Bjossi on 27/8/2007 at 19:37
Quote Posted by Aja
Hah, little do I know that there isn't actually any AMMO in this game, and even if you do manage to stumble upon a bullet or two, your gun will break as soon as you fire them. So I have to start repairing, I suppose - oh wait, repair skill is at zero, too bad.
To break the first pistol in the game you need to shoot quite a few bullets.
I wouldn't advice using the guns very much so early anyway, because taking care of the hybrids is very easy with the wrench. You'll like the extra ammo when you reach deck 1.
SubZero2040 on 27/8/2007 at 20:11
Quote Posted by Aja
I've played through Bioshock and am now in the process of playing SS2 for the first time. So far I'm finding it incredibly difficult and often frustrating.
The game starts off by forcing you to make several gameplay-affecting decisions without really explaining to you what the consequences will be. Whatever, I chooe PSI and have an enhanced "cyber-affinity". I figure I'll learn it as I go. Two minutes in I'm faced with the decision of upgrading my stats again. Well, I'm PSI so I figure I should focus on that. Use up my points on psi pull, find a pistol and am disappointed to discover I can't shoot it because my STANDARD is not at 1. Eh?
Okay, fine, I struggle through the first bit using Cryokinesis until I scrounge enough points to upgrade my standard to one. Hah, little do I know that there isn't actually any AMMO in this game, and even if you do manage to stumble upon a bullet or two, your gun will break as soon as you fire them. So I have to start repairing, I suppose - oh wait, repair skill is at zero, too bad.
Alright, I'll have to make do with what I can find until my skills increase, but then I can't actually get into anything because my hack skill is still at zero. I upgraded it to 1, then accidentally broke a keypad on my 32nd unsuccessful hack. Now I can't get the supplies in Closet 4, there are robots that explode when they touch me, I have no bullets to kill them, no vita chamber and no health. Good thing my wrench is indestructible; I have a feeling I'm going to be using it a LOT.
Okay so the game's not all that bad - it does have great atmosphere and it certainly is tense. But in terms of making a game actually FUN to play, rather than just nerve-wracking and frustratingly difficult, Bioshock is not necessarily a step in the wrong direction.
I'm enjoying SS2 and I can definitely see its merits, but so far I'm erring towards Bioshock. Actually, it's difficult to even compare the two because they're very different games. The "spiritual successor" stuff makes sense, and I can see the connection, but one is clearly a resource-management RPG, while the other is a sort of sandbox-first-person-shooter.
I had the same problem the first time I played SS2 but I went for Marine all the way. I played the whole game as a shooter.
What happened to me was I made a save, one second before a death that I couldn't prevent (Stupid system) so after like 20 hours I had to start over and I made MUCH better decisions on what to do.
I kinda forget what I actually did, it's been a few years but I did the same thing in Morrowind. Once I knew a little about the game and what I was in for I restarted with a new character that was much stronger (I could actually kill a swamp rat).
ZylonBane on 27/8/2007 at 20:13
Quote Posted by Aja
Whatever, I chooe PSI and have an enhanced "cyber-affinity". I figure I'll learn it as I go. Two minutes in I'm faced with the decision of upgrading my stats again. Well, I'm PSI so I figure I should focus on that. Use up my points on psi pull, find a pistol and am disappointed to discover I can't shoot it because my STANDARD is not at 1. Eh?
Playing your first game of SS2 as a psi user is a mistake, unless you're a masochist. Marine is easiest since you can just blow everything up, Navy provides a nice mix of shooting and hacking with a little psi on the side, and OSA is the hardest-- It's like playing a wizard in most RPGs... you start out tissue-paper weak, but become unstoppable by the endgame.
And don't forget to check out the Newbie's Guide.
Aja on 27/8/2007 at 20:24
Quote Posted by ZylonBane
Playing your first game of SS2 as a psi user is a mistake, unless you're a masochist.
So it would seem. I'm not switching now though. All I can say is it's a damn good thing I can walk and lean ;)
heywood on 27/8/2007 at 21:00
Quote Posted by Aja
So it would seem. I'm not switching now though. All I can say is it's a damn good thing I can walk and lean ;)
Remember, you don't play an OSA character like you would a shooter. From your choices so far, it sounds like you would rather be in the Navy instead. If you're early in the game, you can still switch paths without suffering too much of a penalty, especially if you're playing on easy or normal difficulty.
Aja on 27/8/2007 at 21:55
I don't care if I have to shoot or not, but at the moment it's my only option, especially when the robots start coming.
Lansing on 27/8/2007 at 22:27
Well... you can play with just the wrench withough firing a shot. However, if it's your first try then that, like playing with just psi is pretty tough. You're right that the game doesn't hold your hand and say exactly what skills and specialisations will make the game easiest - but that's a large part of its appeal.
Bjossi on 28/8/2007 at 00:44
Quote Posted by Aja
I don't care if I
have to shoot or not, but at the moment it's my only option, especially when the robots start coming.
Use the wrench on the maintenance robots, just run up to them and swing a few dozen times. For the protocol droids I recommend an armor-piercing bullet or two. (or use the corner-trick to avoid spending ammo or take damage)
Yakoob on 28/8/2007 at 00:45
Quote Posted by Aja
I don't care if I
have to shoot or not, but at the moment it's my only option, especially when the robots start coming.
You can always RUN ;) That worked for me on my first SS2 playthrough...
Also, all the little atrocities you describe is actually why so many of us LOVE SS2. The gameplay is just so involved, so many factors to take in consideration and they don't always go the way you want them to, leading to many "oh shit what now" or "I'm so helpless I'm going to die ;_;" moments that create the fantastic atmospere of dread...
Back to Bioshock, agreed with the original poster. Compared to SS1/2, BS is much more of a shooter (as it was spoken) and the damned Vitae Chambers make a huge negative hit on the atmosphere of fear.
Aja on 28/8/2007 at 02:56
I'm not exactly sure how trial-and-error reloading contributes to the atmosphere of dread. I've been dying and reloading so often that it's not really scary at all.
