TheBioShockfranchiseis known for being much more than a series of survival horror FPS games. Between all of the underwater cities and supernatural powers, the core of theBioShockseries is philosophical thought. While this may not seem like the most exciting thing for an action-packed video game,BioShockmanages to weave philosophy into its plot in a way that’s engaging and narratively interesting. It’s become a centerpiece of the franchise, and withBioShock 4in development, it will likely continue the trend of eachBioShockgame following a philosophical journey.
The firstBioShockgame started the franchise’s philosophical focus by relying heavily on the beliefs of Ayn Rand’s Objectivism. This philosophy supports the thought that a person’s own beliefs are the only ones that matter, and that individual rights are above all. It’s a somewhat selfish philosophy underneath all of the purported righteousness in a person’s own independence, and it was what motivated the firstBioShock’s antagonist, Andrew Ryan. Looking forward toBioShock 4, there’s a lot of other philosophies the game could tackle, and many of them could provide some truly thought-provoking experiences.
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BioShock 4 And Stoicism
The philosophy of Stoicism is based in accepting that the only thing a person can control is their own actions. If something doesn’t go a person’s way, there is no point in being upset about it, because there is nothing they can do to control it. It’s a sort-of “grin and bear it” philosophy that many people employ without really noticing it, and it could make its way intoBioShock4in more ways than one.
FollowingBioShock’s theme of dystopias, Stoicism could be highlighted by showing a society that has become so stoic that it allows evil to thrive. If everyone in the game only cares about their own actions, then it could motivate a malevolent force and/or the main antagonists to rise up, because it knows no one will bother to stop it.
BioShock 4 And Relativism
Relativism is a philosophy that is inherently tricky, but still serves as an intriguing school of thought. The core of this philosophy is that the perspectives of one person are relative to the perspectives of another, and that what is right or wrong to one group could be the exact opposite to another. This philosophy opens itself up to a number of moral conundrums and contradictions, which makes it a perfect candidate forthe world ofBioShock4.
One of the biggest story points of the firstBioShockwas the decision to save or harvest the Little Sisters, and the concept of what’s relatively good or bad is at the core of this decision making. IfBioShock 4really leaned into this for its main plot, it could take the trend of decision-based gaming and bring to a whole new level. It could also work really well withBioShock 4’s rumored RPG elements, making each player’s experience unique to their own relative idea of what’s good or bad.
BioShock 4 And Absurdism
Human existence is largely based in finding some value in life, but the philosophy of Absurdism refutes this by supporting the belief that there is no inherent meaning to the universe. No matter what a person does to find meaning or reassurance in their life, the universe will remain indifferent and unaffected. It creates a sense of existential dread in the person, and it’s this dread that could mesh very well withBioShock 4. Going back totheBioShockfranchise’s horror roots, it could use the dread of Absurdism against the player to make them feel like their actions are meaningless, injecting some unorthodox psychological horror into the game.
TheBioShockfranchise has always tried to get its fans thinking with its games, andBioShock 4has an excellent opportunity to continue that trend in a big way. Although it appears that the game is doing something very different bybringingBioShockinto the open-world genre, that doesn’t mean it has to forget its philosophical roots. It’s probably going to be quite some time until any major details about the game are revealed, so fans will just have to sit tight until more news onBioShock 4becomes available.
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