Online activation required + the atrocious Games for Windows Live nonService + limited install limit = No thank you.

Really the Games for Windows Live part would have probably been enough to prevent me from buying it. GFWL actually locks your saved games, even for local single player games, to your live account. It's absolutely ridiculous that years from now when I may have forgotten my password for the few games I have that actually use GFWL, I'll be unlikely to be able to get at my old saved games.

The original Bioshock was pretty cool. Big Daddy's were nifty and good creepy atmosphere. Also liked the puzzle solving. But given all the horrible DRM conditions I read about Bioshock 2 and the inclusion of Games for Windows Epic Fail I decided to pass no matter how much I enjoyed the first game.

• from

I game with BioShock 2 so great but problem cheat code hard to put on file and tried to find download file from internet but no luck, I play for easy did fine than med or hard.

• from

I'm a little late to the Bioshock party, having played the first one only a few months ago. This means that my original impressions of Bioshock were still fresh as I wandered back into the Bioshock 2 universe. I found Bioshock 2 to be more satisfying than the first, especially with the elimination of the first's tedious hacking requirements. The underlying story is strong, the gameplay challenging but not frustratingly impossible, and the technical production values to be extremely high.

Great gaming experience, overall. Highly recommended, particularly for people who haven't played the first Bioshock.

From a compatibility standpoint, I had no issues running this on a 27" iMac (4 GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR3 memory) on WinXP SP3 in Snow Leopard's Boot Camp.

• from

It seems people would rather use review space to rant about Games for Windows Live and the DRM used by the game than actually talk about the game itself. Now, I'm not a fan of these restrictions either, but they're far from oppressive and aren't too easy to get around if you simply look around. Regardless, "Bioshock 2" is a game, which is something nearly half the reviews, or even more, have neglected to even talk about.

The game itself is an interesting return to the underwater city of Rapture. What made the original so great was the amazing style and detail put in to the unique setting, as well as the attention given to the games atmosphere. While the shock factor of the setting itself is gone, since we've all been there before at this point, it still retains the same quality that made the original the impressive title it was. The game remains a stylistic masterpiece with a sense of atmosphere and ambience that is arguably unsurpassed.

The storyline itself follows a similar path regarding corrupted ideals and good intentions being twisted by insanity. It also borrows a number of elements from the first game as far as story goes. This time, since you're playing as a Big Daddy, you can adopt the little sisters and help protect them as they harvest. This generates a survival mini-game of sorts, almost similar to the Little Sister escorting portion of the original game.

The gameplay itself also sees some improvement with the ability to wield plasmids and your weapons at the same time. Now this can be occasionally problematic for twitchy people (like me) as it can sometimes cause you to fire the wrong gun and waste Eve/ammo by mistake. That's not really much of a problem though, and the benefits of the new system easily outweigh any detractors it might have. The multiplayer portion is also pretty fun, but probably nothing you'll be playing for years to come. It's a good way to kill time, but it's not breaking any boundaries and isn't going to compete against the likes of BC2, MW2 or TF2 (a lot of 2's there).

While Bioshock 2 is unfortunately plagued by the DRM software included and the Games for Windows Live system, it is otherwise a great game that lives up to the standards set by its predecessor. The DRM software isn't as restrictive as some people claim, but it is still entirely unnecessary. The GFWL system can be set up in an offline fashion, and the means of doing so can be easily found. While I definitely not agree with these pieces of software, I still do not believe that they should be a reason for anyone to not by the game if it's one they're interested in or would enjoy.

As far as the game goes, I highly recommend it, particularly if you were a fan of the first game. It does everything the first did well, and then adds even more. Install issues aside, the game itself is fantastic.

• from

I own about 30 some PC games with DRM stuff on them. Have never onced experienced a problem, and I have installed my games multiple times. I think it's dumb that people rate this 1 star because it has DRM on it. It doesn't ruin the game experience. Plus if you want to conplain about installing the game, eventually, the company for most PC games I have release a patch to install the game as many times as you want. Enough with stupid people complaining(who probably have horrible PCs and play this game on low), let's go on with the game. I'm sorta disappointed with the game. The graphics are the exact same(was expected a little better), water is the only thing that has an improvement. The physics act weird, I heard it was an Unreal Engine thing. The story is completely random, and you could play this game without playing the first one. The idea of duel wielding with Plasmids and guns is cool, but I never really took advantage of it. The game is very repetitive! It got very boring after about the 4th level(I beat the game as well). Killing Bid Daddies to get Little Sisters, only to have each Little Sister gather ADAM about 6 times each level is very repetitive. The multiplayer didn't really catch my attention, reminds me of Team Fortress 2 really. I hope if they release a Bioshock 3, it doesn't take place on Rapture(Rapture is old news now).

• from

This review is intended to help educate potential buyers of Bioshock 2 about a few of the major downsides of the way 2K has decided to sell the game. If you've already made up your mind to buy it, or already own it, this review isn't for you. If on the other hand you're on the fence, I'd love to point out a few things that are very troubling about Bioshock 2:

1) The game REQUIRES online activation. If you are a serviceman/servicewoman stationed in Baghdad (or anywhere in the field without internet) you're totally screwed. Requiring an internet connection to activate is offensive in itself, but coupled with the other major issues with this game's DRM scheme, it just keeps getting worse.

2) The game limits the number of times you can install it. I don't care if they give me 1,000 installs, any limit on how long I can use a game I paid for simply isn't acceptable. I'm not paying for the 'privilege' of installing how ever many times 2K or anyone else thinks is appropriate. If I buy a game, I want to actually BUY it, meaning I OWN IT and CAN DO WHAT I WANT WITH IT. If I buy the game and don't like it, how can I resell it? How can I verify to the person I'm selling it to that it has installations left? This is just a petty and insulting way to treat paying customers. I don't want to have to come crawling back to 2K or Microsoft to explain why I might need more installations for a game I already gave them forty or more dollar for. And what if they close their doors at some point in the future? How can I be guaranteed I'll still have access to my game?

3) Securom, the DRM package used by Bioware, installs with the game and there is no option to install it without Securom. That means you get a program running in the background when you play the game that can create issues for other programs on your computer. Don't believe me? I experienced all sorts of issues with the Securom that installed with Mass Effect I including it screwing up my drivers for my optical drives because it didn't like the fact that I has DeamonTools on my computer. I don't want crapware or potential security threats loading on my computer alongside the game!

4) You MUST create a WindowsLive account if you want to access certain parts of the game. I hate WindowsLive and everything to do with it and don't want to create accounts to play my game. I want to install it, run the game, and be on my merry way. Forcing creation of an account is what marketers call "forced opt-in" and it opens you up to all sorts of information mining so that Microsoft or whoever collects the data can sell it to marketing companies. Forced opt-ins just flat out suck and I hate when companies force you to jump through their hoops to play their game.

SO WHY DOES THE GAME COME LOADED UP WITH THIS NONSENSE????

2K would say its to fight piracy. I say bull-****. DRM doesn't affect pirates as they're already downloading the widely available and free versions of this (and any other game) from torrent sites. To the inevitable idiots who will spam the comments of this review accusing me of being either a pirate or too poor to buy the game: 1) I own literally hundreds of games and paid for every single one of theme and 2) if I was a pirate I'd already be playing the game from a torrent site without any of the limitations of DRM. Bottom line: if you want to pirate the game, it's pretty amazingly easy. I don't pirate because I'm honest, but neither do I give my money to game makers who like to insult my intelligence by telling me DRM is 'necessary' or that force me to install crapware on my computer.

Thanks but no thanks. I'll take a pass on this one.

Final thoughts:

It doesn't bother me if you want to buy this game and install it. I just want you to have all the facts before you do. If you don't agree with my perspective that's fine--this is a free country (assuming you live in the USA). Bottom line: some people do care about protecting consumer rights and I'm one of those people. Agree or disagree, I think everyone should have the right to information about the product their buying.

• from

This might be the creepiest game I have ever played. Overall the story and action is nice, at times it can be a little cheezy. Graphics look good, almost Crysis quality. Once you figure out some of the terminology of the game and know when to spend time looking for extras and when to rush past scenes, the gameplay is a lot of fun. It is very, very creepy though.

• from

Bioshock 2 is another epic journey into Rapture. Obviously, you play as the big daddy this time. Bonus points for including multiplayer, which is actually pretty fun, aside from the noobtube. You will probably be spending countless hours with this beauty of a game.

Games for Windows LIVE adds more value to the game. If you aren't smart enough to figure out how to make an offline profile, which usually takes less than a minute, you shouldn't be playing PC games.

• from

I am only half way through the single player game and have put in about 15 hours into the multiplayer side. I feel that the SP game is a really nice enhancement to the story of the original game. Did it need to be told? Maybe not, but if you are going to tell another story, at least make it with this quality. The campaign is pretty well paced and the new enemies are fun. I like the NPC characters too. I do wish the Big Sister encounters were a little more random. And again, I have not finished the story yet, so everything could take a dive... but I doubt it.

I am also really impressed with the MP side. It starts out slow but once you level up enough to get the machine gun, the game really starts to get frantic. As you progress in levels, you not only get new weapons, weapon upgrades and new plasmids, you also get radio messages about the civil war that occurred in Rapture (before the first game). It is a nice way to integrate the multiplayer side into the story of Rapture but it isn't a very deep experience. I was having a lot of freezing problems in Win7 though. If you are having the same issue, try running the multiplayer in DirectX 9, it fixed my problems (Start > All Programs > Games, right click on the BioShock 2 icon and select "Run Multiplayer - DirectX 9" from the menu). Hopefully they will patch this soon.

Is it as good as the first one? Of course not. The first Bioshock is a masterpiece! But this sequel does not disappointment. It feels like the developers didn't want to rock the boat too much with a proven system but this is NOT a cash grab in anyway. It has great production values and a good story. If you enjoyed the first one, and don't expect this one to be better, I don't see how you can go wrong with this sequel.

• from

Bioshock 2 is an excellent game. The environments are new, and terrifying keeping you on your toes at all times. I did find it more challenging than the first game, although I haven't re-played the first in a while. There are different choices that define the ending, as opposed to the single decision regarding the little sisters in Bioshock 1. There were many aspects of the game I enjoyed, such as dual wielding plasmids and weapons, adopting a little sister to harvest Adam, which acts as a side mission, and playing as a big daddy. However, the thing, I enjoyed the most and still remember out of the entire game, was the fact that the developers removed the annoying audio tracks, "welcome to the circus of values", and "come back when you get some more money buddy" from the vending machines! This game does have DRM protection which I have no problem with, because the PC game industry is trying to protect their investment! The only thing DRM requires you to do is verify the install ONCE online, then you can disconnect from the net and save your game with a local OFLINE Windows Live account. You don't have to be online to play and save on single-player, but you do have to be online and have a windows live account to play multiplayer.

• from

If you liked Bioshock, you'll love 2! I enjoyed playing through the game, and taking in the amazing graphics. I got about 100 frames per second, on full settings. I have an intel quad core @ 2.6ghz, and a GTS 250 graphics card. Any graphics well below that will have laggy game play so watch out! If you have a console you may want to give that a go, if your computer isn't so fast.

• from

Not a lot of changes to the original - think a few upgraded weapons, abilities and different story + multiplayer.

• from

My four stars is really 4.5, but you obviously can't give a half-star rating. I don't give it five because it's a sequel and therefore not original anymore.

As far as the negative things people have said, I had no trouble loading the game, and setting up a Windows Live account's no big deal. It takes less than five minutes, and if you check off automatic log in, you barely even know it's running. Also, from the system requirements I'd seen online, I was afraid my video card wouldn't be able to handle the graphics. However, I haven't had any problems, and everything looks just as good as it did in the original. I don't know what people have in their computers, but mine's almost four and a half year's old, and I never have any of the issues anybody brings up. Also, I guess I don't get hung up on things like Steam, DRM, and Windows Live like other people do. If the game's really good, I really don't care about them. People need to stop getting worked up about "big brother" and spend more time enjoying their games.

• from

BioShock is a masterpiece of art, BioShock 2 is a run & shoot, with no place to hide, and no thinking required game.

Improvements over BioShock:

-Hacking no longer pauses the game

-Researching no longer pauses the game

Bad Stuff:

-Could not get Windows LIVE Online to work, thus cannot save. I'll look into creating an Off Line LIVE account.

-Frustrating...at certain points in the game you are beat until you have no heath before you can advance. If you find one of these points, then just stand there, save your ammo, and let them beat the heck out of you. In other places, you should run past the hostiles and not fight...you are setup to fail and no strategy is perfect the first time through.

-You are WEAK (NOT enough ammo or health), sneak past hostiles when you can, and have security bots protect you.

-DRM, this is reason for 1 star rating.

• from

but the DRM sucks. Unfortunately, you are better off pirating this game. It is sad when you need to steal a game to get it to work right... because everyone steals it. They are punishing their paying customers. You can be sure that any Games for Windows LIVE games are loaded with DRM, but just like most other Microsoft security features they can be bypassed.

Anyways, the gameplay is great. You will go to all the places you couldn't in Bioshock 1, like out in the ocean. Graphics are top tier for the ultimate Rapture experience. Now you can use plasmids and guns at the same time. Since you are playing as a Big Daddy, you get your own little sisters. They say things like "Daddy's mad!" when you get attacked, and "Angels talk about mommy. Who is that?" when they harvest adam. This made me extremely happy. The little sisters are a lot cuter this time around too.

I'm waiting for some DLC, seems to be popular these days.

Overall, if you liked Bioshock 1 you will love Bioshock 2.

• from