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BioShock 2 Arrives On the Mac App Store

Yeah....

IMO, it really was a good series. I have to agree with people that I enjoyed 1 more than 2 though. I guess the main thing is, the game's environment was really amazing when it first came out, and I could really get sucked into the virtual world. With Bioshock 2, you knew exactly what to expect, scenery-wise, from the previous game -- so the impact was much less.

Yeah, it's fun to play as a "big daddy" for a change -- but that's really the biggest "twist" offered in the sequel.


100Teraflops said:
The Bio Shock series is awesome! Glad to see Mac get it! Hey, better late than never. ;)

Now for Apple to spend some money in their piggy bank and begin developing video games! They know they want too... :D
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Icaras said:
Thanks for reminding me that. This is a huge strength of the Mac App store. On Steam you can install it on multiple systems but only one machine can play the game at any given time because of your account.

Through the Mac App store, you don't go through the hassle of logging in to your Apple ID Everytime you want to launch the game and any person in your household can play the game at any time, any place. You install it and then forget it.

Definitely adds value to the Mac App store version:D
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It's an extremely niche use case, especially considering that this is not a family game or a multiplayer focussed game. I'd say that the value added by being able to play together is hardly worth the premium demanded by the mac app store version.

I'd also add that you do not have to log in every time you want to launch the game from different computers. You only have to reenter your password when steam detects that you are logging in when someone else is already logged in and playing, and that you're booting them off.
 
chocolaterabbit said:
It's an extremely niche use case, especially considering that this is not a family game or a multiplayer focussed game. I'd say that the value added by being able to play together is hardly worth the premium demanded by the mac app store version.
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Well for example, Call of Duty is hardly what could be labeled as a "family" game, yet if you purchase it on the Mac App store, everyone in the household can play it without any DRM/account logging whatsoever. It may be less common, but I wouldn't go as far as saying "extremely niche". If we forget about M-rated games for the moment, imagine all the family households who have young siblings that would want to play the same game at the same time. The way I see it, the MAS and even the App store coupled with home sharing is quite an awesome feature for parents and I can definitely see this feature commonly used among families with young gamers.

Personally from experience, I also have a coworker who hates purchasing newer games on the Xbox or PS3, which are starting to require online licenses to register the game to their machine because he has 2 brothers he would like to share the game with. But unfortunately, because of this, he would have to buy three copies of the game for him and his brothers to enjoy it. He absolutely loathes it. So it largely depends on your situation. I can't put a finger on it and say it's niche or not, but its a definite strength of buying from the Mac App store. Whether you find it valuable to you or not is dependent on your situation.

chocolaterabbit said:
I'd also add that you do not have to log in every time you want to launch the game from different computers. You only have to reenter your password when steam detects that you are logging in when someone else is already logged in and playing, and that you're booting them off.
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Using the energy to retype in your password is the same thing to me.
 
kingtj said:
IMO, it really was a good series. I have to agree with people that I enjoyed 1 more than 2 though. I guess the main thing is, the game's environment was really amazing when it first came out, and I could really get sucked into the virtual world. With Bioshock 2, you knew exactly what to expect, scenery-wise, from the previous game -- so the impact was much less.

Yeah, it's fun to play as a "big daddy" for a change -- but that's really the biggest "twist" offered in the sequel.
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I found it entertaining too for the most part, however the level of exploration wasn't as great, Rapture wasn't as intriguing the second time around, the little sister stand off points where you hang around and have to clear off wave A,B,C of monsters became dull quickly (throw down a few mines, get your guns ready etc..)

Likewise puzzles were not as good as the first. Finally the need to explore the biotic enhancements didn't really come off, with you simply needing to stick to one or two. It made them almost irrelevant.

Also as you are a big daddy, it meant the threat that permitted the first game from these big bad ass beasts (the ultimate threat to your survival in BS1) was also lost by the way side. Even the big sisters weren't too much of a problem in BS2.

The dark sombre tone of first was paired back. Yes it was rapture, but the threat, evilness and feeling of a utopia gone to ***** was lost.

Best part was the further exploration of underwater sections, the first time the window cracks and your hit by a gushing wave was exhilarating,

Its OK as games go, but at the time BS2 scored very well on the back of BS1. It was only with time and hindsight that it's failings became all too clear. It was bioshock on the surface, but not in soul.
 
Icaras said:
.....
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On the other hand, it will hit the developers with less income. What could have been five copy sales could have been 1/5ed, and less revenue means less money for development. And who will be affected by that? The end users.


And do not be surprised if Apple in future decides to reduce the number of machines allowed - in case of Sony with PlayStation Network games until last year you were allowed to install a game on five PS3, just same as with MAS now - and I can tell you people were trading account details for free games to be passed onto their friends. And last November Sony decided to reduce number of activated devices down from 5 to 2.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/325065/psn-downloads-will-now-be-restricted-to-2-devices/
 
Meh.

I'm a gamer first, a mac user second. Unfortunately being a gamer does not allow for a lot of Mac-time. So excuse me for talking about my WINDOWS VM on a Mac board. (Actually I don't care, don't excuse me.)

Anyway, I try and find Mac games whenever I can, but failing that I play it either on my VM or using Bootcamp. (I prefer VM since I kinda need to be on Mac for my daily work/use).

So I've finished Bioshock 2 ages ago, (as well as most other major games) on my VM (Only running Skyrim on Bootcamp since it's such a lovely game). It's sad to see these games come out so late on Mac (everyone knows the story already, it's sad Mac is so late to the party). Imagine this had been a multiplayer game... mac people would have finally got in on it only to find the multiplayer scene dead?

Anyway if you are really a serious gamer and don't just play WoW, SC2 and Diablo then you'll be doing Windows. Saying this is a Mac board and we should not be talking about Windows is just sticking your head into the sand.

Something needs to be done... I hope the gaining popularity of Mac will change that. Also some recent successes to self-funding on Kickstarter (adding mac support to games etc) has me up-beat.
 
I decided to download it, however I'd recommend going for the Windows version, especially If you've got a lower end graphics card such as the 9400M, Intel HD 3000, 320M or equivalent.. You'll get higher frame rates on the Windows side, and it will be more playable..

I get smooth frame-rates at 1024x768 with everything turned down, but It just looks like a horrible mess :p
 
Lailoken said:
I'm a gamer first, a mac user second. Unfortunately being a gamer does not allow for a lot of Mac-time. So excuse me for talking about my WINDOWS VM on a Mac board. (Actually I don't care, don't excuse me.)

Anyway, I try and find Mac games whenever I can, but failing that I play it either on my VM or using Bootcamp. (I prefer VM since I kinda need to be on Mac for my daily work/use).

So I've finished Bioshock 2 ages ago, (as well as most other major games) on my VM (Only running Skyrim on Bootcamp since it's such a lovely game). It's sad to see these games come out so late on Mac (everyone knows the story already, it's sad Mac is so late to the party). Imagine this had been a multiplayer game... mac people would have finally got in on it only to find the multiplayer scene dead?

Anyway if you are really a serious gamer and don't just play WoW, SC2 and Diablo then you'll be doing Windows. Saying this is a Mac board and we should not be talking about Windows is just sticking your head into the sand.

Something needs to be done... I hope the gaining popularity of Mac will change that. Also some recent successes to self-funding on Kickstarter (adding mac support to games etc) has me up-beat.
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I'd love to see Apple acquire Bungie.
 
Lailoken said:
Saying this is a Mac board and we should not be talking about Windows is just sticking your head into the sand.

Something needs to be done... I hope the gaining popularity of Mac will change that. Also some recent successes to self-funding on Kickstarter (adding mac support to games etc) has me up-beat.
Click to expand...


No, nothing will change. PC gaming is dying, and the Mac represents only the smallest fraction of that segment. Most big companies focus on consoles (which are the primary target platforms nowadays) or the low-end casual gamer (read: touch devices) market. Apple's desktop market share is too insignificant to change this; OS X will always only be an afterthought.

At home, I'm also first and foremost a gamer. And I don't regret buying an Xbox 360 to cover that niche for me. I'm a hardcore FPS gamer and was VERY skeptical about the Xbox first. But since I got tired of constantly shoveling money in hardware upgrades, and since all Macs totally suck as hardware/software platforms for games (yes, they do), I gave the Xbox a shot and am very happy with it. In fact, the Xbox was the product that made it possible for me to switch from PCs to Macs.
 
Winni said:
No, nothing will change. PC gaming is dying, and the Mac represents only the smallest fraction of that segment. Most big companies focus on consoles (which are the primary target platforms nowadays) or the low-end casual gamer (read: touch devices) market. Apple's desktop market share is too insignificant to change this; OS X will always only be an afterthought.

At home, I'm also first and foremost a gamer. And I don't regret buying an Xbox 360 to cover that niche for me. I'm a hardcore FPS gamer and was VERY skeptical about the Xbox first. But since I got tired of constantly shoveling money in hardware upgrades, and since all Macs totally suck as hardware/software platforms for games (yes, they do), I gave the Xbox a shot and am very happy with it. In fact, the Xbox was the product that made it possible for me to switch from PCs to Macs.
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Respectfully, I reject your premise. "Experts" have been calling for and predicting the death of PC gaming ever since the PS2 and original XBox came out. But it keeps not happening! The past 10 years of PC (and by extension, Mac) gaming have arguably been the best in terms of the quality of the titles and experiences they offer.

Whenever I read an "x is dead! Long live x!" thread, I'm reminded of how "experts" have been predicting the death of plasma tvs for at least 5 years! Yet, plasma tvs are as compelling as ever.

Could it be that we're listening to the wrong experts? I mean heck, "experts" were predicting the death of Apple for how long? They've gotten so used to it that even now they're searching for the dark gray cloud on Apple's silver lining "how much longer can Apple keep this up?", "Apple has nowhere to go but down!"

My 2 cents.
 
Winni said:
No, nothing will change. PC gaming is dying, and the Mac represents only the smallest fraction of that segment. Most big companies focus on consoles (which are the primary target platforms nowadays) or the low-end casual gamer (read: touch devices) market. Apple's desktop market share is too insignificant to change this; OS X will always only be an afterthought.

At home, I'm also first and foremost a gamer. And I don't regret buying an Xbox 360 to cover that niche for me. I'm a hardcore FPS gamer and was VERY skeptical about the Xbox first. But since I got tired of constantly shoveling money in hardware upgrades, and since all Macs totally suck as hardware/software platforms for games (yes, they do), I gave the Xbox a shot and am very happy with it. In fact, the Xbox was the product that made it possible for me to switch from PCs to Macs.
Click to expand...

PC gaming has been on a consistent incline for the past few years. Since even the cheapest PC video cards are capable of surpassing XBOX/PS3 quality graphics, many mainstream PC users are realizing the value of PC gaming. It will never be as big as consoles, but PC gaming isn't going anywhere for the time being.
 
MacRumorUser said:
I found it entertaining too for the most part, however the level of exploration wasn't as great, Rapture wasn't as intriguing the second time around, the little sister stand off points where you hang around and have to clear off wave A,B,C of monsters became dull quickly (throw down a few mines, get your guns ready etc..)

Likewise puzzles were not as good as the first. Finally the need to explore the biotic enhancements didn't really come off, with you simply needing to stick to one or two. It made them almost irrelevant.

Also as you are a big daddy, it meant the threat that permitted the first game from these big bad ass beasts (the ultimate threat to your survival in BS1) was also lost by the way side. Even the big sisters weren't too much of a problem in BS2.

The dark sombre tone of first was paired back. Yes it was rapture, but the threat, evilness and feeling of a utopia gone to ***** was lost.

Best part was the further exploration of underwater sections, the first time the window cracks and your hit by a gushing wave was exhilarating,

Its OK as games go, but at the time BS2 scored very well on the back of BS1. It was only with time and hindsight that it's failings became all too clear. It was bioshock on the surface, but not in soul.
Click to expand...

I wonder how much of the feelings of staleness and lack of soul compared to the first game has to do with the fact that you're already familiar with the world of Rapture. Short of throwing out things they had established in the first game, how much could they realistically do to make it feel like you were learning new and disturbing things about Rapture all over again?
 
As a former pc gamer i find this hilarious. 2 years late with a horrible console port at a ridicolous price.

I don't even want games to come out on mac, why should they, the mac hardware can't cope unless you spent 4k on upgrades. And there's this one thing that will make gaming impossible on a mac unless it's fixed: The mouse input. It's just down right horrible. I have a zowie ec1 professional gaming mouse plugged into my mac and the delay is horrible. They need to fix the input once and for all. The 10ms delay is NOT OK. If you don't know what i mean you must have been macibans for too long :)
I tried to fire up some good old DOD on steam the other day but could only manage 30 seconds due to the horrible input lag.

Any ways. For making points. I use my mac for things other than gaming. It's superior when it comes to music production. But imho not much else. Mac's should just not try to approach gaming cause it's a dead race.

Rant over :)
 
I put off buying RAGE:Campaign Edition when it first came out, and then I saw Bioshock 2 in the Appstore -- and for some reason, couldn't help myself from getting it. Perhaps it's because I've seen the boxed version of Bishock 1 and always wished I had gotten it then.

I didn't just get it though -- I Googled up reviews, rants and raves and compared the ratings of Bishock, Bioshock2, Rage and Borderlands too see where Bioshock2 placed. It placed at the top, alongside the first version.

So after paying the Apple premium, I finally had Bioshock2 (never played the first game) and was happily drilling away at things with my drill and shocking stuff with plasmids. Immediately I realised this was no Marathon (as in, the Bungie Marathon) -- I found myself OOA (out of ammo) quickly before realising something else -- you really HAVE to scour your environment for ammo and other stuff! Looks like for me, this game would take longer to finish than I had first realised. Even Doom3 gave me more ammo and gear to mess about with the undead.

Then I wondered -- what about RAGE? Rage failed against Bioshock in terms of storyline, but the GRAPHICS... man... that was the focus of the reviews. And heck were they right!

I purchased RAGE: Campaign edition the following night and lo and behold (after running into shedloads of BUGS) I found myself enjoying the open, dusty and barren desserts more than being entrapped in an undersea abyss. It was the graphics that sold me onto Rage -- I wanted to see how it'd run on my macbook pro. On mac graphics it runs pretty flawlessly, but there are times in the heat of battle where I wish I hadn't had the graphics set too all-max.

For now Rage suits me better because you get to meet and talk to people... not as forlorn as Bioshock is. I'll get back to Bioshock after I prep up my people skills in Rage (mostly with my weapons) but I've noticed that munitions don't grow on trees in RAGE either... but still a little easier to come by than they are in Bioshock.

Bioshock is intense. It's something I'll settle for when I have more time (and less friends) to kill. Right now RAGE is where all the action is for me.
 
kattskrall said:
As a former pc gamer i find this hilarious. 2 years late with a horrible console port at a ridicolous price.

I don't even want games to come out on mac, why should they, the mac hardware can't cope unless you spent 4k on upgrades. And there's this one thing that will make gaming impossible on a mac unless it's fixed: The mouse input. It's just down right horrible. I have a zowie ec1 professional gaming mouse plugged into my mac and the delay is horrible. They need to fix the input once and for all. The 10ms delay is NOT OK. If you don't know what i mean you must have been macibans for too long :)
I tried to fire up some good old DOD on steam the other day but could only manage 30 seconds due to the horrible input lag.

Any ways. For making points. I use my mac for things other than gaming. It's superior when it comes to music production. But imho not much else. Mac's should just not try to approach gaming cause it's a dead race.

Rant over :)
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Careful, your ignorance is showing.
 
kattskrall said:
As a former pc gamer i find this hilarious. 2 years late with a horrible console port at a ridicolous price.

I don't even want games to come out on mac, why should they, the mac hardware can't cope unless you spent 4k on upgrades. And there's this one thing that will make gaming impossible on a mac unless it's fixed: The mouse input. It's just down right horrible. I have a zowie ec1 professional gaming mouse plugged into my mac and the delay is horrible. They need to fix the input once and for all. The 10ms delay is NOT OK. If you don't know what i mean you must have been macibans for too long :)
I tried to fire up some good old DOD on steam the other day but could only manage 30 seconds due to the horrible input lag.

Any ways. For making points. I use my mac for things other than gaming. It's superior when it comes to music production. But imho not much else. Mac's should just not try to approach gaming cause it's a dead race.

Rant over :)
Click to expand...
I'm a PC Gamer, and I switch between Lion and Windows 7 every day and I've not noticed this input lag you talk about even in general use, yet alone games. I've got a Razer DeathAdder, and it works nicely in both.

That aside, my base $1199 2011 iMac can play this game on Windows 7 so I'm betting it'll be able to do it on OS X too.
 
Irishman said:
...and sold for?
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You're not getting the point. Just because it is new to the OS X platform, doesn't mean that the price hike is temporary. It isn't. Mac games tend to cost more because they've been ported over by a porting house. That means all the distributor (Apple), the porting house (Ferral) and the developer (2K) all want a decent slice of the pie. That is why it is at the price it is at.
 
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