Bioshock 2 Multiplayer Part One

By Lance Darnell
Thursday, 02 July 2009

The multiplayer portion of Bioshock 2 is being developed in my Hometown of London, Ontario, by the developer Digital Extremes. As a big fan of the first game I am very excited to see what a Bioshock Multiplayer experience would be like, so I am planning on paying a visit to Digital Extremes. They are only fifteen minutes from my house by foot, and my goal will be to get some exclusive information for Bitmob, or at least try the game.

Take Two released a Press Release a while ago, and it gave some information on what to expect from Bioshock 2 Multiplayer. The setting will be various locals from Rapture before it fell into anarchy. Players will play the role of test subjects from Sinclair Solutions. Experience points will be given for killing opponents and scoring points, and the points can be used to buy or upgrade plasmids, tonics, and weapons.

This concept holds some promise. If the customization is done right, players could create any type of character they want to play, from a shotgun-wielding maniac who can disappear when standing still, to a hornet-tossing healer who can heal teammates. And this is not even considering any new plasmids and tonics that are sure to be in Bioshock 2.

I plan on asking about the multiplayer modes, any new tonics or plasmids, and if the shooting mechanics in Bioshock 2 will be different from the original. My tactics for getting the information from Digital Extremes are spying, pleading, bribing, and possibly threatening.

Please leave any questions you have for Digital Extremes and the Bioshock 2 Multiplayer experience, and I will do my best to get them answered.

Comments (14)

I'm curious how they are going to balance expanding on the fiction of the Bioshock universe and maintaining intense firefights that FPS multiplayer tends to have. Best of luck to you good sir!

Alex Mekos , July 03, 2009

They have been working around the clock so I say good luck.

Toby Davis , July 03, 2009

Thanks! My methods my be amateur, but they will work...

Lance Darnell , July 03, 2009

This is exciting, Lance. Here's hoping you get some good scoops. Ask them what part the Little Sisters will play in multiplayer, if any.

Greg Ford , July 03, 2009

@Greg - Thanks Man! I will ask them..

Lance Darnell , July 03, 2009

@Lance check your twitter acct

Toby Davis , July 03, 2009

@Toby - Thanks for the help Dude!

Lance Darnell , July 03, 2009

I'm not sure if this information is already out there or not, but I'd like to know how exactly the plasmids and tonics are implemented in multiplayer. Are they still in the environment and you have to seek them out? And if so, are they a limited, respawning power-up rather than a permanent character fixture?

Or do you customize one character with plasmids and tonics outside of actual gameplay? Do they need to be unlocked by leveling up your character?

Plasmids are such an integral element of BioShock single player combat, I'm really curious to see how the're implemented in multiplayer. I can't imagine it'd be easy to figure out.

Good luck, Lance!

Benjamin Torrey , July 04, 2009

I am going there tomorrow everyone, and I like they fancy new Bitmob!!!!

Lance Darnell , July 05, 2009

Lance! You're from Canada. Hell, you're from Ontario! I go to the University of Toronto, although I'm originally from Ottawa. I was reading your "Meet the Mob" post and I was glad to see so many Canadians among the mob. Make us proud!

Omar Yusuf , July 10, 2009

@Omar - If you are in T.O. perhaps YOU should be headed to Silicon Knights and see what they are up to in St. Catherines? We Canadians are everywhere! We also have great senses on humor. and that is why I am still listening to Listen Up this week although last week Garnett "Patapon 2 is great" Lee first bashes Canadians, and then women..... What has happened to 1up!?

Lance Darnell , July 10, 2009

"senses OF humor" We Canadians have bad spelling too, thats why we have to add the letter "u" to everything.

Lance Darnell , July 10, 2009

I've been in South Africa working for the World Food Programme for the past 2 months, and I won't be back home in Toronto until September. It's been a pain writing for Bitmob down here, what with all the work I've got to get done.

But once I get back, I've been made promises by several (I won't name who!) developers in Toronto and Montreal. Hopefully I get mad scoops.

Omar Yusuf , July 10, 2009