Summary
2K’s latest project is an as-yet-undisclosed remake of one of the studio’s older titles. While there’s no telling exactly what the title is for sure, there are a few likely contenders for2K’s in-development remake, including the originalMafia, the firstBorderlands, and some of the earlierCivilizationinstallments. But the smart money is on a revamped version of the 2007 classicBioShock.
It’s been 17 years since 2K released the first game that put it on the map. Since then, the industry has evolved and changed, but all these years later, the originalBioShockstill keeps bringing veteran and new players to Rapture. The game’s deep, theme-rich narrative, immersive world, and creepy atmosphere have all coalesced into what one might call a truly timeless title. But now might be the best possible time for the studio to head back to its roots and revitalize its very first game.
Why Now is The Perfect Time for a BioShock Remake
The Original BioShock Can Do With a Mechanical Update
The originalBioShockis a classic to this day and still stands shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best modern FPS games. This is due in no small part to how believable Rapture is as a world. The very mature story the game presents poses questions surrounding capitalism, free will, scientific ethics, and human nature that are just as relevant today as they were on release. The game’s two sequels,BioShock 2andBioShock Infinite, expanded and iterated on these themes, making the series one of themost philosophical AAA offeringsin recent memory.
But that wasn’t all the sequels iterated on.BioShock 2andInfiniteboth made significant gameplay improvements that made the later titles play much more smoothly. Chief among them was the ability to simultaneously wield weapons and plasmids. This feature is missing from the originalBioShock, which can make revisiting the first (and for some, arguably the best) game in the series feel a little clunky and rough around the edges. The title also suffers from being froma very different era of FPS; one before the genre really codified a standard control scheme that applies across most titles. A remake can iron out these admittedly small gripes and make the game feel more mechanically in line with its later sequels.
A Remake Can Build Hype for Future BioShock Content
But even more than any mechanical updates, now may be the perfect strategic time to drop aBioShockremake. The series has been dormant sinceInfinite was releasedin 2011, along with itsstory DLC Burial at Sea. Aside from a remastered collection featuring all three games and their bonus content, the series has been down for the count for 13 years and two entire console generations. That is until recently.
There have been rumors coming out of 2K that a long-awaitedBioShock 4is currently in production. Further details are scarce so far, but if the rumors are true, now is the perfect time to remind audiences why the series is a name worth remembering. And there’s no better way to do that than remaking the original classic that did it the best. It’s a simple, easy way to build hype for a fourth entry after a long period of dormancy, and it may even serve as a much-needed story refresher in the likely event the narrative returns its focus to Rapture.
The Case For and Against BioShock 4 Being a Soft Reboot
The premise of Cloud Chamber’s in-development BioShock game is unknown, as it may or may not follow the narrative framework from previous games. It’s not just a hype tool for a possible fourth game, either. The mostBioShocknewsworthy piece of information over the last decade has been about the long-planned but never-delivered movie. Plenty of filmmakers have been attached to the proposed adaptation over the years, including Guillermo Del Toro, but it seems like Andrew Ryan’s doomed city may finally get its cinematic due soon.In 2022,Netflix announced it would be makingBioShockwith an expected delivery date in 2026 or 2027.
With a fourth game and a new movie on the way, it just makes too much sense to remake the originalBioShock. Longtime fans can relive their original memories of the title with a new coat of paint, and fans brought in by the movie can explore Rapture for themselves without having to sell them onplaying a nearly 20-year-old game. For 2K, there’s never been a better time to take back to the sea.
BioShock
WHERE TO PLAY
BioShock is a shooter unlike any you’ve ever played, loaded with weapons and tactics never seen. You’ll have a complete arsenal at your disposal from simple revolvers to grenade launchers and chemical throwers, but you’ll also be forced to genetically modify your DNA to create an even more deadly weapon: you. Injectable plasmids give you super human powers: blast electrical currents into water to electrocute multiple enemies, or freeze them solid and obliterate them with the swing of a wrench.No encounter ever plays out the same, and no two gamers will play the game the same way. Biologically modify your body: send fire storming from your fingertips and unleash a swarm of killer hornets hatched from the veins in your arms. Hack devices and systems, upgrade your weapons and craft new ammo variants. Turn everything into a weapon: the environment, your body, fire and water, and even your worst enemies. Explore an incredible and unique art deco world hidden deep under the ocean.
