Is anyone else really impressed with the sound design in Bioshock 2 (both singleplayer and multiplayer). I can hear splicers so clearly in singleplayer including all of their whispers and footsteps. The same goes for multiplayer where having a headset really pays off when I hear footsteps, and know exactly how many enemies to expect. But, I tried it just with my surround sound speakers set to medium volume and can hear really clearly with those two. I think they did an excellent job with this. 
 
So far, this is the best use of sound I've seen in a game thus far. It adds both tension and awareness, but I'm curious...Are there any other games that have had such an impressive use of sound (other than music games of course)? Most First Person Shooters or Third person shooters usually have the strategical element of their sound lost in the chaos of firefights or simple lack of quality. What do you guys think?

I think whatever they're doing to let you hear people around corners or in the next room is working really well, I can allways tell when there's a splicer somewhere near by and it drives me nuts.
I don't think the sounds they used for rescuing n harvesting the little sisters are as good as in Bioshock 1 though.
Bioshock 2
Bioshock 1
and for some reason I can allways hear the magic sparkly noise of a golden object. Like in random spots, really quietly. Maybe it's just a far away leak? I don't know, but I fucking hate that.
 
Oh, and it automatically loses points for not having JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO. And it was funny when I found the first circus of value, stood there for like ten seconds and it said nothing.

Yeah, the audio is really good in that game. I especially hearing a Splicer singing/whistling/talking and not knowing where they are.

It wouldn't be a BioShock game without truly outstanding sound design.