<\/p>\n

It is both a sad time and a happy time to be a BioShock 2<\/em> fan. Sad because Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em>, the new single-player DLC side story to the BioShock 2<\/em> campaign, is said to be the last piece of DLC 2K will release for the game (and who knows, with BioShock Infinite<\/em> coming up this may just be our last chance to visit Rapture…for a while at least). But happy too because Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em> just so happens to be the deepest, most substantial BioShock 2<\/em> add-on yet, not to mention one of the best all-around DLC releases for any game, period. <\/p>\n

The numbers really say it all. For the $9.99 \/ 800 MS Point price, Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em> expands BioShock 2<\/em> with three new areas of Rapture to explore — each one seemingly just as large as any area from the main game — six more Little Sisters to rescue\/harvest and 12 more Adam gathers to defend them in; two more Big Sisters to contend with; 10 Vacuum Bots to find and crack open (think of them as Rapture\u2019s version of secret treasure chests); and eight additional Trophies\/Achievements. <\/p>\n

On top of all that good stuff, a new weapon, the Ion Laser, and a new mini-black-hole-generating plasmid, Gravity Well, have also been added to jazz up the existing arsenal of weapons and plasmids Rapture denizens are already familiar with \u2013 and they both do just that, although the developers certainly could have been a bit more creative with their puzzle designs involving the Gravity Well plasmid. To get to the Little Sisters, you\u2019ll also have to contend with new Lancer Big Daddies equipped with Ion Lasers of their own, and new security bots capable of firing zaps of electricity and rockets can be hacked to help out in tough battles. There\u2019s even a bonus arcade shooter game to dabble with called Spitfire.<\/p>\n

Altogether that amounts to roughly five or six hours of extra gameplay — perhaps one or two more if you\u2019re an obsessive completionist (like me!) who has to scour every nook and cranny of Rapture, as to be sure not to miss a single audio diary, lootable object or secret room. Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em> may be DLC, but in many ways it feels like a complete game.<\/p>\n

Beyond the numbers, Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em> consists of a gripping side story paralleling the events of the main BioShock 2<\/em> narrative. As Subject Sigma, you are placed inside the deep sea diving suit of another alpha series Big Daddy, this time on a mission to print out the operating code for The Thinker, the AI mainframe controlling all technology in Rapture, and return it to the surface. Charles Milton Porter and Reed Wahl, co-creators of The Thinker, are introduced as the two lead characters, with Porter guiding you along via radio transmission as the good guy and Wahl, who has spliced himself mad, serving as the maniacal antagonist. <\/p>\n

Compared to the original BioShock<\/em>, BioShock 2<\/em>\u2019s character cast wasn\u2019t quite as interesting or memorable. But this side story changes that, as Porter and Wahl are characters you want to get to know, and their rivalry is highly entertaining to be party to. There\u2019s a clever twist that\u2019ll truly surprise you too, and — I\u2019m not sure if this was intentional on the developers\u2019 part or not — the closing moments play out like one last stroll through Rapture, capping off this part of the BioShock<\/em> narrative on an emotional high.<\/p>\n

As happened in the early hours of BioShock 2<\/em>, Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em> can feel all too familiar at times as you go through the usual progression of collecting audio diaries, finding weapons and plasmids, and using Adam to upgrade plasmids and grow your Big Daddy with gene tonics. But to me it\u2019s a good familiarity, because even though the scenery doesn’t really change, Rapture is a game world I never tire of immersing myself in.<\/p>\n

BioShock 2<\/em> initially caught flack for being an \u201cunnecessary sequel,\u201d and to be honest, I felt that way at first too. But after playing through Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em> and reflecting back on my time spent plowing through the full game, I\u2019ve developed even more respect and admiration for the game (the multiplayer mode was and still is completely unnecessary though). BioShock<\/em> was a difficult game to succeed, and while BioShock 2<\/em>\u2019s storyline doesn’t resonate quite as much as the original\u2019s, it still tells an engaging underwater tale — and I don\u2019t think anyone can argue that the gameplay isn’t a vast improvement. Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em> only reinforces this, and should this wind up being the last time we get to stomp around in Rapture, it pleases me to see the underwater city close up shop on such a graceful note.<\/p>\n

So, would you kindly buy Minerva\u2019s Den<\/em> and celebrate BioShock 2<\/em> as it deserves to be celebrated?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Pros:<\/strong>
\n+ Thoughtfully fleshes out the BioShock narrative
\n+ Interesting story twists and memorable new characters
\n+ Ion Laser and Gravity Well plasmid are fun new toys to play with
\n+ Hours of new gameplay and content rivaling some full-priced, standalone games
\n+ Closes the book on BioShock 2 with a bang <\/p>\n

Cons:<\/strong>
\n– No more BioShock 2 DLC after this<\/p>\n

Game Info:<\/strong>
\nPlatform: Reviewed on PS3, also available on Xbox 360 and coming soon to PC
\nPublisher: 2K Games
\nDeveloper: 2K Marin
\nRelease Date: 8\/31\/2010 (PC release date still TBD)
\nGenre: First-Person Shooter
\nESRB Rating: Mature
\nPlayers: 1
\nSource: Review code provided by publisher<\/p>\n

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