Bioshock 2
Some perceive Bioshock 2 rather as a try to cash in once again on a successful game and setting, (okay, this is probably true too) but whoever can look beyond that (and isn’t turned off by the mere fact of a sequel), finds a very decent game. I even dare say, it’s indeed better than part one. Rapture is such a fantastic location for that kind of game, it would have been a waste to use it only once. Really. B2 probably couldn’t get more out of it than it does (and it’s available retail for ~8 bucks in the “Rapture Edition” [extra art book] – real no brainer…). People talk about atmospheric games all the time and almost every scene in Bioshock 2 is a statement of what that actually means. This shooter is immersive.
Although I have to admit, that adding this story (to the story of the original Bioshock), with 10 years later and so on, is a little bit of a stretch, it still holds up surprisingly well. Only the (re-) introduction of Brigid Tenenbaum (that made me believe she would continue to play a major role throughout the entire game), after which she suddenly disappears, without ever being mentioned again, is really strange. Maybe her story was planned differently but was changed at some point during development, which left it in that state – that’s just pure speculation on my part though (I haven’t played Minerva’s Den). And of course it has no further negative effect on the overall game.
The good ending however, was more to my liking than the good ending of B1 – I felt it somehow didn’t have much to do with the Rapture story I had just played for several hours. In B2 it’s a much more direct result of all the players actions during the whole adventure.
Bioshock Infinite can already be pre-ordered (now people can finally complain about re-using a title solely for brand recognition) and except for the title it has no longer anything to do with Rapture (and thus the first two Bioshock games). But guessing from the early footage of it, it’s gonna be kickass nonetheless. :)
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