Bioshock 2

With the holiday swell of big name titles, it’s possible that you may have forgotten the strong titles that appeared at the beginning of this year. Bioshock 2 should not be forgotten, as it’s a sequel that’s not merely a retread of its predecessor, but a legitimate effort to expand on the notions that made the original Bioshock such an important watershed for gaming.

Like the first game, this one continues in its commitment to the idea that games can serve as a legitimate media for social and political critique, aiming its guns not at Ayn Rand’s Objectivism this time but instead on its opposite, an egalitarian, but deeply flawed effort at utilitarianism. Additionally though, it tells a far more human and relatable tale as it explores the relationships between fathers and their children. If you know a gamer that missed out on the opportunity to try this title out in early 2010, now is a great time to get them up to speed with this evolution of the Bioshock franchise.