Arkane Studios Joins BioShock 2 Team

[Andy Chalk]

Arkane Studios Joins BioShock 2 Team

BioShock 2 [http://www.take2games.com/] development group, but are all these cooks bad for Rapture's soup?

Take-Two announced Arkane's participation today, bringing the total number of studios working on BioShock 2 to four. Dark Sector [http://www.2kmarin.com/], is handling the development of the multiplayer component.

"Today I'm proud to say that we've added another important developer to the [BioShock 2] mix," said producer Alyssa Finley. "Under the direction and leadership of 2K Marin, Arkane is assisting in the creation of levels that embody the aesthetic and gameplay ideals that make BioShock such a unique and exciting experience."

Founded in Lyons, France, in 1999, Arkane debuted with the Arx Fatalis [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search?search=Ultima%20Underworld%3A%20The%20Stygian%20Abyss] and then released the fantasy action game Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. While neither game was a major hit, they were both very well executed and demonstrated a flair for strong, engaging level design. On its website, Arkane said, "We're excited about this game, which underscores Arkane Studios' core values."

I'm a fan of Arkane but I have to admit I'm not necessarily a fan of its addition to the BioShock crew. BioShock 2 is scheduled for release in less than four months and bringing in a whole new team at this stage to "assist" in level creation has a vague whiff of desperate rushing to it. Take-Two is no doubt anxious to catch the Christmas season but as a gamer, I'd far rather see the game delayed than pushed out the door before it's ready.

Source: GamesIndustry [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/take-two-brings-in-fourth-studio-for-bioshock-2]


Permalink

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Hmm, I wish that they would stop adding people like this. What's wrong with the original developers?

 

[captain awesome 12]

Just what is wrong with 2K Marin's own level design team?

 

[Hamster at Dawn]

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

 

[Hazy]

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

No doubt.

 

[bue519]

For every day that goes by, I get less and less excited for BioShock 2.

Sigh.... I feel the same way, well atleast the multiplayer will add some needed value to the game. I mean a well put together single player is great, but it doesn't really lend itself to multiple playthroughs.

 

[CaptainCalvin]

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

In some ways definitely, Sequels are generally always inferior to their predecessors in at least one way. But I still think it's way too early to say that. After all have YOU played the game?

I agree with the OP, it does seem suspicious that they're adding a new team so late.

I for one am still excited about the game. It's probably impossible for Bioshock 2 to completely recreate and augment the experience that first game created, so the best thing for them to do is probably to make an experience that actually feels quite different in many ways, while still having that "Bioshock" feel. And I think so far that is what 2K is accomplishing, so more power to them.

 

[Radeonx]

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

Its been obvious for quite some time.

 

[WrongSprite]

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

No doubt.

What the hell.

At least wait 'till it comes out.

 

[Hazy]

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

No doubt.

What the hell.

At least wait 'till it comes out.

Sorry, as a general rule of thumb, sequels usually suck.Of course, there are exceptions, but when a game as good as Bioshock is released.. then it's pretty hard to top.
I don't feel that the game will be a flop, it just probably won't be as good.

 

[Radeonx]

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

No doubt.

What the hell.

At least wait 'till it comes out.

Sorry, as a general rule of thumb, sequels usually suck.Of course, there are exceptions, but when a game as good as Bioshock is released.. then it's pretty hard to top.
I don't feel that the game will be a flop, it just probably won't be as good.

Especially when you mess with the original formula, which is what is happening by adding a bunch of developers.

 

[Hazy]

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

Bioshock > Bioshock 2
I think we all know this deep down.

No doubt.

What the hell.

At least wait 'till it comes out.

Sorry, as a general rule of thumb, sequels usually suck.Of course, there are exceptions, but when a game as good as Bioshock is released.. then it's pretty hard to top.
I don't feel that the game will be a flop, it just probably won't be as good.

Especially when you mess with the original formula, which is what is happening by adding a bunch of developers.

Agreed. I wish Ken Levine stayed.
That man is brilliant.

 

[Mausenheimmer]

Let's review the current formula for BioShock 2:

1. Continuing a story which didn't need continuing (what with the protagonist and both antagonists dead)
2. New people working on it
3. Gimmicky main character
4. More help being added in the last few months to meet a holiday deadline

So far, it's a recipe for disaster.

 

[CaptainCalvin]

Let's review the current formula for BioShock 2:

1. Continuing a story which didn't need continuing (what with the protagonist and both antagonists dead)-We only saw half of rapture, there's tons of interesting thinsg to see in regard to what happened to the splicers-
2. New people working on it -Half of the old team with a few new members that add unique and likely interesting touches-
3. Gimmicky main character -an interesting turn for FPS protagonists-
4. More help being added in the last few months to meet a holiday deadline -you're being fair with that one-

So far, it's a recipe for disaster. -call it what you like, either way it'll at least be interesting to see how it turns out-

I...EAT...YOUR...SENTENCES!!! I eat 'em up!!!

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Sorry, as a general rule of thumb, sequels usually suck.Of course, there are exceptions, but when a game as good as Bioshock is released.. then it's pretty hard to top.
I don't feel that the game will be a flop, it just probably won't be as good.

I enjoyed Bioshock as much as the next guy, but was far from being so good that it's hard to top. There were a lot of things about the game which could have been improved. Length definitely being one of them, with challenge in a close second.

 

[Hazy]

Sorry, as a general rule of thumb, sequels usually suck.Of course, there are exceptions, but when a game as good as Bioshock is released.. then it's pretty hard to top.
I don't feel that the game will be a flop, it just probably won't be as good.

I enjoyed Bioshock as much as the next guy, but was far from being so good that it's hard to top. There were a lot of things about the game which could have been improved. Length definitely being one of them, with challenge in a close second.

Challenge could be easily fixed with turning Vita-Chambers off, and upping the difficulty.
I just hope that the storyline matches up with BioShock, as the original had wonderful storytelling.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Sorry, as a general rule of thumb, sequels usually suck.Of course, there are exceptions, but when a game as good as Bioshock is released.. then it's pretty hard to top.
I don't feel that the game will be a flop, it just probably won't be as good.

I enjoyed Bioshock as much as the next guy, but was far from being so good that it's hard to top. There were a lot of things about the game which could have been improved. Length definitely being one of them, with challenge in a close second.

Challenge could be easily fixed with turning Vita-Chambers off, and upping the difficulty.
I just hope that the storyline matches up with BioShock, as the original had wonderful storytelling.

I'm not saying it'd be hard to fix the problems, I'm just saying the problems are there. Yeah sure, "Turn off the Vitachambers and up the difficulty". Sounds simple on paper, but then you realize that you can't do either of them in the game. The game let's you think that you can turn-up the difficulty, but don't let it fool you. Setting the game to "Hard" is just a placebo in Bioshock, it doesn't actually change the gameplay at all.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

I was originally excited about Bioshock 2, then I found out the premise. I was less excited, but then I thought: "Oh well, I'm sure it'll still be pretty good, I mean It's still Bioshock." Then I found out that they created the "Big Sister" to amp up the difficulty, and while it was a fairly stupid idea, I still went with it, assuming that they'd pull it off. Then they started working on multiplayer, which Bioshock didn't need in the first place. Now I find out they have yet another team designing levels to rush the game out by christmas. Bioshock 2 now falls squarely in my "meh" category for this year.

 

[Hazy]

Sorry, as a general rule of thumb, sequels usually suck.Of course, there are exceptions, but when a game as good as Bioshock is released.. then it's pretty hard to top.
I don't feel that the game will be a flop, it just probably won't be as good.

I enjoyed Bioshock as much as the next guy, but was far from being so good that it's hard to top. There were a lot of things about the game which could have been improved. Length definitely being one of them, with challenge in a close second.

Challenge could be easily fixed with turning Vita-Chambers off, and upping the difficulty.
I just hope that the storyline matches up with BioShock, as the original had wonderful storytelling.

I'm not saying it'd be hard to fix the problems, I'm just saying the problems are there. Yeah sure, "Turn off the Vitachambers and up the difficulty". Sounds simple on paper, but then you realize that you can't do either of them in the game. The game let's you think that you can turn-up the difficulty, but don't let it fool you. Setting the game to "Hard" is just a placebo in Bioshock, it doesn't actually change the gameplay at all.

I personally didn't mind the difficulty, as easy as it may be. I saw it as being much more accessible to gamers with a lowered skill level.