Although virtually nothing has been revealed about BioShock 4 at this point, an enduring rumor posits that it will be set in Antarctica. This would separate it from its predecessors while adding a new dystopia to series’ canon, rather than returning to BioShock Infinite’s Columbia or the Rapture that won the franchise its icon status in the first place.
There are several arguments that could be made for or against this creative decision, but it’s undeniable that a new location would bring with it new potential for gameplay and narrative design. So far, BioShock has been concerned with environmental extremes: the first two games are set deep underwater, while Infinite takes place several miles above the clouds. These titles set an interesting standard for BioShock 4 to follow, as a more mundane location, say, one nestled in the mountains or deep in the woods, runs the risk of feeling quaint by comparison. As such, an Antarctic setting has the chance to retain the series’ penchant for exploring the unknown without retreading old ground, and it could be a surprisingly fitting evolution of the franchise’s various settings.
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Ken Levine, the architect behind BioShock and the upcoming Judas, once proposed a “narrative Legos” concept that more game developers should explore.
How BioShock 4’s Antarctic Setting Could Play with Ideas Introduced by Rapture
Rapture Is Divorced from the Real World
Rapture is certainly aesthetically interesting, but it also has deep and relevant thematic weight. Andrew Ryan founded Rapture to escape what he perceived as gross government oversight on dry land, retreating as far away from civilized society as possible in an attempt to secure personal freedoms. But the ocean floor was never meant for human habitation, and Ryan’s desire to plant his flag there represents his immense egoism and hubris: he believed that he could settle wherever he pleased, isolating himself from the rest of the world in the process.
Moreover, the inherent claustrophobia of Rapture represents the dangers of extreme objectivism. “Every man for himself” is a lonely and desolate philosophy to live and die by. Although Ryan invited who he considered the “right” people to live in his underwater city, the hostility he and his ilk displayed toward any notion of community, not to mention concepts of a higher power, played a key role in Rapture’s downfall. This close-mindedness is reflected by Rapture’s narrow halls, and the limits imposed by the surrounding watery depths.
Comstock also engaged in hubris when attempting to isolate Columbia from the rest of the world, though his driving force was spirituality and godliness, represented by the city’s position above the rest of civilization, closer to the heavens.
BioShock 4’s Setting Could Be Just as Isolating and Claustrophobic as Rapture
Settling in Antarctica requires many sacrifices, with fresh air and freedom of movement being among the first privileges upon the chopping block. Given the inhospitable nature of the Arctic, it’s reasonable to assume that any city of substance would need to be subterranean, deep under the surface of the Earth, not unlike Rapture. Though instead of living amidst the marine life far below the surface of the ocean, the citizens of this Antarctic city would be trapped like moles beneath the frozen ground.
Thematically, this setting could represent any number of different concepts: ignorance, cold-heartedness, and regression are a few that spring to mind. But practically, the claustrophobic and hidden nature of this city would have obvious parallels to Rapture, as players would once again be forced to navigate confined spaces. There would be no return to the false beauty of a city like Columbia. This claustrophobia could be broken up by a few detours above ground, or even underwater, along the Antarctic coast, which would be another novel spin on the format of older BioShock games.
BioShock
2K Games’ BioShock franchise instantly grabbed the player’s attention when it began in 2007 by taking them on a memorable trip down to Rapture. The first two games took place in the iconic underwater city, while the third took players up to the gorgeous flying city of Columbia.
The critically-acclaimed FPS franchise is considered a spiritual successor to the System Shock series.