BioShockis one of gaming’s most unique franchises, with overt political messaging weaved into the main narrative of all of its releases. Equally important are components like tone, gameplay, and setting, with the franchise often being praised for its use of the latter.Cloud Chamber is at the helm of the latest installment, so there’s still question marks surrounding how well the upcoming title will live up to the previous games, as they all seem to share a common theme of irregularity. 2007’sBioShockis far from predictable, and being a significant break from the norm in the first-person shooter genre made it truly beloved.BioShock 4has to capture the same magic that was present in abundance in the past, and it could all start with where the game takes place.
From the deep, dark, and claustrophobic maze of Rapture to the false-utopian hellscape of Columbia, any greatBioShockexperience lives or dies by its ability to create and utilize a gorgeous, immersive, and dangerous world. Environmental storytelling was nothing new whenBioShockhit shelves, with Irrational Games' ownSystem Shock 2going far to popularize the genre.BioShock 4will almost certainly follow the same format, so it has to wield the perfect location, inviting players to explore all it has to offer in search of its secrets.
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Won’t You Come On Down to Rapture
The submerged setting ofBioShockandBioShock 2is one of the very finest in all of video games. Its haunted halls and decaying walls are stuffed with dense atmosphere around every corner, and the tone that both games so heavily rely on is a direct result from what Rapture offers. Thecivil war that happens between objectivist creator Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontainerenders the city under the Atlantic Ocean a dystopian nightmare rather than the utopian ideal that it set out to be. It’s a location that offers so much narrative potential, and though the first two games have delved into some of its darkest areas, there’s still so much more to explore.
Not only is Rapture an architectural and tonal masterpiece, but the people that reside within its rotten abodes are always intriguing and have so much more that they can contribute to the franchise. Characters like Sander Cohen, Brigid Tenenbaum, Jasmine Jolene, and Andrew Ryan himself have so many layers, often changing drastically between what they were when Rapture was at the height of its popularity and at its most unsettling state.Returning to Raptureduring either time would be an exciting reintroduction to personalities that are as complex and wield as much potential as the city itself once did.
In Space No One Can Hear You Scream
Games likePrey,Tacoma,andAlien: Isolationhave proved that the space setting can provoke a lonely, suppressive, and thick atmosphere. The deep recesses of space are so very different to what is experienced on Earth, and the lack of understanding of the setting means players will likely never feel comfortable.BioShockis a franchise that excels at making its fans feel like they don’t belong in the setting it creates, so finding an abandoned space station or crash-landed rocket ship would be a great way to pull players away from home.
AsBioShockdragged players to the depths of the Atlantic andBioShock Infinitelifted them to the skies, there’s only a few directions the franchise can go, and rocketing fans to the unknown would be a change for the series that is also proven to be an exciting and effective means to tell a great story.System Shock 2did this, so it’s clear that there’s potential in the space setting.
BioShock’s Multiverse Allows Many Possibilities
WithBioShock Infiniteconfirming an unending number of parallel universes it would be a shame to seeBioShock 4disregard the potential it brings. Setting the upcoming game in a specific place (anywhere from a bustling city to an unknownAntarctic City in the ’60s like rumors suggest) but across multiple dimensions and realities could do well to show how the area has changed, evolved, or fallen.
Games likeCris Talesshow that the past, present, and future can provoke hugely different tones and aesthetics of the same place. Toying with whatBioShock Infinitealluded to in its conclusion would do well to maintain tone and offer unique, ever-changing scenery that keeps the story going at a suitable pace. Narratively, the idea of multiple realities is a double-edged sword as it can be confusing if handled incorrectly. However,BioShockhandles heavy themes of objectivism and libertarianism, combating and critiquing them with relative ease. At no point does it feel like a politics lesson, andBioShock 4would do well to tackle such a puzzling theory in the same simple and easy to follow way that the original did.
