BioShock 1 or 2?

[Mercurius507]

what did you think of BioShock 2's storyline in comparison to the first? Nobody I know really has a passion for gaming stories and fewer still understand the underlying themes and intricacies of BioShock's Ayn Rand inspired philosophy. I can't help but feel that BioShock 2 was slightly contrived; while it was a generally great game I felt Sofia Lamb was too... talkative. There was no mystery about her and after you've finished the first level you've heard almost everything she has to say in the game, every other time she speaks she just repeats the same speech over and over with different wording. There was also no emotional connection with Elanor and Delta, you only pursued her because the game dictated you must. (game dictation being something BioShock 1 made you extensively question) Anyway I just wanted to know what other opinions there were regarding this.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Gameplay: Tweaked to near perfection

Story: Well...i's not shit, but its a totally unnecessary sequel. And nowhere near as good as the original.

 

[Cherry Cola]

Bioshock 2 doesn't really hold a candle to the first game.

While Bioshock 2 had a more advanced plot that was arguably better, Bioshock had much better pacing. And who can forget Andrew Ryan's impressive speech?

 

[Kollega]

"Slightly contrived" is an understatement. The gameplay of first part may not be polished, but it's far better story-wise. The second part is just tacked on for no real reason other than money-grabbing.

 

[Cynical skeptic]

Bioshock "2" should have been a prequel where you play as andrew ryan beating parasites to death with a 5-iron.

Wouldn't have had to change the gameplay much, as the wrench was the strongest weapon in bioshock.

Bioshock 2 did nothing but dilute the story of bioshock. The gameplay can't really be commented upon, as its still a system shock clone.

 

[DividedUnity]

Bioshock 1 was pretty much a complete game that was ready to die happy as it had lived a good life. Then bioshock 2 came along and dug up its grave. That game was horrible and it had tainted the fond memories of the first franchise I had.

The story was boring to say the least and sofia lamb was just annoying. I like the new enemies and the hacking system. Hes also all so attached to his litle sister elenor but not to the numerous others he picks up going through the game.

Also the whole big sisters thing was shit too. If you take the good route by killing big daddies and saving little sisters but you stillget attacking.

inb4 isnt that what yahtzee said

 

[Flamezdudes]

Basically, combat was better in the second but Bioshock 1's story was better, but that doesn't make Bioshock 2's story bad.

 

[FinalDream]

There are some nice scenes in Bioshock 2 such as

Spoiler

The father searching for his daughter who has become a little sister. Then you randomly encounter a big daddy later in the game and he is carrying an audio log. That audio log is sophia lamb convincing the father to become a big daddy!

 

[jamesworkshop]

I found bioshock 2 to be almost the opposite of the first, the story got better towards the end and was more about the player character than the first which was more of a tale about Rapture rather than Jack, Bio 2 was more of an emotional tale rather than an intellectual one.
Andrew ryan was a good man that couldn't live up to his own ideals whereas Sophia lamb ideals were just twisted.

 

[SniperWolf427]

I found bioshock 2 to be almost the opposite of the first, the story got better towards the end and was more about the player character than the first which was more of a tale about Rapture rather than Jack, Bio 2 was more of an emotional tale rather than an intellectual one.
Andrew ryan was a good man that couldn't live up to his own ideals whereas Sophia lamb ideals were just twisted.

I think you got yours backwards there mate. Exactly how the hell do you sympathize with a tin can? You learn absolutely nothing about Delta, aside from a few snippets of the possibility that he's a man called "Johnny Topside". The story in Bioshock 2 focused much more on all of the other characters rather than the player himself.

In Bioshock 1, you find out you've been brainwashed since birth, your mother is a dead prostitute, and your father is a bat-shit crazy communistic dictator. I'd say Bioshock 1 was much more personal.

OT: The original Bioshock will always be a masterpiece and the second will always only be decent.

 

[jamesworkshop]

I found bioshock 2 to be almost the opposite of the first, the story got better towards the end and was more about the player character than the first which was more of a tale about Rapture rather than Jack, Bio 2 was more of an emotional tale rather than an intellectual one.
Andrew ryan was a good man that couldn't live up to his own ideals whereas Sophia lamb ideals were just twisted.

I think you got yours backwards there mate. Exactly how the hell do you sympathize with a tin can? You learn absolutely nothing about Delta, aside from a few snippets of the possibility that he's a man called "Johnny Topside". The story in Bioshock 2 focused much more on all of the other characters rather than the player himself.

In Bioshock 1, you find out you've been brainwashed since birth, your mother is a dead prostitute, and your father is a bat-shit crazy communistic dictator. I'd say Bioshock 1 was much more personal.

OT: The original Bioshock will always be a masterpiece and the second will always only be decent.

Bioshocks tale was almost entirly about ryan and fontaine, Rapture itself was the main focus of the story, Jack really might as well not even been there (Jack was a plot element not a character)

His story was possibly sadder but I never engaged with it nor ever felt sorry for him he had no emotions and was quite literaly a robot for 2/3 of the story.

Bioshock 2 was more personal because I felt a conection to Elanor and how parents influence their children through that conection, Jack might have been a product of rapture but he was always an outsider and his actions didn't really effect anyone bar the little sisters but as a collective of identical looking character with no personallity they were not emotionaly engaging.
Realsing that how much of a monster you were (if you took that path) has now corrupted another was far more powerfull than anything bioshock did.