BioShock 2. Multiplayer - Review.

Hey guys Ciaran here with another gaming review. This time its for BioShock 2. Not the story mode I'll get to that later, I haven't finished it yet and I really want to get the most out of BioShock 2's multiplayer when indeed it does go the way of the dinosaur. I want to buy this game soooo bad I just don't have the money so all my experience with the games multiplayer has come from two overnight rentals.

BioShock 2 features a story driven multiplayer mode. You are a citizen of Rapture sponsored by a weapons manufactures company named Sinclair Solutions. This, set in 1959 precedes the events of the first BioShock. You are a splicer fighting in Rapture's civil war. Plasmids, tonics and guns are all near to aid you in your quest to eliminate the parasite.

As you rank up through the games 40 ranks (50 now with DLC) you unlock new weapons, plasmids, tonics, upgrades and trials. In addition to the story being told. How the game plays is fun and addictive and does it make you work for your kill. Players take a ton of damage but they never feel like juggernauts, to aid you in killing them a quick combo of plasmid and bullet usually does the trick.

If you've played the first BioShock the multiplayer plays a lot like that but with some minor tweaks to make it more fluid. Weapons reload better as well as aiming and shooting not seeming so clunky. It all mixes together to make a very enjoyably experience. Your arsenal contains guns like the machine gun, pistol, chemical thrower, cross bow and more plus you can hack and sabotage gadgets like turrets and vending machines to crush your opponents.

You can also choose between 6 characters to be their in-game avatar. The characters are: a welder named Jacob Norris, a housewife named Barbara Johnson, a football star named Danny Wilkins, a businessman named Buck Raleigh, a pilot named Naledi Atkins, and an Indian mystic named Suresh Sheti. This won't change how the game plays but it is hella funny to hear a southern gentleman crack a one liner. There is also some customization in what melee weapon you hold and mask you wear, all cosmetic.

Plasmid combos are also a ton of fun. Mixing a geezer trap with an electro-bolt shot from your hand to upon activation send and enemy shooting through the roof is great for laughs. All your old and favourite plasmids are all available for use e.g: winter blast...umm that one that sets people on fire.....etc.

Not going into to much detail of the multiplayer modes because there all pretty much the classic stand outs that you know and love with different names and a few minor variations.
The list of multiplayer modes is below :)

• Survival of the Fittest: A 'free-for-all' mode where each player gets points for killing each of the other players. Whichever player has the most kills or 20 kills at the end of the match wins.
• Civil War: Similar to 'Survival of the Fittest,' but in this mode players are divided into two teams and the team with the most collective kills at the end of the match wins.
• Last Splicer Standing: A variation of 'Civil War' in which players do not respawn after being killed. Each match consists of several rounds in which players attempt to outlive the players on the enemy team.
• Capture the Sister: A 'Capture the Flag' style mode where players are divided into two teams. One team has to protect a Little Sister while the other team tries to steal her and place her in a vent on the other side of the map. The team protecting the little sister will have a randomly chosen player be a Big Daddy. After a pre-determined amount of time, the teams switch roles. Whichever team has the most captures at the end of the match wins.
• ADAM Grab: In this mode there is one Little Sister on the map and the player must seek her out and maintain possession of her as long as possible. The first person to hold onto the Little Sister for 3 minutes wins.
• Team ADAM Grab: A variant of 'ADAM Grab' where players are divided into two teams. The objective is the same, but victory is determined by a collective score rather than individual scores, and the first team to hold the little sister for 5 minutes wins.
• Turf War: Players are split into two teams and each team must reach pre-determined points on the map to capture that point. The team with the most control points over the longest time wins.

.....and thats about it. Really the only thing I haven't hit on is......the BIG DADDY. Meh nothing that amazing, just a giant metal powerhouse capable of completely destroying a team multiple times over. You can stomp on people, shoot your incredibly powerful rivet gun and throw awesome exploding proximity mines. Extremely fun to use and I can even figure out if its over powered.....I actually don't think so, if 2 - 3 people take it on at once it won't last very long because they don't re-gen.

In conclusion I seriously can not wait until I get my own copy of this game and you will definitely see me playing a lot of it. Its a really fun and addictive multiplayer experience and a welcomed break from Modern Warfare 2.
Gameplay: 9.5 - Going on a team crushing 1 v 5 tear in a Big Daddy suit is orgasmic.
Graphics: 8.0 - Graphics do take a slight hit to keep the game running fast.
Sound: 9.0 - Comedic voice acting and lumbering footsteps on wooden floors sounds great.
Worth: 9.0 - I could see myself putting a lot of hours into it. At least to 30+.
Overall: 9.0 - All and all its a great multiplayer. Definitely doesn't not feel tacked on.