Pixel Sundays: BioShock – From Underwater Nightmare to Cult Universe
Since 2007, the BioShock series has been one of the most influential in modern gaming history. The franchise combines philosophical ideas, unique worlds, and strong storytelling. The success story began in 2007 with a game set in the underwater city of Rapture, and later the journey continued into the sky with Columbia.
Summary
- The origins of BioShock and Ken Levine’s vision
- The city of Rapture: One of the most iconic worlds ever created
- BioShock 2: Evolution or unnecessary sequel?
- BioShock Infinite: From the sea to the sky
- The upcoming BioShock 4: What we know so far
- Conclusion: Why BioShock remains unforgettable
Each entry in the franchise offers its own perspective. The BioShock games have influenced countless later story-driven shooters and immersive games. Today, the series is considered a cult universe that blends innovation, atmosphere, and narrative depth. That’s why, in today’s Pixel Sundays article, we’re taking another look back at the series and of course also a look into its future.
The origins of BioShock and Ken Levine’s vision
BioShock was developed in the early 2000s by Irrational Games, a studio founded by Ken Levine together with two former colleagues from System Shock 2 (1999). Because of this, BioShock is often considered a spiritual successor to System Shock 2. The idea was not to create a typical shooter, but an immersive game world with elements of horror, survival, and RPG gameplay. The story focuses heavily on morality and player choice. The developers wanted you not only to fight with weapons, but also to hack devices, interact with the environment, and make moral decisions.
Ken Levine also wanted philosophical influences to flow into the game. The underwater city Rapture is heavily based on the philosophy of Ayn Rand as depicted in her novel Atlas Shrugged. The city’s founder in the game is named Andrew Ryan, intentionally almost an anagram of Ayn Rand. This utopian vision reflects Rand’s ideas in the game world. At the same time, Levine wanted to show how radical individualism and unrestrained capitalism, even under ideal conditions, can lead to corruption, inequality, and moral decay. BioShock therefore serves as a critique and warning against dystopian objectivism.
Throughout the game, you constantly face moral decisions and are even manipulated by the characters and the game itself. The first BioShock released in 2007 and was praised by critics for its design, story, and gameplay mechanics. It quickly achieved cult status and is considered a milestone in first person storytelling.
The city of Rapture: One of the most iconic game worlds ever created
We briefly mentioned the dystopian city of Rapture earlier, but now let’s take a closer look. Rapture is not a normal city, as it is located underwater in the North Atlantic between Greenland and Iceland. The city is heavily influenced by Art Deco and inspired by the Rockefeller Center in New York and other iconic pre war buildings. This means you see curved shapes everywhere, façades and interiors with vintage aesthetics, old advertisements, and more. The music is also chosen to match the setting, using songs and styles from the era that contrast with the city’s decay, reinforcing the feeling of a failed utopia.
The city was founded by Andrew Ryan with the goal of creating a place for scientists, artists, and entrepreneurs, completely free from religion, government, and moral restrictions. The motto was freedom, property, and individual achievement instead of community. There are no public services — everything is private. There is also no safety net, so the wealthy benefit while the poor are at risk of being excluded. Failure can quickly become deadly.
Throughout the game you find audio logs from citizens from different social backgrounds. These logs tell you about daily life, worries, opinions, rivalries, inventions, and business ventures, giving you deep insight into the city. But the environment itself is also full of storytelling: abandoned offices, destroyed shops, propaganda posters, and ad banners emphasize the dystopian downfall. Broken machines reveal insights into living conditions. You don’t understand Rapture through cutscenes but mainly through observation.
You also encounter Big Daddies, Little Sisters, and Plasmids. Big Daddies are genetically and technologically modified worker and guardian units designed for underwater tasks. Little Sisters collect ADAM, the resource essential to Rapture’s scientific and economic ecosystem. Plasmids are genetic modifications powered by ADAM, giving players abilities that tightly connect gameplay and lore. This trio reflects the city’s core philosophy: science without moral limits, technology as both tool and danger, and a society dependent on a single vital resource.
The enemies you face represent Rapture’s former professions — artists, surgeons, security staff, service workers. You can still recognize their past identities through clothing, masks, voices, and equipment. Many enemies also embody societal extremes like vanity, perfectionism, ambition, paranoia, or the hunger for recognition.
BioShock 2: Evolution or unnecessary sequel?
Unlike the first game, Ken Levine was not in a leading development role for BioShock 2. The creative direction was taken over by 2K Marin. The perspective also changed: you play as a Big Daddy who protects a little girl, forming a kind of father daughter bond. This new perspective adds an emotional connection and once again questions themes of power, care, and moral responsibility.
Because you now control a Big Daddy, the experience changes dramatically. Instead of being a human survivor, you are a genetically and technologically modified guardian. This shift in perspective lets you see the city from a new angle and from a different social class. You are no longer an outsider exploring the ruins, but part of the society that once lived here, which has major effects on immersion and atmosphere.
The combat system was also heavily expanded. There are more weapon options and new mechanics, making the game more action focused. You can now use two weapons or plasmids at the same time, increasing tactical flexibility. As in the first game, you can again make decisions that affect the ending. The introduction of Big Sisters adds new enemies that present a major threat. Their design reflects the continued decay of Rapture and reveals new forms of danger and horror.
BioShock 2 was the first entry in the series to include a multiplayer mode. The multiplayer was meant to attract new players and give the franchise a broader audience, but its success was very limited. Most players see it only as a small add on and barely interact with it. It is not a co op mode but a separate PvP mode. Reviews for the game are very mixed, with some praising the new features while others criticize the absence of the original director. Over time, however, the game has been re evaluated by many and viewed more positively in retrospect, especially after the release of the Remaster.
BioShock Infinite: From the Sea to the Sky
In the third entry, BioShock Infinite, the setting changes completely. You are no longer underwater in the city of Rapture, but in Columbia. Columbia is bright, patriotic, covered in clouds, the complete opposite of Rapture, and the city floats in the air due to quantum physics experiments. The architecture is inspired by American buildings from the turn of the century (1900–1912). At first, everything appears like an idyllic utopia.
In the game, you play as Booker DeWitt, who travels together with his partner Elizabeth. Their relationship is built on trust, conflict and shared goals. Elizabeth is a classic sidekick with interactive AI; she can throw resources like ammo or healing items and comments on the environment. Both characters develop over the course of the story, and their character development is considered one of the best in the FPS genre.
Columbia represents an extremely idealized vision of America, portraying the nation as chosen by God. The city’s leader is highly religious, which is reflected in his rule. Propaganda posters are everywhere, hymns are played, speeches are delivered, and the Founders cult is ever present. A conflict exists between the nationalists (Founders) and the workers’ movement, the Vox Populi. The game frequently deals with themes of multiverse theory and parallel worlds.
The gameplay has also changed significantly. Combat is much more dynamic and vertical than in previous titles. The Sky Lines enable fast movement, tactical positioning and attacks while in motion. Elizabeth can open Tears to bring objects into the world, such as cover, turrets or platforms. The weapons are still classic like in the earlier games, and there are Vigors, which work similarly to Plasmids. The focus has shifted more toward action and mobility, though the narrative elements remain strong.
The game’s ending has often been discussed due to its complexity and philosophical depth. Many considered it brilliant, others found it confusing or too ambitious. It combines emotional revelations with an explanation based on multiverse themes. As a result, it became one of the most influential endings in modern story driven shooters.
Later, the Burial at Sea DLC was released, consisting of two parts. This DLC connects Infinite with the first BioShock, as you return to Rapture in an alternate timeline. The focus is on film noir atmosphere, investigation and a more contained level design.
The Upcoming BioShock 4: What We Know So Far
BioShock 4 is officially in development, but this time at a completely new studio, Cloud Chamber (a 2K studio). Because of this shift, there is hope for fresh ideas and modern production standards. Early hints suggest that BioShock 4 may no longer be a linear game, but instead offer an “open world” or larger explorable areas. It is intended to be a new beginning, not a return to Columbia or Rapture.
Fans and media speculate that it will once again feature a dystopian setting with moral questions in an impressive world, but now with modern graphics, AI, physics and gameplay systems. This could allow BioShock 4 to evoke nostalgia while also setting new standards. With 2K’s commitment, the game is poised to become one of the publisher’s flagship titles again, both culturally and commercially. According to some sources, the budget is quite high, so we can expect a large world with high production value. Nothing is known about the release yet, but late 2026 or more realistically 2027 seems likely.
Conclusion: Why BioShock Remains Unforgettable
The BioShock series has shown for almost two decades how powerful video games can be as a narrative medium. It combines worldbuilding, philosophical ideas and gameplay in a way rarely seen in the industry. Every city, whether Rapture or Columbia, tells its story not only through dialogue but through the environment, atmosphere and details you only notice when you look closely. Every character, faction and design element reflects larger societal questions.
The games stay memorable because they are more than shooters. They ask for decisions, embrace moral grey areas and confront players with themes such as freedom, responsibility, ideology and identity. At the same time, they offer iconic settings, innovative mechanics and an atmosphere that few other games achieve.
Whether it is BioShock 2 as a shift in perspective, Infinite as a bold leap into a new setting or the upcoming fourth entry as a fresh start, the series continues to show how adaptable it is without losing its core identity. That is what makes BioShock timeless: a franchise that not only entertains but continues sparking discussion and reflection even years later. BioShock remains a piece of gaming history that has not lost its impact, and its future is more exciting than ever. If you want to try the series now, I recommend Bioshock The Collection, since it saves you money and includes all games and DLCs.
Hey, I’m Kilian, but online you’ll probably know me as “Tux1243.” I've been part of the team for almost two years now, always trying to keep you in the loop with the latest and coolest gaming news. I also have a huge passion for doing deep dives and detailed analyses of entire game series and franchises. I love getting to the bottom of things and exploring the little details and backstories that make game worlds so fascinating.
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Interesting games but I never played any of this games, wanted to hut didn't get the chance until now to play them
this game looks like serious sam, it reminds me of childhood 🥲
I've always seen a lot of positive comments about this series, but even though I already own the games, there's something that stops me from playing them.
The whole underwater dystopia vibe is crazy good. Maybe it’s finally time to try it
The BioShock series is incredible, the most valuable in my Steam library.