“Geezus, why would they even make this game? Why would they tarnish the good name of Bioshock with a completely unnecessary sequel? Because it made a lot of money? Real good, 2K. Thanks for that. I’m not buying this game.”

But then a friend told me that, really, the storyline, while related to the events of Bioshock 1, is really parallel to it. “Besides,” he said, “it’s freaking Rapture. How can you not want to go back there?” He had a point. The art direction in the first game blew my mind. I’ve played through it three goddamn times already. I never get sick of it, precisely because of the art direction. So what the hell, I picked up Bioshock 2.

Now I’m in Siren’s Alley and I’m fracking hooked. The world is even more fully realized than before, the gunplay is more precise and enjoyable, and the storyline is very engrossing once you pick up enough of it so that your mind starts filling in the blanks by itself. I haven’t tried multiplayer yet. I’m not a multiplayer guy.

I would plead with Phil and Ford to keep on truckin’ with the game. It has not disappointed thus far.

http://i39.tinypic.com/a2w4nd.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/2qlfl88.jpg

re: Lepton – We’re going in circles. You’ve obviously made your decision, and you disagree with what I (or we) feel about the situation. Your refusal to accept that other people may not agree with you regarding something like this is just proving exactly what I said about the initial reaction to the reports during the podcast.

But feel free to write another few hundred words on the subject.

Giant Bomb on the day of the events reported in its podcast that there were rumors of unpaid royalties.

Joystiq Podcast (which also reported the royalties issue on the day of the events and followed-up on the story the rest of the week), 4Guys1Up, PC Gamer all at least mentioned and gave some voice to the other side of the story.

You chose not to. That’s your bias. You may not think you have decided but your discussion certainly suggests you have.

And lest you think I have decided. I don’t even care. I don’t play COD or MW and I never will. I don’t get a chubby for murder simulators like most American males. I don’t give a toss about IW or Activision or the COW/MW franchise.

What I do care about is people in the video games industry swallowing the company line. And I will note that despite most folks at Giant Bomb swallowing the company line as well, at least they made a meager attempt to present both sides and made it entertaining. You guys did neither.