Although still considered in its infancy when compared to something like the movie industry, video games have been going for longer than some may realize. For example,Morrowindturned 20 years olda few months back, and while there have been otherElder Scrollsgames since, includingThe Elder Scrolls Online, it may not feel like it’s been around for two decades. To some older gamers, it’s hard to imagine that games which felt new not long ago have crossed into double figures. Likewise,BioShockis about to reach a milestone.
Originally released in 2007, at a time when the Xbox 360 and PS3 were in loggerheads against the might of the Nintendo Wii, the firstBioShockentry was a landmark release for the FPS genre. During this period, the gaming industry was becoming saturated withCall of Dutytype games and it needed a breath of fresh air. Then came 2K Games' underwater horror shooter, which single-handedly upped the ante for what was possible in video game storytelling. Its setting, character development, and that iconic twist helped turn it into an award-winning release.
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It reached such heights, that it’s even become a favorite of some celebrity gamers. For example, billionaireElon Musk is said to be a huge fan ofBioShock, as well asHalf-Life,Mass Effect 2, andSaints Row 4. Taking influence from the likes ofSystem Shock 2, which itself is a classic horror sci-fi FPS, the firstBioShockgame is often held aloft as the best in the whole series, with Metacritic showing a score of 96 on PC.
However, the franchise on the whole has been pretty quiet over the years.BioShock 4is currently in developmentand will mark the first major entry in the series since 2013’sBioShock Infinite. There was episode two of theBurial at SeaDLC in 2014, as well as the release of the collection in 2016, but in terms of a full game, it’s been nearly ten years since fans have seen a new installment.
Given the iconic opening, where players are shown the city of Rapture for the first time, the original has gone down asone of the most cinematic sci-fi gamesin recent history. The second entry was not as well received as its predecessor, though it still has a strong fan base, and the third game was highly praised, but again was not without its flaws. Whether the nextBioShockwill be able to recapture that magic of the first remains to be seen at this stage.
