It has been a while ever since BioShock 4 was first announced, and even though there have not been many updates, fans have been able to infer some of the details of the new game. Cloud Chamber, the studio in charge of bringing the next franchise installment, has been posting some interesting job openings which have given fans hints about what to expect from BioShock 4.
Even though this information has not been confirmed, there are good reasons to believe that BioShock 4 will include new features that might drastically affect the game's known formula. This means that BioShock 4 will probably be considerably different from its ancestors, particularly in terms of the main character's behavior.
Character Customization in BioShock 4
One of the most exciting characteristics of the upcoming game is that BioShock 4 is apparently going to include RPG elements. Even though there is no information about how the new RPG features will affect the gameplay, one of the possibilities is that BioShock will allow players to customize the main character. In a way, this could already incorporate a sense of free will in terms of the type of decision the players are able to make. This is important, as the debate around free will is one of the main topics in the saga.
While no information has been released concerning who the main character in BioShock 4 will be, the franchise has been known to give players complex storylines and characters. Consequently, adding a customization system for the main character sounds like an exciting idea for the new game.
Another way in which BioShock 4 could include RPG elements is by allowing personality customization. Since BioShock is known for exploring a morally complex narrative, allowing the players to further take an active role in the main character's decisions could easily take the story to the next level and further problematize some of the ethical dilemmas the players could face.
Other new elements
Aside from the inclusion of RPG elements in the new BioShock 4, fans seem to be excited about the open world of the upcoming game. An open world might mean good news for the fans and emphasized the feeling of free will that the RPG features could already bring into the new installment. Discovering a full Rapture or Columbia-like civilization could definitely be an attractive feature for BioShock fans and it could even make players feel more immersed in the game.
Nevertheless, these new features could also make the game feel like it's straying too far from the original titles. Particularly, BioShock has been very character-driven so far and by adding RPG elements as well as an open world it might be hard to keep up with this type of narrative which could be a con for BioShock fans.
This does not mean that the new elements are definitely going to change the franchise. BioShock 4 could still bring some of the elements that made the previous games so appealing while exploring the new tendencies in the video game industry. If done correctly, BioShock 4's new features like the open-world system could actually help the player feel more involved in the narrative and take the story to the next level.
BioShock 4 is currently in development.