Bioshock. One of the massive hit games of recent years, following in the footsteps of it’s predecessors, System Shock 1 & 2. And now, the good folks at 2K games are giving us another run through the once underwater paradise now underwater death trap that is Rapture.

What’s been disclosed about this release? Well. Lets take a look.

Firstly, lets get the story straight. It’s 10 years after the first Bioshock. Fontaine and Ryan are long dead. Dr Tenenbaum however, is still inside the nightmare. 10 years older and bitter for the troubles of being a Doctor in a mutagenic nightmare. The Little Sisters were set free and the world went about it’s business. Until sightings of something in the water, mysterious footprints next to children’s footprints in the sand, drawings of a strange humanoid creature in a diving suit and, most unnerving, the disappearance of many little girls.

Kick forward to underwater hell hole Rapture – which has continued to flood. This is where the story for Bioshock 2 begins – back in the dark, leaking and all too grand corridors and rooms of Ryan’s failed utopia. You’re playing something we all know and have had great fun in killing in the first Bioshock game.

You’re a Big Daddy. Not just any Big Daddy though, you’re the Big Daddy.

The first of the protective monsters. Cast off as a failed experiment, you’re left there for who knows how long? However, you’re different to your brethren. You’re faster, you’ve got free will and most importantly – you can Splice. That’s right, this big lug is now able to shoot fire, electricity, ice and bees from his hands. But more on that later.

You’re able to perform similar roles as a Big Daddy in Bioshock 2 as the stomping giants could in the first game. You can charge – just like in the first game, but with the added benefit that you can charge through wooden doors. No clue if the others can do this yet. You have the weaponry of your brethren too. The rivet gun and the lovely gore fest – the drill, both upgradable in a similar style to the first game. As a step away from the way combat worked in the first game, Bioshock 2 lets you use both weapon systems at the same time. You’re a Big Daddy. Holding a rivet gun in one hand is no problem. This also means you can nail someone with some rivets whilst they’re spasming from an electrical blast.

Speaking of electricity – Plasmids, Adam and Eve are all still here. Though Eve is much rarer (see below), thanks to the release of the previous Little Sisters. The plasmids have changed however, no longer being the same visually but a bit more damage-heavy attacks on each upgrade. There are now ‘charge up’ traps for all the powers, including the elemental bees. More appropriately, weapons change as you upgrade them – fire starting as a ‘click fingers and watch it burn’ power, to a ‘I’m a walking flame-thrower’ power at level 3 – a constant stream of fire emanating from the palm of your hand. Aiding you in deciding what powers you actually want – all level 1 powers are free to splice. However, from then on, it’ll cost you.

Now, due to Eve being in short supply, the Splicers have got a little bit crazier – and as such, have spliced themselves harder to get the edge on the competition. They’ve mutated dramatically as a result, the human look still there, but mutation is much more pronounced. Concept images flitting about show a woman who has mutated swelling growths on her body, much like sub-dermal cancers. And her nose looks like a ballsack. I kid you not. At any rate, they’re that much more crazy and that much more in need of a fix of Eve. Which is where a key point to the game comes in. Let me explain.

Little sisters still roam Rapture – not as great in number, but they’re still there. The design of the Little Sister has changed, going for a more ‘break your heart’ feel and a cuter look – attempting to draw you in to feel the Big Daddy part. As usual, they’re there to stab some corpses with a needle, feed on the blood and produce Eve. And they’re still protected by the golem-esque Big Daddies. When you eventually waste one of these Big Daddies, you’ll get an option. Harvest her for Eve, much like in the first game, and kill her or – adopt her. Yes. Adopt her.

The Little Sister, pre-programmed to like you as a Big Daddy, will hop on your back and join you as you romp about the dystopia. When you’re near some corpses, you can tell her to hop off your back and harvest. When this is going on, however, you’ll be assailed by Splicers, after your adopted child. If you defend her and she manages to finish harvesting, you can harvest the Eve she’s collected, or, harvest the Eve and kill her for a little bit more. Decisions decisions. At any rate, you can also save her by getting her to one of the Little Sister chutes, leading back to the Doctors Sanctuary.

Here’s the next twist to the plot though. If you cast your mind back to the announcement trailer for Bioshock 2, you’ll remember a girl on the beach holding what appeared to be a Big Daddy toy. She’s still around, all grown up. And ready to kick some ass.

After being released from Rapture, one of the then Little Sisters didn’t break her programming. She wanted to go ‘home’. So, when she was able to, she did. And now she’s trying to rebuild Rapture – kidnapping children and creating more Little Sisters. Who is this mad-woman? Clad in a Big Daddy style, though much more sleek and defined diving suit is your nemesis for this nightmare. The Big Sister. And she’s going to be hunting you down for what your doing in her home.

The developers have said that the Big Sister will find you, wherever you are in the level.

Not only that, it seems as if she has Plasmid abilities, judging by the concept designs I’ve seen – displaying Eve filled needles in some sort of injection array on her forearm. Fast and lethal, she’s the main fight in this game.

As a break from the fighting, as a Big Daddy in a diving suit, you get to roam the sea floor around Rapture too, and take a peak at how the fallen utopia is doing whilst your out there marvelling at the sights. Whilst this is going on though, expect to be talked at by people via the radio system. Can’t people just let you marvel at the shiny stuff in peace?

All in all? Sounds like fun. Roll on more information.

Info & Links
Information gathered from Playstation magazine UK article.
Write up by Martox
Bioshock 2 Teaser Site
Bioshock Official Site
2kgames