Spoilers are a sensitive topic. Whether it's a few friends hanging out or a loud conversation at a game shop, there's no universally agreed-upon statute of limitations on when you can start spilling the beans on a game's ending. Game journos love to do it when they preview a sequel. Here, watch me: "BioShock 2 happens 10 years after the events of the first game, and once again has you donning the monstrous diving suit of a Big Daddy." See? I could do that all day.

I've got plenty of material too, as last week I met with a few members of the 2K Marin team and got my first glimpse at the sequel to the Ayn Rand Institute's least-favorite game. 2K showed off a hands-off demo titled "Chasing the Big Sister" which was surprisingly reminiscent of one of BioShock's first unveiling videos, "Chasing the Big Daddy." As far as first looks go, BioShock 2 seems to continue the formulas that made the original game such a fun experience. Here are my thoughts on a few new elements that caught my eye during the short presentation.

Yes, That's You in the Suit

Perhaps one of my favorite moments of the demo was the introduction, in which the action starts with a visual of a Big Daddy. It takes a second to realize that it's your reflection, and you're trying to stand up. You can see this image below, and it's quite evocative. As one of Rapture's lumbering brutes, you have access to an arsenal of devastating weaponry that would be the envy of the hero from the first game. For example, you're armed with a drill that allows you to punch straight through packs of marauding splicers. Plus you're granted plasmids, just like Jack in BioShock. That means that you'll be a walking tank that can conjure up deadly special attacks at will. I'm curious to see what other villains will be revealed. Given how weak they seem, I'm presuming that Splicers will be the least of your problems.

In Rapture there's beauty in the mundane and ugly.

No Mermaids Here

Since you're truly taking on the role of a Big Daddy, BioShock 2 provides some perks that you couldn't get in the first game. One of them is the ability to leave Rapture for the ocean floor. The demo indicated that there are moments in which you'll need to leave the not-so-comfy confines of the underwater city to explore the rocky nether regions of the Atlantic. What does this mean for the overall experience? I'm sure 2K Marin's got something up its sleeve.

Adoption, Minus Bureaucracy

You're not playing as an outsider in BioShock 2. Big Daddies are very much an everyday part of the city, so Rapture's citizens react differently to you. Nowhere is it more evident than in the way that Little Sisters respond when they see you. During the demo, the Big Daddy rescued a girl from an Adam-crazed Splicer. At that moment, the option to harvest or adopt her became available. The girl completely trusted the Big Daddy. I got the impression that there might be even more nefariously amoral options in BioShock 2 than before. If you desired you could exploit a Little Sister's collecting abilities and eventually harvest her and take all of her earned Adam.