The reveal of Judas at the 2022 Game Awards had fans of BioShock excited, as it seems to be a spiritual successor in the best possible way. The wrist tattoo, elements in the palm of the protagonist's hand, and an unusual, unsettling tone are all things that the Ghost Story-developed project seems to have in common with the 2007 Irrational Games masterpiece BioShock. This is perhaps not surprising as creative writer and director Ken Levine is attached to the project. For some, this is enough of an endorsement to justify the excitement they have, but the trailer that was showed off this December cements the fact that it looks very promising indeed.
However, instead of dragging players to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, it will instead lift them far beyond Earth's orbit in a setting that looks unique even among the plethora of space-centric games. BioShock uses its aquatic identity in all parts of the game as the crumbing walls of Rapture are submerged in water, and so the simple act of leaving feels like a monumental task. Space has proven to have a similar impact with the likes of Dead Space and Prey, but Judas shouldn't focus too heavily on it to tell its story, no matter how outlandish it may be as a result.
Space is an Overused Frontier in Gaming
Outer space is endless, ever-expanding, and fascinating. Like the bottom of the ocean, it's a setting that can offer interesting scenarios because it allows for maximum creativity. Games from decades ago like Star Fox, Halo, and any Star Wars title knew this, so there have been a vast number of game releases that take place beyond Earth's atmosphere, meaning new ones have to be increasingly unique in a highly familiar setting. Despite being largely uncharted, space is quickly becoming stale in gaming, and Judas could be the catalyst to make it compelling again.
It's a setting that has been used in so many different genres, from real-time strategy in Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth to the RPG-third person shooter series Mass Effect. Developers from all around have used planets, stars, galaxies, and starships, and if Judas is going to be as revolutionary as BioShock or System Shock 2 then it has to find narrative potential in places that aren't space-centric, or if they are, it can't feel like it's mimicking other IP. It was a welcome change when BioShock was set under the sea, and seeing Judas shoot for the moon is just a little disappointing because of it.
Judas Seems like a Splicing of Many Genres
There may only be a trailer to go on, but it's clear that Judas is a game that wears its creativity on its sleeve. Its strange enemies, colorful propaganda, and characters looking like they're from different places and historical periods makes it an odd, but utterly delightful trailer, and as promotional material trickles out closer to its release date, the craziness will hopefully make more sense soon. Space is intriguing as much of it is still unexplored, meaning contrasting personalities, enemy types, and environments could make sense given that there is still much about it that remains a giant question mark.
Should it lean too heavily on space to push its story forward, Judas runs the risk of feeling too similar to a game that is obviously inspired by Ken Levine's previous works. Prey is different from BioShock and System Shock in some important ways, but largely feels like an Irrational Games-ish project that uses the cosmos to tell an engaging story. Judas has been anticipated for nearly a decade since BioShock Infinite launched and Ken Levine went quiet, and it has to feel like more than an imitation of a game inspired by Levine's work from 15 years in the past.
Space's Endless Nature isn't Claustrophobic
From the trailers and the knowledge of Ken Levine's setting for Judas, it seems like it'll be an unnerving, tense survival thriller experience not unlike the games that Ghost Story's personnel have worked on in the past. From the opening few shots of the trailer, it seems the environments are dark and the enemies are plentiful, so to maintain that sense of dread, it would be best to keep the majority of the story contained in tight corridors and claustrophobic rooms. Being so close to danger does wonders to elevate stress levels and make every in-game move feel like it has weight, as it can all go wrong in a matter of moments.
Gamers wanting a sci-fi story that emphasizes epic exploration and endless wonderment already have Starfield to get excited about. Judas should be for those who are more inclined to care about the atmosphere, tone, characters, and storytelling that makes a game worth experiencing. It doesn't seem to be a sprawling open-world adventure, nor does it give the impression that it'll be a joyful jaunt through space with a merry band of adventurers. Judas is clearly building from something that System Shock 2 started, and to truly do right by those that inspired it, Judas has to focus more on smaller, more tense environments, rather than space itself.
More needs to be seen of Judas before fans can truly get a feel of what it is and how it hopes to capture an audience. Theories are surely swirling as they have done for years, even before the game was announced, but now that there is concrete proof that Ken Levine and Ghost Story's project is in development and going well, it's become far easier to make predictions and discuss preferences. Judas is a space game, that much is clear, but in order to be a great one, it should create intimate encounters rather than use the vastness of space.
Judas is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
