BioShock 2 debuts on Feb. 9 and it’s looking like it will be one of the blockbuster video games of 2010. The mature-rated horror shooting game is building on a base of millions of BioShock fans eagerly awaiting the sequel.
The game could provide a much-needed boost for BioShock maker Take-Two Interactive, which is the subject of constant takeover rumors. Take-Two is focusing on high-quality games, but it desperately needs to prove it can create giant hits beyond the Grand Theft Auto series produced by its Rockstar Games division.
The original BioShock was one of my favorite games of 2007. It had buzz before its launch in August of that year, but the quality of the game surprised the critics. It had beautiful graphics, an engaging and original story with a big plot twist, and some haunting scenes that were akin to the very best of horror movies.
Check out the launch trailer for Bioshock 2. It brings back a lot of the same evil characters in the underwater utopia-gone-bad city of Rapture. There’s the cute but spooky Little Sister, who is threatened by some pretty scary critters. A Big Daddy comes to the Little Sister’s rescue, but then faces something new: a Big Sister. The trailer shows what sets BioShock apart from other games. The quality of the graphics is outstanding. The storytelling includes both lulls and shocks. You spend part of the time being fascinated with the destroyed utopian environment, but you’re also almost certain that something creepy is lurking around the corner. And the combat system is great, with the various options giving you many ways to deal with attacking creatures, from flamethrowers to electric shocks. There’s a ton of action. If you’re not shooting, you’re either absorbing the engrossing story or being scared of the hidden evils.
The game debuts on the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Please check out our GamesBeat@GDC conference on March 10 at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
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