Bioshock 2 Tips and Tricks (part 3)

Bioshock 2 Achievements Guide

Here is a short guide to some rather difficult achievements. The first achievement I am going to go over is the most difficult one that I am going to cover. This achievement, called “Master Protector” is achieved by completing an adam gathering with no damage to you and no one getting to your little sister. While this does not sound like a terribly difficult feat to accomplish, it is a lot harder than you are led to believe. I suggest trying on every gathering opportunity you have, but ultimately there is one location where you are nearly guaranteed to succeed in unlocking this achievement.

As a side note when attempting to gather adam, here are my suggestions for self protection which, no matter the situation will always help you. First remember to always set up traps in levels farther out from you than you would immediately assume. Also be weary of balconies and any higher area a splicer could shoot or throw grenades from. Secondly always use the security systems to your advantage and hack all that you can as hacked systems stay hacked for the course of the level.

The best place to attempt the “Master Protector” achievement is in the Imago Fine Arts area of Dionysus Park. There is a frozen gallery which houses the most security systems in a single area in the game, with four security cameras and three turrets. Hack all of them, as well as melt all the ice you can to collect everything in that room (there is also a nice cache with a safe in the back of this gallery). Once the room is secure set up traps and turrets as far from you as you can and be sure to cover the one door into the gallery. Also you should set up a mini turret inside the cache room as there will be splicers that spawn in that room who can ruin an attempt at the worst time. Now once you have prepped the room, just sit yourself back in the corner and be sure to set up a couple extra traps around your little sister just in case and if you have been protecting the little sisters, you should have two gifts from them by this point which will allow you to equip the proud parent and demanding father gene tonics which net more plasmid and your little sister acquires the plasmid significantly faster. From here just try and keep your head down and remember even if it doesn’t register on your health bar, if your character sounds like he got hit, he did and you lost out on unlocking this achievement.

A few more achievements which really aren’t too difficult, just not obvious are, “9-Irony” which achieved by throwing a 9 iron which you find at the first Andrew Ryan exhibit at the Ryan Amusements level, while the animatronic Ryan is talking just throw a 9 iron from off to the left side of the exhibit at him with telekinesis. Next, “Big Brass Balls,” just finish the game without using a vita chamber, for this I suggest easy, saving a lot, and going into the start menu and turning off vita chambers. Next, “Look at You Hacker,” just hack the security systems and let them do the work for you, in order to achieve this one you have to let the hacked bots kill 50 enemies without any help from you. Then to unlock most of the rest, hack everything you can, and hack all the security systems from a distance, spend money as often as possible, go out of your way to find every easter egg and lastly try not to die in any battles and take on as many Big Daddies in a row as you can without dying. Beyond that is multiplayer achievements and you have to figure those out on your own.

Bioshock 2 Tips and Tricks (part 2)

Big Sister/Big Daddy Guide

This Bioshock 2 guide will help you get through those arduous, difficult, and sometimes ridiculous one on one (and with the mix of bad luck and poor timing you versus two or more Big Daddies). The number one rule when fighting these enemies is to, at all costs keep them from moving. This is your number one concern; from the super nimble Big sisters to the big bruising Elite Bouncer Big Daddy, if you can keep them from moving, your odds at defeating them in an efficient and satisfying way increases incredibly and at higher difficulties this method is necessary just to survive.

Now the second key to defeating these big bad enemies, involves finding an area in which you know you will have a concerted advantage. The game really works with you in this area as you can control, for the most part (the alpha series Big Daddies attack you of their own accord), by having most Big Daddies attack only after you have already attacked them and Big Sisters only come for you after you have dealt with all the little sisters in the level. This is advantageous to you the player because you can set up the attack by utilizing things like the security systems you hacked through the course of the level, and you have had the chance to scout the level and know where all of the environmental aids are (such as pools of water, explosive barrels, and oil slicks).

As I advised in my previous guide to plasmids in Bioshock 2, when coming against these tougher enemies it is essential to utilize the plasmids which prevent enemies from moving. This is particularly important for the Big Sisters, while Big Daddies can move quickly, Big Sisters can move in three dimensions. They have no real significant limit on where they can go, how they can jump, and how fast they can move. In addition, they come equipped with a fire attack, telekinesis, and teleportation abilities. However, the most damage they cause is in close melee combat. There is, however a solution to these problems. First, (and this goes for all difficult enemies) try freezing them in solid ice, it lasts the longest for preventing movement and you can see how long it will be until they thaw. While they are frozen attack them with your most powerful weapons and be prepared to keep refreezing them as they try to attack, I suggest phosphorus buck shot, armor piercing rounds, anti personnel rounds, and your drill . Second, if they are in standing water, use the Electro Bolt attack. It will prevent them from moving and cause damage. This is best against big sisters because they tend to run away to lure you into a melee combat which while you can defend against and melee attack by meleeing your enemy right before they hit, it is incredibly difficult. You are always best off from attacking from a distance first with your plasmids and then shooting and hopefully draw them somewhere where other things can help you fight these types of enemies. As a last note about utilization, in Bioshock 2, there is a rather obnoxious Big Daddy, the Rumbler. He is more of a nuisance than anything else, but can be very dangerous. The main thing to watch out for is his portable turrets which he throws out at you. The general strategy works great against him, with one amendment to keep your eyes open and hack every one of his turrets that you can so they instead shoot at him and soon you will have him beat.

Bioshock 2 Tips and Tricks (part 1) – Plasmid Guide

In Bioshock 2 the system of plasmids has been brought back roughly the same as it was in Bioshock one. However, there are many plasmids to choose from and while they all have their own particular uses, you only have a small amount of adam which to buy the plasmids with. This guide’s intention is to help guide you in your decisions in buying plasmids to avoid wasting adam on unnecessary plasmids.

First off, I strongly recommend doing every little sister collection you can, in order to maximize the amount of adam you collect. Also I suggest rescuing the little sisters, for two reasons, first because the animation for harvesting adam from the sisters is quite disturbing (particularly because the little sisters constantly comment and the game really tries to make you feel guilty for hurting them). Secondly, while you get about a third more adam overall from harvesting, saving the little sisters will get you tonics and other useful items that you couldn’t otherwise get. Some of these are necessary for completing a few of the achievements.

Now, as for choice of plasmids, the key to choosing plasmids is ultimately determined by your game play style. Which, is a wonderful thing about Bioshock 2, the game is designed to easily handle a wide variety of styles. However, there are four key plasmids which, no matter the game play style, will be useful. These plasmids are Electro Bolt, Incinerate, Winter Blast, and Security Command. The first two are plasmids you get throughout the course of the events of the story as well as Security Command. As for the utilization of these plasmids, the general strategy for using the plasmids is to firstly stop enemies and secondly to injure them. To utilize these plasmids properly you need to upgrade Winter Blast and Electro Bolt to the third level as soon as possible. When Winter Blast is at the third level it freezes enemies into a solid block of ice with a tap instead of having to charge, similarly with Electro Bolt the chain lightening function is available at the third level with a tap instead of having to charge the move to achieve the same attack. It is important to upgrade these two plasmids because they prevent enemies from moving which is essential to wining the big battles against the tougher enemies. Next, Security Command is a rather useless plasmid until it is upgraded at least once because the first level it only redirects security bots and cameras to attack a single foe which isn’t necessary as the game gives you plenty of opportunity to hack the security systems which allows them to permanently work for you. At the second level however, the Security Command summons security bots that will fight for you. Lastly, the Incinerate plasmid is going to be your general attack plasmid. It causes continual damage as long as the enemies are on fire. Enemies that are on fire also have the opportunity to set other enemies on fire if they run into them. In addition, Incinerate causes the most damage, so you should upgrade it when you can, but it is not essential as it is already really powerful. The level upgrade of the Incinerate plasmid follow the same path as Winter Blast and Electro Bolt, with the third level being the second level charged attack as a tap and the charge as a continuous stream of the plasmid’s power.

Bioshock 2: Electro Bolt Plasmid:
What it does: Electro Bolt shoots electrical bolts to stun enemies. (it will also electrify water)
At third upgrade level: When Electro Bolt is at its third upgrade level the chain lightening effect (where the bolts jump from one enemy to the next) will occur with a tap of the button rather than having to charge it first.

Bioshock 2: Incinerate Plasmid:
What it does: Incinerate sets your foes ablaze. Enemies that are on fire can set other enemies on fire by running into them.
At third upgrade level: Incinerate increases in damage when it is upgraded.

Bioshock 2: Winter Blast Plasmid:
What it does: Freezes enemies, slowing their movement and attack.
At third upgrade level: When Winter Blast is at the third level it will freeze enemies into a solid block with a tap of the button rather than having to charge it first.

Bioshock 2: Security Command Plasmid:
What it does: Security Command redirect security bots to attack enemies instead of you.
At third upgrade level: Security Command level 3 upgrades the two security bots you can summon from the level two upgrade to their maximum.