[E3 09] Bioshock 2 Multiplayer Impressions

[DoctorFinger]

The first Bioshock is generally regarded as one of the finest games of this generation. It's unique in a lot of ways, not the least of which being it's lack of multiplayer. It's a rare FPS in this day and age which doesn't ship with at least some sort of MP, but 2K Boston thought it wouldn't work. So the announcement that Bioshock 2 would include multiplayer started some tongues wagging. Would they be able to make a multiplayer mode capable of hanging with the sublime, but very story driven, campaign? Well the MP was playable on the floor of E3 this week, and some of those questions have been answered.

The match we saw took place in the Kashmir Restaurant, a locale from the first game that's been retooled to be more accommodating for multiplayer. The six combatants, all using different combinations of weapons and plasmids, skittered across the ruined restaurant, laying into one another with familiar armaments. The loadouts we saw included items given to the player in the Sinclair Starter Pack -- a pistol, a shotgun and three elemental plasmids (Electro Bolt, Incinerate and Winter Blast). These got the job done, but in the interest of innovation, we certainly hope the game will introduce weaponry exclusive to the multiplayer mode.

Additional plasmids, tonics and weapons can be unlocked by moving up the ranks in Sinclair Solutions, a feat performed by gaining Adam (or experience points) by killing opponents, hacking turrets or performing other various in-game feats. There are also "trials," or missions that players will try to accomplish to gain more Adam. Yes, it hearkens back to Call of Duty 4, but with genetic mutation in lieu of perks.

The MP is being developed by Digital Extremes, who handled the PS3 port of the game. In multiplayer you play as a plasmid tester for Sinclair Solutions which developed the plasmids in Rapture, about a decade before the first Bioshock.

Best of all, a Big Daddy suit will randomly drop into the level. The first player to reach it becomes an unstoppable killing machine, but one likely to draw the fire of all the other players, too.

Source - Joystiq.

[carnage11]

Damn, it sounds fun. I was automatically assuming it would be shit like other SP heavy games before it, but it's starting to sound a lot more interesting.

[Gerbs]

Does this have persistent xp? Or do you reset every match ala shadowrun?

[Savok]

Hopefully they use the elemental plasmids properly, like shocking water and setting fire to cover, make for a rather tactical game which I think is the only way MP for Bioshock could really work.

[menage]

I can see this working in deathmatch, but thank god there's no co-op mode for the campaign.