Rapture is a dump. Honestly, by the time Subject Delta wakes up in BioShock 2, the underwater "utopia" is basically a leaking, rust-covered tomb filled with Splicers who want to wear your skin as a hat. You’re a Big Daddy, sure, but you start off feeling surprisingly fragile. That’s where the BioShock 2 Power to the People stations come in. These yellow, flickering vending machines are the only way to turn your pea-shooter Rivet Gun into a weapon of mass destruction.
There are exactly 14 of these machines scattered throughout the game. Missing even one feels like a personal insult, especially since you can't backtrack to previous levels once the bulkhead slams shut behind you. If you’ve played the first game, you know the drill, but the sequel changes the stakes by giving each weapon three distinct upgrade tiers. The third tier usually adds some elemental chaos—like heat-seeking rockets or electricity—that makes the endgame actually playable on Hard or Brass nodes.
Why You Can’t Afford to Skip Ryan Amusements
Most players breeze through the early hours thinking they’ll find plenty of upgrades later. They’re wrong. The first BioShock 2 Power to the People station is tucked away in Ryan Amusements, specifically inside the "Journey to the Surface" ride. You’ll find it in the maintenance office right after you pass the animatronic family sitting in their living room. It’s impossible to miss if you’re looking, but it’s the second one in this level that trips people up.
That second station is in the wooden house set-piece near the end of the ride. Look, if you aren't checking every corner of those creepy cardboard suburbs, you're going to miss it. Getting your first upgrade early—ideally for the Rivet Gun or the Drill—changes the entire flow of the early game. Upgrading the Drill to reflect bullets back at enemies isn't just cool; it’s a survival necessity when the Big Sisters start showing up to wreck your day.
The Pauper’s Drop Scavenge
Pauper’s Drop is a vertical nightmare. It’s cramped, dirty, and the layout is a mess of catwalks and collapsed ceilings. You’ll find a station in the Hamilton Hotel, but you have to fight your way to the top floor first. It’s sitting right there in the hallway. Simple.
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But the one in the Sinclair Deluxe? That one is a pain. You have to go through the vent system to reach the back of the front desk. I remember my first playthrough, I walked past that desk four times before I realized there was a crawlspace. It’s tucked behind a door that requires you to circle around the entire ground floor. It’s these little environmental puzzles that make the BioShock 2 Power to the People hunt feel less like a checklist and more like actual scavenging in a dying city.
Siren Alley and the Art of Not Drowning
Siren Alley is where the game starts throwing serious weight at you. The first station here is in the Mermaid Lounge. It’s behind the bar, but the area is gated off. You have to go upstairs, find the hole in the floor, and drop down behind the counter. It’s a classic BioShock move.
The second one is in Father Wales’ church. Most people are too busy panicking because of the wave of Splicers to notice the machine sitting in the side office. Take a breath. Kill the crazy priest. Then get your upgrade. By this point, you should be looking at Tier 2 upgrades. If you haven't touched the Shotgun yet, now is the time. Adding the "increased clip size" makes the combat feel significantly less clunky.
Dionysus Park: The High Price of Greed
Dionysus Park is beautiful in a tragic, "everything is covered in ice and seaweed" kind of way. There’s a station in the Basement Storage area, which you can only access if you have the code or if you’ve been diligent about finding audio diaries. (The code is 1080, by the way).
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There is also a machine in the Lamb’s Garden area. It’s hidden behind a door that opens after a specific scripted sequence involving a Little Sister. This is where the game tests your patience. If you rush to the exit, you lose the chance to max out your primary weapon. At this stage of BioShock 2 Power to the People progression, you should have at least one weapon fully maxed out to the third tier. If your Rivet Gun isn't firing heated rounds yet, you're doing it wrong.
Fontane Futuristics and the Home Stretch
This is it. The big labs. The place where the monsters were made.
- The Research Office: You’ll find a station in the back of the legal department/research area. It’s behind a locked door that requires a hack tool or a very steady hand.
- The Test Subject Area: There’s one more located in the holding cells. It’s easily missed because the lighting is terrible and there are Alpha Series Big Daddies trying to put a hole in your chest.
Actually, the hardest part of Fontaine Futuristics isn't finding the machines—it's choosing what to upgrade. By now, you’ve likely realized that the Machine Gun’s recoil is hot garbage unless you’ve invested in the stability upgrades. Or maybe you've realized the Research Camera is your best friend. Either way, these final stations are your last chance to prep for the gauntlet in Persephone.
The Persephone Missables
Persephone is the final level, and it’s split into two parts: Inner and Outer. This is where the developers got mean. There is one station in the Outer Persephone area, located in the exam rooms. If you miss it, there is no going back.
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The final two stations in the game are in Inner Persephone. One is in the Wardens Office, and the very last one is in the Therapy wing. Finding all 14 BioShock 2 Power to the People stations triggers the "Weapon Specialist" achievement/trophy. It’s a badge of honor. It means you saw everything Rapture had to hide.
Technical Limitations and Glitches
Let’s be real for a second. The BioShock: The Collection remaster is notorious for crashing. Sometimes, a machine might bug out, or your save might corrupt. It’s devastating. To avoid this, always save before you use a station. There’s a rare bug where the animation plays but the upgrade menu never appears, effectively eating your upgrade.
Also, keep in mind that the "Research" mechanic influences your damage output just as much as these machines. You can have a maxed-out Drill, but if you haven't researched Brute Splicers, you’re still going to struggle on the higher difficulties. It’s a symbiotic relationship. The machine provides the hardware; the research provides the software.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Run
To ensure you don't miss a single upgrade, follow these specific steps during your playthrough:
- Manual Save at the Start of Each Level: Since you cannot backtrack, keep a rolling list of three save slots. One for the start of the level, one for the middle, and one for right before you leave.
- Prioritize the Rivet Gun Early: Get the "Heated Rivets" (Tier 3) as fast as possible. It deals damage over time, which is essential for taking down Big Sisters without burning through all your First Aid kits.
- The "Look Up" Rule: Rapture is a 3D space. Many stations are tucked in balconies or behind collapsible walls that you can only see if you're actively scanning the ceiling and high corners.
- Clear the Area First: Never try to use a station while Splicers are active nearby. If you get hit during the upgrade animation, it can occasionally soft-lock the interaction, preventing you from selecting your Perk.
- Check the Map: The map in BioShock 2 is actually decent. It marks "Points of Interest." If you see a room you haven't entered yet, go there before hitting the level exit.
By the time you reach the end of the game, a fully upgraded Subject Delta is a god. You aren't just a man in a diving suit; you're a walking tank with a literal arsenal of experimental weaponry. Missing a single BioShock 2 Power to the People station is the difference between a tense, frustrating final battle and a glorious, explosive victory.