The BioShock franchise has persisted on its exciting gameplay and philosophical perspectives, but perhaps the most important part of any BioShock game is its setting. The worlds of Rapture and Columbia anchored the first two BioShock titles and Infinite respectively, giving players visually striking areas to explore while also evolving with the narrative. With BioShock 4 in development, many fans are wondering how developer Cloud Chamber will continue the franchise's reputation for memorable locales.
BioShock 4 will be a significant evolution for the series' settings, as Cloud Chamber will be taking players through an open world. For a franchise known for its tight linearity, many longtime fans are wondering how the developer will be able to translate BioShock's gameplay formula to an open-world structure. Wherever Cloud Chamber does take players, it could benefit from merging the best of parts of Rapture and Columbia. By bringing in elements of each setting, BioShock 4's open world could be the perfect love letter to the franchise's long history.
How BioShock 4 Can Capture the Essence of Rapture
When many gamers think of the most iconic settings in gaming, many cite the underwater city of Rapture as one that stands above the rest. With its dimly-lit corridors and philosophical messaging, BioShock and BioShock 2 provided a chilling and immersive world for players to get lost in. Recapturing that magic would be a tall task for BioShock 4 to complete, but there are ways in which Cloud Chamber can harness the essence of Rapture. Given the open-world nature of the game, Cloud Chamber could bring that world below sea level.
Not much is known about the open world of BioShock 4, but Cloud Chamber could help it stand out by including a substantial amount of underwater elements. Whether it's another underwater city or various underwater settlements, allowing players to explore the depths of the ocean could open up numerous gameplay and narrative opportunities. While there is merit in offering players an expansive open world to explore, making parts of the game more claustrophobic by way of underwater exploration would diversify gameplay and provide a great tribute to BioShock's history.
How BioShock 4 Can Take to the Skies Like Columbia
The city of Columbia featured in BioShock Infinite may have been the polar opposite to Rapture in terms of its relation to the ground, but it still left a strong impression. With its floating buildings and intersecting rail systems, Columbia introduced a verticality to the series that previous entries lacked. BioShock 4 could benefit from the same verticality, whether it's through floating cities of its own or traversal by way of blimps. Cloud Chamber could even find inspiration in another upcoming open-world game, taking a similar approach to the floating islands seen in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
It's been ten years since BioShock Infinite took players through a memorable first-person adventure, and BioShock 4 will have high expectations to meet after such a long absence. Cloud Chamber looks to be bringing the franchise in a bold new direction with its plans for an open world, but there are still ways it can feel like the BioShock fans know and love. A large part of that will come down to the game's setting, and by incorporating aerial and underwater elements, BioShock4 can deliver an experience that pays tribute to the series' beginnings while moving it forward at the same time.
BioShock 4 is currently in development.