Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Enter The Water…

6 Feb, 2010

Just when you thought it was safe to enter the water again, we take another dive and there it is: Rapture. The sprawling utopia gone awry from the highly acclaimed Bioshock is back for round two, in Bioshock 2. This time it has more danger and mystery than ever before, all waiting just for you! What exactly is in store now, you wonder? Well, I’ll show you! Players will adventure through the horrors of Rapture as no mere human in 2K’s highly anticipated sequel. This time around you play as Subject Delta, the first ever prototype Big Daddy. However, this Big Daddy has some cool new tricks up his wetsuit sleeve.

Say Hello To My Little Friend…
Being a massive Big Daddy will lean to the players’ advantage in Bioshock 2, making more abilities, tactics, and weapons available. The iconic weapon of the Big Daddy, the drill, will be replacing the wrench as the melee weapon of this sequel. This drill, as well as being a powerful bludgeoning weapon, will strike fear into the bravest Splicer when turned on. Allowing players to smash and drill through enemies with the greatest of ease, the drill is sure to add an interesting melee element to the game. The drill isn’t the only new weapon that our Big Daddy friend will have available to him. One of them will be familiar to those who played the previous game. That’s right, the massive Rivet Gun will be returning and usable. This weapon will be complete with upgrade options and customizable ammo, eventually causing Splicers to spontaneously combust when shot. A completely new weapon that is sure to cause terror in Rapture when in your hands is the Spear Gun. This gun launches massive spears, impaling careless Splicers and pinning them to the walls. The spears can then be removed from the dangling corpses for later use. Another tool that will be returning is the Research Camera, but this time it has a dandy new feature. As well as it’s ability to take ordinary ‘snappies’ (pictures); it will also have the ability to record video footage. Record yourself attacking various Splicers with different plasmids and weapons to fully research them. Completing research categories unlocks new abilities, such as the powerful Shoulder Dash. Making the researching of Splicers a key part in Subject Delta’s combat growth.

We DID Start The Fire…
Plasmids are back and better than ever in Bioshock 2! As opposed to the previous ‘either or’ concept of the game, you can now use plasmids and weapons simultaneously. This new ability gives players more versatility in combat tactics, as well as opens up many new weapon/plasmid combos. 2K even hints that there are certain weapons and plasmids that will be meant to perfectly compliment each other. Not only will weapon and plasmid combinations be available, but plasmid and plasmid combinations as well. One such combination will be Cyclone Trap and Electrobolt. You can now set Cyclone Trap and electrify it with Electrobolt, causing enemy Splicers to fly into the air in a whirling cyclone of electricity. Combinable plasmids aren’t the only new features available to the player on the plasmid front. Upgrades will now do more than just make your plasmid more powerful, it will also change the way you can use them. In the case of Incinerate upgrading to the next tier would give you the ability to charge up an explosive fireball and launch it at groups of Splicers. Upgrading Incinerate fully will eventually give you the ability to create a sustained stream of flame, giving it a flamethrower effect.

Under The Sea…
One new feature in Bioshock 2 is the underwater sequences. Sofia Lamb, one of Bioshock 2’s antagonists, enjoys flooding certain areas of Rapture’s tunnels, causing the entire area to fill with water. During these time periods your HUD (heads-up display) will disappear as you walk through the submerged level. This gives you time to explore the area without danger and loot dead bodies, since helpless Splicers simply drown. The developers intend these sequences to be used to give the player a breather, allowing time for a sort of ‘calm before the storm’. However, underwater sequences are not limited to inside Rapture. Subject Delta will be occasionally be wandering outside Rapture on the sea floor. Whilst outside, the player will be able to look through the glass to see various sights, such as a Big Daddy ripping Splicers to pieces or a Little Sister skipping along with her Big Daddy friend in toe.

Look At You Hacker…
Hacking will be a bit different in this game. While hacking health stations, turrets, cameras, and security bots will still be a key part in gameplay, the way you hack has changed dramatically. That hectic, beat the clock style pipe puzzle has been done away with and replaced with a more simplistic approach. Hacking will now involve a needle going back and forth, moving from areas of red and green, if you press the button while the needle is in the green a certain amount of times you create a successful hack. Simple, right? Well, here’s the catch: hacking is now done in real time, meaning that Subject Delta will be susceptible to Splicer attacks whilst hacking. While hacking in the previous games was hardly a reliable method of gameplay, the developers have added another feature so players can have more unique strategies. You can now heal your hacked companion, allowing players to take a more pet and master style of gameplay. Using hacked security bots and turrets to take on the blunt of the assault. This is just another way developers hope to give players more room to strategize and control the game.

With Adam, Anything Is Possible…
Obtaining Adam will still be an important part of gameplay. Like before, Adam will be used to upgrade and buy new plasmids and tonics. Adam is still obtainable by either Harvesting or Adopting a Little Sister. However, there are a few other new ways to obtain Adam. One such way you may remember from an audio diary by Tenenbaum found in Fontaine’s Fisheries in the original Bioshock. Sea slugs containing Adam can be found throughout the various external underwater walks. Pick one up, and you’ll get a small boost to your Adam. Another method of obtaining Adam will be extracting it from a Big Sister, once she is defeated. Remember, when it comes to Adam, every little bit counts!

Meet and Greet…
Most fans agree that the biggest disappointment of the original Bioshock was that you saw so few of the cast face to face, and, in the case of Tenenbaum; some didn’t even have their own specific model. This time is different though, players will get a chance to see the people they hear over the radio. One of the characters all players will recognize from the first game is Bridgette Tenenbaum. She returned after occurrences on land made her suspect something was not right within Rapture. Another recognizable character is Augustus Sinclair, of Sinclair Solutions. He will be acting as the guide for the first few levels of the game, just as Atlas was the guide at the beginning of Bioshock. A character that many players may recall hearing about in the first game from various audio diaries is Grace Holloway. Grace Holloway was a jazz singer, blacklisted by Andrew Ryan for singing songs against his politics.
Not only will you be able to see the characters in person, but you will interact with some of them as well. Your actions towards the characters will have a larger and more obvious impact on the world around you as you progress. Making each action you make an important decision in the plot.

I’m Spliced Up In Ways You Can’t Imagine…
It’s been ten years since the original Bioshock, and during that time the Splicers of Rapture have had to fight to survive. In this dog eat dog city, the Splicers’ looks have took a turn for the worse. The once semi-human Splicers have adopted a more morbid look from their continual use of Adam. Sagging and bulging flesh is going to be a common sight on the Splicers of Bioshock 2. Model types from Bioshock will be returning more grotesque than ever. Some of these model types include the Toasty, Lady Smith, and Ducky models. However, there will be some new models including the Brute Splicer. This Splicer, which looks like it has been taking some major steroids, is tough and strong. You can expect quite a bit of debris being hurled at your head while fighting these behemoths. The enemy models aren’t the only things changing about the Splicers, though. Their AI has been given quite a bit of an upgrade, making them more formidable enemies. Ten years of fighting for survival has made the Splicers smarter, more aggressive, and more powerful than before.

All Good Girls Gather…
What Big Daddy is complete without a Little Sister? Being a newly awoken Big Daddy means you have no assigned Little Sister. You’ll have to separate the Big Daddy, Little Sister duo in the usual means of killing the rival Big Daddy. Dealing with Little Sisters will still be the main way of getting Adam, just like in the previous game. Again, as in the previous game, you will be given two options once you successfully defeat the rival Big Daddy. You can either Harvest the Little Sister, sacrificing her life so that you can obtain large amounts of Adam, or you can Adopt her. Adopting a Little Sister entails a little more than saving her was in the previous game. When you Adopt a Little Sister you carry her around with you so that she can extract Adam from Angels. While the Little Sister extracts Adam from the dead Splicer, she is vulnerable to attacks, and a Little Sister is a tempting target for any Splicer. You must protect your Little Sister while she extracts the Adam until she is completely done extracting. Remember, your choice matters even more in Bioshock 2, so when choosing whether to Harvest or Adopt a Little Sister remember that there will be consequences to each action. Either way, separating too many Little Sisters from their Big Daddy companions will attract the attention of a rather horrifying individual: the Big Sister.

Mr. B, Mr. B, Big Sister Doesn’t Want You Playing With Me…
Big Sister is the ultimate ruler of Rapture now; she controls the ecology of the city. Anything and everything that runs is because of her and her efforts. Disturbing the equilibrium of the city is sure to bring the attention of these fearsome guardians. When you begin separating Little Sisters from their Big Daddies you will begin to attract the attention of Big Sister. At first she will more than likely do nothing, but the more you mess with the balance of Rapture the more she’ll notice you. The game will give you subtle hints to notify you how close you are from bringing the unstoppable wrath of the Big Sister upon you. Once you cross that fine line in the balance of Rapture, you are officially on a run for your life. The Big Sister will find you no matter where you are, so the best thing to do is prepare yourself and find a suitable fighting ground. Big Sisters are incredibly fast and agile, they have telepathic abilities, and a long, sword like gathering needle. Taking one down is no easy feat, but doubtlessly a necessary and unavoidable battle in Bioshock 2. [spoiler]And, yes, there is more than one.[/spoiler]

These Are My Friends Now…
One of the most prominent new features of Bioshock 2 is the multiplayer. The multiplayer serves many different purposes in the game besides playing with your friends. Multiplayer takes place during the fall of Rapture and the Civil War. Players are tests subjects of Sinclair Solutions, and fight each other for Adam points. The developers added a narrative background story to the multiplayer, giving it more interest than just regular shoot and kill matches.
All multiplayer matches will be ranked matches, earning you Adam points to move up in skill level. The matchmaking program is an important part of the multiplayer as well. The matchmaking program randomly finds other players of your skill level online and puts you in the match with them. As you progress in skill the matchmaking program will adjust the players you go against accordingly. However, you can create a party with your friends and the matchmaking program will take that into account and keep you together. If you don’t want to participate in a ranked match the only other option is creating a private match and inviting friends you want to play with you. You’ll be able to invite up to 9 other people during any multiplayer match. However, multiplayer will not support any LAN play, nor will they have dedicated servers.
There will be five different types of multiplayer matches to choose from, and two variations of each match. The three types that have been revealed are Capture the Sister, Civil War, and Survival of the Fittest. Capture the Sister is rather self-explanatory, the first team to capture the Little Sister and put her in the vent wins, Civil War is basically a team death match, the team with the most kills wins, and finally Survival of the Fittest is a free for all, the player with the most kills wins.
Players will start out with basic weapons and plasmids, and over time will be able to unlock and buy new ones. Not only will you be able to unlock new weapons, plasmids, and tonics, but audio diaries will also be available. These audio diaries are from various characters and about their views during the Civil War of Rapture. For new or inexperienced players, hints and tips will be available while playing, so players of every skill level will be able to experience the full enjoyment of the game.
Various special features have been added to the multiplayer as well. Sinclair will give players unique challenges during battles. Completing challenges will earn you large amounts of Adam, which will allow you to buy and upgrade plasmids and weapons. There will also be a few multiplayer only weapons and plasmids. One of the multiplayer specific weapons includes the Nail Gun. The Nail Gun can be charged up and fire a massive rain of nails at enemies. Also, some of the new multiplayer only plasmids will be Houdini, Geyser Trap, and Aero Trap.
Just in like during the single player campaign, Adam will play an important role for growing your character in multiplayer. However, there are many different ways to gain Adam. Like previously stated, you can gain Adam by completing missions that Sinclair gives to you before or during the battle, but this is not the only option. Players can also gain Adam by hacking turrets, taking research photos, and having the highest kill count. In addition to that, small vials of Adam will be available around the map as a pick up.
As you play multiplayer you may recognize some of the maps. The developers tried to take some of the most iconic levels and areas of the original Bioshock and tweaked them for multiplayer. Two of the levels that you may recognize are the Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites levels. However, both levels have been expanded and modified in order to compliment multiplayer purposes. Each level has been redesigned from the bottom up, with the idea of multiplayer in mind.

The developers at 2K have obviously been working hard on Bioshock 2. The new features, enemies, and multiplayer are bound to add exciting new assets to the already thrilling gameplay. I, personally, cannot wait until I can get my copy of Bioshock 2! Rapture is back and ready, so get your wetsuits on, hope in the nearest bathysphere and get ready for the launch of Bioshock 2 on February 9th!

Sources:cultofrapture.com, gameinformer.com, Game Informer Magazine
Photos:cultofrapture.com, gameinformer.com