Summary
It has been over fifteen years since 2K and Irrational Games releasedBioShock, the dystopian first-person shooter that shocked the world with its unsettling atmosphere and what is considered one of the best plot twists in video game history. Now, Ghost Story Games, the development studio led by Ken Levine (Creative Director ofSystem Shock 2,BioShock,andBioShock Infinite), just released an official story trailer forJudas, its upcomingIP that looks strikingly similar toBioShock.
The next entry in theBioShockseries,BioShock 4, was confirmed to be in development in 2019, but other news of its progress has yet to surface. Now that it’s been over a decade since the release of the lastBioShockgame,BioShock Infinite, it looks likeJudasmight, at the very least, be a placeholder for fans untilBioShock 4arrives. In fact, the trailer revealed at PlayStation’s 2024 State of Play looks and feels so much likeBioShockthat the game could pass asBioShock 4.
Judas Bears a Striking Resemblance to BioShock
Judaswas first revealed at the 2022 Game Awards ceremony with a brief trailerbacked up by a fairly dark remix of “Leave Her, Johnny,“a century-old sea shanty that rose in popularity after it appeared in 2013’sAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. The game’s original reveal trailer showcased little more thanJudas' familiar art style and some cinematics and ends with a very ominous message: “Fix what you broke.” The recent story trailer, however, showed a bit more of the crazy world ofJudas, including severalBioShock-esque abilities, weapons, enemies, and characters.
Judas' Abilities Look Straight Out of BioShock
VeteranBioShockfans will likely pick up on one feature inJudas' story trailer much quicker than anything else: its abilities. In the story trailer, it appears the player will be able to use an ability that causes a burst of flames to erupt from their hand, which is very similar toBioShock’s Incinerate Plasmid, although the animation is different. Additionally, after a little over a minute into the trailer, the player is seen using a telekinetic ability to throw an item at an enemy, which, of course, is almost identical toBioShock’s Telekinesis Plasmid.
Despite theBioShockabilitiesseen inJudas' story trailer, it nonetheless appears that some unique abilities are coming to the game that can’t be found inBioShockin any way. It’s unclear just how many, but the player is at least seen late in the trailer using some sort of green rope ability to latch onto and briefly stun an enemy. This is likely an indication that there will be more unfamiliar abilities introduced inJudas.
Judas' Atmosphere, Tone, and Characters All Look and Feel Like BioShock
TheBioShockseries is known for its psychotic enemies and characters, who, especially inBioShockandBioShock 2, have been radically genetically altered due to the use ofa dangerous drug known as ADAM. While ADAM is most likely not present inJudas, its characters still look just as mad asBioShock’s. Furthermore, these dark characters wouldn’t fit anywhere but in a world that accommodates their bizarre characteristics, andJudasseems to keep them right at home with a foreboding atmosphere and tone that feels like it could be just another location inBioShock.
It would make sense for Levine to carry over and improve uponBioShock’s award-winning formula, particularly as it was such a successful series. As such, there’s not necessarily anything wrong with the similaritiesJudasshares with it. In fact,Judasmay be exactly whatBioShockfans want until they can get their hands onBioShock 4, especially since it could be a much longer wait than they originally anticipated. There is currently no release date set forJudas, but it is possible for players to wishlist it on PS5.
