This is how they promote Bioshock 2 in Japan?

Couldn't help but repost the insane Japanese marketing piece for Bioshock 2 that involves some wood, a chainsaw, and a Jason-style hockey mask.

As incredibly weird and awkward as this looks, I think the engineering of it, including the way the pieces need pegs to stay together is kind of interesting. Is wood carving on this scale a big thing these days?

Regardless, why Bioshock 2? Why wood carving? WHY JAPAN WHY?!

Post Script (Sunday 10:30PM): As a second thought, Jenna brought up the fact that this sculpture is also a huge waste of trees. What happens to all the shavings and pieces of lumber that aren't used? Beyond that, how long will this "sculpture" stick around before getting tossed in the chipper?

Bioshock 2, Why Not?

Jenna has been wondering why I'm not running out the door to purchase Bioshock 2 every available second. Obviously, Bioshock 2 is one of the biggest releases this early season of gaming, and while it's staked out a good three weeks of being at the forefront of your local Gamestop, I don't see it entering my console of choice any time soon.

I bought the original Bioshock for the PC before I had an Xbox 360, and started it several times over thanks to the demo and saved games being deleted as I restored Windows on my Mac. When Amazon had a two for one deal on 3600 games, I jumped at the opportunity to expand my fledling 360 library with some decent titles. Bioshock was one of those titles.

My first foray into Rapture on 360 was on normal, but being wasteful with ammo and supplies, I quickly found myself respawning in Vita Chambers with a wrench in hand. This got tired fast and I left the game for a new release. About a few months ago, I decided to restart the game and try it on hard at that. I was excited, scared stiff, and motivated to keep pushing through the game. That was of course, until I ran out of ammo and continually threw myself upon the drill end of a Big Daddy.

I know I'm not the only one. Long time Counter-Strike Source pal Bob shares the same sentiment. Sometimes you just don't feel motivated to finish a game. What makes Bioshock this kind of game?

Of course, I've finished Mass Effect 2, and for the time being, there aren't any games that I'll be purchasing new, so maybe it's time to revisit my back catalog and Rapture. Maybe the gameplay will really sink it's teeth into me this time and I'll be spurned right through to picking up Bishock 2 as well.

Mass Effect 2 or Bioshock 2?

I have two games that I haven't finished, and both of them having sequels releasing in the next month. This is quite the dilemma.

I've had Bioshock since its release, originally on PC, and later on Xbox 360. Owning two copies of the game doesn't really guarantee that I ever finished it though. Maybe it was the prospect of starting it a second time (or third or fourth if you count my playthroughs of the original demo), that never really got me through. Something about the combat or the way I'm constantly running out of ammo, or the scare tactics just turned me off from the game. I was definitely in to the plot, and I know I wanted to keep playing to see what happened, but it was just taking so long to get through. I'd get lost, or run out of money, ammo, or health (or all three at the same time), and get frustrated. Then of course, something else came out and I stopped playing Bioshock. With the sequel on its way, and my having already played through a healthy chunk of the opening act, my interest is piqued, but there's a challenger on the horizon.

Mass Effect found its way into my hands, specifically because of its impending sequel. I had never played the original, but after seeing a demo presentation of Mass Effect 2, my interest skyrocketed. When I had some walking around money at Gamestop, I picked up a used copy of the first ME and have since made my way through the first two planets. Of course, having to back track due to failures and not saving or the game freezing on me has certainly made it difficult to pick back up and finish. With Mass Effect 2's release on the very near horizon, I'm wondering if I want to pick up the original and get through it to enjoy the next installment. Of course, it hasn't helped that I've been spending a lot of time on MW2's multiplayer in an effort to get to level 70, or that I've also got The Ballad of Gay Tony and Bayonetta to play through.

So what'll it be? While I'm in southern California, and before school starts up again, I'm determined to beat one of the originals to 2010's anticipated sequels. If you're reading PLAY READ WRITE today, let me know what you think and drop a line in the comments.