BioShock 2’s PC version sank beneath the waves alongside the Games for Windows Live marketplace in August. Like its city protagonist, it was lost to those who hadn’t already found it. Er, bought it. Thankfully there’s no longer any need to hash out that metaphor, as 2K Marin’s excellent, thankless sequel has found its way back to sale on Steam.
2K “remain committed to supporting” the game on PC, and it now stands proudly in its own slot on the Steam Store alongside its standalone story DLC: the Gone Home team’s Minerva’s Den.
The Steam version of BioShock 2 includes all of its downloadable multiplayer doohickies, as well as Little Sister defence spinoff DLC The Protector Trials, released for free on PC at the tail end of 2010. Once launch sales end on Monday, it’ll cost a very reasonable £13.99.
Minerva’s Den will be £7.99, sold separately. By all accounts it’s a superb game in its own right, put together by a subset of 2K Marin that eventually broke off to become The Fullbright Company.
2K have collaborated with Warframe creators Digital Extremes to bring about a fully-fledged Steam port, replete with Steam achievements, controller compatibility and Big Picture mode.
“Matchmaking is easier than ever now, allowing you to search for ‘any game,’ as opposed to having to select your game mode,” write the publishers. “Leveling up is also quicker and easier, as we’ve fine-tuned the multiplayer experience to be better than ever.”
And! This bit’s dead important. If you’ve bought BioShock through GWFL or anywhere else, your game activation key will be just as valid in Steam’s pop-up window for such things. That way you’ll get access to the base game, multiplayer DLC, Protector Trials and Minerva’s Den.
For a horrible few minutes just now I thought Fullbright’s debut had been left to the watery depths. But it’s all good news, isn’t it?