Shatterrize Aha, you might not love my take on it. As much as I LOVE part two, it's story is it's weak link IMO. It wants to do some interesting stuff, like tell a more personal story, but it's characters make it hard for me to get into. Either way, it's a great game and Minerva's Den is a masterpiece.
I doubt that you are ever going to read this. But I recently found your channel because of your Soma series. It was awesome. After I clicked on your channel the first thing I saw was that you also did a series on Bioshock. My favorite game series of all time! I'm so happy that I stumbled upon you. Amazing work and greetings from Germany. (Sorry for bad grammar)
I'm so happy people are starting to recognize Bioshock 2 as mechanically the best in the series. Sure 1 is great and works just fine though the shooting mechanics are dated but 2 is the superior iteration of the gameplay formula
You are no joke the best Lore video maker I've ever seen. You capture the essence of the game and go over every detail meticulously. Seriously, dude, you'll be huge someday, your work is definitely going to be noticed.
My goodness! *claps* Another astounding video...I'm surprised you've taken this detour but it's understandable due to so much story and lore you have to dissect. I can't wait to watch the next part (it's in my watch later queue). Please continue to make this fantastic content, your game digs are done so so beautifully. 😘
Bioshock 2 was good, I've been saying it for years. The haters for it always make me roll my eyes. The only thing it did wrong was the tacked-on multiplayer and even it had some merit, just not my cup of tea.
As soon as you said Bioshock 2 was a good game, I subscribed. Overall, Infinite is my favorite (because it's the only one I have played more than once) but Bioshock 2 is amazing and it gets a lot of underserved hate.
Back when Bioshock Infinite came out I went and played all the games on PS3. I liked all of them. All 3 Bioshocks are amazing games that have something unique and good to offer. That said at the end of my playthroughs I decided that Bioshock 2 is the best. It has a good story, as do all the games do. (Not the best, but more than serviceable.) And the gameplay is the best it ever was, a step up from the first game, and more enjoyable than the 3rd game.
Dont recall finding ss2 too tedious, and i liked having to manage supplies and inventory. It adds to the survival aspect and i liked the rpg aspect, upgrading atributes and skills. Doesnt make sense not being able to weild a weapon, but spending skillpoints building my character certain ways added depth and replayability so yeah... Deus ex3 still has some of this stuff, like original game did. I liked that, and preferred if bioshock still had these things in place
WHY DON'T YOU HAVE MORE VIEWS??????? I'll tell you why: because most people play games mindlessly...and that is sad. The level of detail in your videos is (as far as I know) beyond anybody and anything on this website! And I watch a ton of lore videos because I know for a FACT I am missing stuff in the games I play and love.
ΛLΞX Hahaha, thanks. I know most gaming site want reviews to be as succinct in possible. But games like the Shock series need more time to be throughly explored and discussed. They don't lend themselves to that model. I'm just glad there are folks out there who care as much as we do.
I'd say these videos are too long for the curent audience of UA-cam, thus are not highlighted but UA-cam's algorithm. This is sad :( Just finished the vid, it was fkin great
ΛLΞX "Because most people play games mindlessly" That's very ptetentious. Taking a guess that you like watching these types of videos since you're a little too slow to form your own opinion?
I think the first Bioshock was a masterclass example of game design and still is one of the best games ever released. Bioshock 2 was more of the same only a bit less coherent. It's not a bad thing but it didn't have the same impact as the first because people were already familiar with the concept and setting of the series. Infinite took the series in a new direction, both artistically and mechanically. I would say it doesn't even belong in the same subgenre. Infinite does what it does really well and the story is on par if not better than the original, but the linearized gameplay made it more of a standard shooter of its time. Neither of the sequels were bad by any means but they didn't reach the same level of cohesiveness in their art direction, gameplay and story and both lacked the innovation of the first game.
Great video. I have to disagree on one point though: The betrayal by Shodan was not the first of its kind. There was a pretty similar scene in Metal Gear Solid 1 when Master Miller revealed himself to be Liquid Snake. MGS was released in 1998 while System Shock 2 was released in August of 1999 so I would give MGS credit for that innovation.
Do you happen to know where you got the thumbnail? It looks SUPER cool! Also, your work is fan-freaking-tastic. I just got done with your SOMA series and it's super well done. Definitely got a lot more context and story from you going through it bit by bit.
I’m really glad that I didn’t read or listen to any review when I played BS 2... I loved that game. I’m sorry guys, I’m a BioShock fan boy and I loved all 3 games equally, for different reasons but I love them all
I agree with many of your comments on Bioshock 1. I won't speak about System Shock as I have not played it, but many of your comments on Bioshock 1 I highly agree with. My main disagreement comes with your critique of the game's downfall not being the last 3rd, but the last 4th. We need to keep in mind Hephaestus is Andrew Ryan's home and office. It's definitely the most industrial area of Rapture, but I think that is the point. As far as I can tell, Ryan lived in Hephaestus, literally and figuratively. His office his found there, and he seems to spend a large amount of time in that office. Hephaestus is a level that shows us the type of environment that Andrew Ryan likes to be in, same as Fort Frolic did the same for Sander Cohen, or Neptune's Bounty did for Peach Wilkins. Speaking or Port Neptune, I'm surprised you didn't talk about it much, considering it is arguably one of the most linear levels in the entire game, apart from the Proving Grounds, Welcome to Rapture, and Smuggler's Hideout. I'm also surprised you didn't talk much about Fort Frolic, since that level is generally regarded as being one of the best levels in the whole series. Then again, Mark Brown on Game Maker's Toolkit did a excellent video on Fort Frolic. I am very interested to hearing your thoughts on Infinite and Bioshock 2. As it seems my opinion of Infinite being equal in quality to Bioshock 1, and Bioshock 2 being my least favorite game in the series, is not shared. (Will mention that I don't feel as though Bioshock 2 is a bad game, it is a phenomenal game and a very good step-up in terms of gameplay, but I feel as though it is a bad Bioshock game in terms of it's narrative, writing, and philosophy. Minerva's Den however is fantastic and may be my personal favorite campaign of the whole series) Will wait to hear your thoughts for the next video. As a side note, I have 2 critiques of this video in terms of itself. First of all, at the start of the video mention any games that there will be spoilers to, thus enabling us to know if you will be spoiling it in case we haven't played it. Second of all, a longer video would work for this type of stuff, just put timestamps in the video description for where your critique on each game in the video begins, or do timestamps based on segments of the video if you prefer that. Similar to how Joseph Anderson and Noah Caldwell-Gervais do it. (If you haven't heard of any of the youtubes I have mentioned here, they do very good channels and you should definitely check them out.
Also, now that I listen to the start of this video again. I'm not sure why you said it, but there is an important note I need to mention now, which is your opening phrase. I feel as though it is important to state the difference between an objective truth, and a opinion. I'm not sure if more needs to be said. While it is good to have an opinion, in some ways a bias, it is not good to think of the opinion as and objective truth, and other thoughts a lie. I'm sure you will expand upon this in part two (Another reason I think videos like this are better done in a single long episode rather than several short ones, you can take the thoughts on the whole critique all at once and process them all at the same time, rather than splitting them up and having to re-watch segments. Also enables you to build on your thoughts from an earlier part in a later section more seamlessly), but it does have me... worried a bit.
Agenta 1999 I totally understand your reading on Hephaestus, and even agree with you to a certain extent, but that doesn't change the fact that the level or its objectives feel more traditional. That doesn't make it bad, it's just not what I'm looking for in this game, and it's also the first time that I began to notice Bioshock's length. And as for me not detailing the levels; I choose not to because my generalizations sum up why I love Bioshock's level design. I also watched that Game Maker's Toolkit episode, so I figured there would be no reason to rehash the Fort Frolic praise (buuuttt since you brought it up, it's a highlight in the series). You're right about the spoilers though. I should've provided a warning. I just didn't think about it until someone else mentioned it earlier. By then it was too late and I had already fucked up. I won't make that mistake again, sorry :-/
Also, the objective truth is that Bioshock 2 isn't a bad game. That's not even debatable. And there's nothing worrisome about splitting this critique into multiple episodes. They're going to be released about a week a part from each other, and a single 2 hour video would be too much work for me to edit.
@GameologicalDig I understand your talk about the game a little clearer now. Thank you for clarifying a few things. And I will also mention, talking about the levels in specific detail would also make for a VERY long video by itself, so it's understandable why you didn't do it. Also, I do understand the comment about Hephaestus and how it is definitely a more "Traditional" level in terms of it's general design. It's a lot more basic than other levels (We also need to keep in mind that that level is also where the game's enemies receive their upgrade, so the devs might have thought it a good idea to make that level a little simpler to accommodate for that. Not something I agree with though. Notice how in the game as you progress, the levels build in complexity until reaching a more linear one that puts it back down.) Also, I feel as though the simplicity of objectives is an issue the entire game has, but hides very well apart from a few levels (Hephaestus being a good example of one that does not hide it well). As for the "Objective truth" comment. (Keep in mind, I do not disagree with you on your comment on Bioshock 2, in terms of a game by itself. In terms of the series I will discuss when I have seen everything you have to say on the series for this critique.) In terms of video game critique, there can really be no objective truth. While yes, a game may be loved by many and considered a masterpiece by many as well, it cannot be denied that there will always be someone who dislikes it. In terms of a critique of a game or game series, there can be NO objective truth because everyone has their own personal bias and thoughts on a game. A person's reasons for disliking a game may outweigh the positives another person gives that game. Every game can go through this. As such, it is important to realize, especially when looking at another person's critique at a game, that what someone believes to be an "objective truth" may not be that to someone else.
Good vid. A few small notes. Even Levine hates the end of BioShock. One reason for a lack of variation in enemies is the limitations of the Unreal Engine. And PLEASE when you get to BioShock Infinite, take into account that it is not a survival horror game. It's more action adventure which means it different set of criteria and cannot really be compared to the other two games. Hope to see the next one soon.
Matt Woodard Those are details I wish I knew about going in. Still, I don't consider Bioshock's lack of enemy variety a substantial negative. I'm glad you liked the vid, but be warned. I have a lot of issues with Infinite (it not being a survival horror game isn't one of them). I consider it a disappointment because it does away with all the immersive sim elements of Bioshock 1 and 2. And while I like the characters, the overall story suffers from some thematic bloat. It's still a good game, but it's not quite a Bioshock game to me.
You might be surprised I have a few issues as well. Here there are and I proposed fixes for them as well. solarmech.deviantart.com/art/Changes-to-BioShock-Infinite-668157942 sm
Objectivism never states that charity is discouraged, just that it has to be voluntary and not self-sacrificial. Maybe knowing you helped people is a selfish desire. Fontaine shouldn't have been the first person claiming to be "charitable" in Rapture.
Thank god! You didn't blindly hate or praise BioShock 2. You're giving great reasons why BioShock 2 is great and you're also analyzing it well. I'm glad I found you in the comments section of a BioShock Infinite walkthrough. You're amazing.
dbzorion168 goki I'm glad you found my channel too, lol. I don't spend much time detailing Bioshock 2 in this video. The next episode will get the bulk of the examination, but yeah, I try to keep my critiques as unbiased as possible. Next week I'll post episode 2 so stay tuned.
You said Armin Shimerman was Buffy's principal when the more relevant character would be Quark from Star Trek DS9. The Ferengis probably revere Ayn Rand as the most sensible human ever lol 🤣
Great video man, agreed with you 100%. Honestly I disliked B2 for the longest time, mostly for personal reasons. BS2 was literally the first game I ever went to a midnight release for! When I got the game for PC I was left very disappointed, it was a horrible buggy console port with sloppy mouse aiming, no reload bindable button for Eve, and a clostraohobic forced FOV. Aside from technical support issues, I simply utterly hated Sopia Lamb, and not in a good way. Her philosophy was bullshit compared to the well written Ryan, and the smug way she talked and how she never seemed phased no matter how much you meddled in her plans made you just want to punch her in the face 100 times, then the game doesn't even give you the luxory of killing her yourself or at all unless you get the bad or neutal ending.
Ian Knau While I can't comment on the issues the PC port had, I can understand why you felt the way you did. If I had those issues when I first played it, it would def sour my impression of the game too. Your take on Lamb, however, is spot on and I pretty much feel the exact way you do about her character. Of course, a lot of her failings feel like they were done intentionally, but that doesn't make our critiques any less valid. She's got problems.
Glad we agree. Honestly I agree with you too, upon multiple play throughs It's pretty clear they intentionally made her that way but.. gah I don't even know exactly what it is. It's like, with Ryan the scary thing is that almost everyone who plays can see at least SOME sense in what he preaches and thus can probably relate. Honestly I find myself trying to defend Ryan at all turns and make excuses for his actions even as it becomes more and more blatantly his wrong doings.. kinda like a beaten housewife lol. It's so easy to wanna put all the blame on Fontaine. But with Lamb its like, her philosophies are so batshit crazy that only a nut-job would believe what she says. Or more specifically, doomed splicers looking for any kind of way out. The way the game itself tries to convay Lamb as an equal with Ryan such as the debates audiologs is just insulting and honestly I think that might be it. Lamb sucks in every way, and she's in a sequel, so she almost feels like a insert fan-character and it's insulting the kind of importance they gave her in the story of Rapture when she was never even heard of in the first game. Also I think I just have a dislike of crazy cults in games in general. Partly because I know cults just as crazy have existed IRL and it kinda makes me loose faith in humanity, and because there's literally no redeeming quality about the people in the cults. Other then some sympathy you could maybe feel for the mislead splicers so desperate to believe anything.. but then again they're just so damn proud of themselves to be part of the Family aren't they? So fuck em.
I think all games in this series are great games. But I’d be remiss is I didn’t think that infinite lacked the appeal of the first to games. I preferred the 1920’s a little more anyways.
I don't disagree. The story suffers in a lot of ways - which I detailed in the video - but literally everything else about Bioshock 2 as a game is an improvement over the first game.
@@GameologicalDig Not really. Because you play as a Big Daddy in 2, the feeling of fear and intensity that the first game has is gone. Also, the gameplay makes Bioshock 2 way too easy.
Bioshock 2 doesn't shait on the whole story, it adds to it and also has the best DLC (Minerva's den). As much as Infinite's story is interesting it should have never become a one massive redcon of whole Bioshock lore and it shouldn't have had the DLC that is basically angry fanfic against Bioshock 2
I gotta say that from all 451 games, SS2 is my least favourite. Tried it three times, never finished it. Something about it just doesn't click. I enjoy even the first one more.
This doesn't discuss the amazing world of the floppy disc version of System Shock and is therefore worthless. Jokes aside, System Shock 2 has the best UI in the series. It's uncluttered and streamlined, while still allowing for an uncommonly high amount of complex interaction. I think it even allows you to hotkey different PSI abilities spells in-game. And the SS2 hacking game strikes the best balance between fun and believability. What the fuck even is the Bioshock Hacking game? Where does this take place on the machine? Bioshock's interface is just pandering to Console gamers tbh
Honestly not sure where the hate for Bioshock 2 comes from. Aside from the cookie cutter Big Sister fights, I love it overall. If anything, Infinite was my least favorite in the series, gameplay wise. But the story was fantastic and Buriel at Sea brought the entire series full circle for the biggest mind fuck I've ever experienced in a game. Bioshock 2 did a lot of things right and deserves its place, along with every other entry. Nice video though
are fuckin kiddin me? Bioshock 2 is probably the best, i didn't like the genre change however. it built on more on what we were given in Bioshock and added more details without really deviating into the 1st, aside the genre change that is. Whilst infinite completely changed in all aspect and had a roundabout tying it back into the series but only at the end in where they made a somewhat night shyamalan-esque plot twists. the only redeeming aspect of infinite really was the DLC not really the whole "lighthouse" mumbo jumbo.
7 років тому
How can you say that the lows outweigh the highs? I think u r looking at the game too analiticly. After playing it 3 or 4 times, ill gladly get in another playthrough even realizing the lows
Love your work, though i have one complaint: please, warn about spoilers in the video, not only in description. Yes, Bioshock spoilers were obviously coming, no problem here, but I didn't expect outright spoilers of System Shock 2.
I could never finish Bioshock 2. Not cause its bad, but because every time I go to save my save data gets deleted. Thanks 2K for making such a fucking awful unfixable port. Honestly though the only thing bad about Bioshock 2 from a mechanics POV is that EVE is used automatically but everything else is way better.
I have one big problem with bioshock 2 - i just dont like to play big daddy- it feels out of the place for me. Also the enviroment dont help - its too unfriendly to you and seems to friendly howards splicers. These two thinks make it less beliavable than other bioshock games for me.
Opinions. I found the game ok. Nothing in terms of ground breaking. Pity that the trend of making lesser games continues. There's less quality in favor of better graphics, online only and microtransactions (more like macro). Now with people wanting that slice of China money there's even less to look forward to. Censorship and mobile games suck. Bioshock 3 was ok. Crap ending because what they imply is impossible given how the multiverse functions. Travelling back in time to do X, or Y will just create another branching timeline. All of those Elizabeth's messing with time just create even more timelines. The writer doesn't/didn't seem to understand the multiverse theory. I still don't get how people could be creeped out by such low quality "horror". Perhaps I am just not as phased by the genre. What scares me is real life. Perhaps I am just too removed from a game to ever consider it as reality. Too many gamey mechanics break immersion too easily for me. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy the games. A little bit jealous towards those that consider any System Shock game scary or unsettling. Last time I recall being unsettled was the first time encountering the invisible things in one of the amnesia games as it walked along the water following close by to the character, but only the first time. To be honest, System Shock has more in common with Deus Ex than Bioshock game mechanics. First person shooter, with augments you can add and remove. Bioshock you inject a chemical and you have it forever.
The fuck? Who the hell is saying Bioshock 2 was a bad game? Where's your source on that? It was universally praised as a great game and sequel. And no, I won't consider the opinions of fanboys as sources.
S Vkt These videos aren't about the game critics. It's about the ongoing discussion by the fans, and more importantly, the haters. You may not consider their opinions valid, but they are a very vocal, very loud demographic, whose criticisms affect others willingness to give the game a shot. For a long time, I refused to play BS2 because I blindly accepted those criticisms. It wasn't until I played it a few years back that I realized how wrong the haters were. I want to convince others who dismissed it as a derivative cash grab to give it a shot, and to coax players who played it before to revisit BS2 with a new perspective.
Bioshock 2 is best gameplay/mechanics. Bioshock 1 has the best story and envirnoment Bioshock infinite is the weakest in the series in almost every way
I'm not a fan of a series. One point I can't believe you didn't mention is that I always felt that Bioshock, Bioshock 2 and Infinite just wasn't build like an FPS. Why build a world that is so rich if everyone and everything wants to kill you? Take series like Assasins Creed for example, sure there's plenty of combat and enemies, but there's always a reason for a fight, and you have an option to stealth through much of the fightings. In Bioshock, you feel like everything wants to murder you so you start murdering them yourself. I don't like that. I prefer games like subnautica, where you can explore and chill.
19:47 and you lost me bud had to shit on objective thinking didn't ya? Fuck me im gonna make one of these vids and NOT shit on the part of the game that actually made it work.
Gameological Dig lol no i think you guys have the completely wrong idea. I see a Petri dish example of an individual society WITH certain control factors put in to destabilize it for the story. Also the fact that ryan kept compromising his principals even till the end. You guys seem like you sleep walk through this missing the bigger picture ken was trying to lay out. Gusse you just missed allll those communist and mafia references in all the game lolz
I think you should work on making your script easier to understand for people who might not have english as their first language. Words like fulcrum, verisimilitude, expound, lilt... they're unnecessary. 8:45 "endows it with an enduring profl-what?" 5:08 todever-huh? (I could go on) I guess you want to sound smart and academic, but then you also include meme-like cutaways which completely contradicts that.
mrbitbot Duly noted. I've already tweaked the script for my next episode to make things less verbose. I'm still keeping some purple prose, but I'm actively working on this trait of mine.
![Bioshock Series - Retrospective (Part 2: Bioshock 2 & Minerva's Den) [SPOILERS FOR BOTH]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6JT2ILrtOcQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![Bioshock Series - Retrospective (Part 2: Bioshock 2 & Minerva's Den) [SPOILERS FOR BOTH]](/img/tr.png)
![Bioshock Series - Retrospective (Part 3: Bioshock Infinite & Burial at Sea) [SPOILERS FOR BOTH]](/img/n.gif)
Glad to hear someone say it! Loved bioshock 2.
Alexi Leclerc Yeah, next episode I'll go into detail why. It will be up next week.
Alexi Leclerc I loved BioShock 2 as well. Its great. I don't know why so many people hate(ed) it.
Its a good game the only thing wrong with it is that saves don't work on PC.
The mechanics are just amazing
I love bioshock 2 big daddy Delta all the way.
"Shotgun!" "Arghhh... oh... that's my... plumbing stomach..." LMAO that whole ending was GRReat :-)
I fkn love the 2nd bioshock, especially story-wise
Shatterrize Aha, you might not love my take on it. As much as I LOVE part two, it's story is it's weak link IMO. It wants to do some interesting stuff, like tell a more personal story, but it's characters make it hard for me to get into. Either way, it's a great game and Minerva's Den is a masterpiece.
I doubt that you are ever going to read this. But I recently found your channel because of your Soma series. It was awesome. After I clicked on your channel the first thing I saw was that you also did a series on Bioshock. My favorite game series of all time! I'm so happy that I stumbled upon you. Amazing work and greetings from Germany. (Sorry for bad grammar)
I'm so happy people are starting to recognize Bioshock 2 as mechanically the best in the series. Sure 1 is great and works just fine though the shooting mechanics are dated but 2 is the superior iteration of the gameplay formula
Excellent channel, I'm glad I found it. Keep up the great work.
You are no joke the best Lore video maker I've ever seen. You capture the essence of the game and go over every detail meticulously. Seriously, dude, you'll be huge someday, your work is definitely going to be noticed.
diggy dogpaco I sincerely hope so. Thanks for the kind words, Dogpaco 🐶
You need more views. Found your channel when looking through SOMA videos and I gotta say: bravo. Keep up your good work.
A lot of effort went into this content, and it shows. Great work. Subscribed.
loved the soma series I listen to it all the time :)
So glad to see another video from you. I absolutely love your lore videos. Hope to see more soon!
Bioshock 2 is great, and people have grown to love it more than they did initially.
My goodness! *claps* Another astounding video...I'm surprised you've taken this detour but it's understandable due to so much story and lore you have to dissect. I can't wait to watch the next part (it's in my watch later queue). Please continue to make this fantastic content, your game digs are done so so beautifully. 😘
Bioshock 2 was good, I've been saying it for years. The haters for it always make me roll my eyes. The only thing it did wrong was the tacked-on multiplayer and even it had some merit, just not my cup of tea.
Your videos are amazing. Thanks for putting in so much work. I'm shocked these don't have more views.
As soon as you said Bioshock 2 was a good game, I subscribed. Overall, Infinite is my favorite (because it's the only one I have played more than once) but Bioshock 2 is amazing and it gets a lot of underserved hate.
Okay man I only take them in, and I'll hear you out thank you for doing this
I didnt even know people hated Bioshock 2. I just played all 3 and loved Bioshock 2 the most out of em all
this is one of my very favorite seires on youtube, i love it
Back when Bioshock Infinite came out I went and played all the games on PS3. I liked all of them. All 3 Bioshocks are amazing games that have something unique and good to offer. That said at the end of my playthroughs I decided that Bioshock 2 is the best. It has a good story, as do all the games do. (Not the best, but more than serviceable.) And the gameplay is the best it ever was, a step up from the first game, and more enjoyable than the 3rd game.
Dont recall finding ss2 too tedious, and i liked having to manage supplies and inventory. It adds to the survival aspect and i liked the rpg aspect, upgrading atributes and skills. Doesnt make sense not being able to weild a weapon, but spending skillpoints building my character certain ways added depth and replayability so yeah... Deus ex3 still has some of this stuff, like original game did. I liked that, and preferred if bioshock still had these things in place
WHY DON'T YOU HAVE MORE VIEWS???????
I'll tell you why: because most people play games mindlessly...and that is sad.
The level of detail in your videos is (as far as I know) beyond anybody and anything on this website! And I watch a ton of lore videos because I know for a FACT I am missing stuff in the games I play and love.
ΛLΞX Hahaha, thanks. I know most gaming site want reviews to be as succinct in possible. But games like the Shock series need more time to be throughly explored and discussed. They don't lend themselves to that model. I'm just glad there are folks out there who care as much as we do.
I'd say these videos are too long for the curent audience of UA-cam, thus are not highlighted but UA-cam's algorithm. This is sad :( Just finished the vid, it was fkin great
ΛLΞX I agree.
ΛLΞX "Because most people play games mindlessly"
That's very ptetentious. Taking a guess that you like watching these types of videos since you're a little too slow to form your own opinion?
ΛLΞX Basically, you sound like a Rick & Morty fan.
I think the first Bioshock was a masterclass example of game design and still is one of the best games ever released. Bioshock 2 was more of the same only a bit less coherent. It's not a bad thing but it didn't have the same impact as the first because people were already familiar with the concept and setting of the series. Infinite took the series in a new direction, both artistically and mechanically. I would say it doesn't even belong in the same subgenre. Infinite does what it does really well and the story is on par if not better than the original, but the linearized gameplay made it more of a standard shooter of its time. Neither of the sequels were bad by any means but they didn't reach the same level of cohesiveness in their art direction, gameplay and story and both lacked the innovation of the first game.
this is top notch content
Great video. I have to disagree on one point though: The betrayal by Shodan was not the first of its kind. There was a pretty similar scene in Metal Gear Solid 1 when Master Miller revealed himself to be Liquid Snake. MGS was released in 1998 while System Shock 2 was released in August of 1999 so I would give MGS credit for that innovation.
I got scared you wasn't makeing content anymore lol..... good to have you back :D
Fontaine is one of the most painful boss fights I've ever experienced after playing a really enjoyable game.
Excellent. As always.
Do you happen to know where you got the thumbnail? It looks SUPER cool! Also, your work is fan-freaking-tastic. I just got done with your SOMA series and it's super well done. Definitely got a lot more context and story from you going through it bit by bit.
Fuck yeah
I fucking love BioShock 2
Definitely my preffered adventure through Rapture
Bioshock 2 is my favorite out of all!
This guy. Finally someone who sees the problems with Nier. Knows how NUTS bioshock 2 is. Appreciates SOMA!!! AAAAAAAAAAAaaaa
Woo, more great videos!
eddiebox123 thanks so much 🙏
I’m really glad that I didn’t read or listen to any review when I played BS 2... I loved that game. I’m sorry guys, I’m a BioShock fan boy and I loved all 3 games equally, for different reasons but I love them all
bioshock 2 is fucking amazing! I loved the gameplay so much. Bioshock 1 is still my favorite though. Also the multiplayer in 2 was fun as hell imo!
I agree with many of your comments on Bioshock 1. I won't speak about System Shock as I have not played it, but many of your comments on Bioshock 1 I highly agree with. My main disagreement comes with your critique of the game's downfall not being the last 3rd, but the last 4th. We need to keep in mind Hephaestus is Andrew Ryan's home and office. It's definitely the most industrial area of Rapture, but I think that is the point. As far as I can tell, Ryan lived in Hephaestus, literally and figuratively. His office his found there, and he seems to spend a large amount of time in that office. Hephaestus is a level that shows us the type of environment that Andrew Ryan likes to be in, same as Fort Frolic did the same for Sander Cohen, or Neptune's Bounty did for Peach Wilkins. Speaking or Port Neptune, I'm surprised you didn't talk about it much, considering it is arguably one of the most linear levels in the entire game, apart from the Proving Grounds, Welcome to Rapture, and Smuggler's Hideout. I'm also surprised you didn't talk much about Fort Frolic, since that level is generally regarded as being one of the best levels in the whole series. Then again, Mark Brown on Game Maker's Toolkit did a excellent video on Fort Frolic. I am very interested to hearing your thoughts on Infinite and Bioshock 2. As it seems my opinion of Infinite being equal in quality to Bioshock 1, and Bioshock 2 being my least favorite game in the series, is not shared. (Will mention that I don't feel as though Bioshock 2 is a bad game, it is a phenomenal game and a very good step-up in terms of gameplay, but I feel as though it is a bad Bioshock game in terms of it's narrative, writing, and philosophy. Minerva's Den however is fantastic and may be my personal favorite campaign of the whole series) Will wait to hear your thoughts for the next video.
As a side note, I have 2 critiques of this video in terms of itself. First of all, at the start of the video mention any games that there will be spoilers to, thus enabling us to know if you will be spoiling it in case we haven't played it. Second of all, a longer video would work for this type of stuff, just put timestamps in the video description for where your critique on each game in the video begins, or do timestamps based on segments of the video if you prefer that. Similar to how Joseph Anderson and Noah Caldwell-Gervais do it. (If you haven't heard of any of the youtubes I have mentioned here, they do very good channels and you should definitely check them out.
Also, now that I listen to the start of this video again. I'm not sure why you said it, but there is an important note I need to mention now, which is your opening phrase. I feel as though it is important to state the difference between an objective truth, and a opinion. I'm not sure if more needs to be said. While it is good to have an opinion, in some ways a bias, it is not good to think of the opinion as and objective truth, and other thoughts a lie. I'm sure you will expand upon this in part two (Another reason I think videos like this are better done in a single long episode rather than several short ones, you can take the thoughts on the whole critique all at once and process them all at the same time, rather than splitting them up and having to re-watch segments. Also enables you to build on your thoughts from an earlier part in a later section more seamlessly), but it does have me... worried a bit.
Agenta 1999 I totally understand your reading on Hephaestus, and even agree with you to a certain extent, but that doesn't change the fact that the level or its objectives feel more traditional. That doesn't make it bad, it's just not what I'm looking for in this game, and it's also the first time that I began to notice Bioshock's length.
And as for me not detailing the levels; I choose not to because my generalizations sum up why I love Bioshock's level design. I also watched that Game Maker's Toolkit episode, so I figured there would be no reason to rehash the Fort Frolic praise (buuuttt since you brought it up, it's a highlight in the series).
You're right about the spoilers though. I should've provided a warning. I just didn't think about it until someone else mentioned it earlier. By then it was too late and I had already fucked up. I won't make that mistake again, sorry :-/
Also, the objective truth is that Bioshock 2 isn't a bad game. That's not even debatable.
And there's nothing worrisome about splitting this critique into multiple episodes. They're going to be released about a week a part from each other, and a single 2 hour video would be too much work for me to edit.
@GameologicalDig I understand your talk about the game a little clearer now. Thank you for clarifying a few things. And I will also mention, talking about the levels in specific detail would also make for a VERY long video by itself, so it's understandable why you didn't do it. Also, I do understand the comment about Hephaestus and how it is definitely a more "Traditional" level in terms of it's general design. It's a lot more basic than other levels (We also need to keep in mind that that level is also where the game's enemies receive their upgrade, so the devs might have thought it a good idea to make that level a little simpler to accommodate for that. Not something I agree with though. Notice how in the game as you progress, the levels build in complexity until reaching a more linear one that puts it back down.) Also, I feel as though the simplicity of objectives is an issue the entire game has, but hides very well apart from a few levels (Hephaestus being a good example of one that does not hide it well).
As for the "Objective truth" comment. (Keep in mind, I do not disagree with you on your comment on Bioshock 2, in terms of a game by itself. In terms of the series I will discuss when I have seen everything you have to say on the series for this critique.) In terms of video game critique, there can really be no objective truth. While yes, a game may be loved by many and considered a masterpiece by many as well, it cannot be denied that there will always be someone who dislikes it. In terms of a critique of a game or game series, there can be NO objective truth because everyone has their own personal bias and thoughts on a game. A person's reasons for disliking a game may outweigh the positives another person gives that game. Every game can go through this. As such, it is important to realize, especially when looking at another person's critique at a game, that what someone believes to be an "objective truth" may not be that to someone else.
Oh, you must be the wife, glad to meet...
Thank you so much 😊
Bioshock 4 is in the making, but the project had to be restarted at least once.
Good vid. A few small notes. Even Levine hates the end of BioShock. One reason for a lack of variation in enemies is the limitations of the Unreal Engine. And PLEASE when you get to BioShock Infinite, take into account that it is not a survival horror game. It's more action adventure which means it different set of criteria and cannot really be compared to the other two games. Hope to see the next one soon.
Matt Woodard Those are details I wish I knew about going in. Still, I don't consider Bioshock's lack of enemy variety a substantial negative. I'm glad you liked the vid, but be warned. I have a lot of issues with Infinite (it not being a survival horror game isn't one of them). I consider it a disappointment because it does away with all the immersive sim elements of Bioshock 1 and 2. And while I like the characters, the overall story suffers from some thematic bloat. It's still a good game, but it's not quite a Bioshock game to me.
You might be surprised I have a few issues as well. Here there are and I proposed fixes for them as well. solarmech.deviantart.com/art/Changes-to-BioShock-Infinite-668157942 sm
Objectivism never states that charity is discouraged, just that it has to be voluntary and not self-sacrificial. Maybe knowing you helped people is a selfish desire. Fontaine shouldn't have been the first person claiming to be "charitable" in Rapture.
Where have you been man, i missed these videos, please make videos more frequently
BioShock 2 is great.
I did play through the entirety of System Shock 2, but I gotta say it's really hard to get into.
Very nice.
larsyxa Noice
Thank god! You didn't blindly hate or praise BioShock 2. You're giving great reasons why BioShock 2 is great and you're also analyzing it well. I'm glad I found you in the comments section of a BioShock Infinite walkthrough. You're amazing.
dbzorion168 goki I'm glad you found my channel too, lol. I don't spend much time detailing Bioshock 2 in this video. The next episode will get the bulk of the examination, but yeah, I try to keep my critiques as unbiased as possible. Next week I'll post episode 2 so stay tuned.
Gameological Dig I will, keep up with the amazing content!
Bioshock 2 is my favorite in the series
Great video as always ! So you don't plan on making a part 4 of your bioshock infinite series ?
kitaysuru Read the episode notes. I'll def continue. Thanks.
0 dislikes after 2 weeks, not something I see often :O
Also I agree, Bioshock 2 was my favorite
What happened to this guy? Why did he stop making videos? They are so good
Bioshock 2 is the best in the series, especially Minerva's Den DLC.
3:00
Oh my goodd what's wrong with your faaaace
It was the 1990s. They could only use ten polygons for a model. :D
You said Armin Shimerman was Buffy's principal when the more relevant character would be Quark from Star Trek DS9. The Ferengis probably revere Ayn Rand as the most sensible human ever lol 🤣
Great video man, agreed with you 100%. Honestly I disliked B2 for the longest time, mostly for personal reasons. BS2 was literally the first game I ever went to a midnight release for! When I got the game for PC I was left very disappointed, it was a horrible buggy console port with sloppy mouse aiming, no reload bindable button for Eve, and a clostraohobic forced FOV.
Aside from technical support issues, I simply utterly hated Sopia Lamb, and not in a good way. Her philosophy was bullshit compared to the well written Ryan, and the smug way she talked and how she never seemed phased no matter how much you meddled in her plans made you just want to punch her in the face 100 times, then the game doesn't even give you the luxory of killing her yourself or at all unless you get the bad or neutal ending.
Ian Knau While I can't comment on the issues the PC port had, I can understand why you felt the way you did. If I had those issues when I first played it, it would def sour my impression of the game too.
Your take on Lamb, however, is spot on and I pretty much feel the exact way you do about her character. Of course, a lot of her failings feel like they were done intentionally, but that doesn't make our critiques any less valid. She's got problems.
Glad we agree. Honestly I agree with you too, upon multiple play throughs It's pretty clear they intentionally made her that way but.. gah I don't even know exactly what it is. It's like, with Ryan the scary thing is that almost everyone who plays can see at least SOME sense in what he preaches and thus can probably relate. Honestly I find myself trying to defend Ryan at all turns and make excuses for his actions even as it becomes more and more blatantly his wrong doings.. kinda like a beaten housewife lol. It's so easy to wanna put all the blame on Fontaine.
But with Lamb its like, her philosophies are so batshit crazy that only a nut-job would believe what she says. Or more specifically, doomed splicers looking for any kind of way out. The way the game itself tries to convay Lamb as an equal with Ryan such as the debates audiologs is just insulting and honestly I think that might be it. Lamb sucks in every way, and she's in a sequel, so she almost feels like a insert fan-character and it's insulting the kind of importance they gave her in the story of Rapture when she was never even heard of in the first game.
Also I think I just have a dislike of crazy cults in games in general. Partly because I know cults just as crazy have existed IRL and it kinda makes me loose faith in humanity, and because there's literally no redeeming quality about the people in the cults. Other then some sympathy you could maybe feel for the mislead splicers so desperate to believe anything.. but then again they're just so damn proud of themselves to be part of the Family aren't they? So fuck em.
Guess what I'm installing right now...
I think all games in this series are great games. But I’d be remiss is I didn’t think that infinite lacked the appeal of the first to games. I preferred the 1920’s a little more anyways.
For all your great points, Bioshock 2 has a less impressive story. Kevin Levine’s imput is sorely missed in Bioshock 2.
I don't disagree. The story suffers in a lot of ways - which I detailed in the video - but literally everything else about Bioshock 2 as a game is an improvement over the first game.
@@GameologicalDig
Not really. Because you play as a Big Daddy in 2, the feeling of fear and intensity that the first game has is gone. Also, the gameplay makes Bioshock 2 way too easy.
Bioshock 2 doesn't shait on the whole story, it adds to it and also has the best DLC (Minerva's den).
As much as Infinite's story is interesting it should have never become a one massive redcon of whole Bioshock lore and it shouldn't have had the DLC that is basically angry fanfic against Bioshock 2
Jack is Ryan's son... Not his clone
I gotta say that from all 451 games, SS2 is my least favourite. Tried it three times, never finished it. Something about it just doesn't click. I enjoy even the first one more.
i didnt think 2 was bad just dissapointing cuz i was hoping it would start from the first game cuz it was a cliff hanger
This doesn't discuss the amazing world of the floppy disc version of System Shock and is therefore worthless.
Jokes aside, System Shock 2 has the best UI in the series. It's uncluttered and streamlined, while still allowing for an uncommonly high amount of complex interaction. I think it even allows you to hotkey different PSI abilities spells in-game. And the SS2 hacking game strikes the best balance between fun and believability. What the fuck even is the Bioshock Hacking game? Where does this take place on the machine? Bioshock's interface is just pandering to Console gamers tbh
i neeedd moorrree you loorree god 😂
Its Noodles707 Soon, my Noodle-wan. Soon.
Honestly not sure where the hate for Bioshock 2 comes from. Aside from the cookie cutter Big Sister fights, I love it overall. If anything, Infinite was my least favorite in the series, gameplay wise. But the story was fantastic and Buriel at Sea brought the entire series full circle for the biggest mind fuck I've ever experienced in a game. Bioshock 2 did a lot of things right and deserves its place, along with every other entry.
Nice video though
Wait people thought Bioshock two was bad?
Can you do the last of us?
I agree with you. #SPEARGUN4LYFE I thought it was fun, I will play again on PS4.
I like bioshock 2
are fuckin kiddin me? Bioshock 2 is probably the best, i didn't like the genre change however. it built on more on what we were given in Bioshock and added more details without really deviating into the 1st, aside the genre change that is. Whilst infinite completely changed in all aspect and had a roundabout tying it back into the series but only at the end in where they made a somewhat night shyamalan-esque plot twists. the only redeeming aspect of infinite really was the DLC not really the whole "lighthouse" mumbo jumbo.
How can you say that the lows outweigh the highs? I think u r looking at the game too analiticly. After playing it 3 or 4 times, ill gladly get in another playthrough even realizing the lows
System shock 2 was so much better than all the bioshock game's! I played it for the first time last year.
Many of the things you complain of I enjoyed
Southend busker ss2?
Southend busker no sorry, I was previously unaware of system shock, I'm speaking of the design in bioshock
Uuuh, there are people who consider Bioshock 2 to be a _bad_ game?
What the actual fuck?
Lol best entry is still a bit of a stretch.
Love your work, though i have one complaint: please, warn about spoilers in the video, not only in description. Yes, Bioshock spoilers were obviously coming, no problem here, but I didn't expect outright spoilers of System Shock 2.
John Doe Ahhhh shit. Sorry dude. I'll be sure to annotate and provide warnings next time.
I could never finish Bioshock 2.
Not cause its bad, but because every time I go to save my save data gets deleted. Thanks 2K for making such a fucking awful unfixable port.
Honestly though the only thing bad about Bioshock 2 from a mechanics POV is that EVE is used automatically but everything else is way better.
I have one big problem with bioshock 2 - i just dont like to play big daddy- it feels out of the place for me. Also the enviroment dont help - its too unfriendly to you and seems to friendly howards splicers. These two thinks make it less beliavable than other bioshock games for me.
Opinions. I found the game ok. Nothing in terms of ground breaking. Pity that the trend of making lesser games continues. There's less quality in favor of better graphics, online only and microtransactions (more like macro). Now with people wanting that slice of China money there's even less to look forward to. Censorship and mobile games suck.
Bioshock 3 was ok. Crap ending because what they imply is impossible given how the multiverse functions. Travelling back in time to do X, or Y will just create another branching timeline. All of those Elizabeth's messing with time just create even more timelines. The writer doesn't/didn't seem to understand the multiverse theory.
I still don't get how people could be creeped out by such low quality "horror". Perhaps I am just not as phased by the genre. What scares me is real life. Perhaps I am just too removed from a game to ever consider it as reality. Too many gamey mechanics break immersion too easily for me. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy the games. A little bit jealous towards those that consider any System Shock game scary or unsettling. Last time I recall being unsettled was the first time encountering the invisible things in one of the amnesia games as it walked along the water following close by to the character, but only the first time.
To be honest, System Shock has more in common with Deus Ex than Bioshock game mechanics. First person shooter, with augments you can add and remove. Bioshock you inject a chemical and you have it forever.
The fuck? Who the hell is saying Bioshock 2 was a bad game? Where's your source on that? It was universally praised as a great game and sequel. And no, I won't consider the opinions of fanboys as sources.
S Vkt These videos aren't about the game critics. It's about the ongoing discussion by the fans, and more importantly, the haters. You may not consider their opinions valid, but they are a very vocal, very loud demographic, whose criticisms affect others willingness to give the game a shot.
For a long time, I refused to play BS2 because I blindly accepted those criticisms. It wasn't until I played it a few years back that I realized how wrong the haters were. I want to convince others who dismissed it as a derivative cash grab to give it a shot, and to coax players who played it before to revisit BS2 with a new perspective.
Bioshock 2 is best gameplay/mechanics.
Bioshock 1 has the best story and envirnoment
Bioshock infinite is the weakest in the series in almost every way
I'm not a fan of a series. One point I can't believe you didn't mention is that I always felt that Bioshock, Bioshock 2 and Infinite just wasn't build like an FPS. Why build a world that is so rich if everyone and everything wants to kill you? Take series like Assasins Creed for example, sure there's plenty of combat and enemies, but there's always a reason for a fight, and you have an option to stealth through much of the fightings. In Bioshock, you feel like everything wants to murder you so you start murdering them yourself. I don't like that. I prefer games like subnautica, where you can explore and chill.
19:47 and you lost me bud had to shit on objective thinking didn't ya? Fuck me im gonna make one of these vids and NOT shit on the part of the game that actually made it work.
TinFoilFrog If you think that then you obviously missed the whole point Bioshock was trying to make.
In truth, I’d like to see you make that video, if only to see how you spin it that Bioshock is pro objectivism.
Gameological Dig lol no i think you guys have the completely wrong idea. I see a Petri dish example of an individual society WITH certain control factors put in to destabilize it for the story. Also the fact that ryan kept compromising his principals even till the end. You guys seem like you sleep walk through this missing the bigger picture ken was trying to lay out. Gusse you just missed allll those communist and mafia references in all the game lolz
Lol imma make that vid with no spin bitch just the FACTS :3
Go ahead. Make that video. Maybe you'll end up with more than one sub.
bioshock>bioshock 2>bioshock infinite.
infinite is so shit it isnt even a bioshcok game to me.
I think you should work on making your script easier to understand for people who might not have english as their first language. Words like fulcrum, verisimilitude, expound, lilt... they're unnecessary. 8:45 "endows it with an enduring profl-what?" 5:08 todever-huh? (I could go on) I guess you want to sound smart and academic, but then you also include meme-like cutaways which completely contradicts that.
mrbitbot Duly noted. I've already tweaked the script for my next episode to make things less verbose. I'm still keeping some purple prose, but I'm actively working on this trait of mine.
I hate bioshock infinite.
Fuck You
Fuck you
You using "video gamey" boss fights as a negative, is extremely pretentious. It's a video game. It was video gamey from the start.