Summary
Fans of the originalBioShocktrilogy are preparing for a veritable gaming feast: bothBioShock 4andJudasare in development.Judas, seen as a sort of spiritual successor toBioShock, is set to release early next year, andBioShock 4shouldn’t be too far behind, though the state of its development is far less elucidated.
AlthoughJudasis the newcomer, it’s still seen as the game thatBioShock 4has to prove itself against. Some of this comes down to the fact that audiences have seen much more ofJudasthanBioShock 4, but there’s also the matter of pedigree:Judasis coming fromBioShockcreator Ken Levine, who is often hailed as a visionary, whileBioShock 4will be the debut release of Cloud Chamber, an untried studio formed by 2K specifically to continue the series' legacy. Regardless of how these games turn out, comparisons between them are going to be made, andBioShock 4should be sure to capitalize on everything that helps it stand out from its main competitor.
Judas' Space Setting Leaves Plenty of Room for BioShock 4’s Rumored Premise to Shine
BioShock 4 Could Be Set in Antarctica
For quite some time now,BioShock 4’s setting has been rumored to be Antarctica. This possible setting could be tough to get right—there’s a reason the desolate Arctic is rarely visited in gaming—but it nevertheless has plenty of potential. Assuming these setting rumors turn out to be correct,BioShock 4will immediately stand out from its predecessors, making a clean break from the watery depths of Rapture and the glimmering Americana of Columbia.
More importantly,it will set itself apart fromJudas, presenting players with a far more grounded premise and leaving the flight-of-fancy, space horror to Ken Levine’s team at Ghost Story Games. The last thing that Cloud Chamber should want is forBioShock 4to be seen as playing second fiddle toJudas, and with a setting that is rooted in the real world, perhaps with the specific philosophical underpinnings of the previousBioShockgames, it can stay true to the series' traditions while forming its own identity. Players should be happy about this as well, as it means two decidedly distinctBioShock-style games on the market, rather than a pair of ambitious games jostling for the same spot.
An Antarctic Setting Is a Good Start, but BioShock 4 Can’t Stop There
ForBioShock 4to truly differentiate itself fromJudas, it will need more than just a different coat of paint. Regardless of one’s opinion aboutBioShock Infiniteand its relationship to the rest of the series, it cannot be denied that with the new setting, there also came new gameplay mechanics: Columbia is massive, expansive, and bright, contrasting Rapture’s claustrophobic,Atlas Shruggedart deco opulence. Thus, the gameplay ofInfiniteis faster, more linear, and with less of a focus on survival-horror mechanics like resource gathering. Players were leaping around Columbia and soaring through the air on sky-lines, not scrounging through water-logged detritus to get one extra case of ammo.
WhateverBioShock 4’s setting winds up looking like, the game must transform its mechanics, tone, and structure alongside its environment. To be blunt,BioShock 4has some stiff competition, with countless developers borrowing from the franchise’s unforgettable themes, gameplay, and narrative delivery over the years, often to great effect. That is to say, forBioShock 4to be competitive, it will need to be more than’BioShockon ice.' A radical new approach, informed by its setting, will be instrumental in helpingBioShock 4stand on its own, not just againstJudas, but the likes ofAtomic HeartandClockwork Revolutionas well.
