Bioshock 2

I loved BioShock 1 so much I actually bought it for both my 360 & PS3, this time around I only will review the PS3 version.Yes the game installs to the hard drive. Now I personally like games that install to the HDD as they run faster during game play. It's a bit longer than 10 minutes for the initial setup, I didn't time it with a stop watch, but the DualShock had turned off, which it does after 10 minutes.I waited on ordering this until I saw at least 3 reviews on reputable gaming sites. They had some big shoes to fill after BioShock 1, and so far I think they've done an awesome job. I really enjoy exploring the maps making sure I've covered every inch. Most of the enemies are the same so far, with two new additional Boss type monsters that I've encountered so far.The graphics and sound effects are great, only a few glitches here and there, but nothing worth even really mentioning. No crashes so far, and I've played at least 12 hours, collecting as many trophies as I can. I'm very much enjoying this, maybe not as much as the first, only because BioShock was so unique at the time. If you liked BioShock 1 you should love 2. There are many new weapon enhancements, and the great plasmid system is still intact.I've not yet tried the multiplayer, or really have any desire to, and sometimes wish developers would just forget about it and make a longer single player experience.This will be one of the few "shooters" that gets 3 or more playthroughs. 95% of shooters I play once and move on, so for me it's that good.

First and foremost, I would like to say that the first Bioshock completely blew my mind. Whether it was the plasmids, the engaging storyline, or the sick graphics. Having said that, you get basically a new dose of "Adam" even though you're thoroughly spent. What made the first Bioshock utterly amazing was the fact it was essentially a unique game playing experience that no other game could offer. Wielding guns and plasmids made for a great time killing "Adam"-addicts and Big Brothers, etc. Going into the unknown of Rapture itself was definitely an experience because you as the player did not know what the city was capable or nor what was living in it. The second time around, I kinda yawned through parts of it as there really wasn't too much that was new this time as you're basically the hero once again in the same city, doing the same thing (using guns and plasmids to kill the baddies), and either rescuing or harvesting Little Sisters. If you're expecting a completely new game where it's a new city and a ton of new features that the first game didn't have, you'll be sorely disappointed. But if you can honestly call yourself a huge fan of the first and don't mind getting more of the same, this game is definitely for you. Personally, I felt the majority of this game was as if I bought NCAA Football 10 after being in love with NCAA Football 09 or any other yearly update of a sports game. Don't get me wrong, the Bioshock series is better than 90% of games out there, but there was too much that was rehashed for me to really consider this a GOTY or anything in the upper echelon of games. The fascination and curiosity I had throughout playing the first game was not present as I knew what to expect (for the most part) and how to work my way through the game. I'm not interested in playing the multiplayer Bioshock 2 as I prefer COD: MW2 like most people, so if anybody is in love with what 2K is doing with their online gameplay then have at it. I realize this is an early review and I haven't played every crevice of game thus far, but remember it's my own opinion, so take it as you want. This would be a welcomed addition to most game collections, but to the younger generation who do not have a steady income, I would suggest renting the game and moving on to something new afterwards.

So I have to admit I was more then a little disappointed with my first day of Bioshock 2. After about 5 hours of playing I finally accepted the fact that really nothing new was going to be introduced in this game. That's not all bad, Bioshock 1 was a very fun game... The environment is still one of the best conceived for a video game. The game play is dark and twisted which I enjoy it just felt like for a sequel there wasn't much new content that will keep me playing this game. The new Hacking is too easy but at the same time they give you a pain in the a$$ gun to shoot hacking darts. ( I hate that gun personally, switching to it in the middle of a fight causes serious frustration). The new weapons they have are nothing to write home about. And to me the graphics looked the exact same as the last bioshock. After seeing how Mass Effect overhauled graphics from 1 to 2 I was kind of hoping for the same thing here. That's not the case. All in all the game feels like a clone of the first one with a story that doesn't pull you in the same way. If you were a fan of the first bioshock then you will appreciate this game but doesn't expect the single player to give you anything more then the first. The multiplayer is fun but by no means addictive like many others game out there today. So I would give this game 4 stars for fun factor, 3 stars overall. I just wish it had a little more content for the money we shell out.

First of all, let me say that it's terribly difficult for any game to measure up to the standard of awesomeness presented by the first Bioshock, let alone a sequel. Though I haven't yet played through the entire game, I've seen enough. It rocks. Through and through. Though one could argue it's basically more of the same, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sure, it's familiar, but there are a lot of tweaks and improvements that make things more satisfying as a whole. I'm not going to go into detail. I'd suggest a game review site for that, like IGN or something. The only real gripe I have is that the graphics seem a little less crisp this time around. Not sure why. While it's not in any way deterring my desire to play the game, it would've been nice to have seen them improve rather than step back. Really, it's a minor step. Not enough to hate. It's definitely better-looking than PS1 games (so don't listen to that hating review). But Bioshock is more about the atmosphere, the feel of the city as you explore, the creep factor, the curious little sights here and there. It's definitely worth a buy. Oh, I haven't checked out the multiplayer yet, but everyone I've talked to that has the game has said it's a blast and that they've spent hours on end lost in multiplayer.

I'll keep this short and sweet, the original Bioshock is one of my favorite games ever, so I was a little worried that I was setting myself up for disappointment with the sequel. I am happy to say (although I'm only 3 hours in), it is soooo nice to be back to Rapture! It doesn't feel so different from the original, but I think that's a good thing. It does enhance combat with wielding weapons and plasmid powers at the same time, and hacking is much easier (no more mini game). If you enjoyed the first Bioshock, you will not be disappointed in you return to Rapture.