Helmed by former Firaxis executive Kelley Gilmore, Cloud Chamber is reportedly hard at work on the upcoming BioShock 4. Unfortunately, however, developers have revealed almost nothing about the new game. Even its official title remains a mystery to the general public. One of the few things we can say for sure is that it has big shoes to fill if it wants to carry on the series' legacy - not to mention competing with BioShock creator Ken Levine's upcoming game Judas.
While it's understandable if developers wanted to take BioShock 4 in new directions, Cloud Chamber might consider tying it back to the original series. One great way to do that could be to bring back a popular character from one of the earlier games. And if Cloud Chamber decides to go down that path, BioShock 2's Eleanor Lamb seems like she would be a perfect choice.
Eleanor Lamb Should Return in BioShock 4
The daughter of BioShock 2 antagonist Sophia Lamb, Eleanor was kidnaped and turned into one of Rapture's Adam-collecting Little Sisters. This is how the player first meets her upon stepping into the helmet of Subject Delta in the game’s prologue. Sofia and her followers soon arrive to take her daughter back, but it was not so much a rescue as a different form of imprisonment.
Years later, the teenage Eleanor sends a group of Little Sisters to revive Subject Delta, contacting him via their psychic link. Players finally meet her in person near the end of the game, when she fights at Subject Delta's side as a friendly version of the Big Sister enemies. The former Little Sister also watches Subject Delta progress through the events of BioShock 2. Eleanor keeps track of the player's choices throughout the game, determining which of the six endings players get and whether she grows up into a noble idealist or ruthless villain.
It's unclear whether there were ever plans to continue Eleanor's story after BioShock 2. However, the game's endings certainly make it seem like she has big plans for the future. Regardless of the original developer’s intent, Cloud Chamber has an opportunity to pick up where BioShock 2 left off by including her in the new game.
While 2K and Cloud Chamber haven't revealed anything about BioShock 4, the infamous 2022 NVIDIA leak indicated it would occur in a dystopian Antarctic city in the 1960s. With the bulk of BioShock 2 set in 1968, there's a tight window for fitting Eleanor into the new game. Still, the timeline checks out, based on the limited available information.
Eleanor's return does not necessarily mean she would be BioShock 4's protagonist, but that is an option developers should consider. She's already been a supporting character once, after all, and doing that again might feel like the games were repeating themselves. Making her playable would also let players experiment with her superhuman abilities. While she spends most of BioShock 2 locked in her room, Eleanor possesses all the strength and speed of other Big Sisters. The game also shows her using various Plasmid abilities, including fireballs and teleportation. In addition, Eleanor possesses unique mental powers, which the new BioShock could explore more thoroughly.
Alternatively, developers could choose to make Eleanor the antagonist of the upcoming BioShock 4. While this is probably the least likely scenario, exploring the kind of monster she turns into in BioShock 2's bad ending might be interesting.
However, even as a supporting character, Eleanor would be a great addition to the new BioShock. A familiar face might be an excellent way to ease players into the game's setting while also giving fans a window into what Eleanor has been up to since escaping Rapture at the end of BioShock 2. Either way, she's a popular and likable character with a lot of potential that Cloud Chamber might want to take advantage of in the upcoming BioShock 4.
BioShock 4 is currently in development.