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'Minerva's Den' BioShock 2 DLC Preview: Stomping around as Sigma
Minerva's Den is the final piece of BioShock 2 DLC you'll ever get. Taking place in parallel to the main story of the game, this $9.99/800 MS Point add-on puts players in the huge, metallic boots of Subject Sigma, another Alpha-series Big Daddy who just isn't having a great day in the underwater metropolis of Rapture. Instead of dealing with Sophia Lamb, Sigma has his own nemesis to contend with: Reed Wahl. You see, Reed Wahl holds the keys to the kingdom of Minerva's Den, which itself houses one of Rapture's greatest assets: The Thinker. It's a gigantic super computer unlike any other controlling the Rapture Central Computing district. Aiding Sigma is a character you may have forgotten about, because she kinda just disappeared at the beginning of the game: Brigid Tennenbaum. %Gallery-100380%
2K Marin on the cross-oceanic development of XCOM
Speaking to Gamasutra, 2K Marin's Jonathan Pelling discussed the state of development on the upcoming reboot of XCOM. The game has already raised something of a fuss with longtime fans, as the new game eschews the turn based strategy in favor of first-person shooting. Still, Pelling insists that the new XCOM will retain the "feeling" of the series and that it includes plenty of strategic elements. We've heard all of this before, of course, but Pelling did reveal the interesting fact that each of 2K Marin's teams -- one in Australia, the other in California -- is focused on a different section of the game. According to Pelling, the California team is "dedicated to leading the design side of the field operations -- the FPS combat and stuff," while the Australian team is focused on the story and campaign. He added that the studio is making sure neither team diverges from the other. Still, Pelling noted that the game has "a very strong concept behind it and so it's really just a matter, at this point, of executing."
Ken Levine: Why Irrational didn't do BioShock 2; What he thought of it
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."
Single-player BioShock 2 add-on 'Minerva's Den' coming this fall
"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.
BioShock 2 single-player 'Protector Trials' DLC due in August
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.
Preview: XCOM
Many longtime gamers, including me, were disappointed by the news that the new XCOM is a first-person shooter. Having witnessed a hands-off demo of the game at E3, I can tell you two things. One, it's definitely a first-person shooter. Guns, grenades, sprinting; you know the drill. Two, the game actually has much more in common with the original X-COM games than you may think. %Gallery-95379%
Debut XCOM trailer is an inky black treat
At last, 2K Games has unleashed the debut trailer for 2K Marin's upcoming FPS relaunch of the XCOM franchise. Though the suburban, 1950s aesthetic smacks familiar of the underwater metropolis of BioShock, the extraterrestrial enemies you'll be tasked with eradicating look like no aliens you've ever had to fight off before. Okay, maybe if you're Spider-Man, you'll find yourself on familiar ground. Everyone else is screwed. Check out the trailer after the jump, and imagine how unpleasant it must be to have one of these gelatinous, violent blobs force feed themselves to you. That cannot be delicious. Or sanitary.
XCOM, Spec Ops: The Line opt for 2011 release
Tucked away in its E3 lineup announcement, Take-Two shed the tiniest bit of light on the release dates for Spec Ops: The Line and the upcoming XCOM reboot. According to the release, both games are slated for a 2011 release, though it doesn't get any more specific than that. Spec Ops had previously been announced for Take-Two's fiscal 2011, offering the hope of a November 2010 release at the earliest. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. If only there were other games that let you blast aliens and enemy soldiers.
BioShock 2 on sale for $30 on Amazon today
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.
BioShock 2 Metro Pack DLC coming to PC tomorrow
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]
2K responds to BioShock 2 Metro Pack DLC complaints
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
BioShock 2 multiplayer patch coming soon to all platforms
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]
2K on the challenge of marketing BioShock 2
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 the 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."
Make an in-game BioShock 2 video, win the most dangerous prize ever
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.
BioShock 2 DLC trailer shows off new venues for mayhem
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.
Just Cause 2 and BioShock 2 getting DLC April 29
The latest Xbox Live Newsbeat update included release dates for two pieces of downloadable content that we didn't even know existed. We typically don't care for surprises, but we're willing to make an exception if it means we get more maps for the multiplayer component of BioShock 2 and more things to explode in Just Cause 2. On April 29, six new multiplayer maps will be added to BioShock 2 as part of the "Rapture Metro Map Pack." For 800 ($10), players get the new arenas, three new masks, a "Kill 'Em Kindly" Melee deathmatch mode, and three new Achievements. Just Cause 2 will receive the "Black Market Aerial Pack," a 160 ($2) booster which adds the chaingun-toting F-33 DragonFly Jet Fighter, a multi-lock missile launcher and a parachute thruster which extends your airtime whilst leisurely sailing across the Panauan landscape. How... unexpextedly soothing!
2K Marin working on XCOM, '2K Australia name is no longer used'
Earlier today, we reported that the development of the recently announced XCOM was being handled by 2K Marin's sister studio in Canberra, Australia -- 2K Australia. As it turns out, that isn't the entire story. When we contacted 2K Games representative Charlie Sinhaseni for follow up, we were told, "2K Marin, both the Novato, California and Canberra, Australia arms of the studio, are collaborating on XCOM. The two function as sister studios now." Notably, this new relationship is very similar to the the previously existing one between Irrational Games/2K Boston and Irrational Australia/2K Australia functioning as sister studios. We also confirmed that, aside from BioShock 2 DLC, the California arm of 2K Marin is working exclusively on XCOM, effectively refuting the idea that it's working on BioShock 3. Further, we were told, "The 2K Australia name is no longer used." It appears that the southeast Australia-based studio will no longer be known by its former moniker and will instead fall under the "2K Marin" label. Guess the Marin County School District's gonna have some major budget restructuring to do with all that new geography under its belt, eh?
XCOM being developed by 2K Australia [update]
Update: As it turns out, 2K Australia is actually part of 2K Marin. We've got the full story right here. Original Story: Though 2K Games' middle-of-the-night XCOM announcement heralded 2K Marin as the studio heading up development of the title, 1UP reportedly clarifies that 2K Marin's "Canberra, Australia arm" (read: 2K Australia) will be in charge of the project. For those of you playing along at home, 2K Australia was the Australian counterpart to BioShock developer Irrational Games before it split to work with 2K Marin on BioShock 2, while Kenny L and company got to work on a separate (still unannounced) project. That said, this news frees up 2K Marin's core team for other projects. And if we were betting men, we'd put our money on the California arm of the company working on a third entry in the BioShock series. When reached for comment, a 2K Games rep told us we'll hear more specifics about XCOM and 2K Marin "over the next couple of months."
XCOM re-imagined by 2K Marin for Xbox 360 and PC
Click to XPAND In a surprise late night announcement, 2K Games has revealed that 2K Marin (responsible for BioShock 2) is working on a re-imagined version of XCOM. Like the first BioShock game, this "strategic" and "suspense-filled" first-person shooter will debut exclusively on Xbox 360 and PC. Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K, addressed the switch to a first-person perspective in a press release: "Players will explore the world of XCOM from an immersive new perspective and experience firsthand the fear and tension of this gripping narrative ride." According to the release, players will assume the role of an FBI agent "tasked with identifying and eliminating the growing threat" from an "unknown enemy." If the story stays true to the original franchise, expect aliens, global conflict, and lots and lots of dead, incinerated humans.
Hey, you got your BioShock in my Doom 2!
Professional level designer J.P. LeBreton's creativity can't just be contained by the BioShock franchise which his work has appeared in for the last three years. So, he recently exercised his craft in a fairly peculiar way -- by designing a Doom 2 map modeled after the two areas on which he served as lead designer for 2K's underseas adventure: Arcadia and the Farmer's Market. You can download the map directly from LeBreton's site. It comes bundled in a handy little .ZIP file which includes instructions on how to get it up and running on your modern gaming rig. If you're having trouble, just put the original BioShock in, and smear a thick sheen of petroleum jelly on your monitor. [Via Big Download]
