It ’s tough to follow up a secret plan like BioShock , because it go to a plateau game seldom touch- emotion and cognitive intellection . In other words , art . Where do you go once you ’ve reached the top ? spoiler for both BioShocks below .
The truth is , BioShock 2 did n’t have to aspire to be anything beyond what the first BioShock was- an synergistic piece of fine art that challenged the very idea of play TV game as an act of social submission . Trying to retell that exact same idea would be a waste material of time . And while a heap of critics have pointed out that the gamer receive the same environment that the original BioShock has , it become clear almost instantly that 2 K Marin was just as focused on creating an original estimate as they were on make certain the ice on your drill looks good .
For starters , you could see yourself in this one , kind of . You ’re one of the first Big dad , and although your entire body is cover up by a suit , at least you know who you are . BioShock 2 return what so many wanted in the first one- a opportunity to dig deeper into Rapture , the underwater city where the game is set . You learn some history , see new buildings , and that ’s all well and dependable . But if the first BioShock used its turn to make players question the human action of playing a game in the first place , its continuation focuses on undermining our concept of usance and desire .
Games like the BioShocks or Fallout 3 can try out , but never will in truth be able-bodied to produce an actual moral quandary for the majority of its users . Games are entrenched in statistics- collect number of X to receive Trophy Y. The initial dilemma BioShock gives you with its Little Sisters is no unlike . Sure , the first small Sister can be problematic , but by the third one you ’ve figured out your path of legal action for the biz . It ’ll change the ending , but no one plays a plot alone for the remainder , just like no one reads a mystery novel to figure out whodunnit .
BioShock 2 still has a theme it wants to get across- to look beyond the surface- and gratefully does n’t just rely narrative to make that point clean . Late in the plot , you become a Little Sister . It ’s not for long , but it ’s all-important in understanding where the 2 K team wants to take the serial . Other biz earmark the player to change form , but usually have a tactical advantage- only in wolf form can you leap out that ledge , etc . The biggest work shift in Bioshock ’s body modification amount in location- you ’ve leave the art deco Hell of Rapture and entered a bizarre family , fulfil with white pall , rose flower petal strewn about , advanced hoi polloi talk over beautiful art . You ’re shy of where you are- a clandestine part of Rapture Dr. Lamb ( the secret plan ’s adversary ) has maintain for herself and patriotic followers ? A gonzo dystopic home for the Little Sisters ? BioShock 2 then extract the carpeting out from under you- it ’s the same honest-to-goodness Rapture . minuscule Sisters , peradventure the creepy part of a creepy-crawly game , have been dose or train to consider the Hell they are forced to live in actually a peaceful nirvana . In that moment , the superpower of game ’s backstory follow in to full force- these are no longer NPCs whose note value can be mathematically determined , they are little girls- they are people- whose sprightliness have been destroyed and horrifically altered . Every day , they are lied to and drive to skip joyfully through a Hell they could never place upright if their minds worked .
Yes , many things are hide under the surface in BioShock 2 , starting with Rapture . But other game have had other hidden urban center . BioShock 2 go beyond simple NPC interaction , it forces the instrumentalist to connect with its elements , to see their aliveness . It ’s a powerful leap onward for interactive artwork . Rather then simply copy what movies do and trust the same emotional engagement will take place , BioShock 2 makes the pillow slip that video games can be art just as much as any other medium . It ’s not the first plot to make this case , but with it ’s story and gameplay all rivet on a united theme , it ’s sure the most convincing .
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