...To Make a Long Story Short...

It's amazing how video game creators have been able to mirror the everyday moral quandaries I find myself facing.

At no surprise to pretty much anyone Take-Two Interactive has announced there will be a sequel to 2007's game of the year (as decided by me), BioShock. The imaginatively titled BioShock 2.  Looking to hit the shelves in 2009, sometime in autumn.  Which I think is in November-ish.  I don't really know, we don't really have seasons around here.

This time around it's about 10 years later in the story and you take on the role of one of the early prototypes of a Big Daddy from the first game.  Complete with normal Big Daddy accouterments; drill bit arm and rivot gun, with the added ability to use plasmids. And hopefully a bit more free will then your brethren. 

KinkyThe story will revolve around one of the original Little Sisters, all grown up into a "Big Sister" now, kidnapping kids from orphanages and bringing them back to Rapture. For what I can only assume isn't to mentor them into fine upstanding members of society. Probably more something involving needles and corpses.

Other notable elements for the sequel will be:

It will take place in Rapture again, which feels like a bit of a design shortcut, but at least you will have access to different parts of the city, including the ability to take walks along the ocean floor.

The Big Sister has taken over Rapture and will be the main antagonist. Although it's hard to tell for sure given the past games knack for plot curve balls.

Dr Tenenbaum will be returning to voice guide you through the city. Who will undoubtedly drone on and on about her "don't kill then children" rhetoric. We get it already hippie.

Also, as a Big Daddy your interactions with Little Sisters will be different than in the previous game. While the normal option to "harvest" the ADAM from them will be in place, you will be given the option to "adopt" them as well. In which case they will follow you around and extract ADAM from various corpses you come across.  Requiring you to protect them from enemies as they do. Because there's nothing I like better than playing a game FULL OF FUCKING ESCORT MISSIONS! THANK YOU FOR THAT BIOSHOCK DEVELOPMENT TEAM!

Not creepy at all.Sorry.

At any rate, it's far to soon to tell what kind of game BioShock 2 (or the rest of the franchise) will turn into. The technical aspect to the visuals look like they are going to be there but is the atmosphere is going to have the same impact it did the second time around?  No telling. The folks at Take-Two have their work cut out for them in that department.  

And as for how the centerpiece of the first game, the story itself, unfolds? Here's to hoping they don't M. Night Shyamalan it up.