games  anime  |  toys
Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

 


Preview: BioShock's DLC Challenge Rooms photo

Earlier this week, I got a chance to check out the upcoming downloadable content for BioShock at 2K Game's offices. The DLC doesn't tie in to the main game whatsoever. Instead, these new sections of Rapture are meant to challenge players and put their skills to the test. 

I got to preview two of the three new sections for BioShock and you can check out my impressions after the jump. 

The first section of the DLC content I got to see were the test chambers. Players are dropped into a central room with eight doors leading to eight different scenarios. In the center of the room, a saved Little Sister is walking around in a glassed in room containing eight vents for the Little Sister to travel to the eight rooms. Surrounding this is all of the machines available from the main game such as the El Ammo Bandito, The Circus of Values, Gatherers Gardens and more. All are hackable, but they're set to the maximum hacking difficulty.

Players won’t start off with any money, weapons, or Plasmid powers, but the first test chamber door is open and players will find a shotgun, magnum and some bullets for the magnum lying on the ground at the entrance of this test chamber.

Before entering the actual chamber, players can scout out the chamber as the floor is made of glass, allowing the player to see the entire chamber below him. Once the player is committed to the challenge, they will drop in through a hole and can't leave until killing everything in the room.



The first room is the easiest as there's nothing in the room but a single Splicer. The Splicer is too busy trying to "convince" a Little Sister to pop out of a vent, so he won't notice the player until it's too late. After all of the dangers in the room have been cleared, the Little Sister will come out of the vent and give the player some sort of reward. In this case, the Little Sister gave me every weapon that's available in the game (all lacking ammo).

After receiving my reward, a teleporter appears allowing me to go back to the central room, but first I went to loot some corpses and then used a “Power to the People” machine that's located in every test chamber to upgrade one of my guns. A new door is unlocked and this time I have to fight a single Big Daddy.

I didn't receive that much money and I still had no Plasmid skills so this battle wasn't going to be that easy. Luckily, a section of this chamber had sprung a leak and had an electric problem too. Players will need to basically have a toro match with the Big Daddy in order to defeat it. After I got in position in front of the electrified water, I shot the Big Daddy, which then immediately charged at me. I dived away at the last second, turned around and saw that the Big Daddy didn't fall into the water. Players basically have that first chance to get through the room easily. You can try again to trick the Big Daddy to charge at you, but it's pretty hard to make him fall into the electrocuted water if you miss the first chance.



I eventually died and respawned in the first test chamber. The game will automatically save your progress right after you've received your gift from the Little Sister. The second time through, I got it right and watched the Big Daddy slowly die from the electrified water. This time, the Little Sister gave me Adam as a reward and now the challenges ramped up in difficulty.

Back to the central room, all of the doors were opened and it's up to the player on how to tackle each room. Money and Adam is limited, so players really have to think about their battle plan. Thanks to the glass ceilings, players can look down into a room and figure out what guns they will need and what Plasmids would be best.

All of the rooms start to differ in design too. The first too rooms were simple, small, square rooms with no major obstructions. Now the rooms have large obstructions, walls, and one of the rooms is a large, six story deep room.

Think you can handle the room containing several fire and ice Houdini Splicers? Or how about the room with several turrets along with Splicers and a Big Daddy? Or how about my favorite room with four Big Daddies? There's eight rooms in all and the entire run is timed. 



This video has moved! Try our new Destructoid HD video section

After the test chambers, I checked out the second part of the DLC content, "A Shocking Turn of Events.” Now, you're at the Rapture Carnival where a Little Sister is trapped on a ferris wheel ride and the player needs to get her down. There’s a switch that will move the ferris wheel, but it’s having some electrical problems. Check out the above video for an explanation of this scenario.

This part of the DLC challenge is more about puzzles rather then action. You need to explore the entire area to find ways to feed the panel electricity. I didn't get too far, but I can say it will be pretty hard to figure this section out.

And what's a Carnival without games? There's a section on this level where players can play Carnival games and win an endless amount of health and EVE.

There is one more challenge that’s a part of the DLC pack, but you'll have to wait to see it when it comes out November 20. The DLC content will go for $9.99 and overall, I think the package will be worth it to die hard BioShock fans.


LAUNCH GALLERY (10 IMAGES)
Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo
 

Continue: More PS3 stories





prev next

11 comments | showing # 1 to 11

ArrestedDeveloper's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/07/2008 15:52
ArrestedDeveloper
You mean these weren't included on the disk? I thought that was the incentive since it's a year old.
Hamza CTZ Aziz's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/07/2008 16:10
Hamza CTZ Aziz
Arrested: Nope, gotta pay for 'em.

Christian: No word on 360 release.
Daynger777's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/07/2008 16:48
Daynger777
No love for 360?! I'm shocked AND apalled :'(
Dan CiTi's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/07/2008 17:15
Dan CiTi
Sounds great. I might have to finally buy BioShock. If only some hack came out on the PS3 so I could use a wired 360 controller.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/07/2008 17:50
Holyetheline
wish we could get this on 360...
necrozen's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/07/2008 18:15
necrozen
Sounds nice, although I wish it was on the disk. Still an incentive to buy the PS3 version though, in my opinion, although the fact that it's not on the disk will probably delay my purchase until I've cooled down on LBP and Resistance 2 - they are taking up all my time at the moment! GREAT TIME TO BE A GAMER!
Burnt Meatloaf's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/08/2008 03:55
Burnt Meatloaf
Look, a BMP in the wild! I thought that image format was extinct.
wrathofpink's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/08/2008 19:10
wrathofpink
PC gamer here. I have to say I absolutely hate the xbox360 and the ps3 for creating the term DLC. These kinds of things used to be made for free, just as little bonuses, a few years ago. What an age we live in.
grafkhun's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/08/2008 19:21
grafkhun
Although I do think that making these extra's simply exclusive DLC instead of on the disc is kind of undermining it and all... but they are just bonuses after all. I'm happy that PS3 owners get to experience this game now. If I had a PS3 I may buy Bioshock again and the DLC as well.
Bacon Burger's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/10/2008 09:58
Bacon Burger
<personal opinion> If I can't play it on the disc, I'm not buying it. </personal opinion>
MrSlippery's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/25/2008 13:19
MrSlippery
I really wish this would hit for 360. I wouldn't mind delving back into Rapture.
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 
New on Destructoid.TV play all videos

Loading
Loading Destructoid Videos


    Win this!
    Dive in! meetup+play for a chance to win a PC

    Dtoid Twitter    Got news?   tips@destructoid.com

    Reviews & Previews
    Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles review
    Left 4 Dead 2 review
    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex review
    Arkedo Series - 02 SWAP! review
    EyePet review
    more reviews
    Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks
    Monster Hunter Tri
    Hooking onto, under and above Just Cause 2
    PS3's 256-player MAG
    Rooms The Main Building
    more previews


    - The Dtoid Army is 50688 strong -

    Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps   show all

    Call for entries: do the wrong thing

    New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide




     Originals
    Jim Sterling: Think L4D2 is an expansion? You're a f*cking idiot





















    More Destructoid Originals




     Popular now more






















    Team Destructoid   tips@destructoid.com
    Nick Chester
    Editor-in-Chief
    Niero
    Founder, publisher
    Jim Sterling
    Reviews Editor
    Hamza Aziz
    Community Manager
    Dale North
    News Editor
    Rey Gutierrez
    Video editor & director
    Anthony Burch
    Features Editor
    Colette Bennett
    Tom Fronczak Brad Nicholson
    Ashley Davis Ben Perlee
    Conrad
    Zimmerman
    Chad Concelmo
    Jonathan Holmes Jonathan Ross
    Brad Rice Jordan Devore
    Will Maddock Matthew Razak
    Dyson Joseph Leray
    Topher Cantler Samit Sarkar
         
      Dexter
    Adam Dork
    Daniel Lingen
    Hollie Bennett
    Joe Burling
    Mikey
    Stella Wong

    Josh Tolentino




     

     
      get involved

    register or login
    post a blog
    post a forum
    enter a contest
    contribute a news tip
    suggest a feature
    be a guest editor
    support

    new member's guide
    login assistance
    tech support
    report abuse
    email our editors
    read our dev blog
    nuclear crisis?
    keep in touch

    RSS feed
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Myspace
    Flickr
    Game nights
    Meetup+play online
    seriously

    about Destructoid
    advertising
    terms of use
    privacy policy
    jobs at MM
    buy our crap
    our network

    Tomopop
    Japanator
    Despingation?




    Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
    living the dream since March 16, 2006