Rapture is leaking. It’s always leaking. But when you’re stomping through the glass tunnels of Ryan Amusements in 1968, the water feels a lot colder than it did in the first game. You aren't a confused plane crash survivor anymore. You’re Subject Delta. You are a walking tank with a drill that sounds like a blender full of gravel, yet you feel surprisingly fragile. If you’re looking for a bioshock 2 ps3 walkthrough, you probably realized pretty quickly that the sequel is way more aggressive than the original.
The PS3 version has its own quirks too. Frame rates can dip when the Big Sisters show up and start screaming. It's chaotic.
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The Early Game Scramble: Ryan Amusements to Pauper’s Drop
Most players mess up the first three hours. They try to play it like a standard shooter. Bad move. In Rapture, ammo is a luxury, but the environment is a weapon. When you hit Ryan Amusements, your primary goal isn't just following the arrow; it's about mastering the "Gather."
This is where the game introduces the Little Sister mechanics. You find a corpse, she draws ADAM, and you defend her. It sounds simple. It isn't. On the PS3, managing the hardware's slightly longer load times means you want to prep your kill zones perfectly so you don't waste resources. Hack every security camera you see. Seriously. A hacked turret is worth ten clips of machine gun ammo.
Mastering the Drill Dash
Don't sleep on the Drill Dash. It's a literal life-saver. When a Splicer is dancing around your crosshairs, just lunge. It closes the gap and usually ends the fight instantly. You'll find the Drill Power gene tonics early on—stack them. By the time you reach Pauper’s Drop, you should be a melee god.
Pauper’s Drop is a vertical nightmare. You’re hunting for Grace Holloway. She’s a great character, honestly. One of the best-written "antagonists" who isn't really a villain. When you finally reach her apartment, you have a choice: kill or spare. Most people think killing everyone makes the game easier. It doesn't. Sparing Grace actually nets you rewards later that help your build. Plus, it changes the ending.
Survival is All About the Plasmids
Plasmids are the soul of the game. If you aren't using Telekinesis, you're playing wrong. It’s the most efficient way to save ammo. See a loose crate? Throw it. See a grenade coming at your face? Catch it and send it back.
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- Electro Bolt: The classic. Use it on Splicers standing in water.
- Decoy: This is the secret MVP of a bioshock 2 ps3 walkthrough. Splicers are dumb. They will shoot a hologram while you reload your shotgun.
- Insect Swarm: Great for crowd control when you get swarmed by "Leadhead" Splicers in the Siren Alley section.
Siren Alley is where the difficulty spikes. You’re hunting Simon Wales, a crazed architect. The level design here is claustrophobic. Use the Scout Plasmid to sneak ahead and hack turrets before the enemies even know you're there. It feels like cheating, but in Rapture, if you aren't cheating, you're dying.
Big Sisters: The Real Skill Check
Nothing in the first game prepares you for a Big Sister. The music shifts. A high-pitched screech echoes through the PS3’s audio output. You have about thirty seconds before a lanky, armored nightmare drops from the ceiling and starts throwing fireballs.
Here is the pro tip: never start a Little Sister gather unless you are fully healed and have your traps set. Use the Cyclone Trap Plasmid. Layer them near the vents. When the Big Sister arrives, lead her through your traps. If you try to outrun her, she'll just impale you. She's faster than you. She's stronger than you. But you have a giant drill and a brain.
The Research Camera Strategy
Pull out the camera. I know, it feels boring to film a fight when you should be shooting, but the damage bonuses you get from research are mandatory for the late-game levels like Persephone. Film the Big Sisters. Film the Brute Splicers. The "Damage ++" perks are the difference between a 10-minute boss fight and a 2-minute slaughter.
Dealing with Father Wales and the Cult
By the time you get to Dionysus Park, the story starts hitting hard. Sofia Lamb is a terrifying villain because she isn't a cartoon like Fontaine. She’s a collectivist. She thinks she's doing the right thing. This level is beautiful—all red carpets and decaying art.
You’ll encounter Stanley Poole here. He’s a sniveling coward. Honestly, the urge to drill him into a wall is high. But again, think about your ending. Bioshock 2 tracks your "morality" through these specific NPCs. If you’re going for the "good" ending (which is arguably the most emotional ending in the whole trilogy), keep your temper in check.
The Persephone Push: The Final Stretch
The final act takes place in Persephone, a literal underwater prison. It’s grim. The colors shift to cold blues and greys. Here, your bioshock 2 ps3 walkthrough becomes a test of resource management. You’ll be fighting multiple Big Daddies at once.
The Rumbler-class Big Daddy is a pain. He drops mini-turrets. Use Telekinesis to grab his rockets and throw them back at his face. It’s satisfying. It’s also the only way to save your precious armor-piercing rounds for the final gauntlet.
The Eleanor Sequence
Without spoiling too much, you eventually get to play as something else. The perspective shift is brilliant. It makes you realize just how clunky and massive Subject Delta really is compared to the rest of the world. Use this section to gather as much ADAM as possible. Spend it all on health and EVE upgrades. You won't need much else for the finale.
The very end of the game is a massive defensive hold. You’re waiting for an elevator while Lamb sends everything she has at you. This is where you dump every trap, every turret, and every drop of EVE you’ve been hoarding. If you have the "Summon Eleanor" Plasmid, use it constantly. She’s a literal killing machine.
Technical Tips for PS3 Players
Look, the PS3 version is a bit old. To keep the game running smoothly during high-action sequences:
- Disable the "Global Lighting" in the options if you notice frame drops.
- Keep your save files tidy. Too many saves can sometimes slow down menu loading on older hardware.
- Check your controller's deadzones; the precision required for the sniping sections in Fontaine Futuristics can be tricky if your sticks are drifting.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
To get the most out of your time in Rapture, stop rushing the main objective. The best upgrades are hidden in the side rooms.
- Prioritize Research: Start every fight with the camera running. It is the single most important mechanic for increasing your power.
- Save Your Slugs: Armor-piercing ammo is rare. Don't use it on Splicers. Save it exclusively for Big Daddies and Big Sisters.
- Watch the Vents: If you see a Little Sister vent, there’s likely a Big Daddy nearby. If you aren't ready for a fight, stay away from those areas.
- Hack Everything: Use the remote hack darts. They allow you to turn the environment against your enemies from across the room.
Rapture is a tomb, but it's a tomb you can dominate if you're smart about your Plasmids and patient with your drill. Stick to the shadows, keep your EVE needles full, and remember that Eleanor is the only thing that matters. Subject Delta isn't a hero; he's a father. Act like one.