BioShock 2 Remastered: Complete Guide

A guide to playing Subject Delta well: weapons and plasmid combos, gene tonic builds, the Little Sister adopt/gather/harvest/rescue loop, Big Sisters, hacking and research, a level-by-level outline, the choices that shape the ending, Minerva's Den, and the Protector Trials.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the Remastered PC release (15 September 2016, part of BioShock: The Collection). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

What "Remastered" includes: The 2016 remaster adds higher-resolution textures, models, and interface art, 4K support, the Minerva's Den story DLC, and the Protector Trials challenge DLC. The original's multiplayer is not included. The game receives no new content; recent Steam posts are sales (for example the 2K Summer Sale that ran to 9 July 2026).

Quick Start

• You are a Big Daddy. Subject Delta dual-wields: a weapon in one hand, a plasmid in the other. Use both constantly.
• The Drill is a real weapon. Drill dashes and drill combos are strong early and scale with upgrades.
• Adopt Little Sisters for ADAM. Kill a Big Daddy, adopt the Little Sister, and defend her while she gathers ADAM from corpses (twice per Sister), then choose to rescue or harvest her.
• Prepare before each gather. Set traps (trap rivets, mini-turrets, Cyclone Traps) around the corpse before you start.
• A Big Sister comes after you handle a level's Little Sisters. Get ready: heal, stock EVE, and fight near cover.
• Research everything with the camera. The Research Camera films enemies and grants damage bonuses and new tonics.
• Hack turrets, cameras, and bots. Hacking is quick and real-time; the Hack Tool lets you hack from range.
• Vita-Chambers revive you. They can be disabled in options for an extra challenge.

Controls Basics

• Weapon in the right hand, plasmid in the left. Switch between them with the weapon and plasmid wheels.
• Ammo types per weapon (e.g., armor-piercing, trap rivets) are switched separately.
• Health packs and EVE hypos are used from your inventory.

Weapons

Weapon | Role | Notes

Drill | Melee dash and grind | Uses fuel; strong against Splicers

Rivet Gun | Precise, trap rivets | Great early; trap rivets for gather defense

Machine Gun | Sustained fire | All-round

Shotgun | Close burst | Crowds

Hack Tool | Remote hacking darts, mini-turrets | Utility; hack from safety

Spear Gun | Long-range, pins enemies | Strong headshots, trap spears

Launcher | Explosives, proximity mines | Big Daddies and Big Sisters

Every weapon has upgrades at Power to the People stations. Each weapon has several upgrades, with a stronger final upgrade once the earlier ones are installed.

Plasmids

Plasmid | Use

Electro Bolt | Stun; combine with water for crowd damage

Incinerate! | Fire damage; burns oil

Telekinesis | Throw objects; catch grenades

Winter Blast | Freeze enemies

Cyclone Trap | Trap that launches enemies

Security Command | Summon security bots, direct cameras

Insect Swarm | Distract and damage

Hypnotize | Turn enemies against each other

Scout | Leave your body to scout

There are 11 basic Plasmid types in all ("All Plasmids" asks you to find or buy every one); the table covers the ones most builds rely on. Buy extra Plasmid and Tonic slots at Gatherer's Gardens as ADAM allows.

Plasmid upgrades add a charged attack with the higher tiers. Combos: Electro Bolt into drill/shotgun, Winter Blast into melee shatter, and Hypnotize a Big Daddy so it fights for you.

Gene Tonics

Tonics are passive abilities. Build around your preferred weapon and playstyle.

Build | Example tonics | Focus

Drill brawler | Drill Vampire, Armored Shell | Melee with lifesteal and damage reduction

Electric | Electric Flesh | Shock damage and resistance

Researcher | Damage Research | Research bonuses

Survival | Booze Hound | Alcohol restores EVE

Little Sisters: the Core Loop

• Kill a Big Daddy (Bouncer, Rosie, or Rumbler).
• Adopt the Little Sister.
• Gather ADAM at corpses she points out; defend her against waves of Splicers.
• Choose: rescue her (less ADAM now, gifts later) or harvest her (more ADAM now).
• Big Sister: after you finish with the level's Little Sisters, a Big Sister attacks.

Gather defense tips

• Set traps before starting. Trap rivets, mini-turrets, Cyclone Traps, and proximity mines.
• Choose chokepoints. Corpses near walls are easier.
• Hypnotize a Splicer to fight for you.
• Use Security Command for extra help.

Big Daddy Types

Type | Weapon | How to beat it

Bouncer | Drill, charges | Freeze or stun it, then unload; dodge the charge

Rosie | Rivet gun, proximity mines | Keep distance, watch for mines, use armor-piercing ammo

Rumbler | Rockets, deploys turrets | Hack or destroy its turrets; use cover

General rules: stun with Electro Bolt (it opens a damage window), use armor-piercing or heavy ammo, and let hacked turrets or a Hypnotized Splicer soak damage. Hypnotizing a Big Daddy at higher plasmid levels makes it fight on your side, which is the easiest way to clear a gather.

Difficulty and Challenge Settings

• Easy, Medium, and Hard difficulties are available.
• Vita-Chambers can be turned off in options; with them off, death sends you back to your last save.
• Collectibles include audio diaries, which fill in Rapture's history and the story of Sofia Lamb, Eleanor, and Delta; some are easy to miss in side rooms, so explore each level before moving on.
• Use a manual save before each Little Sister decision if you want to see different outcomes without replaying a level.

Big Sisters

• Fast, agile, and use plasmids (fire and telekinesis).
• Fight them with Launcher ammo, Spear Gun, Electro Bolt stuns, and Winter Blast freezes.
• Use traps before they arrive.

Hacking

Hacking is real-time: a needle sweeps across a gauge and you stop it in the green or blue zones. The Hack Tool fires darts to hack at range. Hack turrets and security bots to fight for you.

Research Camera

The Research Camera records video. Creatively damaging enemies while filming yields research points and bonuses, unlocking damage bonuses and tonics per enemy type.

Level Outline

Level | Notes

Adonis Luxury Resort | Introduction

Atlantic Express Depot | First Little Sister loops

Ryan Amusements | Themed amusement park

Pauper's Drop | Poor district; the Grace Holloway choice

Siren Alley | Flooded red-light district

Dionysus Park | The Stanley Poole choice

Fontaine Futuristics | Late game; the Gilbert Alexander choice

Outer Persephone | Endgame prison

Inner Persephone | Finale

Choices and Endings (Spoiler-Light)

The ending is shaped by two things:

• How you treat Little Sisters (rescue vs harvest).
• How you treat three key characters: Grace Holloway, Stanley Poole, and Gilbert Alexander. Each can be spared or killed.

Eleanor learns from Delta's actions. Rescue all Little Sisters and spare key characters for the "good" ending; harvesting and killing leads toward darker endings; mixed choices give in-between results.

Minerva's Den

A separate story campaign featuring Subject Sigma in Rapture's central computer facility (The Thinker). It adds new weapons and plasmids and is widely considered one of the best BioShock stories. Play it after the main game.

Protector Trials

Challenge maps where you escort a Little Sister to ADAM-rich corpses and defend her. Each trial has three loadouts plus a bonus loadout unlocked after completing the others.

Achievements Worth Planning

BioShock 2 Remastered has 53 Steam achievements covering the main game, Minerva's Den, and the Protector Trials. The ones that need a plan:

Achievement | Requirement | Tip

Against All Odds | Finish on the hardest difficulty | Combine with the no-Vita-Chamber run if you are confident

Big Brass Balls | Finish without using Vita-Chambers | Turn Vita-Chambers off in options and save manually often

Dealt with Every Little Sister | Deal with every Little Sister | Rescue or harvest every one; don't leave a level with a Sister unresolved

Rapture Historian | Find 100 audio diaries | Sweep side rooms on each level before moving on

All Weapon Upgrades | Find every Power to the People upgrade | Stations are often in side areas; explore fully

All Plasmids | Find or buy all 11 basic Plasmids | Check every Gatherer's Garden

Research Master / One Research Track | Complete all research / max one track | Film every new enemy type, and vary your attacks while filming

Master Protector | A gather with no damage and nobody reaching the Sister | Pick a dead-end corpse and trap every approach

Trap Master | Kill 30 enemies using only traps | Trap rivets, Cyclone Traps, and mines during gathers

Grand Daddy | Defeat 3 Big Daddies without dying during a fight | Stun, then unload with your best ammo

Lancer Killer / Garbage Collection / ADAM Addict | Minerva's Den: kill a Lancer, destroy all 10 Vacuum Bots, resolve all Little Sisters | Minerva's Den has its own collectibles; explore thoroughly

Litmus / Acid Test / Trial by Fire, Enemy of the Family | 6, 18, and 36 stars; an A rank in every Protector Trial | Replay trials with each loadout; traps first, then fight

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Ignoring the plasmid hand. Dual-wielding is the whole point.
• Starting gathers without traps.
• Skipping research. The camera makes you stronger.
• Spreading ADAM thin. Focus on a build.
• Fighting Big Sisters unprepared.
• Forgetting the Hack Tool.

Advanced Tips

• Hypnotize Big Daddies for free protection.
• Use environment: water plus Electro Bolt, oil plus Incinerate!
• Drill dash for quick kills.
• Upgrade one weapon fully first.
• Research early for bonuses.

PC Notes

The Remastered PC release had stability and performance complaints at launch in 2016; later patches improved it. If you have issues:

• Update your GPU drivers.
• Try windowed or borderless mode.
• Check the Steam community for current fixes.

FAQ

Does BioShock 2 Remastered include multiplayer? No.

Is Minerva's Den included? Yes.

How long is it? Roughly 10-15 hours for the main story; Minerva's Den adds a few more.

Should I rescue or harvest? Rescue for the good ending and gifts; harvest for more ADAM now.

Is it worth playing after BioShock 1? Yes. Gameplay is refined, and Minerva's Den is a highlight.

Is there a BioShock 4? A new BioShock has been in development at 2K; check official channels for news.

Sources

• Steam store page: BioShock 2 Remastered
• 2K Summer Sale (Steam news, June 2026)
• Steam global achievements: BioShock 2 Remastered
• Wikipedia: BioShock 2