BioShock 4is the long-awaited next installment in the esteemed series. Formerly developed by Irrational Games and now withnew company Cloud Chamberat the helm, it’s a project that has reportedly seen difficulty in production, which is concerning given that it has a lot of pressure to succeed.
BioShockis a franchise that has made a lot of big swings and taken a lot of risks with its settings, storytelling, andBioShock 4could uphold the tradition, albeit in a new way. Combat is essential, and one way to potentially make it more interesting and unique would be to give gamers the opportunity to customize, change, and craft new weapons. It’s a tough line to tread, however, as it could distract from what makes the IP so great.
BioShock 4 Needs to Stand Out
A lot is riding on the success ofBioShock 4’s story, but there is as much pressure on its core mechanics. On one hand, it has to be familiar enough to feel like a new game in the series that has been dormant since early 2014 with the release of the second episode ofBioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea. On the other, it can’t simply be a copy-and-paste affair as that would feel far too safe, thus pulling into question why it even exists. If implemented well, weapon crafting could be a viable way to elevate the formula ofBioshockin a way that feels fresh, but not imposing or replacing other beloved inclusions.
Examples likeTomb RaiderandThe Last of Usshow that a story-centric game which doesn’t overtstay its welcome can implement weapon crafting mechanics without it feeling overbearing or even necessary to get through the game. InBioShock 4,it could be optional to make the journey easier or more engaging, but subdued enough to not punish the player if they don’t want to craft or alter their own weapons. Choosing new ammo types for the volley gun or adding a new stock to the shotgun to make recoil more manageable would be a lot of fun, and could go a way to making the otherwise rigid franchise feel more tailored to the players' preferences.
BioShock is About More than Just Guns
One of the reasons whyBioShockconsistently succeeded during its peak was because it wasn’t a conventional first-person shooter. Not only was it a singleplayer,story-driven experience before the likes ofWolfensteinandFar Crymade the genre popular, but it also played around with the way that a game in the first-person perspective can provide a challenge. The guns inBioShockare varied and each does well to give the player enough firepower to get through any combat encounter, but the star of the show has always been the elemental attacks that are in the protagonists' other hand.
Plasmids inBioShockand Vigors inBioShock Infiniteare each so very creative, and while they can be used directly in combat to great effect, they also connect the player more closely to the environment. Using Incinerate to light an oil spill on fire or Shock Jockey to make a puddle of water into a lethal trap is a smart way to overcome a difficult enemy or to use the often-hostile setting to the players' advantage. Having craftable weapons would put less emphasis on the powers that makeBioShockunique from its contemporaries and more focus on guns, which is something thatBioShock Infinitewas regularly criticized for.
Customizable Weapons is a Slippery Slope for BioShock
BioShockis a series that keeps its runtime short, and in doing so its pacing is never short of excellent. Each can be finished over a long weekend, and their consistent quality means it’s always enjoyable to go back and re-experience the journey. Adding a complex mechanic where weapons can be crafted, or even upgraded will have to elongate the runtime significantly, taking it out of the 10-20-hour sweet spot. To make the mechanic feel justified, the journey would have to be longer than this, which could then potentially jeopardize the series' strong pacing.
