BioShock 2 ended up being my personal favorite of the trilogy, which honestly surprised me going in. I think it takes everything BioShock 1 did well and genuinely ups the game across the board gameplay, visuals, story, and overall feel.

The gameplay improvements are immediately noticeable. Combat feels smoother and more aggressive, the UI is cleaner, and I love the helmet aesthetic it really helps sell the fantasy of playing as a Big Daddy. New weapons and plasmids are excellent, and I found myself using everything far more often than I did in BioShock 1, which made experimentation feel rewarding instead of optional.

Playing as a Big Daddy is easily one of the highlights of the game. You truly feel like a menace in Rapture, and the lore explaining why your character isn’t bound to the standard Big Daddy conditioning is handled extremely well. BioShock 2 expands the lore of Rapture in meaningful ways and makes the city feel even larger and more lived in. After seeing how massive Rapture truly is, I could absolutely imagine another game being set there though I understand why the developers didn’t want to overdo it and instead moved on to BioShock Infinite.

Story-wise, BioShock 2 fits surprisingly well with the ending of BioShock 1. Rather than trying to outdo the original’s twist, it builds on the consequences and focuses on more personal themes, which I really appreciated.

Hot take: I actually enjoyed the new hacking system more than the original. While I do miss the pipe puzzles from BioShock 1, the timing-based hacking feels faster and more fluid, and I liked being rewarded with bonuses for hitting the blue zones.

That said, I do have a few criticisms:

I’m genuinely sad the multiplayer wasn’t brought back. I remember enjoying it back in the day, and it was a unique experience I would’ve loved to revisit in 2025.

The game crashed about seven times during my 30-hour playthrough—not awful, but definitely a reminder to save often.

No New Game Plus was disappointing, especially since BioShock 1 Remastered had it. NG+ would’ve been perfect for fully using everything you unlock.

There’s no difficulty above Hard. I would’ve loved a Survivor-style mode to push the combat further.

I also missed the inventory system from BioShock 1. As a self-described loot goblin, I loved inventing supplies more frequently in the first game.

As for the DLC: Minerva’s Den is phenomenal. The story is emotional, well-paced, and genuinely pulls at your heartstrings. The new weapon and plasmid are incredibly fun to use—the only downside is that it wasn’t longer. Protector Trials were also a nice surprise, offering a fun and challenging change of pace.

Overall, I absolutely loved my time with BioShock 2. I completed every achievement and never felt burned out or bored. The game has aged incredibly well, and I highly recommend picking it up. I’m excited to move on to BioShock Infinite next—and I’m crossing my fingers that we someday get a BioShock 4. This series is something special.