This 2K Marin-developed sequel to first-person shooter BioShock takes players back to the dystopian underwater city of Rapture (with the clock dialed forward 10 years) and puts them in the heavy boots of a Big Daddy, the series' trademark baddie. Not just any Big Daddy, either, but the original Big Daddy, the prototype, the Jango Fett himself. As this hulking (yet spry) monstrosity, you ally with creepy Little Sisters, who embody the franchise's moral dilemma. Do you act as their rust-bucket guardian angel (complete with weapons ranging from rivet guns to drills), or do you murder them in an effort to get at the all-important ADAM substance that they harvest from handy corpses? In either case, you've got the Big Sister -- the almighty bitch-queen of Rapture -- to deal with, and she's watching your every move.
I GOT YOUR DADDY RIGHT HERE! ... Ahem, excuse me.
What's New for E3?
BioShock 2's main E3 attraction is its multiplayer mode (designed by 2K partner Digital Extremes), which -- unlike the aforementioned single-player story -- acts as a prequel, pitting up to 10 players against each other in a deathmatch that reenacts the civil war that took place one year prior to the first game. You get your own apartment, where you can customize your character, change your loadout, and hear the latest way-too-cheery weapon offers from war profiteer Sinclair Solutions.
Outside, players bombard one another with myriad retuned weapons, set each other on fire, and eventually earn new equipment unlocks through experience-based rank increases. Random "Big Daddy" drops turn lucky combatants into one of the brutes to wreak some real havoc.
Ryan says: Full disclosure: I never played BioShock (yeah, yeah, I know). I respect it a lot from all I've seen and heard, though, and this sequel's going to face the monumental task of living up to the first game's rep. Given BioShock's story-heavy focus, I question the inclusion of a multiplayer mode. And the fact that this component's being developed by an outside team is ample reason to worry about a (potential) total disregard for consistent narrative design. We'll see.
