Having spent five years in development since its announcement in 2019,BioShock 4has still not revealed much about what the fourth installment of the lauded series will look like. Studio Cloud Chamber has continued to work onBioShock 4, but as official information has been scarce, various rumors and leaks have begun to inform impressions aboutBioShock 4’s potential design and other elements. As none have been confirmed, exactly how the next entry will shake up the formula has thus been the source of much speculation.
After surprising fans by returning to the original title’scity of Rapturein the first part of its DLC,BioShock: Infinite’s Burial at Sea Episode 2 placed players squarely in the role of Elizabeth. By giving Elizabeth her time in the protagonist spot, Burial at Sea marked the first female-led piece of content for the franchise. And this is something thatBioShock 4should look to possibly build upon and explore further in addition to the other ways it aims to evolveBioShockin the upcoming iteration.
Burial at Sea Broke the Ice for BioShock 4 to Have a Female Protagonist
AlthoughBioShockhas largely centered on male figures throughout its history, from Jack and Booker DeWitt toAndrew Ryan and Zachary Comstock, it has had some strong supporting female characters along the way. Some of the notable women who played prominent parts in each game include:
However, it wasBioShock: Infinite’s Elizabeth that became a breakout star. Elizabeth is often recognized as one ofgaming’s best companions; a well-realized and portrayed character who was the emotional heart of the title she appeared in. In Burial at Sea Episode 2, fans played as Elizabeth herself as she ties up loose ends in an alternate reality after the conclusion ofInfinite. And though it was also a shorter and somewhat more stealth-focused experience, the second Burial at Sea provides a great path forward forBioShockto change tracks and put a female character at the center of its story and gameplay.
After Burial at Sea, BioShock 4 Should Go the Extra Mile by Having a Female Lead
Some of the aforementioned leaks suggestBioShock 4’s settingwill move to Antarctica to focus on a massive two-tiered city split into sections known as Aurora and Borealis, potentially divided by class or other societal conventions. It is rumored to possibly be open-world as well. While again unconfirmed, if true, this could lead to the title having a good way to explore a diverse range of viewpoints and philosophies, and specifically by including a female main character this time around.
BioShock 4might decide to serve as a rebootof sorts, allowing it the freedom to move away from having to more strictly adhere to prior franchise and traditional industry conventions in terms of male protagonists. It could be the case that this vision will allow for multiple player characters, one of which could share some similarities with Elizabeth, although it could also be a completely fresh character. This would potentially still allow it to connect back to the previous titles in the way that Burial at Sea reprised Rapture and told another side of the first game’s tale.
BioShock 4’s protagonisttaking inspiration from Elizabeth in Burial at Sea would not only be a narratively interesting choice, but would also let it play on Burial at Sea’s mix of stealth and combat by providing a greater range of gameplay mechanics and approaches. Either way, it might very well be time forBioShockto consider having a playable female character, as it’s a perspective that the series has already laid some solid groundwork for, and could go much further with in the forthcoming entry.
