It seems that some people are worried that Bioshock 2 will not be as good as it's predecessor.  People say this is due to the lack of Ken Levine's involvement.  I find this proposition insulting, and let me tell you why.  I don't know who Ken Levine really is.  All I know is that he worked on BIoshock.  I don't know why people are freaking out because of this one guy.  IT TAKE MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO MAKE A GAME!  Attributing the success of a game to only one person is insulting to all the other people that worked on it in my opinion.  From what I have seen, BIoshock 2 looks fucking great.  So everyone who thinks Levine has the Midas Touch, stop complaining, you are being silly. 
 
UPDATE 
For all those people commenting saying Bioshock didn't need a sequel, I will tell you that I don't think that is a valid excuse to freak the fuck out.  I know I know, Bioshock had such an amazing ending that you don't want anything to screw up its perfection, but come on.  You could say tons of game did not need sequels like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.  They wrapped up the story pretty good in that game, but the sequel went on to become one of the fastest selling games of all time.  It's not like they are REPLACING Bioshock with Bioshock 2, you can still play Bioshcok if you want and you don't even have to touch Bioshock 2.  You have nothing to complain about, think about it.

It seems that some people are worried that Bioshock 2 will not be as good as it's predecessor.  People say this is due to the lack of Ken Levine's involvement.  I find this proposition insulting, and let me tell you why.  I don't know who Ken Levine really is.  All I know is that he worked on BIoshock.  I don't know why people are freaking out because of this one guy.  IT TAKE MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO MAKE A GAME!  Attributing the success of a game to only one person is insulting to all the other people that worked on it in my opinion.  From what I have seen, BIoshock 2 looks fucking great.  So everyone who thinks Levine has the Midas Touch, stop complaining, you are being silly. 
 
UPDATE 
For all those people commenting saying Bioshock didn't need a sequel, I will tell you that I don't think that is a valid excuse to freak the fuck out.  I know I know, Bioshock had such an amazing ending that you don't want anything to screw up its perfection, but come on.  You could say tons of game did not need sequels like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.  They wrapped up the story pretty good in that game, but the sequel went on to become one of the fastest selling games of all time.  It's not like they are REPLACING Bioshock with Bioshock 2, you can still play Bioshcok if you want and you don't even have to touch Bioshock 2.  You have nothing to complain about, think about it.

okay?

Here you go@ErgoProxy77 said:

" I don't know who Ken Levine really is. "

I'm in the boat of people who felt it didn't need a sequel because the first provided plenty of closure as it was. I'm not spitting venom at the idea that there is a sequel -- if it turns out to be a good game, I'll probably purchase it. 
 
But I suppose arguing that Ken Levine has no involvement is a valid point to some extent. It would be like creating a sequel to Nightmare Before Christmas without any involvement from Tim Burton. Of course Mr. Burton was not the only one involved in Nightmare Before Christmas, but it just wouldn't be the same to many people.

"I don't know who Ken Levine really is."

That actually is a completely valid reason for plenty of people to not care for Bioshock 2. As for me, it didn't need a sequel, and I still will not acknowledge Bioshock 2's existence.

" It seems that some people are worried that Bioshock 2 will not be as good as it's predecessor.  People say this is due to the lack of Ken Levine's involvement.  I find this proposition insulting, and let me tell you why.  I don't know who Ken Levine really is.  All I know is that he worked on BIoshock.  I don't know why people are freaking out because of this one guy.  IT TAKE MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO MAKE A GAME!  Attributing the success of a game to only one person is insulting to all the other people that worked on it in my opinion.  From what I have seen, BIoshock 2 looks fucking great.  So everyone who thinks Levine has the Midas Touch, stop complaining, you are being silly. "

The problems I have with Bioshock 2:

• I don´t feel that there should be a sequel
• There should not be multiplayer
• There is like 6 developers working on it now, wich can not be a good sign
• They took the worst part of the first game (being a big daddy) and made it the entire second game
• Set the game in the wrong time. I would much more like to see the fall of rapture, and meet all the characters I heard in the audio logs in Bioshock 2
• And the lack of Ken Levine in the development.
  

" @toorima: Hey..........stop whining.............that was kindof the point of my blog post........... "

" @toorima: Hey..........stop whining.............that was kindof the point of my blog post........... "

bs2 is going to be a great game. end of story.

I don't feel it needed a sequel, but I'm okay with it having a sequel as it's a universe that I would like to see explored far more.  There are a ton of unanswered questions from the first game that I'd like to see answers to in the second. 
 
As for Ken Levine, the dood is pretty damn awesome.  When you realize that the dood came up with the ideas behind the System Shock franchise (of which Bioshock is a spiritual successor) as well as the Freedom Force games and even the cancelled project The Lost (which ended up being sold off to some Indian developer and renamed with a shitty premise), the guy is a creative gold mine.  He made Irrational what Irrational was.  So...saying that you don't care about learning who Levine is...when he's one of the people who helped shape the idea of what a Mature-rated game...while also pushing the ideas of narrative structure in video games.... 
 
I mean, I'm just saying that he's a pretty important dood in the gaming industry.
 
However, there are a lot of other guys that made that vision come to life along with him, and a good handful of them are at 2K Marin...and worked on Bioshock 2.  Therefore, all these people getting up in arms over the game - I understand WHY they are, but I think they need to be a bit more open-minded rather than just slamming the game because their creative saint isn't working on the project and they don't feel it needs a sequel.
 
What I DON'T agree with would be the statements from 2K Games saying that they could do about five or six Bioshock games.  That's pushing it.  I don't want to see a trilogy either, because let's face it - trilogies are fucking overrated and stupid.  It's the pop song way of making movies and games.  "Hey, let's make a trilogy".  Fuck that. 
 

@toorima:

• Dead Space
• Mirror's Edge
• Dragon Age Origins
• Henry Hatsworth
• Brutal Legend
• Facebreaker
• Dante's Inferno
• Mass Effect
• The Saboteur

" @MildMolasses: EA published the first game and put money into it, so it's absolutely an EA property.  It just happens to be an Xbox 360 exclusive franchise, even when MS was funding it before EA bought them out. "

 From what I'm to understand, the multiplayer IS the fall of Rapture...

" @SeriouslyNow: What I meant by Ivory Tower is that you seem to think you are smarter or higher than everyone else, and nothing anyone says (even if it is logically sound) will persuade you to change your views on something.  I will gldaly stay in the dirt if that means I don't have to deal with you.  And is saying 'stop whining" childish?  I think you are the one being childish for whining! "

" @SeriouslyNow: What I meant by Ivory Tower is that you seem to think you are smarter or higher than everyone else, and nothing anyone says (even if it is logically sound) will persuade you to change your views on something.  I will gldaly stay in the dirt if that means I don't have to deal with you.  And is saying 'stop whining" childish?  I think you are the one being childish for whining! "

Dude, Bioshock was Ken Levine's baby.  Like, straight-up his heart and soul in video game form.  He wasn't just "some dude" that worked on the first game.  He was THE dude.  He is the creator of Bioshock, and I can understand why everyone is leery about Bioshock 2 because of his lack of involvement.

" @ErgoProxy77 said:

" @SeriouslyNow: What I meant by Ivory Tower is that you seem to think you are smarter or higher than everyone else, and nothing anyone says (even if it is logically sound) will persuade you to change your views on something.  I will gldaly stay in the dirt if that means I don't have to deal with you.  And is saying 'stop whining" childish?  I think you are the one being childish for whining! "

That's not what Ivory Tower means.  I'm not sure how I came across that by helping you understand who Ken Levine is or by sharing my feelings that the Multiplayer might be worthy in ot itself.  I was pointing also why some people are displeased for the sequel and only bothered to also point out that telling people to stop whining about something which you opened the floor on is childish.  There are many people aside from me who actively disagree with what you're saying, so why not deal with them.  Oh that's right because you can't. "

"  @SeriouslyNow said:

" @ErgoProxy77 said:

" @SeriouslyNow: What I meant by Ivory Tower is that you seem to think you are smarter or higher than everyone else, and nothing anyone says (even if it is logically sound) will persuade you to change your views on something.  I will gldaly stay in the dirt if that means I don't have to deal with you.  And is saying 'stop whining" childish?  I think you are the one being childish for whining! "

That's not what Ivory Tower means.  I'm not sure how I came across that by helping you understand who Ken Levine is or by sharing my feelings that the Multiplayer might be worthy in ot itself.  I was pointing also why some people are displeased for the sequel and only bothered to also point out that telling people to stop whining about something which you opened the floor on is childish.  There are many people aside from me who actively disagree with what you're saying, so why not deal with them.  Oh that's right because you can't. "

Actually Ivory Tower can be used in the way I meant to use it.  My point is it does not matter who works on a game, it always has the potential to be a good game.  What  do you mean by deal with people that disagree with me?  As far as I'm concerned, I'm the one that is disagreeing with the majority, so they should be dealing with me shouldn't they?  "

You're surely allowed to have opinions but lets not take insult for third parties on the interwebs =D Ken Levine stands for the Looking Glass legacy if you will, of which Irrational / 2K Games took in spades for Bioshock (it is without a doubt the spiritual successor of System Shock 2). He was one of the main channels of connection between the old and the new; people simply have reason to think that with this being severed the legacy will not be maintained, which doesnt necessarily have to be true, but we're not given much reason to feel otherwise with how Bioshock 2 is being marketed right now (maybe the're holding back on something). I'm much more curious about what game he's currently developing within 2K Marin than worried about his absence in the Bioshock 2 dev-roster. Franchises that go on without their original designer OR developer/publisher are nothing new, it can go either way...

@ErgoProxy77 said:

      

"It seems that some people are worried that Bioshock 2 will not be as good as it's predecessor. People say this is due to the lack of Ken Levine's involvement.  I find this proposition insulting, (...) insulting to all the other people that worked on it in my opinion." 

" @ErgoProxy77 said:

"  @SeriouslyNow said:

" @ErgoProxy77 said:

" @SeriouslyNow: What I meant by Ivory Tower is that you seem to think you are smarter or higher than everyone else, and nothing anyone says (even if it is logically sound) will persuade you to change your views on something.  I will gldaly stay in the dirt if that means I don't have to deal with you.  And is saying 'stop whining" childish?  I think you are the one being childish for whining! "

That's not what Ivory Tower means.  I'm not sure how I came across that by helping you understand who Ken Levine is or by sharing my feelings that the Multiplayer might be worthy in ot itself.  I was pointing also why some people are displeased for the sequel and only bothered to also point out that telling people to stop whining about something which you opened the floor on is childish.  There are many people aside from me who actively disagree with what you're saying, so why not deal with them.  Oh that's right because you can't. "

Actually Ivory Tower can be used in the way I meant to use it.  My point is it does not matter who works on a game, it always has the potential to be a good game.  What  do you mean by deal with people that disagree with me?  As far as I'm concerned, I'm the one that is disagreeing with the majority, so they should be dealing with me shouldn't they?  "

Bullshit on both counts.  You made a blog post which was flamebait, knowing full well it would cause a stir.  I had hoped you weren't a troll, so offered to explain and inform.  You ignored whatever I and anyone else has to say on the matter.  You then followed that up by calling people whiners etc.  QED Flamebait from a troll. "

" @SeriouslyNow said:

" @ErgoProxy77 said:

"  @SeriouslyNow said:

" @ErgoProxy77 said:

" @SeriouslyNow: What I meant by Ivory Tower is that you seem to think you are smarter or higher than everyone else, and nothing anyone says (even if it is logically sound) will persuade you to change your views on something.  I will gldaly stay in the dirt if that means I don't have to deal with you.  And is saying 'stop whining" childish?  I think you are the one being childish for whining! "

That's not what Ivory Tower means.  I'm not sure how I came across that by helping you understand who Ken Levine is or by sharing my feelings that the Multiplayer might be worthy in ot itself.  I was pointing also why some people are displeased for the sequel and only bothered to also point out that telling people to stop whining about something which you opened the floor on is childish.  There are many people aside from me who actively disagree with what you're saying, so why not deal with them.  Oh that's right because you can't. "

Actually Ivory Tower can be used in the way I meant to use it.  My point is it does not matter who works on a game, it always has the potential to be a good game.  What  do you mean by deal with people that disagree with me?  As far as I'm concerned, I'm the one that is disagreeing with the majority, so they should be dealing with me shouldn't they?  "

Bullshit on both counts.  You made a blog post which was flamebait, knowing full well it would cause a stir.  I had hoped you weren't a troll, so offered to explain and inform.  You ignored whatever I and anyone else has to say on the matter.  You then followed that up by calling people whiners etc.  QED Flamebait from a troll. "

Oh look at you Mr. Righteous.  You were just trying to do the right thing by educating me because I was wrong (not).  You miss my point and how dare you call my blog post flamebait.  Let me try once again to make my point CLEAR in a logical manner ok?  1- Ken Levine worked on Bioshock 2- Levine is not working on Bioshock 2 3- Bioshock 2 still looks fun to me regardless of Levine  Therefore Levine's involvement is irrelevant to ME.  Once again, I don't care if you disagree.  But people like you continue to whine and say I am wrong.  There is no wrong or right, it's my opinion so fuck off. "

very good point. I think we can agree that bioshock 2 will not be as big of a hit in terms of quality because we know what we are paying for, more bioshock. I think the sequel looks very very good and i do not think the franchise needs ken levine to continue.

Played Bioshock 2... Ok game but wasn't good enough... story felt tacked on rather then a natural evolution of the rapture world and defending the little sisters became a little repetitive. SHOULD NOT have been made in the manner it was. I wanted a Bioshock sequel but this felt like a new studio trying to get its first game out the door and a Publiusher trying to make a buck very short sighted. And sales figures seem to agree with me.

Get out your shovels, we're going gravedigging!

" Played Bioshock 2... Ok game but wasn't good enough... story felt tacked on rather then a natural evolution of the rapture world and defending the little sisters became a little repetitive. SHOULD NOT have been made in the manner it was. I wanted a Bioshock sequel but this felt like a new studio trying to get its first game out the door and a Publiusher trying to make a buck very short sighted. And sales figures seem to agree with me. "