BioShock 2
A first-person shooter set in Rapture eight years after BioShock.
BioShock 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Marin and published by 2K Games. It was released worldwide for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360 on February 9, 2010, with an OS X version released by Feral Interactive on March 30, 2012. The game takes place in the dystopian underwater city of Rapture, eight years after the events of BioShock, and follows the armored protagonist Subject Delta as he fights through the city's psychotic spliced population using weapons and genetic modifications. It includes a story-driven multiplayer mode set during Rapture's civil war before the first game.
- Developer
- 2K Marin (co-developed by 2K Australia, with support from Arkane Studios, 2K China, and Digital Extremes for multiplayer)
- Publisher
- 2K Games
- Release date
- February 9, 2010 (PS3, Windows, Xbox 360); March 30, 2012 (OS X)
- Genre
- First-person shooter
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360, OS X; later remastered for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Sales
- More than 3 million copies
Lore & Background
BioShock 2 was developed after the success of BioShock, with 2K Games forming a new studio, 2K Marin, to create the sequel. The developers focused on improving gameplay elements from the first game and returning to the Rapture setting to explore a new perspective of the city. The story received major changes throughout development. Garry Schyman, who composed BioShock's soundtrack, returned for the sequel, expanding the game's sonic palette to include more blues and religious music to parallel its themes.
Reader's Guide
BioShock 2 received positive reviews, with praise directed at its narrative, themes, art style, characters, endings, and gameplay. Criticisms included a slow start and failure to distinguish itself from its predecessor. Retrospective reviews have been more positive, with some considering it the best in the series. The multiplayer mode was supported with downloadable content, and a single-player campaign expansion, Minerva's Den, released in August 2010. The game sold more than 3 million copies but did not meet the publisher's sales expectations. A remastered version titled BioShock 2 Remastered was released as part of BioShock: The Collection for PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The game's significance lies in its expansion of the BioShock universe, offering a new perspective on Rapture and refining the gameplay mechanics of its predecessor, while its legacy includes being regarded by some as the best in the series.
Did You Know?
- The game's story-driven multiplayer mode, Fall of Rapture, takes place during the 1959–1960 civil war, before the events of BioShock.
- The player can adopt Little Sisters and protect them while they gather ADAM from corpses, or harvest them outright.
- The hacking minigame was changed from a Pipe Mania–style puzzle in BioShock to a shorter timing puzzle in BioShock 2.
More in Characters
Elsewhere in BioShock
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