Downloadable content has certainly evolved from the days of Horse Armour, though it has become the usual case with DLC, is if it’s good, it’s an excuse to revisit the game. But to the credit of the developers, Minerva’s Den is so much more than just an excuse to revisit Rapture. It adds a fantastic new arc to the lore of Bioshock and provides a compelling and extensive addition to the main game. It’s not just another piece of DLC. It’s an expansion pack and for some, it will be better than the main game itself.
Yeah, he looks trustworthy...
Minerva’s Den seems to happen concurrently with the events of the main game. You now fill the boots of the Alpha Series Big Daddy, Sigma, who has been sent to Minerva’s Den by Milton Porter and Brigid Tenenbaum. What’s so important that’s in Minerva’s Den? Holed up there, is Reed Dahl, who has taken control of the computer systems of Rapture; most notably, the supercomputer with near perfect predictive capabilities known as ‘The Thinker’. Jacked up on ADAM and paranoia, Dahl betrayed Porter to Andrew Ryan in order to keep the Thinker for himself, while Porter and Tenenbaum want the Thinker back, as they believe it to hold the secret for curing the negative effects of ADAM.
While it won’t make any sense if you haven’t gone through both Bioshock titles, Minerva’s Den provides a very sharp, superbly paced and compelling story. The comparatively abbreviated nature doesn’t leave enough room for the philosophical musings of the main game, but it still comes off really well. It just may be better that it didn’t have the room to become more complicated, as a great balance has been struck. Just why are we supposed to care about Sigma, and just why is Porter helping us? Why is Dahl so intent on stopping you? Just how does Porter’s deceased wife come into this? The story is played out well enough to make sure that you don’t realise just what’s happening until the very closing stages. And overall, there is a sense of closure to the whole thing…
Given that the story is being played through at a similar time as Bioshock 2, most of the gameplay structure remains relatively similar. Minerva’s Den is spread over three different areas, and the methods are pretty similar. Presented with relatively open levels, you’re tasked with following the objectives as they are presented to you. Just how you get to them, how you solve the issues and dispose of the enemies along the way is up to you. You’ve got powerful weaponry to be used as you wish, and a number of Plasmid power-ups to aid in combat and getting through the environment. Since you are a Big Daddy, you’ll have the option stealing the Little Sisters that are being escorted to collect ADAM for yourself. Of course, this means you’ll have to defend them as well, as you did in the main game. And then there are the Big Sisters.
Lancer Big Daddy is quite formidable.
Everything that you need, will be provided. For the rest, well you're left to fend for yourself. There have been two additions to the gameplay in Minerva’s Den. You get a new weapon virtually at the get go, the Ion Laser. This turns out to be a powerful and effective weapon, especially against the most powerful Big Daddies in Rapture, the Lancers. Also, you get a new Plasmid Power, Gravity Pull. Creating a vortex that sucks everything close by into it and finishes with a boom, it’s very powerful in combat and can be used as a trap. It’s also used in some puzzle solving, but we envisage that such a power could have been used more creatively. On the side, there is a mini-game called ‘Spitfire’ hidden as a quaint distraction.
As the old adage goes, if you didn’t like the Bioshock style of gameplay, there’s nothing here to convince you otherwise, nor is there any reason for you to be reading this. In any case, Minerva’s Den makes up for any familiarity with remarkably sharp level design and an astute challenge. You’ll need to use all of your Bioshock know-how to get through this. Furthermore, the environments and hidden audio tapes give you nice insight into the failures of the Rapture, and provide ample reward for exploring and looking beyond the surface. To top it all off, you’ll be spending at least six hours taking on the challenges in the Den. For DLC that only costs 800MS points/$15, it’s a bargain that’s bigger than a lot of retail games. Sure, you could blitz through in less, but you’ll be selling yourself short of the rewards and surprises that come with exploring and delving into world of splicing and ADAM collection.
As good as this piece of DLC is, just like the corridors of Rapture, there are a few leaks that have sprung. Firstly, the much famed (though overstated) choice within the Bioshock series has been confined to the gameplay. The story leaves no room for any moral choices, other than the usual rescuing or harvesting of Little Sisters and how you tackle combat and their protection. It’s a minor step back for the series as a whole, but at the same time, it doesn’t take much away from the content itself. And secondly, Minerva’s Den suffers from a few pronounced tech issues, namely in the form of visual glitches, the worst being textures that don’t seem to appear. At all.
My my, that's a lot of destruction that you have there.
Still, as far as DLC goes, Minerva’s Den really can’t do too much more than what it has, and it becomes more an expansion pack than just your usual DLC. The story is amazing and compelling without the overbearing philosophical babble, and keeps you guessing and wondering right until the very end. While the additions are minor, they make a substantial impact and the overall gameplay design is sharp and provides an endearing challenge. To top it off, you’ve got at least six hours of play and whole lot of value. In fact, the best compliment that we can give it is that it sometimes feels better than Bioshock 2 itself. DLC with any less than this will be a let down from now on.
Worth buying? Yes
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Downloadable content ratings system
We've given a 'buy' rating of 'Yes', 'Maybe', or 'No'.
Yes means that the content is either great value or brings some substantial additions to the game, or possibly both.
Maybe means that the content may be fun while it lasts, but may either be too short or not enough to fully justify the price tag.
No means that we don't recommend downloading this insubstantial content.
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