BioShock 4 is under development at Cloud Chamber, though the game is still a long way off and doesn't even have an official release date yet. Rumors indicate it may be open-world, takes place in the fictional city of Borealis in 1960s Antarctica, and release under the title BioShock: Isolation. However, Cloud Chamber has so far tried to keep the project under wraps, leading to a great deal of speculation.
One focus of this speculation is whether BioShock 4 might see a return of the franchise's Big Daddies. Encased in diving suits, these tragic monsters were easily the most iconic enemy in the original BioShock. However, they were not the only diving suit-wearing enemies in the series, with BioShock 2 introducing the smaller but nimbler Big Sisters. While the Big Daddies, or something like them, could benefit BioShock 4, the Big Sisters have the potential to overshadow them in the upcoming game.
BioShock 2's Big Sisters Should Return in BioShock 4
The BioShock series' Big Daddies play a big role in Rapture's ecosystem, protecting the Little Sisters that both create ADAM and recycle it from dead bodies. Any Splicer or player character hoping to get that ADAM first needs to tangle with these hulking super soldiers. However, BioShock 2's Big Sisters are much rarer, usually only intervening when players save or harvest all the Little Sisters in a level.
At first glance, BioShock 2's spindly Big Sisters appear to be a more agile female version of the Big Daddy. Looks can be deceiving, however, as BioShock 2's Big Sisters are actually adolescent Little Sisters. As Little Sisters grow up, they lose their ability to produce Adam but gain superhuman strength and speed while growing to a towering 6'10". They also gain access to some of the plasmid abilities held by the Splicers they recycled.
Meanwhile, the Little Sister's mental conditioning starts to break down, causing madness and outbursts of extreme violence as they attempt to recycle ADAM from people while they are still alive. Bioshock 2's Gilbert Alexander reconditioned the Big Sisters and equipped them with new, more advanced diving suits to harness their aggression as enforcers. Antagonist Sophia Lamb tasks them with recovering stolen ADAM and kidnapping girls to become new Little Sisters. Still, Big Sister's sympathetic backstory also makes them tragically compelling enemies in the same way as the Big Daddies.
Big Sisters represent a unique and dangerous opponent in BioShock 2. They can deliver powerful melee attacks, and their speed and teleportation Plasmids let them close in rapidly. Their mobility also nullifies the hit-and-run tactics effective against the larger and slower Big Daddies. Big Sisters can also hurl exploding fireballs, telekinetically batter enemies with objects, and possess a unique shockwave attack called Reflection. Big Sisters are also the most determined enemies in BioShock 2, pursuing Subject Delta anywhere in the level.
Big Daddies were the most iconic enemies in BioShock. The Big Sisters, however, never got as much of a spotlight and still have a lot of untapped potential, offering a unique challenge that the new game could refine. For example, Cloud Chamber could expand upon the Big Sisters with a more diverse range of powers, possibly introducing new variants. In addition, a few of these nimble hunters stalking the player through BioShock 4's rumored open world could add great tension to the upcoming immersive sim.
Their inclusion could also tie off a few loose ends from BioShock 2. The remaining Big Sisters are presumably still down there and might not stay put forever. Tracking down her rampaging siblings would also be an excellent way to work one of BioShock 2's best characters into BioShock 4. Alternatively, even if Cloud Chamber prefers to separate BioShock 4 from the rest of the series, it would benefit from introducing something like the Big Sisters.
BioShock 4 is in development.