Is BioShock 2 a Prequel or Sequel? A Deep Dive

As an avid gamer and content creator focused on the BioShock series, I receive this question a lot from fans – where does BioShock 2 fit in the franchise timeline? After playing through both games multiple times and analyzing their story arcs, I can definitively state BioShock 2 is a sequel, set about 8 years after the events of the original BioShock.

BioShock 1 Story Recap

First, a quick recap of the acclaimed first game. Set in 1960, BioShock introduces Rapture, an underwater utopian city built by Andrew Ryan that collapsed due to civil war over ADAM genetic modifications. You play as Jack, guided by Atlas to find Andrew Ryan and stop Frank Fontaine from taking control of this dystopia.

In the climax, you learn Atlas is Fontaine and you are mind-controlled to serve his bidding, but you break this control before confronting Fontaine. After his demise, you can choose to take over Rapture or attempt an escape to the surface.

BioShock 2 Plot Summary

Jumping to 8 years later, BioShock 2 features a new protagonist – a Big Daddy named Sigma intent on reuniting with his Little Sister, Eleanor. Rapture remains in chaos following the war and power vacuum from Fontaine‘s death. A new cult leader named Sofia Lamb has emerged, striving for utopian ideals.

You awaken after years as a Big Daddy to find Eleanor captured by Lamb. Seeking to free her, you ally with Brigid Tenenbaum from the first game while fighting against Lamb, her followers, and the remnants of the Rapture civil war.

In the climax, you remove ADAM slugs from Eleanor before Lamb can absorb her power, leading to multiple ending outcomes. Like the first game, your choices dictate the resolution.

Direct Sequel Timeline

With both games housed in Rapture and the second title set 8 years after the events that transpired previously, BioShock 2 connects directly back to the characters and outcomes from the start of the franchise.

New Faces, Continued Story

At first glance, BioShock 2 seems to feature an entirely new cast with Sigma, Eleanor Lamb, and Sofia Lamb taking center stage. But looking closer, that 1968 timestamp means many remnants linger from 1960.

Brigid Tenenbaum returns in a support role, while Audio Diaries reference the legendary figure Jack has become. The civil war kickstarted by Fontaine reshaped this universe – that lingering turmoil enraptures Rapture in the sequel.

While Sophia Lamb drives the new narrative, Ryan and Fontaine‘s shadow can‘t escape. Their actions dictate this continued trajectory.

Building on the Foundation

Rather than serving as a prequel or side story, BioShock 2 leverages the rich lore and history crafted in the first game for its foundation. Major choices around Little Sisters, characters like Tenenbaum, and Rapture‘s fractured state evolved from your decisions battling Ryan and Fontaine previously.

For newcomers to the franchise, I always advise playing BioShock first. The opening hours of the sequel presume knowledge of 1960 events.Callbacks reward that understanding. Rapture‘s fate intertwines across both titles.

So in summary, BioShock 2 should absolutely be treated as a direct sequel set after the debut game‘s events. That temporal and narrative connectivity cement its place in the BioShock timeline moving the Prime franchise plot forward. Both titles stand better together, 2 building from 1.

Let me know in comments if you have any other BioShock timeline or story questions!