Deco Devolution: The Art of BioShock 2

by Jordan Thomas (Editor)

Art book that came with the limited Collector's Edition of the game BioShock 2. Contains concept art and models of the game's characters, locations, and weapons, as well as artists' comments on the work and the game.

Note:The Rapture Edition Art book is a reduced version of the Special Edition Art book made to be a value against the Special Edition. It is reduced to 96 pages, and scaled down to the dimensions of the game case itself.
The Special Edition Art book is the main version of BioShock 2's art book. It is 168 pages and is composed of 10 chapters.

♢Chapter 1 - Citizens of Rapture
♢Chapter 2 - Big Daddies
♢Chapter 3 - Big Sisters
♢Chapter 4 - Little Sisters
♢Chapter 5 - Environments
♢Chapter 6 - Weapons
♢Chapter 7 - User Interface
♢Chapter 8 - Advertisements
♢Chapter 9 - Storyboards
♢Chapter 10 - Credits

Genres: Art, Video Games, Gaming, Fiction, Collections, Games

168 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Oscar Bowman]

Thanks to Ken hung like a stallion Clark for the fire book reco I’m already double the aesthete I was when I started, even if I did have to buy the collectors edition of a game I’ve already played several times off of eBay to facilitate it, and big bro if chu’re reading this keep on trucking like only chu know how, primal, next time I’m up at Saltwood the milk bar dab pens and nagnsta nangs are on me

[Jocelin Willshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully put together art book for Bioshock 2, it's full of concept art and development notes giving you an insight into the evolution of the game and its art direction.

I'm a huge fan of the Art Deco dystopia that is Rapture so I ate this up, it's a must read for any fan of the series. The paintings are brilliant, the character designs are eery and my personal favourite part is the compilation of retro posters included that are adorned around the underwater city.

A testament to how good it is, my only negative point is I wish there was more.

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art in this is stunning, the people who worked on this are seriously talented and must have expansive imaginations.
This book also has some brilliant insight in to the making and design of Bioshock 2 and is wonderfully set out. I learned a lot from this, about Bioshock and design in general, this is an impressive book.

[Stephen West · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Deco Devolution: The Art of BioShock 2" is an absolutely stunning book that offers a deep dive into the breathtaking artwork and designs that make up the world of BioShock 2. The book is a treasure trove of concept art, sketches, and finished illustrations that give readers an intimate look at the creative process behind the game.

What struck me immediately upon opening the book was the incredible attention to detail that went into every aspect of the game's visual design. From the Art Deco-inspired architecture to the grotesque and surreal enemies, every element of the game is rendered with meticulous care and precision. The book is filled with vibrant and evocative images that bring the world of BioShock 2 to life in vivid detail.

What I appreciated most about the book, however, was the way it delved into the thought processes of the designers and artists who worked on the game. Each section is accompanied by commentary from the creative team, which offers fascinating insights into the inspirations and challenges that shaped the game's visuals. It's clear that a tremendous amount of care and thought went into every aspect of the game, and this book offers an intimate glimpse into the minds of the talented artists and designers who brought it to life.

Overall, I cannot recommend "Deco Devolution: The Art of BioShock 2" enough to fans of the game and lovers of art and design. It is a true work of art that offers a rare and valuable look into the creative process behind one of the most visually stunning games of all time. 5 stars, without a doubt.

[In · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first art book. When I finished Bioshock 2 I was still enamoured by the concept and the art. So when I came to know that such a book exists which will give me a sneak peek into behind the scenes of the game development, it was hard to say no.

This book covers all the prominent characters, from NPCs to the protagonist and give more information about the psyche of the developers when they were coming up with the sprites and art of the game. The game was frantic and being an action-oriented one, there was almost always something to run from or engage with. Hardly you could get time to enjoy the vistas or even take in the intricacies of the design of the levels. A leisurely read of this book let me enjoy the world of Rapture as the devs conceptualised.

If you are a gamer, you must have already played Bioshock. If not, I would urge you to give the game a try. Once you experience the sandboxed take on Ayn Rand's Objectivism from Bioshock 1 and then its teardown in Bioshock 2, you will really want to know more of the themes and concepts.
That is when you will read The Fountainhead and probably this one too.

Happy Gaming!

[dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting to see how much work went into every little thing, like weapons and small environmental factors that i never even thought about while playing the game. great pictures and designs, though the quotes surrounding them tell more about the development then the things themselves - it sort of relies on the reader already knowing a lot about what's being discussed, which i did, but it would've been nice to get more background information.

[Martin Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what you need.

[Persy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The coolest thing about this book are the abundant blurbs from the game creators that talk you through so many of the design processes. So much more than just a picture book and was actually a super interesting behind the scenes look on the how and why of development choices.

Legitimately, such a cool addition for anyone even marginally enjoyed the game franchise.

[Birdie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned of this art book from browsing the BioShock wiki and discovering a gorgeous rendition of Gilbert Alexander, and immediately I knew I needed this book to fawn over whenever I pleased.

At first I was under the impression it would be a flimsy constructed art book (since it came free with the game) but I was happily mistaken to find a beautifully bound hardcover with sleek, full-colour pages. I spent an inappropriate amount of time just running my fingers over the pages.

The additional information and artists' notes about the splicers was really interesting and fun to read, and that's not mentioning the artwork which was absolutely something else in terms of beautiful concept art. It was like a new level of insight on the world of Rapture that I already loved so much, and I played the game with an entirely new feeling than what I had playing BioShock.

For an art book that is essentially a free prize this is amazing value. I can only hope they put together another one for BioShock Infinite.

[Yazzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this with all my heart.
I'm in love with Rapture and to moment I saw this book in the thrift shop I had to have it.
This will never leave my home, I'll keep it till the day I die.

The art is beautiful and stunning. It made me appreciated the game more and urges me to replay the game once again.

[Zachary Ogles · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd favorite art book!!!