Couldn't Have Said it Better Myself

posted by captain crunk27

Wed May 13, 2009 at 02:55:18 PM EST

I've been a longtime fan of GamesRadar.  I think it was Suns who initially turned me on to the site. (thanks!)  Anyway, I was reading today and found an article that I thought everyone should read.  It's about Bioshock 2, and why they don't want it.  I completely agree with them, and if I had the literary skills that they do, I would have posted this myself a long time ago.  


Here's an excerpt from it:  

Ignoring the obvious monetary justification (in fact the only justification), there is no need for a sequel to BioShock. The original game was complete by its end, as a product, as an experience, as a story and as a statement. It wasn’t a vague, open-ended scenario, ripe for the franchise photocopier as most games we play are. It was an intelligent and deliberately-designed whole, with a very definite story, manifesto and agenda which went beyond the basic visceral thrills of videogame shooters.  It had points to make regarding the scope of videogames, their conventions as a medium, philosophy and the human sense of self. Some it made by example. Others it made through narrative discourse, and some it even made through post-modern deconstruction. But it made them in completeness and then it ended. What BioShock set out to do is done.
There’s a reason no-one makes a big deal out of space missions any more, or the climbing of Everest. There’s a reason no-one gets excited about CGI in these post-Jurassic Park and Terminator 2 days. There’s a reason the Matrix sequels were directionless, unexciting bloats, and there’s a reason no-one’s ever made a sequel to Blade Runner (actually BioShock’s nearest spiritual equivalent, movie-wise).
For that very same reason, BioShock 2 will be a hollow experience in comparison to its predecessor.

You can find the article here

What do you guys think about it? Who's going to be buying it?


Tags: Bioshock 2 (all tags)

Comments Disabled | 43 comments

  •  I really wanna get it, (none / 0)

    but honestly, no game can give me the feeling I had when I play through Bioshock. No matter how many times that is.

    "Vuht? Ze Panzerz? WHO LET ZE PANZERZ OUWT?!?!?!?!"

    by Grymm on Wed May 13, 2009 at 03:12:51 PM EST

  •  Yeah, you know, one of the reasons (none / 0)

    I lost some desire to finish the original, is because I knew that Ken Levine altered his the ending so that it would be easier to pull off a sequel should the game be successful.  I have no idea what the original ending would have been, but I think it would have been even more "complete" than it apparently is now.  He may have left lots of questions unanswered, but all the main characters would have resolution: the song would have ended, as opposed to just fading in an endless loop, with all sorts of characters left over for the next installment.

    What happened to the 1 book novel?  The one film movie?  The one disc game?

    by 3Suns on Wed May 13, 2009 at 04:30:13 PM EST

    •  I'm not buying that excuse, Suns. ;) (none / 0)

      Come on, brother.  Do you think we, diehard gamers, are going to buy that "excuse"?  LOL  You owe it to yourself and as an example to your boys to finish that game.  Lost my desire...  For Pete's sake...

      As in regards to Bioshock 2, I agree with GameRadar's article.  Like I've been saying all along, T2 Marin removed the "human" aspect out of the sequel by making you a Big Daddy.  WTH?!?

      Friends don't let friends two-piece.

      by Blankman on Wed May 13, 2009 at 05:06:51 PM EST

      [ Parent ]

      •  LOL Yeah, I thought I might get some flack (none / 0)

        for that.  However, I did say "some desire to finish" not "all desire to finish", and it is true.  Levine got me all interested in Ayn Rand and Objectivism, and when I heard that he had compromised some of his original intent for the story (and that ultimately, some who were not supposed to survive, would), it let some of the air out of my tires.  It is like letting Hamlet live at the end.  NOOOOooooo!

        In the end, though, I chalk up my not completing it to the greatness of the Gearhead brotherhood.  I can't spend my precious gaming time playing by myself, I gotta be stormin' around with my bros - and that, my good friend, is an even more important example to my boys.  ;)  (Ha ha   You can't argue against that logic!)  LOL

        I do intend on finishing it one day, though.  :D

        by 3Suns on Wed May 13, 2009 at 07:58:41 PM EST

        [ Parent ]

  •  uh (none / 0)

    gosh why can't people wait for the game before the judge it? Who knows maybe Bioshock 2 will be 10x better then the first. After all Bioshock 1 was far from perfect and could use a lot of improvements

    by Creeper Nate on Wed May 13, 2009 at 04:40:24 PM EST

  •  I agree that replicating the feeling of Bioshock (none / 0)

    1 would be near impossible.

    But I don't think that's what they are shooting for. Every sequel should hold on to the general feel of the game before it and then take a step in a new direction expanding on what the first game did.

    From the article: "What BioShock set out to do is done."

    Really? There's really no room for learning more about the universe, exploring new areas and diving even deeper into the story?

    I'm fine in saying that Bioshock 2 has a near impossible task of living up to its predessesor. But to say the following?:

    "For that very same reason, BioShock 2 will be a hollow experience in comparison to its predecessor."

    This statement is just...hollow to me. We don't know a whole lot about what Bioshock 2 is going to bring (and what we have seen looks solid) and this guy is already essentially writing it off...And doing so pretty firmly as if his mind could not be changed at all.

    I will certainly be buying this game because of its predecessor's awesomeness...Not refusing to buy it because of its awesomeness.  

    But thanks for the link crunk!

    "As for FFF we'll see how my social life unfolds that night. Which basically means i'll be gaming lol" -Boxin

    by SweetTea023 on Wed May 13, 2009 at 06:29:28 PM EST

  •  I think (none / 0)

    that because the first one was so immersive that people overlooked the 100's of flaws in that game. Don't get me wrong its one of my fav. 360 games. I think the same thing applies to Gears 1. Because it was so immersive and new, a lot of people overlooked the bad parts. And by the time Gears 2 came out, the "new car smell" was gone. Thus why there was so much backlash. I wouldn't be surprised if Bioshock 2 was just as good as the first and people still hate it

    by Creeper Nate on Wed May 13, 2009 at 06:49:50 PM EST

    •  Just curious, (none / 0)

      what were these '100s of flaws' you speak of?

      "Vuht? Ze Panzerz? WHO LET ZE PANZERZ OUWT?!?!?!?!"

      by Grymm on Wed May 13, 2009 at 07:04:22 PM EST

      [ Parent ]

      •  well (none / 0)

        for one the ending was terrible. I'm not fond of boss fights in general. I also think the game got a little repetitive, and to be honest boring towards the end. I think there could have used more variety. Also the game offered no re-playability. Bioshock is an amazing game. But I think there is still much to be explored in the world of Rapture.

        by Creeper Nate on Wed May 13, 2009 at 08:01:18 PM EST

        [ Parent ]

        •  I found the last 2-3 hours of the game (none / 0)

          to be some of the most suspenseful and compelling of any games I've played.  So much was thrown at you, I couldn't pry my hands away from the controller.  I was so immersed in the world.  

          by captain crunk27 on Wed May 13, 2009 at 08:18:08 PM EST

          [ Parent ]

        •  Yea, but those were (none / 0)

          all opinionated 'flaws.' I don't mean any offense by that, but it's like me saying Haylow is unplayable even though it's been going strong for over 3 years now.

          "Vuht? Ze Panzerz? WHO LET ZE PANZERZ OUWT?!?!?!?!"

          by Grymm on Wed May 13, 2009 at 09:07:20 PM EST

          [ Parent ]

          •  What (none / 0)

            didn't you like about Bioshock Grymm? Was it perfect? And if it was to you that's great. I have the same feelings toward Half life 2, which i have played threw 4 times and just started again today

            by Creeper Nate on Wed May 13, 2009 at 09:40:08 PM EST

            [ Parent ]

          •  Bioshock (none / 0)

            to me is has no replay value because honestly, I don't want to lose how that game stands out in my mind. Honestly, Bioshock is my favorite 360 game of all time but I don't want to play it again because I don't want to notice flaws or things that could have been done better. Overall, it was an amazing experience. So this same mentality applies to bioshock 2 for me as well. I'll still buy it out of respect to the developers, but I am a little skeptical. I think the best part of this opportunity is that these developers have the chance to do something extraordinary: provide another bioshock that is as fulfilling and as gripping as the first. If that is possible, then it will definitely be a contender for best series of all time. However, if not then people won't be surprised. There's not much to lose here. Hopefully I won't be disappointed.

            by Noobpancake on Wed May 13, 2009 at 10:11:29 PM EST

            [ Parent ]

  •  I just hope this doesnt pull a George Lucas on us (none / 0)

    being a prequel and all.

    by BoxinLeprechaun on Thu May 14, 2009 at 06:33:02 PM EST

  •  Check out this video (none / 0)

    Minor Spoiler Alert!!

    from www.joystiq.com
    10 min. of gameplay

    http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/14/te...

    Your learning well my young Padawan: Polandstyle

    by GearsChrisB on Thu May 14, 2009 at 08:51:48 PM EST

  •  Don't get me wrong, (none / 0)

    I'm gonna check the game out for sure, but just how much I will like it is slim to none. Ehhh, who knows though? I may just fall in love with it as much as the first. I've been wrong before.

    "Vuht? Ze Panzerz? WHO LET ZE PANZERZ OUWT?!?!?!?!"

    by Grymm on Fri May 15, 2009 at 05:52:11 PM EST

Comments Disabled | 43 comments