Summary
Judasis the forthcoming title from creator Ken Levine’s new studio, Ghost Story Games. Levine is well-known for his work on theBioShockseries, which put the franchise in the limelight and on the listing of some of the best games made. After producing the third entry, 2013’sBioShock: Infinite,Levine formed Ghost Story and announced his next vision,Judas,in 2022. Meanwhile, the officialBioShock 4has been in development by Cloud Chamber since 2019, but has revealed less thanJudasso far.
Both have a kind of weight on their shoulders in similar regards given their respective pedigrees.Judaslooks to channel some of the angles andthemes explored inBioShockso far, but with a greater emphasis on player agency and other departures fromBioShock. However, its distance from the actual IP may mean thatJudaswill have to work a bit harder to separate itself fromBioShock 4’s shadow, and entice players more via its gameplay innovations.
Judas' release windowhas been stated to be by March 2025 at present.
Judas' Gameplay Might Need to Impress More Than BioShock 4 in Order to Stand Out
BioShock 4 Already Has One Clear Advantage Over Judas
Thewait forBioShock 4has stretched to nearly 5 years with no set date in sight and many indicators that it is far from finished. While there is still little information about whatBioShock 4is shaping up to be like, or any series traditions it may be sticking to or breaking from, its history and a generally wider name recognition gives it an edge, at least in terms of visibility.BioShockhas built up a legacy that is buoyed by a large amount of goodwill and acclaim, and even thoughBS4isn’t being worked on by many of those involved in the original, its reputation and broader profile compared toJudaswill likely give it a headstart in terms of hype and interest.
How Judas' Design Could Leverage Itself Above BioShock 4
Elements shown in preview material so far do highlighthowJudasaims to be distinct fromBioShock 4, and build upon various ideas and mechanics seen previously while also diverging from others. Even so, it is likely to retain at least some ofBioShock’s core, which may work in its favor for familiarity or risk appearing too similar. One key difference is thatJudas' roguelike approach combined with the branching story paths will probably lend it a greater replayability factor, especially ifBioShock 4keeps to a single-story linear path.
Judas' story frameworkwill be another way that it seeks to innovate and integrate more directly into its gameplay, and perhaps leaning into immersive sim aspects to give fans more freedom to experiment with the world and its reactivity could be what helps it in this area. The roguelike and “narrative LEGO” designs that Levine has focused on inJudaswill also be one of its distinguishing factors, asBioShock 4is thought to be either following the linear design of its predecessors, or possibly going fully open-world.
In either case, comparisons between them are likely to be inevitable. HowJudaschanges expectations regarding how closely, or not, it feels to aBioShock-like experience will, in part, be determined by how unique its mechanics and world are when set againstBioShock. For example,BioShock 4andJudas' settingsare quite different from what can be gathered. A persistent rumor based on leaked information points to the former being possibly set in 1960s-era Antarctica, whileJudasis known to take place in the future on a spaceship called The Mayflower. Given that, and its stated goals of experimenting with the above, it might need to emphasize and execute on them to a higher level to compete withBioShock’s more established brand and style.
Judas
WHERE TO PLAY
Judas is a sci-fi first-person shooter game made by BioShock creator Ken Levine that’s set on a massive spaceship called the Mayflower.
