Summary
With over a decade having passed since the franchise’s last entry, a lot of eyes are beginning to turn towardsBioShock 4. Despite being confirmed to be in development, very little is actually known about what the title will involve, but 2013’sBioShockInfinitehas a wealth of memorable features that the IP’s next release should take inspiration from.
One of the largest questions aroundBioShock 4concerns its setting, withInfinitedoing away with the underwater Rapture in favor of a deceivingly idyllic city in the skies. As well as this, it is extremely important thatBioShock 4looks toInfinite’s Songbird enemy, which plays a looming role throughout the game’s narrative. An enemy as narratively important and imposing as the Songbird did wonders forInfinite’s worldbuilding, andBioShock 4needs to take heed of this in its own development.
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BioShock 4: Going Beyond Infinite’s Songbird
TheBioShockfranchise was built on the themes and feel of Rapture, the primary setting of the IP’s first two games. The decay of a once-thriving underwater city gave a stunningly sinister feel toBioShock’s origins, with the deranged inhabitants of the location and iconic enemies like the Big Daddy putting the franchise on the map.
BioShockInfinitewas forced to innovate in a lot of ways to make up for the loss of Rapture’s iconography inits heaven-like setting of Columbia, and the Songbird enemy was an example of just how well this innovation was handled by Irrational Games and 2K. Songbird is a massive creature that was made through an experimental blend of cutting-edge technology and genetic material, sharing the same kind of purpose and temperament as the Big Daddies of past games.
The player consistently encounters Songbird throughoutBioShock Infiniteas it is driven by the sole task of protecting Elizabeth and keeping her in captivity. With Elizabeth joining the player for most of the game, Songbird tracks down and attacks the protagonist quite frequently, with its immense size and power often devastating large portions of Columbia. This creates a great level of nervous anticipation throughoutInfinite, with Songbird being an insurmountable threat that can strike at any moment.
Big Daddies did well to create a similar tension in pastBioShockgames, but they are easily killed by experienced players, eventually causing them to lose the threat-factor that made them so compelling at the start of the game. Songbird never loses this feeling throughoutInfinite, and creating a recurring enemy that looms over the player in the same way should be a top priority forBioShock 4.
The player often encounters Songbird in large scripted set-pieces, leading to memorable interactions that tie well into important narrative moments.BioShock 4should maintain this with its own take on Songbird, but also introduce more open or random combat segments with the enemy to keep players on their toes even more.
With the confirmed links between Big Daddy and Songbird technology, the potential for other similar enemies is endless in theBioShockuniverse, and can be adapted for any potential setting. Even a return to Rapture could see the introduction of a twisted leviathan-style creature that stalks the player, with Songbird setting a precedent for the size and power of enemies created by this technology. Songbird was definitely one of the most innovative and memorable aspects ofBioShock Infinite, andthe growing expectations behindBioShock 4should be met by a recurring enemy of similar narrative importance and scale.
BioShock 4is currently in development.
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