10 Flawed Video Games That Are Actually Masterpieces

3. BioShock 2

2K Games
2K Games

While the 'flawed masterpiece' labelcould equally be applied toboth Bioshock 2 and Infinite (the original earnsthe 'undisputed masterpiece' accolade), it seems that the former received much less critical love and attention than the games it was sandwiched by.

Taking place in Rapture, the same subaquatic setting as its predecessor, it's easy to dismiss Bioshock 2 as 'more of the same'. Butalthough the story takes a while to get going, it eventuallybecomes a sharp, thought-provoking critique of utilitarianism in much the same way as the original was of individualism. Sure, it couldn't possibly recapture that haunting sense of wonderment we all felt when first heading down to Rapture, but gameplay-wise it patched things up in all the right areas.

The combat is more varied and more tactical, and the maniacal utopian visions of Sofia Lamb come damn close to matching the terrifying brilliance of Andrew Ryan. Once you look past the fact that it's not as ingenious asthe original game and it's a bit too focused on being a shooter (and that damn multiplayer), Bioshock 2remains one of the most narratively inventive games around.

Contributor
Contributor

Gamer, Researcher of strange things. I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.