It’s not controversial to say that BioShock is one of the most influential first-person shooter franchises of all time. Despite it being well over a decade since its last entry, BioShock Infinite, the IP has proven to be shockingly enduring, always front-of-mind for both players and developers, especially when it comes to the single-player FPS market. But even with this rich legacy, one consisting of three best-selling games, BioShock 2 is arguably the best to play.
There are a number of factors that contribute to BioShock’s sophomore release being the “best” of the bunch. At the end of the day, all three games have their strong suits: BioShock 1 has perhaps the best stand-alone story in the series, while BioShock Infinite is visually stunning and the best pure FPS game in the trilogy. But BioShock 2 lands smack-dab in the middle of these two entries, featuring both of their strengths and precious few of their weaknesses. With the game turning 15 today, it’s worth taking a walk down memory lane, examining why exactly it’s so relentlessly fun, and maybe even highlighting what BioShock 4 can learn from it.
Why BioShock 2 Is the Peak of the Franchise’s Gameplay
How BioShock 2 Built on BioShock 1’s Foundations
It would have been impossible for BioShock 2 to adequately recapture the magic of its predecessor, so 2K Marin didn’t attempt to. Instead of seeking the same twist-heavy narrative and horror themes of the first game, BioShock 2 takes almost the opposite approach. Rather than creeping around as the underpowered Jack, players assume the role of BioShock’s greatest threat: a Big Daddy.
The impact that this perspective shift has on BioShock 2 is immeasurable. Regular Splicers are less menacing this time around, but this imbalance is remedied by there being considerably more of them. Plus, there are still other Big Daddies to fight, and an even more powerful enemy type in the form of the Big Sisters, who deftly counteract the player’s tank-like capabilities. Thus, the mechanical shift that accompanies the Big Daddy protagonist is significant without neutering the game’s difficulty.
The radical differences between the first two BioShocks are propped up by more pedestrian, predictable iterations. Plainly put, there are more weapons and plasmids to play with this time around, which greatly expand the combat sandbox, facilitating more distinct playstyles and experimentation. If BioShock 2 were to only feature this sort of expansion, then it would be a serviceable sequel; it’s these new additions coupled with the fundamental pivot in premise that makes it so special.
BioShock 2's Gameplay Is the Series at Its Best
Players aren't just more powerful in BioShock 2—they're also more versatile. New mechanics like the hacking gun open up new doors for stealthy or strategic approaches to enemy encounters, while the ability to use guns and plasmids at the same time makes real-time combat considerably smoother. The progression system is also the perfect cocktail of risk and reward: players can queue up battles with hordes of Splicers while helping Little Sisters harvest ADAM, and repeated harvesting attempts will beckon the deadly Big Sister. This interplay between resource-gathering and steadily increasing danger makes reaching 100% completion relentlessly satisfying.
Many of these strengths were sadly lost in BioShock Infinite, which is a much more traditional, linear first-person shooter, stripping back many of the more thoughtful mechanics of BioShock 2. This isn't to say that BioShock's third entry is bad—there are many reasons to love Infinite— but as Cloud Chamber pushes ahead with BioShock 4, it may be wise to look at BioShock 2's legacy, as it is still remembered as having the best overall gameplay of the franchise, even all these years later.
BioShock 2
- Released
- February 9, 2010
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- 2K, Irrational Games
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
- Engine
- Vengeance Engine
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- BioShock
WHERE TO PLAY
Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the halls of Rapture once again echo with sins of the past. Along the Atlantic coastline, a monster has been snatching little girls and bringing them back to the undersea city of Rapture. Players step into the boots of the most iconic denizen of Rapture, the Big Daddy, as they travel through the decrepit and beautiful fallen city, chasing an unseen foe in search of answers and their own survival.
Multiplayer in BioShock 2 will provide a rich prequel experience that expands the origins of the BioShock fiction. Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a premier provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city of Rapture that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the BioShock toolset to survive, as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture.
