Current Events > Bioshock 2 was better than 1 (spoilers just to be safe)

(+) Yeah! (+)

Outside the context of a first playthrough, in any case.

Yeah. I said it. People babble on about the big twist but aside from the amazing setpiece of Rapture itself that's the game's big and only draw. 2's gameplay blows 1's out of the water, and a character-driven story holds up better on replays than a twist-driven story like 1's. Better endings, and Sinclaire is a bro.

Also, 1 fails as a deconstruction of the concept of freedom in narrative games because even after you supposedly reclaim your freedom, you're more on-rails than you've ever been.

That said, nothing in 2 can match Fort Frolic, sadly.

Never played Infinite, nor am I interested in it. Explorations of multiverses in media always just seems to boil down to "some things are the same but some things are different, isn't that weird?" and also there's just no consequences for anything in multiverse-driven narratives unless the writers asspull something, like they did with Burial at Sea.

I didn't like how 2 felt to play. It never really clicked with me. They took that part where you escort the thing and guard it while it collects EVE and made that a bigger part of the game. That part sucked in 1 and it didn't do 2 any favors.

And personally I felt like I was always low on fuel for the drill. but I don't go in on that as much because I'm assuming I was playing wrong. I was really disappointed with how 2's guy felt to play after Jack Bioshock in 1 felt so strong with only a wrench and a few tonics.

2 didn't have Atlas or Frank Fontaine calling you every 5 minutes either. It was just a bunch of people saying you were evil or untrustworthy or something.

Correct. Gameplay wise, 2 is objectively better in every way besides level design, where some BioShock 1 levels (like Fort Frolic) stand out.

Story wise, they were damned if they did and damned if they didnt. People went in expecting a twist, and if theyd had one, theyd have been criticized for being repetitive. They decided they couldnt top that twist and thus they did a more character / relationship focused story instead, and I think it was beautifully done. Plus Minervas Den is incredible.

agreed, I think 2 is by far the best one. It also has arguably one of the greatest dlcs ever made

PraetorXyn posted...

Plus Minervas Den is incredible.

I really really need to play Minerva's, I hear it's amazing but I've never played it.

i did enjoy 2 and i did not like 1

Metal_Gear_Raxis posted...

Never played Infinite, nor am I interested in it.

https://youtu.be/h2R8naHkjsY
Also, it's 10 years old already.

Wizard playthrough so fun I should replay bioshock 2 one day

Metal_Gear_Raxis posted...

I really really need to play Minerva's, I hear it's amazing but I've never played it.

I didnt play it until the remasters, and its amazing both in terms of gameplay and story.

I will confirm Infinite sucks. It would have been an OK game on its own, but its an awful BioShock game. Gameplay is super dumbed down COD / Halo inspired: two weapon limit, samey weapons, shield, many of the Vigors (which replace Plasmids) are samey, no ADAM equivalent: all weapon and Vigor upgrades are bought with money, all gear is RNG (though fortunately there is at least one area you can infinitely farm it to get all gear),

Story wise, it wants to think its way smarter than it actually is, and is a paradox IMO Id you have any kind of understanding of the many worlds theory.

The Burial at Sea DLCs are more fun to play through than the base game and the first one is way fucking harder on 1999 mode but they ruin the BioShock story with retcons to try and make Infinite a BioShock game.

Yeah 2 is the premier Bioshock in most ways. The only detriment is that the main story is so bland and generic but the DLC makes up for it in spades and is way better than Infinite's amateur fanfiction.

Fuck, I didn't expect to get so many people agreeing with me, lol.

You don't have to insult 1 to praise 2, that's unnecessary. Of course 2 is more fun to play with the improved gameplay mechanics, that's not exactly a gasp controversial opinion.

I liked how dumb the story was but I really liked the new big sister concept.

My fa price parts of 2 were the gathering events.

So many weapons and plasmids catered to it by setting up traps or calling in backup. It was amazing.

Metal_Gear_Raxis posted...

Fuck, I didn't expect to get so many people agreeing with me, lol.

I've only played the sequel a bit, but I saw the sentiment quite a bit.

And personally, I did like the Little Sister mechanic.

Metal_Gear_Raxis posted...

Fuck, I didn't expect to get so many people agreeing with me, lol.

Casuals consider 2 the worst because it doesnt have the twist, it was buggier, and Infinite has the prettiest graphics.

When you replay the first couple games a time or two you learn 2 is the best.

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Me too. Infinite was trash, 2 is a fantastic game.

I've only played 2 since my brother had a copy I borrowed.

It's not bad, but I wished I played 1 first.

I also was more friendly to NPCs at the time. I remember that lady who expect me to kill her and decided to make her eat her words by taking the key and leaving.

The characters and story in 2 were terrible but the gameplay was a vast improvement over the first game.

ViewtifulJoe posted...

I didn't like how 2 felt to play. It never really clicked with me. They took that part where you escort the thing and guard it while it collects EVE and made that a bigger part of the game. That part sucked in 1 and it didn't do 2 any favors.

And personally I felt like I was always low on fuel for the drill. but I don't go in on that as much because I'm assuming I was playing wrong. I was really disappointed with how 2's guy felt to play after Jack Bioshock in 1 felt so strong with only a wrench and a few tonics.

2 didn't have Atlas or Frank Fontaine calling you every 5 minutes either. It was just a bunch of people saying you were evil or untrustworthy or something.

Delta is much stronger than Jack with melee.

You just need the right tonics and plasmids, and then you are a god even on the highest difficulty.

All the melee boosting tonics, fountain of youth, vampire drill, drill specialist, natural camoflage with stealth tonics, freezing drill, insect swarm 3, security command 3, etc, and you never run out of eve while spamming bees and bots all day.

Delta is by far the strongest Bioshock protagonist. Jack still needs to rely on shotguns for big daddies. Delta never needs anything else but his drill and plasmids.

B18Champ posted...

The characters and story in 2 were terrible but the gameplay was a vast improvement over the first game.

Always been my opinion since playing 2. I even liked the multiplayer, but the story just wasn't up to snuff with 1.

The story does one of those mistakes you used to see a lot on TV shows. They add new characters and act like they were major players but somehow you never heard of them in the first game.

It was a cash in game from the publisher that people liked anyway because BioShock gameplay is just fun.

Did people actually think Inifinite was good?

Infinite is best because Elizabeth is a babe

I love 2, but upon replaying both I did like 1 overall more. 1 felt like an actual horror game at times and had a tone that matched. I also felt like the levels in 1 edge out 2, but only a little.

2 is still much better to actually play. I just wish, from the get-go, we felt like a Big Daddy in combat when it mattered. You don't really become OP until toward the end - you actually start off weaker than Jack despite being, well, a Big Daddy (a prototype, but still).

I quite enjoyed the fact you got warnings when the big sisters were approaching.

I could hunker down, set up traps, help (eg shooting drones), etc and wait for the battle to begin, it was a lot of fun

Just_a_loser posted...

Delta is much stronger than Jack with melee.

You just need the right tonics and plasmids, and then you are a god even on the highest difficulty.

Which is saying something because the wrench was really good in 'Shock 1 lol

FridgeBeard posted...

I love 2, but upon replaying both I did like 1 overall more. 1 felt like an actual horror game at times and had a tone that matched. I also felt like the levels in 1 edge out 2, but only a little.

2 is still much better to actually play. I just wish, from the get-go, we felt like a Big Daddy in combat when it mattered. You don't really become OP until toward the end - you actually start off weaker than Jack despite being, well, a Big Daddy (a prototype, but still).

Alpha Series are pretty weak though. When they start showing up as enemies, a Spear Gun headshot kills them. Definitely not the case for real Big Daddies.

2 plays the best of the 3 games, Minerva's Den is really good, but 2 itself feels like just another Bioshock without the atmosphere, also the atom harvesting takes a while and feels like padding the game length...still a good game though...

Turtlemayor333 posted...

The story does one of those mistakes you used to see a lot on TV shows. They add new characters and act like they were major players but somehow you never heard of them in the first game.

They did a passable job handwaving why you never heard about Sophia in Bioshock 1. Sinclair and Alexander actually get namedropped in one of Suchong's audio diaries, though: https://bioshock.fandom.com/wiki/The_Vita_Chamber

Infinite is decent on its own but it was a bait & switch if you watch earlier trailers.

I thought Infinite was trash the first and only time I played it. 2 is good, but the atmosphere and characters of the original will always make it my favorite by a mile.

St0rmFury posted...

Infinite is decent on its own but it was a bait & switch if you watch earlier trailers.

I would love to play the version of the game shown in the earlier trailers

PraetorXyn posted...

Casuals consider 2 the worst because it doesnt have the twist, it was buggier, and Infinite has the prettiest graphics.

When you replay the first couple games a time or two you learn 2 is the best.

Yeah, casuals loved Infinite because of the combination of the CoD corridor gameplay and story that's more about shocking plot twists that goes from one plot point to another completely forgetting about the previous ones than a coherent story. And fittingly, most of the casuals forgot and moved on to other ooo shiny games while Bio 2 can get remembered for its lasting gameplay enjoyment and Minerva's Den holding its own.

Playing through 'Shock 1 on Survivor difficulty, wow the intro was kinda rough, lol.

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Some things take time to get rightful revaluations, just look at how The Thing got ravaged by critics back in 1982. 2 > 1 > Infinite, and I maintain that Infinite is the gaming equivalent of the Dunning Kruger effect.

Facts. The game play is fantastic and improves everything from the first. Story is still really good and while not as good as the first the improved gameplay makes it better. And then there's the perfect dlc.

Loved 1, 2, and Infinite. Wish they didn't abandon the series to start a new company. Would love to have a 4th.