10, This game i have given an 8 largely based on 2 things. First the atmosphere of this game whilst staying true to the image of rapture never truly creeped me out or scared me, I felt that the colour scheme and graphics were more stylized and though beautiful were lacking that same dark edge of the original. Second was the gameplay, it was slightly more polished but similar enough that it only served to point out the shortfall between this games end result and that of the first. In saying all this it was never going to be a good thing being destined to be compared to a game like Bioshock and this game is definitely still worth your time. Expand
  20. Oct 22, 2013
    9
    Adorei, jogo assustador o jogador fica tenso em todas as fases do game se uma porta bater no local que estiver jogando com certeza você vai levar um grande susto....Recomendo.
  21. Apr 15, 2017
    9
    Bien qu'après le premier opus, l'effet de surprise soit passé, cette suite est toujours aussi dingue ! Après le mégalomane, voici une folle qui tente d'imposer son idéologie marxo-communiste à tout Rapture. Vous voilà donc dans une boîte de conserve remise en service pour tout nettoyer et sauver la ville d'une manière ou d'une autre... mais toujours dans un joyeux massacre, qu'on se leBien qu'après le premier opus, l'effet de surprise soit passé, cette suite est toujours aussi dingue ! Après le mégalomane, voici une folle qui tente d'imposer son idéologie marxo-communiste à tout Rapture. Vous voilà donc dans une boîte de conserve remise en service pour tout nettoyer et sauver la ville d'une manière ou d'une autre... mais toujours dans un joyeux massacre, qu'on se le dise.

    Combats toujours furieux pour ne pas dire enragés, interface et maniabilité encore améliorées, Bioshock 2 est un jeu soigné et peaufiné jusque dans les moindres détails, une référence (ou la référence ?) en matière de FPS. Le scénario est là également, solide et bien construit et réserve son lot de révélations et surprises. La VF est excellente (avec la voix de Michael Douglas, excusez du peu), les graphismes font toujours leur effet malgré des textures certes pas de première bourre (ce n'est qu'une xbouse après tout) même si on pouvait s'attendre à mieux pour un moteur Unreal.

    La musique bien qu'en progrès n'est toujours pas digne du reste, hélas. En conclusion, il ne s'agit pas d'une banale suite syndicale mais d'un Bioshock sensiblement meilleur que le premier, plus abouti dans son rythme, sa narration, ses armes, ses pouvoirs. Un jeu d'action intelligent résolument au dessus de la mêlée.
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  22. BillM
    Feb 10, 2010
    9
    I think alot of the people reviewing Bio 2 are comparing it to the first Bio. If you you look at this game by itself, the gameplay surpasses that of the first one. Bio 2 is the best fps I have experienced, and I have played alot of them. My advice is to play the game like there was no first one, don't compare. This way you will see how much better of a game Bio 2 is.
  23. DavidM
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    Bioshock 2 is a great sequel that makes improvement right where it should. The combat has been greatly revamped and if you dont mind hopping back into a very familiar Rapture, which fans of the first game shouldn't, then this game will hit home with you.
  24. RyH.
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    An incredible game! One of the best I've ever played. It has great gameplay, an amazing multiplayer mode, an awesome story, and one of the most incredible settings - if not the most incredible - I've ever seen in a video game. This game has been improved over the first in every possible way, the only drawback being that the city is not quite as impressive the second time around An incredible game! One of the best I've ever played. It has great gameplay, an amazing multiplayer mode, an awesome story, and one of the most incredible settings - if not the most incredible - I've ever seen in a video game. This game has been improved over the first in every possible way, the only drawback being that the city is not quite as impressive the second time around (because you've lost the initial shock after seeing Rapture for the first time). However, this is to be expected. That said, being able to go out in the water this time around and see Rapture from a new perspective is awesome and a really great addition to the game. Everything about this game is amazing and incredibly fun to play. Make sure you don't miss out on this awesome experience. You won't regret it. Expand
  25. DFarmer
    Feb 9, 2010
    10
    Brilliant Game!
  26. NateB
    Feb 10, 2010
    9
    While no sequel can truly live up to the original in terms of story as the mystery and wonder have been spent, this game does improve on every gameplay mechanic from the first. The hacking mechanism is greatly improved, graphics are more vibrant, sound fine tuned and the overall level design is just more balanced and more carefully thought out. A must own if you enjoyed the first Bioshock While no sequel can truly live up to the original in terms of story as the mystery and wonder have been spent, this game does improve on every gameplay mechanic from the first. The hacking mechanism is greatly improved, graphics are more vibrant, sound fine tuned and the overall level design is just more balanced and more carefully thought out. A must own if you enjoyed the first Bioshock and at least worth a rental if you're unfamiliar with the series. Expand
  27. TylerV.
    Feb 11, 2010
    10
    The first Bioshock delivered a story an environment that have yet to be approached by other shooters (and many other game genres) out there. Bioshock 2, while not being able to impress its players in the same way as the first (due to being located in the same setting and the first game's story simply being incredible), still manages to be an amazing game due to a well put together The first Bioshock delivered a story an environment that have yet to be approached by other shooters (and many other game genres) out there. Bioshock 2, while not being able to impress its players in the same way as the first (due to being located in the same setting and the first game's story simply being incredible), still manages to be an amazing game due to a well put together story, refined and augmented gameplay, and the addition of a multiplayer mode. Expand
  28. RobertA
    Feb 11, 2010
    8
    I give this an 8 because I would give Bioshock 1 a 9, and I think this game is one step below the first one. The difference is the environment -- it's just too similar. The gameplay, in my opinion, is clearly improved. The big differences, like duel-wielding plasmids and weapons, is a great improvement; and the minor things like being able to regenerate health at the weapon/plasmid I give this an 8 because I would give Bioshock 1 a 9, and I think this game is one step below the first one. The difference is the environment -- it's just too similar. The gameplay, in my opinion, is clearly improved. The big differences, like duel-wielding plasmids and weapons, is a great improvement; and the minor things like being able to regenerate health at the weapon/plasmid select screen is much better. One of the things I keep thinking while playing is that I really don't feel like a Big Daddy. Anyway, I'm about 6 hours into it and it is just as hard to put down as the first one, but this time it's more due to gameplay and less due to the story. Of course, I still have plenty of the story to unravel. As far as multiplayer goes, it's very good, surprisingly good. The only problem is that it's just not as fluid as COD or other shooters. I feel very slow in this game; maybe something I could get over, but I'd rather play COD than get used to the speed. Expand
  29. CameronS
    Feb 19, 2010
    8
    It lags behind the first installment. The supporting characters were not nearly as engaging. I didn't feel like throttling Lamb as much as I did Ryan and I don't even remember why Sinclair was helping me. I do like how this game took a contrasted view of society from the first one and made it look bad. The first one was all about doing what's best for the self and this one It lags behind the first installment. The supporting characters were not nearly as engaging. I didn't feel like throttling Lamb as much as I did Ryan and I don't even remember why Sinclair was helping me. I do like how this game took a contrasted view of society from the first one and made it look bad. The first one was all about doing what's best for the self and this one seems to emphasize society as a whole being more important. I loved being able to use plasmids and weapons at the same time but preferred the old way of hacking better, it felt more like a puzzle. Though trying to hack in combat does present an interesting challenge. Perhaps the best part of the game though is being able to adopt Little Sisters and defending them while they get ADAM. It also makes traps useful whereas in the first game I never really found a good use for them. Expand
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 93 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 92 out of 93
  2. Negative: 0 out of 93
  1. 100
    Still, BioShock 2 not only re-captures the dystopian aesthetic, gripping narrative, and deep gameplay of Irrational's original, but it actually greatly improves on the BioShock experience as a whole, fine-tuning what made Jack's voyage to Rapture such a memorable experience two years ago.
  2. It's well over two year's since we first had the privilege to be submerged into the world of Rapture for the very first time. In contrast to the first outing, the sequel certainly delivers that same and unique feel with the combination of well thought out design and audio. It's not so much 'better' than the original, but provides enough twists and turns to keep us unadulterately submerged in this mesmerizing underwater (and demented) utopia.
  3. Rapture may not be as mysterious and intriguing this second time around, but it is nonetheless host to a powerful and moving tale that allows you to better realize--or pervert--Ryan's principles at your own discretion. Regardless of whether or not this is a return visit to paradise lost, there is plenty to be found here to make it a worthwhile, meaningful, and compelling one.