BIOSHOCK 2

While Part Two was expected, given the commercial hit of the original, many fans have been fearing the franchise’s transfer into just another series of mindless first person shooters, but this is definitely not the case.

In BioShock 2, you are a Big Daddy - but your Little Sister has been taken away, and you need to find out why. The new game opens up some previously unnoticed neighborhoods of Rapture, including its slum, Pauper’s Drop, and its red-light district, Siren Alley. BioShock 2 doesn’t feel as fresh - but it quickly develops its own momentum, building on Rapture’s mythology rather than just rehashing it.

There are many technological improvements as well. The primary difference is that your character be able to now simultaneously wield mutant powers, similar to Halo, like electricity or hypnosis, with more familiar weapons like shotguns and machine guns.

When a gang of splicers is bearing down on your Little Sister, it helps that you can fill them with lead and set them on fire at the same time. BioShock 2 doesn’t radically change the formula of its award-winning predecessor. Rather, it’s a skillfully executed, neatly paced sequel that left me looking forward to future adventures to Rapture.