So, along with the teaser trailer and the official viral site released last week, the first official image of BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams has surfaced.  Courtesy of Game Informer's upcoming April issue, behold, the new Big Daddy..... or is it "Big Sister" now?

From what we've gathered, the game, as confirmed by a 2K developer, is "part of a prequel and at the same time is a sequel."  That said, the plot has been targeted as taking place seven years after the original, placing it at 1967.  The new antagonists - described as tall, thin, fast-moving figures with a mysterious red glow emanating from their heads - are kidnapping shore-bound young girls.  Taking them underwater, and presumably, to Rapture.

The information floodgates will undoubtedly be opening any day now.  Can't wait!

I'm intrigued... I still need to beat the first game.

The first one was an absolute BLAST.  One can only hope that they keep the sequel as emmersive and coherent as the first one even with the Big Daddy sequence and unfortunate final boss, it worked.  Heaven knows I had a hard enough time with the lumbering Big Daddies, I don't know what I would do about those Big Sisters!

As of right now, there doesn't seem to be any feasable reason to go back to Rapture.  Its creator is dead and it was kind of a wreck.  Unless there's some sort of new "leader of the splicers" then fhuggedabowdit.

I am more interested in that blurb at the top about a Wii Dead Space thing. That game was the kitties titties.

Loved Bioshock to death. Here's hoping they can maintain that momentum.

As if I needed further proof that you are one of my favorite people in the internet cloud. Well, there it is.

Well, thanks my brother. I appreciate that, truly I do.

Classic

<Joker-style>: And here we go.

Though I've yet to pick up the GI issue, here's what's been revealed so far over the nets.

2K Marin is shooting for a 2009 Q4 fiscal year release, so regrettably, it's looking unlikely that we'll be seeing it in late August after all.  Producer Jordan Thomas, who was responsible for the first game's incredible Fort Frolic scenario, confirms that the game will be scarier and more tense than the first, and that they hope these new characters will be as iconic to the likes of Sander Cohen and..... Frank Fontaine.  Also, ..... Tenenbaum will be making an apparent return.  Says Thomas: "Things about Rapture are sustaining themselves. It's been ten years and it feels like it's found this kind of equilibrium.  The ecology is working in this cycle, whereas before, you got the idea that in six months no one was going to be left."  In regards to BioShock's philosophical ideas and critique of objectivism, Thomas states: "We're using what players understand of BioShock 1 and what they understand about Rapture to spring into other ideas. It wouldn't really be BioShock if you don't end up thinking about it and the ideas behind the environment you're standing in."

The game will be set both in the past before the events of the first game, and, yes, ten years later (not seven as previously reported - though many of the viral site's articles do explicitly state 1967) after the first.  Big Daddies return, and the game's "prequel" sequences fit you in the role of one yourself.  You play as one of the very first Big Daddies, a test subject gone rogue.  He's supposed to control pretty closely to how Jack originally played from the first game; in addition to your patented rivet gun, drill attack and shoulder dash, you'll also be able to use plasmids.  (You'll also be able to use both your weapons AND plasmids at the same time.)   Splicers and other Big Daddies will be your primary enemies - and during these sequences, you'll be able to walk OUTSIDE of the city, along the ocean floor.  There will be iconic landmarks to see, serving to anchor you to the first game. You now have the option to either Harvest or "Adopt" Little Sisters; Harvest remains the same, but Adopting allows you to keep a Little Sister with you, protecting her as she harvests for ADAM throughout.  (Much like how..... the last sequence played out in the first.)  A third option lets you save them, but details are currently mum on that front.  It's been said that the moral choices in the game will have much more of an impact on the environment than in the first game.

Little has been revealed about the story and gameplay during the ten years later scenario, but rumors are strongly hinting at Mark Meltzer as the playable character, who, according to the viral teaser site, is an investigative journalist. 

Big Sister has been confirmed to be a former Little Sister of Rapture from the first game.  Her view of an ideal Rapture is an unyielding union of Little Sisters with their Big Daddies - hence the likely reason for the kidnappings.  During the game, she will specifically hunt the player down once you've taken out a number of Big Daddies.   

Audio diaries return, as well as Vita Chambers, the repairing and hacking of machinery (bots, turrets, vending machines), and the upgrading of weaponry and plasmids.  The upgrade tree is supposed to be even more vast and branching this time around.  Also, multiplayer has been confirmed, but in what capacity is unknown as this point.

Excellent work, Angie.

Bioshock 2 is going to make sweet, sweet love to my 360.

Awesome!
The original was fantastic, one of the very few games in recent times that I've played over and over without getting bored with it, so I'm greatly looking forward to this one.

I'm also interested in this one. I have yet to finish the first one because other games I wanted to play more came out...like Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter IV, and Killzone 2 (which has taken a backseat to RE5...). I plan on finishing it after I finish those two games though considering the games I want are far away.

Either way, from what I've gotten through in the first game, it's really interesting. The atmosphere is spectacularly spooky. Although it takes place in fairly well lit corridors, for the most part, I guess the whole "You are completely surrounded by water" gives it a nice sense of claustrophobia in a way and really heightens the experience. I've gotten chills playing that game, which doesn't happen often. And to think, Bioshock 2 is going to be more atmospheric and intense?! I might have to start wearing adult diapers! The premise seems interesting as well although I hope they are able to really blend the past and present elements of the game without sounding too abrupt. If what Angela says about the possible main character is true, I think the easiest way to do this would be to have the investigative reporter find some very interesting stories, whether it is through newspaper clippings or recorders.

I think I've gone on too much, but in short, this is definitely on my sonar (figured it was a bit more appropriate ).

The puns, they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  Mmm.....

Actually, the reporting of the prequel events could be a tad inaccurate at this point.  It's looking like you'll be playing as the renegade Big Daddy in the present, ten-years-after-the-first time period, since the article also states that there will be confrontations between he and the Big Sister.  What that means for the prequel events remain to be seen.

The possibility of playing as Meltzer is still open, though; his role has yet to be confirmed.

EDIT: Hm, looks like they've decided to drop the "Sea of Dreams" subtitle.  Too bad, I rather liked it.

EDIT 2: Looks like the subtitle still actually stands.  Would you kindly ignore the first edit?

EDIT 3: Bloody hell...... The subtitle looks like it's being dropped after all.  2K, make up your fraggin' minds already.

Big Sister is Watching You

The original essay:

http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback … 050715.asp

I enjoy BioShock for its story and atmosphere (have not yet finished it). However, I must say I think I suck at FPS because I keep getting demolished! Anyway, despite being frustrating, it's hard to argue with such a well-crafted game. Honestly, I also find it much creepier than most survivor-horrors that are released. Yes, I hope the sequel is equally as impressive, and also has a storyline dealing with morality. It would also be great if "tougher" choices had to be made (rather than just rescuing the little girls).

cheers,

-avatar!

That's interesting, as BioShock is touted as being one of the easiest first-person shooters in existence.  The developers were clearly aiming for accessibility with the original; even Normal mode provided a lenient challenge and the Vita Chambers made it practically impossible to actually die. 

Scans of the Game Informer BioShock 2 feature has been made available, by the way.  Be warned, though, it spoils the hell out of the first game:

http://playstationlifestyle.net/2009/03 … mer-scans/

Gametrailers has the first world exclusive gameplay footage of BioShock 2:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/47806.html

From a technical standpoint, it doesn't look like much of a step up from the first BioShock -- which is okay, since the first still looks positively amazing.  I just hope they can maintain the same rock-solid framerate as the 360 original. (On both platforms.)

The atmosphere during the first clip looked incredible.  And Big Sister definitely looks like one dangerous mutha.  :p

You're right, it looks like BioShock 1.5.

More info, courtesy of 2K forum member AlexB1001, who culled from the latest PC Gamer and OXM features.  A lot of it was touched upon already, but there's some new tidbits in there:

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32706

Two particularly interesting quotes are in regards to the proposed new Little Sister adoption concept, and the debunking of straight-up sequel/prequel arguments.  Says Thomas:

"The adoption mechanic, fairly importantly, is a direct rebuttal to the horrible escort quest that you may have played in other games starting with Bioshock."

"There's obviously been a lot of prequel/sequel argument/rumours - what I like to say is that if we did a pure one of those, we wouldn't be surprising you enough."

New Gamespot preview and interview video, featuring the development team.  There's tiny bits of new game footage in there as well:

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/ … e=previews

There are spoilers from the first game to be found within.  Some potential minor ones for the sequel, too.

Neogaf's Spider_Jerusalem details the multiplayer component:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.ph … count=1101

Looks like BioShock 2 may not make its intended 2009 release:

http://kotaku.com/5313745/bioshock-2-delayed-to-fy-2010

Disappointing, but I suspect an early 2010 release would give the game a bit more breathing room -- to allow other surefire blockbusters like Uncharted 2 and Modern Warfare 2 to do its thing.

Looks like we've got a tentative new release date: February 9, 2010.

http://kotaku.com/5362439/bioshock-2-hits-in-february

This is good news for me, actually. I've been wanting to redo Bioshock, but for whatever reason, I just can't bring myself to do it on my current TV. I really wanna get immersed into it, so I been looking at HD sets lately. I'll probably have one by then.

The game looks stunning on a high-def set.  I plan on playing through the first game again myself before the year is up.

You know... I don't normally buy special editions of games, as I don't feel the extras are warranted (mainly those with DLC codes, etc.), but man, I am seriously considering getting this one!

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=380128

To summarize:

I mean, a FREAKING LP of the original Bioshock score AND a CD of the Bioshock 2 score. God, I love that! Plus, those posters and that artbook are the sweetness!

To me, the art book alone may be worth the price of admission.  That butterfly box case looks beautifully classy, too.

At this point, though, I'm just hoping the game actually turns out, you know.... GOOD.  From a technical standpoint, I'm a little disappointed at the recent footage showing plenty of framerate drops.  It's jarring when compared to its perfectly-tuned predecessor.

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but does anyone else feel these LE packages are more or less spinning out of control? To think I was happy with getting a plastic Chocobo piggy bank for reserving FFIX.

You can start worrying when the next Gran Turismo game costs $100,000 because it comes bundled with a real sportcar as the LE bonus.

Whoa, what? Really? I never heard of that one. I know if Japan you could get a plush Vivi for reserving FFIX when it was coming out, but . . .

Dude, don't joke about that! They might hear you....

Yeah, I think that was before Gamestop bought out EB. Oh great, now I've depressed myself thinking about how much I liked those stores before that - and no, the local Gamestop that's too lazy to change their sign doesn't count If that's not a sign I live in hicksville than I don't know what is....

Still, the plush Vivi sounds a lot nicer than my plastic chocobo. Then again, the Japanese usually don't skimp on their own products.

IGN's reviews are in.  The UK, Australia, and U.S. sound off on the 360 version.  A few choice quotes from each.

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UK:
It has become too easy to forget what BioShock is, and too tempting to discuss it purely in terms of the more high-minded ideas behind its narrative, not the practicalities of what happens when we press buttons on the gamepad.  While it's lovely that the voiceovers have a literate backdrop, this is not a game in which you will actively engage in consideration of utilitarianism and objectivism. It's a first-person shooter, first and foremost.  BioShock 2 does this very well - significantly better than the first game did.  [BS1's] fights were always a little stilted and small, while by comparison BS2 is chaotic and huge. 

It's just as well the combat is so much manic fun, as in less adrenal respects BioShock 2 isn't as interesting as BS1. It may never plunge into bewildering incoherence and a Looney Toons endboss, but it lacks memorable characters and, most of all, memorable motives.  If it wasn't for that expanded, heightened, desperate combat, and how neatly that sidesteps into a surprisingly characterful multiplayer mode, this would be a lacklustre sequel.

Australia:
In raw gameplay terms, BioShock 2 improves on the original in everyway, with a deeper combat system, a broader set of enemy types and the addition of a fully-featured multiplayer mode. It’s an undeniably enjoyable and slickly polished shooter from start to finish, jam-packed with secrets off the beaten path and hidden references to the first game that Rapture cultists will delight in seeking out.  The fact that its plot is merely almost as good as one of the most memorable gaming plots of all time shouldn’t be taken as a slight against its creators, as it’s still a narrative that’s better scripted and more expertly delivered than the bulk of the games released in the years since the original game. The underwater city of Rapture might not have quite the same impact this time, but it still deserves to make a splash.

U.S.:
It's going to be a familiar experience for anyone that played the original, but BioShock 2's improvements to gameplay and its more focused storyline make for a game that's more playable and easier to digest. Some of the sense of awe and mystery is lost in transition, but the strength of the setting and interesting implementation of moral choice make for an experience that's more consistent and rewarding. Anyone looking for a first-person shooter that offers more than flat, stereotypical characters and copy-and-paste supersoldier plots, one that attempts to establish a sense of right and wrong and loops you into the decision making process, and one that's set in one of the most vividly realized settings around should pick up BioShock 2. It's a game in which story, setting, and gameplay are expertly blended to create an experience that's as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

---

So, the general consensus here appears to be that the gameplay sees significant improvements -- but at the cost of slightly less interesting character development and the retreading of familiar ground.  Guess we'll see how well it evens out.

I've got the LE pre-ordered and will be breaking the bank next week to pick this up. Man, I can't wait!

Well if it stayed exactly the same as the first, people would complain about nothing being new, so I certainly don't see anything wrong with tweaking the formula a bit.

I'm holding out for a Tomb Raider with a real Lara Croft as the LE bonus.

Gametrailers' review is up.  Excellent watch as always, but be wary of potential spoilers.  Here's what's said:

---

Gametrailers:
There's a certain straight-to-DVD feel with the sequel, which constantly evokes the original, without ever eclipsing it.  But perhaps it's callous to match it up too harshly against its brilliant predecessor.  BioShock 2 houses great combat, an entertaining multiplayer game, some truly standout set pieces, and a story you'll want to see through to the end.  Hunting the Big Daddies is as invigorating as ever, but playing zone defense gets a little stale after your third sister or so.  Some truly great moments that we won't give away punctuate the repetition, and the end game really picks up steam.  Too bad it hits its stride when it's crossing the finish line, though multiple endings may encourage you to kick-start your underwater adventures anew.

The interplay between combat, quick tactics, and the scavenging that feeds your guns and plasmid powers is great.  Hacking a turret or security camera is no longer a chore, and the extra help can make a difference when Delta goes to ambush a Big Daddy, or brace for a Big Sister assault.  The systems work well with a lot of variety and growth without feeling too cumbersome.  BioShock 2 is a thinker's FPS, and it stands out for this reason.

---

The video review - which is reportedly running the 360 version - also gives a good idea at just how well the framerate holds up.  (Yes, I'm a framerate whore -- but hey, everyone has to be a whore of something.)  The final build is looking far more competent, but there does appear to be some drops not only during the more combat-heavy and huge screen-filling water sequences, but some slight stutters during the calmer areas to traverse.  Looking forward to casting my critical eye when seeing the game in person for myself.

I tried going back to Ridge Racer Type 4 which runs at about 30 fps, and then I tried Ridge Racer 6 which is a considerable step up at the very least. It's amazing how smooth games run now, something I'm sure those who missed out on the PSX days take advantage of without realizing it. I wish we could get an R4 High Def Remix. It's one of my favorite racing games ever, but DAT FRAME RATE.