Summary
Although there are very high hopes forBioShock 4, virtually nothing is known about the game. The mystery surrounding the nextBioShockis even weightier than the likes ofMass Effect 4, which players can reasonably expect to retain certain gameplay or narrative staples, as it’s being developed by the same studio that was behind the original trilogy;BioShock 4is being developed by Cloud Chamber, a studio formed specifically to work onBioShock.
ButBioShock 4is uniquely positioned to be differentfrom the games that preceded it. Directed by Ken Levine, the first threeBioShocktitles followed a very particular template: FPS gameplay , intricately designed dystopia, gunplay mixed with special powers, et cetera. The infamous ending toBioShock Infiniteeven lays this template out in plain terms, perhaps as a tongue-in-cheek, self-referential nod from Levine’s team at Irrational Games. It would be easy and predictable for Cloud Chamber to follow Irrational’s footsteps, adopting much of the same gameplay and narrative staples, but the burgeoning studio should take things in a different direction.
BioShock 4: Standing Out from the Pack
It’s the Perfect Time for BioShock to Reinvent Itself
BioShock Infinitereleased over a decadeago, and while the years have been kind toBioShockas a franchise, they have also been host to countless imitations and loving homages, some of the more obvious being:
TheBioShockfranchise’s overwhelming influence is a testament to the recognizability and pliability of the original series' design philosophy.BioShockhas come to define the world of cerebral, single-player first-person shooters, but now it will be competing with high-quality releases that meaningfully iterate on several keyBioShockconcepts. Put plainly,rehashing classicBioShockmechanicsor narrative ideas might not be enough to makeBioShock 4stand out as a unique, innovative shooter in the modern age. The game may benefit from radical, experimental changes to the formula, redefining theBioShockfranchise instead of attempting to ape the trilogy that came before it.
Judas: The Competitive Elephant In the Room
For better or worse,BioShock 4is probably going to get compared to Ken Levine’s upcoming projectJudas.Similarities betweenJudasand classicBioShockare clearas day already, and many fans are considering the former to be a sort of spiritual successor to the latter. At the same time,Judasseems to set itself apart fromBioShockin some key ways, such as through its roguelike format. Still,Judasmay have a bit of a leg up overBioShock, as it benefits from Levine’s auteur status and has already shown off a good bit of gameplay, whereasBioShock 4is coming from an unproven studio and hasn’t gotten so much as a reveal trailer.
IfBioShock 4significantly subverts the gameplay, narrative, or world design expectations held by many fans, it could land with a bigger splash, definitively establishing a new era forBioShockwhile also defining Cloud Chamber as a creative, visionary studio. 343 Industries, a studio that was once in a position very similar to Cloud Chamber, has struggled to strike the right balance between old and new with theHaloseries, and many would argue that the franchise has suffered a loss of identity because of it. This can be avoided withBioShock 4if Cloud Chamber chooses to go its own way, eschewing tradition where appropriate to make a more unique overall experience.
