The Guilty Decision I Made in BioShock 2

gaming-stuff (64)in #gaming • 6 years ago (edited)

For a BioShock game, BioShock 2 is not as shocking as the first or the third instalment in the series. You may think that the twist in BioShock was brilliant, but I think it is still brilliant to this day. BioShock 2 doesn't have such a thing. It's more of getting emotionally connected to the character(s) in the story, which may or may not work for everyone. For me, it worked really well. And here I will talk about some decisions I made in BioShock 2.

I myself don't think BioShock 2 is as astounding as the first game. But, "not as astounding" doesn't mean it's not good. As I said, it worked quite well to be emotionally impactful, to me at least, that I had (have, I suppose) a regret I brought to the end of the story.

This post is focused around certain character(s) more rather than BioShock 2 as a whole. Beware of spoilers.

A piece of the background story...

We, as the player get to play as another silent protagonist Subject Delta, the very first Big Daddy that successfully pair-bonded with a Little Sister. Set 8 years after the event of BioShock where Delta is resurrected through the Vita-Chamber by Eleanor Lamb--his former Little Sister that's been half-cured from her Little Sister state--after his death back in New Year's Eve 1958, forced to shot himself in the head by Eleanor's mother, Dr. Sofia Lamb, a psychiatrist who has taken over Ryan's seat as Rapture's leader.

Whenever I get the chance of having revenge in a video game, I always gladly take it without a second thought. And here, I was ready to murder a man with my drill out of vengeance if he try to put me or Eleanor down, without mercy.

Now this is the most impactful part of the entire game for me. More than the heartwarming ending (the good ending). There's no neat plot twist at the end of the story of BioShock 2. But what if I told you that that is the twist. The twist is there is no twist. Confused? Just make sense out of it, somehow.

"I like to look a man in the eye when I give him my word. You and me, kid, we're goin' places."

A Man in the Radio

Throughout the game, once again the player is aided by one of Rapture's top men named Augustus Sinclair in finding Dr. Sofia Lamb's hideout to rescue Eleanor. A man in the radio 'helping' out the player to fight his/her way through the endless Splicers attacks to a certain goal? Naturally, I didn't believe in this Sinclair, given the previous experience. I thought to myself I know there's something that he didn't reveal... yet. A goal in his own agenda where I, as Subject Delta, was nothing but a disposable pawn that will hand him what he wanted willingly and when I do, he will laugh for it in the end.

However, unlike Atlas who faked everything he told Jack, Sinclair stated his real intentions and didn't even try to hide his moral biases. He wanted to escape Rapture along with Rapture's technologies to ensure his financial survival on the surface. And he basically willing to help Delta rescue Eleanor only because she happens to be held in the same place where his lifeboat is docked, and that Delta can open the way. He's a man who cared for his own survival.

But, despite his (considered) negative trait and my suspicion, I can't say he wasn't a good person to work with. He's nice to Delta and grew on him along the journey, explaining some parts of Rapture's history while talking all friendly. One thing that made me almost certain he was truly a good man was when he talked about how good his life and Delta's too once they get to the surface and bring back Delta as the man he used to be. And that, I suppose is including Dr. Tenenbaum's and Eleanor's life too. He even showed himself in person in front of Delta early in the game, unlike somebody.

I'm Sorry, Mr. Sinclair. I Really Am.

My suspicion grew even more when he lost radio contact with Delta just one step before I reached the last level. So I rescued Eleanor alone and certain that he was getting ready to pull out something up his sleeves with him laughing psychotically.

I was more than ready to face Sinclair. My weapons are fully loaded, my Eve and HP reserves are maxed, and I got Eleanor in her Big Sister form by my side. And finally, I encountered him again, all brutal and powerful. Except he didn't turn into Ayn Rand's book cover.

Did he try to kill Delta? You bet he did. But the real question is, did he do that willingly? When Delta and Sinclair lost contact, it was because Dr. Lamb captured Sinclair. She turned him into Subject Omega, closed all the bulkheads and gave him the key. So if Delta wants to get out, he must defeat Sinclair, like it or not.

But what make it a bit harder to fight him is not only because of how strong he was, but because he still retained his own consciousness, which is intentionally made that way by Dr. Lamb. She control Sinclair's actions, and he can do nothing but felt guilty and begging to be killed.

"When you... When you do me in, kid... Don't blame yourself... I won't be able to stop from tryin' to gun ya down... But it helps to know that you'll stick it to Lamb after... An'... An' let young Eleanor see the sun..."

I tried to do the most devastating single blow as much as I could, but he's more durable than any other Big Daddies so he can't be taken down easily, at least not in a single blow. I don't know if I'm just too emotional or something, but the feel train of this "Ok game" hit me hard. That's the twist, the good guy is actually... well, a good guy.

Not only was I suspicious of him, I told myself for certain that he was just another cynical bad guy that I'll mow down easily like that nude asshole on steroid in the first BioShock.

Whenever I get the chance of having revenge in video game, I always gladly take it without a second thought. And here, I was ready to murder a man with my drill out of vengeance. But instead, I had to kill him out of mercy.

If there's anything I learned from BioShock 2 is that judging someone too soon could be very regretful. Not all choices in the game decided with a click of a button, but you know it is in the game. I don't think the choices in this game was enough to be included in "Most satisfying decision making in video game", but it was good enough for me.

Thanks for your time, Steemian. I hope you enjoyed this post!