Bioshock 2: Rapture Metro Pack Review

You can’t get it even if you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY try.

The metaphorical horse has already been beaten to death regarding BioShock 2. It’s beyond the point of discussion now whether its entire existence was needed in the first place or if multiplayer really fit into the Rapture experience. The game has been out for months already and 2K’s been slowly trickling out downloadable content.

[image1]Unlike BioShock 2‘s initial run of multiplayer maps that took place in the original BioShock‘s environs, Rapture Metro Map Pack takes the BioShock 2 single-player experience for a spin, with six maps based on actual levels and a few new additions to player leveling and customization. The maps are pretty much what you’d expect if you’ve been playing the multiplayer mode for a while as one of many of Rapture’s volunteer experimental subjects. Each of the six maps – Dionysus Park, Fighting McDonagh’s, Smuggler’s Hideout, Siren’s Alley, Pauper’s Point, and Fontaine Fisheries – has a number of hackable devices thrown around and are designed to work in all multiplayer modes.

The level design is very well done. You can expect to find plenty of Little Sister rescue spots and secluded territories for capture in each of them. Every single one carries that sense of decay and ambiance BioShock is known for, just like in the main single-player mode.

Along with these new shooting grounds, the level cap has been raised from 40 to 50, and there’s an option to be "reborn" after hitting that limit. Just like Call of Duty 4‘s prestige, being reborn literally means getting your stats, trials, and level wiped out. All that in favor of a golden mark next to your name and a trinket for your character model to wear.

Speaking of trials, which is BioShock 2‘s way of keeping track of a list of meta-achievements for multiplayer, Metro adds a few more to complement the ten new levels. Some are ridiculously challenging, like taking down a Big Daddy solo or winning a match not using any plasmid powers whatsoever. They’re sure to be a huge incentive for splicers players to keep dedicating a few (many) more hours into the multiplayer mode.

[image2]Sadly, the main problem with Metro Map Pack and any other multiplayer add-on for BioShock 2 is how the multiplayer system actually works. Matches are found through an extremely crude search system that does not give any options whatsoever in regards to which map pack you want to play in. Levels come in a random rotation once a party is formed and settled in an online lobby.

In the excruciatingly common occurrence of only a single person not having the new DLC, you’ll be fresh out of luck getting a game going in any of those environments. An option for a ‘new map rotation’ as you’re getting into a lobby would certainly fix this, but as it stands, it’s extremely difficult to actually play most of the content you pay for online. (After two full nights of attempts, I did not get a single match going in any of them, so I actually had to hunt down a group of people in an online forum to play the new content for this review.)

A part of this new DLC can be downloaded for free in the form of a new multiplayer game mode called ‘Kill ’em Kindly’. It’s a deathmatch mode where players can only use a golf club to bash opponents. This mode is a cute homage to Mr. Ryan, but isn’t that fun to play past the novelty.

It’s incredibly difficult to recommend Metro Map Pack in BioShock 2 multiplayer’s current state. 2K has got to rework the map rotation and give players more options to play around with before most of the new content is worth buying. The way it is now, you’ll be paying ten dollars just for the new level cap and an extremely slim chance of actually getting to play any of the new maps, which is a damn shame.