"If we are patient with her...Rapture will come to us." Or maybe not this time
Story
You play as Big Daddy (subject Delta or Johnny Topside as later revealed) whos killed in 1958 (by Sofia Lamb). Ten years later you're alive, and now you are getting help by Sinclair, who tells you that you have to find Elanor, lambs daughter, and you cant be apart from her otherwise you will die. She uses her powers (taking control of little sisters) to leave you some useful items such as tonics, ammo etc.
Little sisters are now your allies, but only after you have defeated their previous big daddy. Again u can choose whether to harvest them (they die) or save them (are cured), which affects ending. Use little sister to drain Adam from corpses, at the same time when drain process has begun you have to defend the little ones from enemys.
Again you can hack various things like vending machines, turrets, cameras etc. Hacking them has been made easier compared to original. you need to stop needle at green area to succeed.
Story starts to fade away after a bit over half plot has been completed, and I listened about 95 percent of audio diaries. Bioshock 2 is quite linear, theres a train which serves like portal between levels. After completing level, you go all the way back to train station and leave, in next level you do the same. And game remains linear almost to the very end when Bioshock 2s only twist occurs.
Many questions remain. What the hell happened to Tenenbaum? shes there at the very beginning, and then thats it, and what about everyone else who you didnt kill, massive plot holes.
From stroy perspective Bioshock 2 isnt so memorable as the first installment of the series.
Graphics
From very bad ground textures, to washed out low res textures and to even extremely ugly material reflection, bioshock 2 isnt a game to stand and stare. then again, one of the bioshock 2s strongest sides are its top notch mimic animation and real time water. well, to be honest, overall, theres a very little visual upgrades compared to original if any.
Inconclusion visuals are outdated.
Gameplay
it dosent quite catch the feel of being big daddy, mainly because, do you remember how pathetic damage you did to big daddys with your wrench in the original while playing as jack? Now, this time tables have turned, right? not quite, your main enemys splicers do a significant amount of damage more using seemingly same wrench comapred to jack, hows that possible? are you big daddy or not?
And developers propably were lazy in this one too, cos how do you smoke cigarette, or drink and eat while wearing this clumsy enourmous helmet? i say, it totally takes away from overall expirence.
Theres even some cheap gameplay, when Big Sister comes to attack you (the most strongest enemy in the game), and you will concentrate only to her, why the hell developers decided to put a few more splicers against you, who so happens to shoot you from behind. not that i had problem deafiting them using my frag grenade but its irritating nevertheless.
Honestly when choosing weapon, plasmid, right ammo for the situation, this game needs option to pause action while choosing your loadout.
Summary
Your second visit in Rapture this time as Big Daddy is more linear and much less belivable. Inconclusion, Bioshock 2 is less memorable game. And considering Bioshock 3- it definetly cant be in Rapture anymore!