BioShock 2 Message Board older than one year ago

With the announcement of BioShock Infinite, you may be asking yourself, "Well, why did you bow out of doing Bioshock 2, Irrational Games, only to come back to the BioShock universe?" According to comments from IG head honcho Ken Levine during our recent interview, he "felt like we said what we wanted to say about Rapture." He went on to say, "that's one of the reasons BioShock 2 wasn't the right project for us and, as we agreed with the company, we didn't have the timeframe or the scale to make the product of the ambition we had."

The sequel, which was developed mainly at 2K Marin and launched earlier this year, was also brought up by Eurogamer during its interview with Levine, though it was more concerned with his thoughts on how the sequel came out. "I think it's a very talented team," he said of developer 2K Marin, "and I think it fulfilled the mission of completing the story of Rapture."

You probably already knew, considering the Bioshock 2 "Protector Trials" DLC is nowhere to be found on Games For Windows Live, but here it is in plain English anyway: it's been delayed. 2K Games' Elizabeth Tobey confirmed the delay in a post on the official 2K Games forums, citing that no date for the patch has been decided yet, but that we should all "stay tuned."

We've put in some questions to 2K about the delay and when exactly the company hopes to launch the DLC on Games For Windows Live. We'll let you know what we hear back.

"Minerva's Den" will be BioShock 2's final piece of downloadable content when it arrives on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this fall. 2K Games announced the single-player focused expansion will have you taking control of an "all-new character," who teams up with Dr. Tenenbaum (looks like the game didn't completely forget about her) to "unravel a dictator's stranglehold" on the Rapture Central Computing district.

Developed by 2K Marin, the expansion -- which has yet to receive a price -- will feature a "never-before-seen" type of Big Daddy, new plasmids and additional weaponry. Existing BioShock 2 DLC includes the multiplayer-focused "Metro Pack" and the "Protector's Trials" pack that surfaced earlier this week on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Last downloadable content arrives this fall.

#bioshock2 2K Games' BioShock 2 is getting a new single-player focused downloadable game add-on that will include new characters, story and abilities, the developer said today. More »

Push yourself to the limit.

Protector Trials, the new single-player DLC for BioShock 2, is now available for 400 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live or $5 on the Playstation Network. More »

Take the plunge one more time.

#dlc After two injections of multiplayer downloadable content, 2K Games finally makes with the single-player DLC for BioShock 2 this August, putting your defensive skills to the test in the Protector Trials. More »

Some of the most intense moments of BioShock 2 had the Proto-Daddy defending a Little Sister as she sucked precious ADAM from one of Rapture's many corpses. They were great fun, especially when integrated organically into the story. Never one to pass up exploiting something that's working well, 2K has announced that it'll turn those moments into "Protector Trials" DLC, six new single-player maps that are "based on favorite locales from BioShock 2" (so, new-ish?). In addition to the Little Sister-defending action, you'll get seven new Achievements or Trophies.

2K also claims another forthcoming add-on will "expand the narrative" of BioShock 2 -- but let's get the shooting monsters thing out of the way first. Protector Trials will be available on Xbox Live Marketplace (for 400 MS Points) and PlayStation Store (for $4.99) on August 3.

#deals Steam kicks off its massive "Perils of Summer" sale today, with daily sales, ridiculous discounts on game bundles, and slashed prices in every genre, all aimed at making sure you don't go to the beach and get eaten by sharks. More »

#bioshock The first BioShock game was developed by Irrational Games. The second? 2K Marin. Don't be surprised if the next game in the series goes somewhere else. More »

2K Marin may be too busy with XCOM.

There are plenty of ways to get to Rapture: You could survive a plane crash in the middle of an ocean; or be abducted by one of its citizens as a child. Heck, if you're a really good swimmer and can hold your breath for a long time, you probably have a decent shot. We're in favor of a safer, more practical alternative: Buy a copy of Bioshock 2.

We're also in favor of the most frugal alternative: Amazon's Deal of the Day. Bioshock 2 is half-off today from the online retailer, available for $30 on the Xbox 360 and PS3 -- and the PC version is even cheaper: $26.

Now, there's our idea of the perfect summer vacation: babysitting our little sister.

The expansive (and somewhat irreverent) "Metro Pack" DLC for the multiplayer portion of BioShock 2 will be available for the PC version of the game tomorrow. The pack includes six new maps, three new Achievements and a "Rebirth" feature which lets level 50 players restart their careers, and will be available on the Games for Windows Live Marketplace for 800 ($10). Players can also grab two new multiplayer characters for 160 ($2), and all players can grab the (sigh) golf clubs-only "Kill'Em Kindly" deathmatch mode for free.

Of course, this expansion caused a handful of game-crashing issues for folks who purchased it on 360 and PS3 two weeks ago. Not to worry -- a patch for the game is also set to go live tomorrow, which we hope will preempt these issues.

[Via Big Download]

Every once in a while, our very plane of existence will be split into two by a major decision affecting the course of history, creating what scientists refer to as a "parallel universe." Less frequently, a window will open up which lets us catch a quick glimpse into the world of what might have been. Irrational Games threw open just such a window yesterday by releasing the pitch document for BioShock, which was planned to be a very different monster from the game we all know and love. Specifically, a sea monster.

Some things in the document stayed true -- genetic modification was a major aspect of the pitch. Most of it ... well, let's just say we're glad things changed the way they did. We're not sure the story of Carlos Cuello, who must infiltrate a remote island run by cultists to rescue a wealthy heiress, would be quite so memorable. Also, those aforementioned genetic modifications give you traits of different sea creatures instead of regular ol' superpowers.

Also, there was supposed to be multiplayer. Multiplayer! In BioShock! Have you ever heard of anything so preposterous?

#pitch We knew BioShock's original story was quite a departure from the finished game - a "deprogrammer" infiltrates a bioengineered cult. Irrational Games still sold the title on that concept, and has now posted seven scans from the original 20-page pitch. More »

Joystiq has received numerous reports from BioShock 2 players who have been unable to play the new multiplayer maps since purchasing the Metro Pack DLC last week. Elizabeth Tobey, senior manager of interactive marketing for 2K, has responded to this issue on the 2K forums. It's not a glitch, but a design choice: 2K has not yet created a DLC-only online multiplayer playlist.

Said Tobey, "We couldn't assume all players would purchase the new maps, so we made a design decision to unify the player base and make sure no one got split up." In order to play a new map in a public match, explained Tobey, all players in the match must own the DLC (obviously). If anyone doesn't have the DLC, the match automatically reverts to base maps. Tobey noted that the easiest way to play the new maps would be to set up a private match and indicated in a separate thread that the development team is considering the creation of a playlist exclusively for the Metro Pack maps.

In the same thread, Tobey addressed another complaint about the new DLC involving the included Rebirth option, which lets rank 50 players reset their level in exchange for a special mask item. The feature is apparently wiping players' leaderboard ranking and online stats. Tobey assured that the BioShock 2 team is "looking into" the Rebirth issue.

[Via Eurogamer]

Source - 2K Forums
Source - 2K Forums

#dlc BioShock 2's "Rapture Metro" pack of downloadable content, abruptly delayed from its original release two weeks ago, was rescheduled just as abruptly today. 2K Games today said the DLC rolls out tomorrow. More »

2K has announced that the erroneously dated BioShock 2 Metro Pack DLC now has an actual release date: Tuesday, May 11. The Metro Pack adds six maps to the multiplayer mode and will be available on PSN and Xbox Live for $10. 2K is also releasing some additional DLC alongside the Metro Pack. First up is a $2 character pack, which adds two new characters to multiplayer. In addition, players can also grab the free download for "Kill'Em'Kindly," a new multiplayer mode that has players "fight to the death with golf clubs."

That disturbing, guttural sound you just heard was the collective "ugh" of everyone who has ever played the original BioShock.

Hello there! I’m Jordan Thomas, creative director of BioShock 2, returning with another PlayStation.Blog post to offer a few thoughts about the Rapture Metro downloadable content pack and the free Kill ‘em Kindly downloadable mode that we’re releasing simultaneously tomorrow, May 11th, 2010.

So, both of these DLC offerings are multiplayer-focused. The Rapture Metro Pack contains a rank increase to 50 and, when you reach it, you’ll win the opportunity to begin anew with Rebirth mode. This resets you to Rank 1 with a Golden Bunny Mask, and a prestigious indicator next to your name to taunt lesser organisms. But wait — there’s more!

If you make it all the way to 50 again, you secure the coveted Golden Bucket, which basically tells the world that you’re so damn good you don’t have to care.

More meatily, the Rapture Metro Pack contains six new playable locations from Rapture’s history, many of them offering a distinctly different tactical focus than the original set we shipped with in BioShock 2. Design lessons from the live release of the shipping maps have been taken heavily into account with these babies.

Let me give you the nickel tour:

Pauper’s Drop: The Hooverville-like shanty which sprang up during the construction of the Atlantic Express. With long sightlines and open courtyards at the center, the Drop opens up opportunities for honest-to-gosh sniping in a way that our release maps weren’t as focused around.

Dionysus Park: The single best example of the gleaming, Utopia-in-peril setting of the BioShock Multiplayer experience, Dionysus Park is an art gallery owned by Sofia Lamb. It appeared in the BioShock 2 single player component as a filth-encrusted, recently flooded garden of goop. But here in 1959, all that pain and decay have been peeled away, and it can be enjoyed in its original, golden splendor. Territory and security control feature prominently in the park’s tactical terrain.

Fontaine Fisheries: A key location from the original BioShock, the Fisheries were home to Fontaine and his gangland allies. It’s symmetrical in nature, with the icy freezers as the center of conflict. You’ll battle through dock areas, salt ponds, and more as you make shady new friends and then gut them like fish.

Fighting McDonagh’s: This is a zoomed-in, intimate look at one of the Fisheries’ most famous locations. The Fighting McDonagh’s tavern was the favored watering hole of the city’s underclass, who took the frustration of their broken utopian dreams out on each other in sponsored boxing matches. It’s dense and highly interconnected, serving up plenty of chances for a close-range ambush.

Smuggler’s Hideout: This cavernous, once-secret location was where Fontaine’s smuggling operation docked a private submarine and moved contraband into Rapture, daring Andrew Ryan to stop the people getting what they wanted. The bulk of it favors long range skirmishing, but it has a number of back routes and semi-secret tunnels to help you sneak up on snipers and ventilate ‘em.

Siren Alley: Shaped like a big, sexy donut, Siren Alley was the red-light district in Rapture. The looping path means it’s easy to find the action, and the footbridges and overlooks allow you to snipe from higher ground. Shortcuts through the interior flophouses give you a chance to bushwhack someone whether they take the high road or the low.

The Rapture Metro Pack also challenges you to earn three new Trophies, because hey — you’re going to want something to show Rapture who’s top dog.

Finally, let’s talk about the free Kill ‘em Kindly mode. This melee-only game is all about stalking the dripping halls with a golf club and looking for prey — and then bludgeoning all & sundry to death. You might also offer a pithy quip of some kind, espousing your personal philosophy to the sub-human lump of gristle who had the temerity to face you on the field of battle. It’s entirely up to you.

It’s kind of a playable in-joke for BioShock fans. I probably don’t need to explain why.

Did I mention that it’s free? Have fun!

Two additional DLC packs coming as well.

Are you sick and tired of all the freezing and crashing going on while you're freezing and smashing opponents in BioShock 2 multiplayer? We can't say that we blame you. Fortunately, 2K is rolling out patches for the all three -- Xbox 360, PS3 and PC -- versions of the game that should alleviate connectivity issues, as well as a few other miscellaneous snafus. The patches are currently "in the final stages of testing," meaning we should be seeing them fairly soon. Click past the jump to see the full list of changes for each platform.

[Via CVG]

Speaking with the[a]listdaily, 2K Games' Matt Gorman and Tom Bass discussed the marketing strategy behind BioShock 2. With BioShock being one of the best games of 2007, Bass saw its legacy as both "a blessing and a curse" for the sequel. The challenge was twofold, according to Bass, who said that 2K had to sell the game to fans who "weren't convinced that they needed a sequel" and also to newcomers who might not have been familiar with the original.

At the same time, BioShock 2 was given much more attention from retailers thanks to the success of its predecessor. "With the second one, retail was super stoked for it and just the level of presence we were given was amazing," said Gorman, adding that the community built around original helped to "evangelize" the sequel. Finally, Gorman said that the team was happy with the reception of BioShock 2, noting, "There were few times you could turn around and not see BioShock 2 during February."

2K Games is currently holding a contest to see who can capture the "craziest" occurrences while playing BioShock 2. Mind you, the contest's definition of "crazy" isn't referring to that time you found a hilarious bug, or that time you got a 20-kill streak while playing online. Rather, the contest is looking for "I froze a Big Daddy, levitated him into the air, stuck a rocket on him, and sent him flying into a group of unaware Splicers." For a hint as to what your entries should look like, watch the video posted after the jump.

The prize for the craziest video is a crisp, presumably novelty-sized check for $5,000, as well as a life-sized Big Daddy suit. Yes, the suit from this video. Yes, it's probably covered in the blood of 2K Marin's programmers. No, they probably won't clean that off for you.

Want to see what won't be available this week in BioShock 2? 2K's new trailer for the downloadable Rapture Metro Pack, due sometime in the indefinite future, gives us an idea of what the new content will be like whenever it deigns to make an appearance.

All six new multiplayer maps are highlighted in this trailer in gameplay footage -- hectic, hyper-violent gameplay footage depicting BioShock 2 multiplayer sessions. In fact, 2K seems intent upon filling every moment of this trailer with brutality, even to the point of showing someone blowing himself up by accident. Way to sell that content!

Without any indication of a release date, we'll just play it safe and say that you'll be able to get your hands on these new maps sometime this year.

#2kmarin The Rapture Metro pack, previously scheduled to arrive this week for BioShock 2 fans hungry for more of the multiplayer action they so desperately crave, will miss its stop. 2K Games has pressed pause on the downloadable map pack's release. More »

Click to make so much bigger Boy, oh boy, is there egg all over your face. You all actually bought into last week's Xbox Live Newsbeat, which announced a new chunk of BioShock 2 DLC to be released April 29? Don't you recognize a goof when you see one? Allow us to educate you: That was totally a goof. A joke! A sham! Some good old-fashioned monkeyshines.

A 2K representative recently sent out a clarification, explaining that the Rapture Metro Pack won't arrive this week -- however, he didn't specify as to when the new content will actually arrive. Fortunately, he also sent along two screenshots from the DLC pack, which are posted in the gallery below. But what if these are also goofs? Man, we just don't know who to trust anymore.

Six new maps, new achievements and trophies included.

Six new maps, new achievements and trophies included.