The Dark Art of Cursed Enemy Design: Unveiling the Ultimate Secret to BioShock 4's Epic Triumph

Highlights

BioShock 4 should prioritize capturing the same fascination and amazement with its enemy designs that the original games achieved with Big Daddies and Little Sisters.

The BioShock universe is defined by its exploration of inhumane experiments and the atrocities committed by humanity, making them essential elements that should be carried forward in BioShock 4.

In BioShock 4, the enemy designs will be influenced by the game's examination of various political, social, and cultural philosophies. This may diverge from previous installments, resulting in the creation of innovative and unfamiliar enemy designs.

While BioShock 4 is in development, it is crucial for developer Cloud Chamber to prioritize the series' iconic cursed enemies. From the original Big Daddy and Little Sisters to Songbird and Handymen, these enemies have played a vital role in the success of the BioShock franchise. The captivating trailers for BioShock's first game made these characters the mascots of the series, garnering attention and fascination from players. As a result, subsequent BioShock games attempted to recreate this morbid fascination with enemies like the Big Sister and Handyman. Despite varying receptions, the underlying themes and backstories of these enemies remain integral to the BioShock universe. Therefore, BioShock 4 must ensure that it continues to deliver on the staple of tragic and cursed enemies in the series.

The Inhuman Humanity of BioShock

Among the various themes that have influenced BioShock, the instances of American exceptionalism, libertarianism, and free-market capitalism can be argued as the factors behind its iconic enemy designs and lore. The unregulated freedom given to genetic modification and human experimentation allowed researchers like Yi Suchong or Jeremiah Fink to push the boundaries of science for their own benefit. The inhumane experimentations resulted in the creation of various products, such as the Handyman, who constantly experiences pain, or the Little Sisters, who are forced to be living hosts and harvested for their ADAM.

While BioShock Infinite may have toned down the brutality of its mad science in favor of its dimension-hopping narrative, the first two games and the Burial at Sea DLC highlighted the integral themes of humanity and its horrors in BioShock. From the average Splicers fought throughout Rapture to the main storyline of saving or harvesting Little Sisters, players were confronted with the gruesome reality presented in the games. As a result, to stay true to BioShock's thematic core, BioShock 4 must continue to explore these ideas.

BioShock's Philosophies Guide Its Enemy Designs

The enemy designs in BioShock 4 will depend on the game's exploration of political, social, or cultural philosophies. Like BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite, these designs will convey themes of enslavement, choice, control, and oppression. The direction and ideology of BioShock 4 will determine the chilling enemy designs.

There is speculation among fans about the core philosophy of BioShock 4. With a new developer and a decade since BioShock Infinite, some suggest exploring new directions like nihilism or solipsism. In this case, enemy designs could differ greatly from previous games, featuring inhuman experiments influenced by the meaninglessness of morality and ethics in nihilism, or incorporating the concept of the "brain in a vat" from solipsism into an iconic cursed enemy.

BioShock 4 is currently in development.