BioShock 2: Multiplayer Mutation

BioShock 2: Multiplayer Mutation

In multiplayer matches, you can become the classic 'Rosie' Big Daddy by finding a randomly placed power-up. You gain thick armor and the powerful rivet gun, but the remaining Splicers will band together to bring you down.

Great Balls of Fire

BioShock 2's multiplayer mode shares the same control scheme as its single player counterpart, complete with a new dedicated melee button that will please veterans of Halo and Call of Duty 4.

Though streamlined to accommodate fast-paced shootouts, the online play captures much of the color of the original BioShock thanks to a host of familiar details. The Circus of Values vending machines will restock your ammo and Eve, robotic machinegun and rocket turrets protect select hotspots, and enemies can hack any of the former to turn them against you.

You can even become a Big Daddy by finding a randomly placed power-up in the level, which transforms you into a lumbering hulk with limited mobility but overwhelming strength and resilience. Certain details have been simplified in the name of fluid online play: your health bar slowly replenishes, the hacking mini-game is now a simple button hold, and you're limited to carrying two weapons and two Plasmids at a time.

Despite the gameplay tweaking, I was genuinely impressed by how much BioShock 2's multiplayer mode is already capturing the look and spirit of the original game. More surprising is that it seems to be doing so quite comfortably within the confines of a fast-paced multiplayer shooter.

BioShock 2's multiplayer mode is no mere hack job - say, an Unreal Tournament mod with some Plasmids crudely bolted on. Instead, it's a wholly original beast with a level of character customization that is seldom seen in the online shooter realm. What sets it over the top are its Plasmids, which interact with the traditional weapons in satisfying ways that will differ from player to player.

With a little forethought, you can plan some devastating one-two punch combinations: an early favorite was freezing or electrocuting an enemy, then swapping to the shotgun to land the fatal blow. In a nod to Call of Duty 4's much-loved Perks, your three Tonic slots allow for further RPG-style specialization.

Long-term character development is a key focus, so as you compete in online matches and complete combat challenges, you'll unlock more powerful Plasmids, weapons, and other rewards. The goodies will be doled out over 20 ranks, though senior producer Melissa Miller adds, "we never want players to feel that it's the end." And as for post-release downloadable content? "DLC is very important to consumers," Miller offers. "We understand that it's important."

BioShock 2: Multiplayer Mutation

Competitive mode is shaping up to be a pleasant surprise - it's fast-paced, highly customizeable, and true to BioShock's uniquely warped vision.

Wet Dream?

In a colorful touch, BioShock 2's multiplayer combatants aren't the typical faceless soldiers found in other online shooters. Instead, you'll play as a superhuman Splicer. Once proud citizens of Rapture, the Splicers have turned to Adam as a way to protect their families from the growing civil war.

But Adam's corrosive effects have warped their bodies and their minds, transforming the Splicers into pitiful husks of humanity. It's just one more way that BioShock 2's multiplayer experience extends the themes and story of the single-player game while creating a unique and compelling universe of its own.

Like a Big Daddy and a Little Sister working together, BioShock 2's multiplayer and singleplayer modes form a strong, cohesive bond with each enriching the experiences of the other. No matter which mode you play first, you'll learn vastly more about the all-encompassing world that is BioShock 2. Between the multiple play modes and the parallel timelines, BioShock veterans can expect to learn dark new secrets about Andrew Ryan, Atlas, Dr. Tennenbaum, the Big Sister, and the scariest character of all - you. Rapture beckons. Will you answer the call? The bathysphere departs this fall.

BioShock 2: Multiplayer Mutation

Between matches, you can visit your apartment to customize your character's appearance, fiddle with weapon loadouts, and hear updates from your sponsors at Sinclair Solutions.

Comments [21]

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q_businessman

Dang, this game keeps looking better and better. I hope they stay true to the first game and include the things that made Bioshock so dang awesome. It looks like they're doing a pretty good job though.

maranda

mesmerizing, tantalizing, captivating and devastating... and what about the objective review about The Conduit????

Giant Clank

The multiplayer looks nice, but I would sooner ask for NO multiplayer and an awesome single player from bioshock.

TRUPREDATOR

i cant wait for this to release.its gonna give gears2 a run for its money.im sure it will become my favorite online game.

Swarley92

So no splitscreen? It is still looks pretty awesome, but splitscreen would make this a godly game.

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