Choose The Impossible....

2010-08-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

While it had a lot to live up to when it hits the stands in February, BioShock 2 proved to be one of my favorite games of the year so far and a worthy successor to the now-legendary first game in the franchise. The single player component displayed an impressive and involving new story, with plenty of locations to comb through and new enemy types to combat, as well as a fully-realized multiplayer component with a robust unlock and ranking system.

2K has added several multiplayer DLC packs (such as the hilariously self-referential Kill 'Em Kindly pack) to the game since its release, but earlier this month they released the first bit of single player downloadable content, The Protector Trials. The trials are a challenge mode where you must protect a Little Sister against waves of Splicers using very specific loadouts of weapons and plasmids.

I must say that I've always enjoy a good challenge mode. In fact, I've come to think they are necessity to create a well-rounded game, especially after Batman: Arkham Asylum showed us all what a great challenge mode should look like. In this BioShock 2 variant there's a ranking system that judges your performance based on how much ADAM your Little Sister has gathered, and stars to unlock as you beat the trials, which garner you achievements, concept art, and animations. The DLC comes with 6 maps that contain three trials apiece, each trial with unique plasmid and weapon combinations.

Some of the combinations are quite challenging, and force one to use ammo and plasmids normally regulated to the storage locker or gene bank. Personally, I never used Decoy in the single-player game, but when I found myself armed with it, Elctrobolt, and a handy pool of water, I found some useful applications. Some trials arm you only with trap wire and proximity mines, which is to say, no straight-up, direct damage ammo types. That can be a problem with a Brute Splicer bearing down on you like a ton of bricks.

In the final analysis, the Protector Trials are a fun addition to the core game with it ranking system and unlocks, fast-paced game play, and unique loadouts to play around with. At 400 MS it's definitely affordable enough and engaging enough to be a no-brainer for those into the single-player aspects of the game.

Video Games | BioShock 2 | Protector Trials DLC Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

In other BioShock news, check out this trailer for the third game in the series, BioShock Infinite. I'll have more thoughts on this new direction for the series later. Let's just say that a BioShock game without Rapture seems a little dubious, but this new setting could prove interesting in a lot of ways.

Video Games | BioShock: Infinite | Debut Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

From Aiur, With Love

2010-08-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

I'm still working my way through Starcraft 2's single player campaign, but I got to say I'm mighty impressed with the level of work that went into the story, the characters, and the level design. Instead of the glorified video conferences that made up the mission briefings in Starcraft 1 and Brood War you have actual dialog and character development. The level of interactivity with the different characters and other objects on your base ship is simply mind-blowing for a RTS. I hope it provides the blueprint for other games in the genre to follow, because it certainly made me more invested in the campaign to have all these additional options to interact with the rich Starcraft universe.

As for the level design, I don't feel like there's been a single repeat yet. Giant walls of fire, a badass drilling laser, stolen mech prototypes, and zerg zombie attacks are just a sampling of the different tools and challenges you will encounter while going through every mission. Although I occasionally miss the protracted battles of the first game where you had time to truly explore your tech tree and set up new bases, these quick samplings of guerrilla warfare, Jim Raynor-style, are pretty satisfying.

As far as multiplayer goes, that's a whole other ballgame and for another time.

This video I found on YouTube expressed the sentiments of your average Protoss Zealot rather well:

Real Time Blogging

Choose The Impossible....

From Aiur, With Love