I agree, it's always hard to followup a smash hit with something better or even equal to the original. I felt the same way about the sequel to Deus Ex. Then again, it *is* possible - System Shock 2, for example.

It falls under the Hall and Oates Corollary of Quality, which I will explain: my favorite band is Hall and Oates. Therefore, even their bad songs are - to me - much better than even the great songs of some other bands.

BioShock blew me away. I really enjoyed it, and I enjoy nothing these days. BioShock 2 starts you off as what should [i]seemingly[/i] be a powerful character from the original game. But your player character is crippled. This makes sense from a game design standpoint (as a new player, you'll get more powerful) but sucked from a narrative standpoint, because all the enemies were skewering you from the get-go in BioShock 2.

There were a few more things to it that I put in a text file back in February, and I now can't find it. But BioShock 2 sucks because it was the sequel to BioShock. If it had been the sequel to Battlecruiser 3000 AD or Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3, it would be a [i]triumph.[/i]

(Also, I haven't finished BioShock 2 yet. It could very well get better.)

What was it you didn't like about Bioshock 2? I haven't played it.

Okay, BioShock 2 was a crushing disappointment. Whatever! I am willing to go to [i]two[/i] bad sequels before I give up on a franchise.

Here's the gameplay video for Bioshock Infinity, the sequel! I mean, this looks good. What was so awesome about the first was the whole Objectivist angle (and graphics) (and combat) (and art direction) and if they are getting back to that, then great. I can't get enough of people's grand plans coming to a crashing halt:


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01O0DgSFVhs[/youtube]