Thursday, March 12, 2009

Bioshock 2 (Sea of Dreams (Hopefully))


So now that new details are emerging on the subject of Bioshock 2 I am feeling inclined to say something on the topic.

The first thing is that like most people who played the original, I do not feel like the Bioshock name needed a sequel. It is fair that it is receiving one seeing as the original made a few dollars and any business person's standpoint would say that the sequel would bring in a few dollars itself.

Accepting the fact that there is a new Bioshock game coming out the question is do I think it will be good? A better question still is do I think that it could be good? I think that it could be great. I think that it could stand to be amazing though I still think it would be hard to get a plot twist as good as, "Would you kindly," in there. Bioshock was not as so much about the place as it was about the characters that defined that place. Your character was quite literally a puppet in this world and I know that the sequel needs that character definition. So do I think that 2K Marin is going to be able to continue this enriched experience? I do not. I do not think this because it is a different studio, though it is still a contributing factor, I think this because that character direction was a unified experience that was wholly encompassed in this one story arc. Ultimately I think that it will be difficult for 2K Marin to break themselves off a piece of this and be able to keep up the rich character development without it feeling a little washed out at the end.

As far as I have been made aware this game is supposed to be a prequel and I have a hard time seeing, as far as plot holes go, how a Big Sister evolved into a Big Daddy or vice versa, if in fact it ends up being a sequel not a prequel. The only way something like that would make any bit of sense to me is if part of Rapture broke off and became its own separate entity which we all know is not going to have happened.

The last thing is that the first games story was based around the world and the gameplay and this one is going to be other way around. Realistically that should make the game easier to make. Raptures assets are already created, ready and waiting, so Marin should have plenty of resources to make the story great. One can only hope.

In the end Bioshock 2 is not going to be Bioshock, it will be a game that has the Bioshock name on it though one will have to try and enjoy it on its own merits.

[Via Joystiq, Jarvis Slacks, Game Informer]

1 comment:

Nate Kowal said...

I apologize for the huge picture. I attempted a fix but as you can see that did not work. Hope you enjoyed the post nonetheless.