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BioShock 2 dated Oct. 30 in Europe, Nov. 3 in North America
During Take-Two's second quarter financial conference call, CEO Ben Feder announced that BioShock 2 will release in Europe on Friday, October 30, while North American gamers will be returning to Rapture on Tuesday, November 3. It's worth noting that Take Two still lists the game's platforms as "TBA." Given that the previous title was released for Xbox 360, PC and (eventually) PS3, and that Take-Two enjoys making money, it's likely the game will again hit all three high-definition platforms. There is still the question as to the order in which the game will hit those platforms, though, and with E3 looming, a timed-exclusivity announcement may be in the offing.%Gallery-50342%
BioShock 2 lets you shut off the Vita Chambers, die
Any masochists in the room? Don't be shy, go ahead and raise your self-battered hands. We've got great news for these deviant individuals -- in a recent interview with CVG, 2K Marin executive producer Alyssa Finley explained that the original BioShock's easily exploitable respawn points, Vita Chambers, can be turned off in BioShock 2, allowing the player to die without the luxury of a self-cloning safety net.It was an option that last year's BioShock DLC (as well as the PS3 version of the game) afforded to its more hardcore players. And by "hardcore," we mean "absolutely insane." Seriously, during our first jaunt through Rapture, we died more times than Bill Murray did in Groundhog Day.
BioShock 2's Big Daddy revealed on GamePro cover
GamePro is promising that its upcoming July issue will blow the doors off of the sequel to 2K's undersea shooter, BioShock. Of course, by the time it hits newsstands, you'll probably be full to the gills with all the the BioShock 2 details you can handle -- we're sure to hear a ton about the game during E3.Fortunately, GamePro recently offered a delicious morsel to its potential readers, uploading the Big Daddy-infused cover of the upcoming issue to the mag's online edition. You can check out the full cover -- and the design for BioShock 2's diving suit-wearing protagonist -- after the break. As a point of reference, here's the original Big Daddy. And here's a poster for the hilarious, heartfelt Adam Sandler comedy Big Daddy. And here's professional wrestler Big Daddy V! Wait, we forgot what we were doing ...[Thanks, Storm Eagle!]
Take-Two details BioShock 2 multiplayer
From the "be careful what you wish for" file, we've got the first details on the BioShock 2 multiplayer you all wanted so very much after the first game. You'll play as a Plasmid test subject working for Sinclair Solutions during the fall of Rapture as you battle other players in re-worked game locales like Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites.Victory over your opponents will yield experience that you can spend on new Plasmids, weapons and tonics. If you can take it, you can read all about the mode right here. The mode's being developed by Digital Extremes, which you likely remember for its work on Dark Sector. ... Hey, why do you all look so depressed? What? Us? No, we're not crying. Why would you *sniff* think that?
2K Marin says Rapture is key to BioShock, promises more characters
We weren't positive we wanted the first return to Rapture in BioShock 2, but it apparently wasn't a tough decision to keep the series underwater. In an interview with OXM, 2K Marin creative director Jordan Thomas said, "We feel that Rapture is so core to BioShock it has to feature in some form. It's one of the characters we don't want to let go."OK, fair enough. But Thomas went on to undermine our confidence, saying, "With BioShock 2 we're actually going to make sure that you have some strong and unforgettable encounters with unspliced characters that you can develop genuine empathy for, who will not be trying to hide their face from the camera."You know the problem with BioShock? ... Too isolated. We can't wait to meet Loony Lou, Rapture's top comedian. "What's that, Lou? You know the secret combination to get into Laugh-a-porium's cafeteria? But you want to come along and be my hilarious sidekick? Deal."[Via CVG]
Joystiq interview: BioShock 2
As much as the developers of BioShock 2 at 2K Marin were eager to show us their game in action, they were (quite pleasantly) even more eager to talk about it. Following the conclusion of our demo walkthrough, lead designer Zak McClendon, lead environment artist Hogarth De La Plante and lead level designer JP LeBreton opened the floor to questions from the half-dozen game journos in attendance. Read on after the break for the team's take on revisiting the first game's mysteries, the intricacies of plasmid mixing, the return of Vita-Chambers and more.
Joystiq impressions: BioShock 2
Click to Big Daddy-size How do you follow up what's indisputably one of the best games produced this generation? In the case of the BioShock 2 team at 2K Marin (and its collaborators at 2K Australia), the answer seems to be, "You don't change much." Having absorbed every possible bit of info on the game going into our first walkthrough of it, we felt like we knew what to expect; and, more or less, we got it.In an all-too-brief demo that lasted maybe 12-15 minutes, we were taken on a guided tour of a level designed especially for this meeting to A) show off a variety of new elements and B) completely thwart any attempts at learning more about the plot. We were a little saddened by the latter, since in a sequel that seems very similar to the original in many visual and gameplay respects, it's really going to be the narrative that defines the experience.%Gallery-50342%
German site unloads BioShock 2 screens
A German site has gone ahead and posted a multitude of images from BioShock 2. Oh, should we attempt the pretense? Fine, a German site has posted images that are allegedly BioShock 2.You know, with the numerous embargo times across this little blue planet about BioShock 2, we have no idea when these images were actually supposed to release. What we can tell you is that "all assets, impressions and video" for North America should be ready to go at 12:01AM Pacific, Thursday, April 23. So, who knows, we might have something similar then.
Gamespot floods us with Bioshock 2 details, spoilers
Before reading on, we beg of you, our dearest readers, to heed this solemn warning. Do you remember that magical feeling that filled you the first time you crossed the aquatic threshold into Bioshock's labyrinthian metropolis, Rapture? That warm, gooey feeling of excitement and wonder? If you read Gamespot's recent all-inclusive, spoiler-filled preview of 2K Marin's highly anticipated follow-up, you'll probably be robbed of that feeling the first time you boot up Bioshock 2. Trust us. We made the sacrifice to pass this news onto you, and we're pretty sure we won't be able to get to sleep tonight.If you absolutely must know what tantalizing details Gamespot dug up, you can check out their video featurette, which we've posted after the jump. Just don't come crying to us when you learn that the original Bioshock was actually just a dream sequence. (Oops! Sorry!)
Here's your first look at BioShock 2 gameplay footage
OK, first, go below the break and watch the first footage of BioShock 2 in action from GameTrailers. But come right back so we can chat about it.... So what do you think? We really don't want to impose our opinions on you here, we want your input. Our gut reaction is that it bears perhaps too much of a resemblance to its predecessor, but we're not sure what else we were expecting. And that Little Sister cue at the end was trying a bit hard, right? The drill looks cool though.
Bioshock 2 to be sans subtitle, 'Sea of Dreams' was title of trailer
A brief recap of the comedy of errors surrounding the suspected subtitle for Bioshock 2 -- developer 2K Marin revealed the Sea of Dreams moniker in the sequel's debut trailer, then confirmed that it had dropped the subtitle last month, then de-confirmed that confirmation a week later, then suggested it doesn't know what its own game is called during GDC. However, 2K's Charlie Sinhaseni might have just told IGN the (hopefully) final word on the matter -- according to him, the game will simply be called Bioshock 2: Electric Boogaloo. No, wait -- just Bioshock 2.Sinhaseni explained the confusion -- 2K apparently gives titles to all its trailers, and the teaser for the sequel (which appeared in the PS3 version of Bioshock the First) was titled (you guessed it) Sea of Dreams. The developers considered making it an official subtitle to the game, but have ultimately decided to follow the "title + number" format that's worked so well for Madden throughout the years. We hope this is the last chapter in this confusing saga, though it doesn't really matter. An aquatic, morally ambiguous FPS/RPG by any other name would smell just as sweet.
GDC09: 2K as confused about 'Sea of Dreams' as we are
This is getting ridiculous. After confirming that the Sea of Dreams subtitle had been dropped from BioShock 2 and then confirming that it hadn't been dropped, it seems like 2K is taking too many of its own plasmids. Following a serious back and forth regarding the game's name at GDC, 2K eventually settled on "no comment." The company says that there should be an official answer by the end of the week.Kind-hearted folk that we are, we've decided to help out 2K marketing by putting the question to a key demographic: Joystiq readers!%Poll-28455%
BioShock 2 not waiving Sea of Dreams subtitle
It looks like someone at 2K missed the memo. After confirming last week to Joystiq that BioShock 2 had dropped its Sea of Dreams subtitle, 2K has now unconfirmed the news to Eurogamer. So, to reiterate, the full title is, in fact, BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams. It's a shame because we were really hoping to pitch a new subtitle. Alas, it looks like BioShock 2: Big Daddy Day Care just wasn't meant to be.Joystiq will be spending some quality time with the game in the very near future. Stay tuned.
2K to release BioShock 2 simultaneously on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC
2K Games has told CVG that the company is "aiming for simultaneous release" of BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The company didn't specify a time for this simultaneous release, but GameStop gives us a potential guess, at least for North America: October 5. Since CVG is a British site, we've asked 2K to clarify the region to which the article refers.2K also told CVG that it would release concrete details about BioShock 2's multiplayer "soon enough," which is clearly not true, because we don't have said details right now. Or ... now.
2K dashes BioShock 2's subtitle 'Dreams'
While fueling our nightmares with images of the Big Sister and her giant needle, 2K Games has done away with a Sea of Dreams -- a.k.a. the original subtitle for BioShock 2. Games blog Primotech noticed the omission whilst browsing Game Informer's cover story on the game and received confirmation of the change by way of a 2K community rep.We contacted 2K Marin, where we'd recently sat one room away from where the hotly anticipated sequel is being developed, and were told the same by the game's publicist. (Who has no doubt played it -- but we're not jealous, no way. After all, we'll be hopping in a Bathysphere and returning to Rapture ourselves early next month.)
Rumor: BioShock 2 to feature multiplayer
If you ever thought to yourself, "Yeah, BioShock is great, but I really wish it had a CTF mode," then this is the post for you! The Game Informer issue with all of the details on BioShock 2 is finally starting to get into people's hands, and one tidbit indicates that the 2K Marin-developed sequel will indeed feature multiplayer, though the extent of that mode is uncertain at this time. We're not privy as to exactly what multiplayer modes will be available, but we've got a few choice ideas of our own. Big Daddy: This one is a given, with one player taking on the role of Big Daddy, scoring points with each kill. The remaining players must work together (and against each other) to take him down, with the player that dealt the killing blow taking over the role of Big Daddy in the next round. Splice and Dice: This mode is team-based, and features one side of melee weapon-wielding Splicers who are allowed one Plasmid power. The opposing side is composed of plain old humans. With guns. Team Slayer: It's UNSC Spartans vs. the Covenant aliens in this fight to the death. Players fight until one side reaches 50 points. Little Sister Convoy: One team is tasked with escorting a Little Sister from Point A to Point B. While transporting her, the opposing team must take down the convoy and nab the Little Sister for themselves. Care to come up with a few of your own?
Bioshock 2: Rapture sure has changed [update]
Update: A 2K employee was kind enough to hop on the forums and clarify this for us, stating the "rumor circulating is not true." Well then, that's that. For the real details, you'll want to check this post out.Have you cats heard of this Bioshock 2 game? Well, apparently it's a big deal. It's on the cover of the latest Game Informer and everything. Some folks that subscribed to that magazine have received the latest issue and headed right for the 2K forums, taking care to drop all of the deets about the sequel.According to posts over there, the game takes place 7 years after the original and stars Jake Abbot, a private investigator sent to Rapture to find a girl abducted by the Big Sister. Oh, and there's supposedly only 1 Big Sister, and no Big Daddies. It's stated the game will feature 2-player co-op and new enemies, including Soviet soldiers, spliced dogs (what the funk?), and bi-pedal robots (you can hack them). New Plasmids are also mentioned, such as one that grants you the ability to slow down time and another that allows you to hear the thoughts of your enemies, revealing keypad codes and enemy weaknesses. There is said to also be underwater exploration segments, where the player will have to don a scuba suit to access some of the flooded areas of Rapture.And that's about it. Sound legit? If you happen to have received your issue of Game Informer, send us a picture verifying this. We'll be your BFF.[Via Shacknews]
Game Informer cover confirms Big Sisters, return to Rapture for BioShock 2
As confirmed by Take-Two during today's investors call, the April issue of Game Informer features a cover story on BioShock 2. The mag's site has now posted said cover image, providing a first look at the new "Big Sister" character teased by the game's official site, along with confirmation that players will be returning to the first BioShock's setting: the underwater city of Rapture.The Big Sister looks to be as iconic as her predecessor, the Big Daddy, sporting interesting details including bows tied to her Little Sister "carrying cage" and what appears to be either an arm-mounted rifle or potentially -- not to mention more fittingly -- a large ADAM syringe. Click on the source link for a Big Daddy Sister-sized version of the cover.
There's Something in the Sea and it's BioShock 2 info
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/There_s_Something_in_the_Sea_and_it_s_BioShock_2_info'; Details are (probably intentionally) slim on this mysterious site, www.somethinginthesea.com, discovered by a Joystiq tipster. At the moment, it's nothing but a picture of a map, with a marking labeled 2/20/67, and a few weathered documents in front of it. But it's totally marketing for BioShock 2: Sea of Dreams.One of the papers is the image seen above, which is a drawing of the same Big Daddy doll seen in the BioShock 2 trailer. One of the letters describes the doll a bit: "The head resembles a helmet, the feet could be heavy boots." The letter speculates that the doll "resembles particulars" of an "attacker" that carried out a recent kidnapping.We're presenting the trailer again after the break, in the hope that one of you BioShockologists will see some new connections between the material on the site and the trailer. Let us know in the comments![Thanks, Dominique!]
2K Boston job listings hint at multiplayer FPS
Every day is opposite day at BioShock dev 2K Boston. Amidst gray skies and industry layoffs, multiple job postings indicate that the studio is looking to bring a handful of new talent on board, with some or all to lend a hand developing what the company describes as an "action-packed AAA multiplayer title" for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Nothing else is known of the mystery project other than it will be driven by Unreal Engine 3 -- but these days, what isn't? With multiplayer sorely absent from the original BioShock, and development reins on its sequel in the hands of newly opened 2K Marin, we're now left wondering just what exactly Big Daddy Ken Levine and his followers are up to.[Via V4VG]
