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BioShock 2 hacking minigame could cause issues for colorblind gamers
[Image credit: Negative Gamer] Allow me to break from the usual third-person writing style we employ at Joystiq to address my personal stake in writing this post -- I'm part of the approximately 10 percent of human males with colorblindness. I had to return Super Puzzle Fighter for GBA and turn on the symbols in Hexic (the price I pay for the love of puzzle games). Like Russ at MTV Multiplayer, I (quite likely) have the most common form of colorblindness: Deuteranopia. Personal info aside, Negative Gamer put together a bit of an analysis of BioShock 2's hacking system -- a system which applies color matching to various rewards/punishments (green = hack, blue = reward, red = alarm, white = electric shock) and one which could be problematic for those suffering from colorblindnesses many forms. The piece takes a program called "Colour Contrast Analyser" (yes, it's a British-born application) and runs an example image of the hacking program through it, pointing out how the colors would appear to people with a variety of types of colorblindness -- the image you see above is but one example. So! If you've ever wondered what it's like to deal with the frustration of being colorblind and not being able to play a game because of it, now's your big chance. If you want to start a petition to "fix" the situation like these folks did for Modern Warfare 2, I'd really appreciate it. [Via MTV Multiplayer]
Sony: PS3 supply to be 'tight' over coming months
Sony's senior director of corporate communications Patrick Seybold issued a statement after last night's NPD numbers for January, explaining that the company's flagship console may be a bit difficult to find at retail over the next few months. "We're working very hard with our retail partners to meet consumer interest, but the demand is tremendously high for the PS3 and we expect tight inventory in the coming months," Seybold notes in the statement. As this is the first we've heard about any sort of PlayStation 3 hardware shortages, we followed up with Seybold to make sure he wasn't only warning about future supply issues, but also explaining January's sales of the console. He told us: "Yes. The strong demand carrying through the holidays was evident and early in the month we [knew] there was going to be limited supply of the PS3 at retail in January. We're working closely with the retail channel to meet this demand, but expect tight supply for the coming months." The upcoming supply issues may also be a result of Sony's "upcoming line up of the industry's most anticipated games" -- games like Heavy Rain, God of War 3, and ModNation Racers. Seybold additionally points out that "this momentum is fueled by a stellar holiday" and the recent releases of games like MAG and BioShock 2. We here at Joystiq have yet to see the shortages at our local brick-and-mortars, but feel free to let us know if you do!
BioShock 2 players report multiplayer freezing issues [update]
We've received a number of reports from readers who've been participating in BioShock 2's multiplayer component and succumbing to a variety of game-crashing bugs. The reported causes of the freezing are widespread -- some Xbox 360 players encounter it during the post-game recap, while some have reported freezing up while in their apartment hubs. We've contacted 2K to find out if anything is being done to patch whatever issue might be causing the breakdowns. We were going to make a joke about the freezes being caused by the overzealous use of the Winter Blast plasmid, but that would have been one of the dumbest things we'd ever written. Update: A 2K Games representative responded to our query, and explained, "we are aware that some users are experiencing an issue that could cause the game to freeze during the multiplayer component. We are in direct contact with our first party partners and are working around the clock in order to provide a fix as soon as possible." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Metareview: BioShock 2
The return to Rapture may not be as universally exalted as the original adventure, but nevertheless reviewers tend to agree it's a journey worth taking (again). The enchanting aesthetic of the game world appears to have remained intact in this sequel, which doesn't veer far from the original's tone, despite delivering a different message. So, would you kindly dive below and observe what critics have said of Rapture's reemergence: IGN (91/100): "Anyone looking for a first-person shooter that offers more than flat, stereotypical characters and copy-and-paste supersoldier plots, one that attempts to establish a sense of right and wrong and loops you into the decision making process, and one that's set in one of the most vividly realized settings around should pick up BioShock 2." GameDaily (90/100): "Much of it looks and feels familiar, but 2K Games proved that there is a whole other side of Rapture worth exploring, as well as new and interesting stories to tell. Gripping, wondrous and at times horrifying, it's a superb effort that opens the door for perhaps another game, but don't worry about that." GameSpot (85/100): "Rapture may not be as mysterious and intriguing this second time around, but it is nonetheless host to a powerful and moving tale that allows you to better realize -- or pervert -- [Andrew] Ryan's principles at your own discretion. Regardless of whether or not this is a return visit to paradise lost, there is plenty to be found here to make it a worthwhile, meaningful, and compelling one." Eurogamer (80/100): "Your passage through Rapture may not be a matter of free will - a challenge someone surely ought to take up with this series -- but BioShock 2 argues even within the strictures of fate that mercy and compassion or bitterness and revenge ring loud enough to echo through the lives of those who follow. The result is a less openly provocative game than its predecessor, and one that will capture less attention, but while it may be damned for subtlety it is every bit as deceptive, and perhaps that's the greater of the series' illusions regardless of what else a BioShock sequel might have become." %Gallery-50342%
Tune in to BioShock 2's Rapture Radio and prepare for New Year's Eve, 1959
Are you hep to this jive? You can dial into BioShock 2's Rapture Radio right now and listen to kitschy classics from the '30s, '40s and '50s. Tap your toes and waggle your fingers in the air with songs like Fred Astaire's "We Saw The Sea," and, according to 2K Games, you should "be sure to tune into the festivities at 12 AM EST tonight for the Rapture Masquerade Ball!" It's not clear if we'll hear the sounds of festive celebration or the screams of the torturous murder come the strike of midnight. The radio station teases you to "Come down to the Cashmere Restaurant at midnight, where the rich and beautiful will dance their cares away!" Given the history of Rapture, that doesn't seem likely. In the meantime, tune in here via iTunes or Winamp, or here for the Windows Media Player flavor.UPDATE: You can listen to the audio of the party below. It's all hubbub and rhubarb until 09:14, then all hell breaks lose. The station now just plays static, and a random message that they're experiencing problems. "There has been an incident at the Cashmere (Kashmir?) Restaurant. Please return to the safety of your homes."
BioShock 2 Avatar items come to Xbox Live
The following comes to us from the BioShock Wiki: "Big Daddies are genetically-enhanced human beings who have had their skin and organs grafted into an enormous diving suit. The candidates also go through voice box modification and pheromone application. They are then placed in large vats with a substance that effectively turns them into mindless drones. With gene splicing, the humans inside the suits were given enhanced strength and agility." ... Or they could have just paid 320 points ($4) on Xbox Live. Jeez, we guess Andrew Ryan wasn't so smart after all. (Related note: If you spend $4 on a Big Daddy costume for your Avatar, you are, legally speaking, no longer entitled to the sweat of your own brow. Sorry.)
2K Marin: Console wars 'drown out creative discourse'
The initially Xbox 360-exclusive BioShock was one of the major salvos in the ongoing console wars, waged on message boards and comment sections everywhere (including right here on this very site). Speaking with Destructoid, BioShock 2 producer Jordan Thomas expressed hope that the multi-platform sequel -- which launches today -- doesn't play a similarly divisive role. According to Thomas, "platform partisanship" is just silly and it "seems to flood the critical channels and drown out other creative discourse." Which sounds about right -- whenever a piece of news comes up that swings even close to the differences between the various consoles, the discussion usually degenerates into the same old arguments, and new and more interesting issues get drowned out like Andrew Ryan's old city. 2K Marin didn't ask in so many words, but we will: Would you kindly all just get along?
Review: BioShock 2 (single player)
BioShock didn't need a sequel. I know it, you know it; heck, I'd bet if they were being totally honest, the staff of 2K Marin would tell you they knew it too. BioShock was that rare combination of a perfectly realized world, fresh yet refined action and a narrative that left me with no real burning questions. It didn't need a sequel. But all that has very little to do with BioShock 2 because whether it needed to be made or not, it's here now. And the surprise isn't that someone other than Irrational had the chutzpah to make a BioShock sequel. The surprise is just how worthwhile it is. %Gallery-50342%
BioShock 2 soundtrack song list revealed
Considering the upcoming digital release of BioShock 2's soundtrack is, well, digital, you could probably just procure the track list from Amazon and grab the individual songs before its announced February 9 release date. Sure, you're not gonna get your ... uhh ... eyes on the fancy digital packaging, but you could snag all those classy tunes a full three days before the other kids on your block. Think about that! Done thinking? Good, 'cause we've got more BioShock 2 music info for you -- there's also a way to enjoy the soundtrack this very second. How's that, you ask? Well, simple: just grab this iTunes music file or this WIndows music file and enjoy a taste of "Rapture Radio." To be clear, the tracks listed are no bearing on the game's official score which comes with the game's special edition. Head past the break for a breakdown of both the standard and deluxe editions (no prices are available yet). [Via Destructoid]
Pre-order BioShock 2, get BioShock free on Direct2Drive
(We apologize in advance for the acidic nature of this post. Keep in mind, it's only directed towards people who managed to miss out on the first BioShock, but plan to pick up the sequel when it launches next week.) Hey there, you big, dumb animal. So, you're just going to skip right over BioShock and hop right into BioShock 2, huh? That's your master plan? Don't worry, we're sure you won't be at a loss when you're hurtled into Rapture without knowing jack about its rich history. We'll give you a quick refresher: Big Daddies are the guys in the diving suits, ADAM's the stuff that gives you super powers, and also, you're an idiot. Direct2Drive is offering you one chance at redemption -- the digital retailer is offering 10 percent off pre-orders for BioShock 2, and tossing in a free copy of BioShock with the reservation. Pick it up, and maybe we'll talk about reconciliation. Maybe. Update: As a number of our commenters have pointed out, the same deal is available on Steam as well. Coincidence? Or shrewd business tactic? You decide!
BioShock 2 props surface ... and you can buy them
You've wanted one ever since seeing it in the very first trailer for BioShock 2. You even have one for your Xbox Avatar. Now you can buy a real, official replica of the cuddly "hand-made" Big Daddy plush doll that's featured in the game. Toymaker NECA has announced that the collectible is now available for $20 from various retailers, along with a highly detailed, 8" replica of an EVE syringe* ($16) that lights up blue when you push in its plunger. We realize these items are but a small consolation for 2K deciding not to release the $15,000 "Über Edition" of the game, but you have to admit they're pretty darn cool. [Via Toy News International] *EVE not included.
BioShock 2 gets midnight release, new launch trailer
If you've been jonesing for your second hit of ADAM, you won't have to wait a moment past 12 a.m. on February 9th; 2K has announced that BioShock 2 will get a midnight launch at Best Buy and GameStop stores. It's great news for us, but bad news for the clerks who have to work until the Witching Hour, just so some dude can fall asleep playing it an hour later, his drool and Cheetoh dust congealing into a loneliness gravy on his Big Daddy PJs. Hoping to pile some extra coal into the hype train's engine, 2K took up the whole first commercial block of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with a 3-minute-15-second launch trailer. It's a cool clip, but we get the uneasy feeling that the heavy reliance on non-gameplay, first-person action is just a touch misleading. That said, it's just a couple of inches above this sentence, so you can judge for yourself.
2K unboxes the extremely rare $15,000 version of Bioshock 2
The $99 special edition for Bioshock 2 is a stylish little bundle, replete with art deco flyers and a record containing the game's atmospheric soundtrack. The video after the jump features an all-inclusive unboxing of the package, courtesy of 2K -- however, it also includes the world-exclusive reveal of the game's "Uber Edition," which costs $14,999, and only includes a copy of the undersea action title, and a real life Big Daddy. We're still trying to make sense of this whole thing. Why would 2K expect anyone to pay 15 grand for a single game? Is it even legal to sell an actual sentient being in this manner? What are the ramifica ... what's that? It's a joke? Oh, yeah, that makes a lot more sense. Thank goodness.
You can't unsee Bomberman in BioShock 2
You can blame us ... and we can blame Game Rave's Jason Dvorak. digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/You_can_t_unsee_Bomberman_in_BioShock_2_PIC';
New Games This Month: February 2010
It may be the shortest month in terms of days, but February is no slouch when it comes to new releases. We've got plenty of heavy hitters including BioShock 2, Heavy Rain and Dante's Inferno. You know, we heard it a lot when games kept getting delayed out of fall of 2009, but we think the reality is finally dawning on us just now: There will never again not be new games. We're not sure we can handle it, frankly. %Gallery-84385%
Interview: 2K Marin creative director Jordan Thomas on BioShock 2
We doubt you'll find a less forgiving job in video games than the team who has to take the reins from the driving force behind one of the most beloved titles of the last decade and try to make something of their own. As the creative director of 2K Marin, the studio behind BioShock 2, Jordan Thomas is all too familiar with the challenge. With development now behind him, Thomas took a few moments to tell us how the team kept from soiling themselves, and how they hope to make you do just that, except with excitement. Joystiq: When you first learned what you'd be tackling, what was the immediate reaction? Jordan Thomas: It wasn't a big spit-take or anything, I just felt humbled. On the original game, I was a level designer – and believe me, the guys at Irrational hold themselves to such a high creative standard that I can't do it honor in text without sounding like I want to kiss them on the mouth. Some of their games were formative for me, so I was overjoyed to have been involved with BioShock – even in a production role. 2K Marin barely existed at that point, but I told myself that if we were going to carry that legacy with BioShock 2, we'd treat their work with the proper respect. I still find myself thinking, "Gosh, I hope they all have fun" like some addled debutante. %Gallery-50342%
No dedicated servers or LAN play for BioShock 2
Over on The Cult of Rapture, 2K Marin has posted a Q&A on BioShock 2 multiplayer. First of all, on all platforms, the game doesn't have distinct ranked and unranked multiplayer options. All public matches, including those played with friends, will be ranked and posted to leaderboards. Meanwhile, private, invite-only matches will not post to leaderboards. The game will also keep friends on the same teams and employs a matchmaking system to find opponents of similar skill levels. Also, the game does not include an option to kick troublesome players. 2K Marin suggests that players report any cheaters and griefers, quit and find a different match. And now for the big one: BioShock 2 does not support dedicated servers or LAN play on any platform. According to 2K Marin, the development schedule didn't allow enough time to create a solid multiplayer component and implement dedicated servers and LAN play. The site reads, "We chose to spend the time we had creating a solid game foundation and unfortunately that did not include LAN play or dedicated servers." So there you have it.
BioShock 2 soundtrack to be released digitally
The BioShock 2 special edition includes the game's score not just on physical media, but on an impressive vinyl record. However, if you want to hear the BioShock 2 soundtrack but don't want to be saddled with any tiresome tangible items, there's an option for you too. GameTunes reports that the soundtrack, composed by Garry Schyman, will be released digitally through both the iTunes Music Store and Amazon's MP3 store. No price or release date have been mentioned yet. There are currently no plans for a CD version, so it's either a huge disc or no disc! [Via Big Download]
Become a Big Daddy in PlayStation Home via BioShock 2 pre-order
You can become a Big Daddy in PlayStation Home ... if you pre-order BioShock 2 on amazon.com. The online retailer is offering the game, $10 credit and exclusive access to this Home costume for $55. It's the perfect costume to wear if you feel like picking up chemically engineered underage girls in Sony's online community. If that doesn't entice you, there's always GameStop's pre-order incentive of extra multiplayer characters. [Via @amazongames]
BioShock 2 now available for prepurchase on Steam
Valve has officially announced that 2K Games' BioShock 2 will be available for purchase on Steam -- you can pre-purchase the game right now, and it'll be unlocked for play on February 9, 2010, day and date with the rest of the world. The current price is $44.99, a slight discount from the boxed version, and that includes a Steam copy of the original BioShock as well, which you can "kindly" give to a friend if you happen to already have it. Or you can nab four licenses for you and three friends for $134.97, with each of you getting to play the original also. Sure, it's a good deal if you're not concerned with "discs" or "physical media," but does it come with a vinyl LP of the game's original soundtrack? Didn't think so, boy-o.
