Highlights
- BioShock 4 could stand out and be memorable by including a multiplayer component, similar to BioShock 2, and differentiate itself from other upcoming BioShock-esque games.
- Setting plays a crucial role in the BioShock series, and multiplayer in BioShock 4 could provide players with more opportunities to explore the world and its various locations.
- Despite being considered the weakest game in the series, BioShock 2 still offers valuable lessons and cues for BioShock 4 to ensure a successful and satisfying experience that meets the expectations of the fans.
BioShock was always synonymous with endless creativity and immersive storytelling, taking players to a fictional city that quickly descended into chaos and facilitated a gripping story. However, it's been a decade since the release of the last full entry in BioShock's 16-year-old series. Meanwhile, BioShock 4 has been announced with Cloud Chamber at the helm, but little is known about the project.
Because of the secrecy, theories are aplenty and predictions for BioShock 4 are both outlandish and exciting. It will have a lot of competition when it eventually hits shelves and digital storefronts, so it has to be creative in order to be memorable. Taking inspiration from one underappreciated feature from BioShock 2 would not only make BioShock 4 more enticing but could validate the 2010 game and give it the recognition it deserves.
Multiplayer Could Make BioShock 4 Stand Out
BioShock always shined brightest during its single-player campaign as each was littered with unsettling moments, a tense atmosphere, and gorgeous art. The series is almost exclusively known for what it offers just one gamer at a time, but while the original and BioShock Infinite didn't include a multiplayer option, the second outing did, and it cleverly fit into Rapture's storied history. Set just before the fall of the city, players assume the role of test subjects working for Sinclair Solutions and play out battles that compose Rapture's civil war, a pivotal plot point that is a vital backstory for the narrative of 2007's BioShock.
In BioShock 4, multiplayer could be implemented similarly and, like BioShock 2 in the series, the fourth game could use the component to stand out, but this time from its contemporaries from other developers. BioShock-esque games will soon be found on modern hardware with the announcement of Judas and Clockwork Revolution, and it's unlikely that the latter games will include any kind of multiplayer segment. BioShock 2's strides could be something that could truly make a positive difference, well over a decade after it launched.
Setting is Essential in BioShock
There are rumors that BioShock 4 will be set in an open world, but if previous entries are anything to go by it's unlikely to be anything that takes dozens of hours of gameplay to eventually see the credits roll. If this is the case, there's only so much of the setting that can be seen through the main campaign, and multiplayer could be a viable way to see more of the sights, wherever and whenever they may be. BioShock 2 was a wonderful re-entry into Rapture, seeing more of its decaying walls and dark corridors than ever before, and as BioShock 4 hopes to reestablish the series' lofty name, multiplayer could be the best way to give players bang for their buck in regard to the game's location.
Rapture is iconic in large part because the level design is claustrophobic and tight, feeding effortlessly into the tone throughout. Competitive PvP multiplayer, or indeed cooperative gameplay, will require more open-ended environments, so added players would help to give the setting more structural variety, keeping it fresh and ensuring that no two places feel the same. BioShock 2 is widely seen to be the weakest game in the series, but there are undoubtedly cues that BioShock 4 can take and lessons that it can learn to make sure it's a successful venture, especially one that lives up to fans' expectations, which are growing higher by the day.
BioShock 4 is in development.