PREVIEW – The mastermind behind BioShock is working on a new project that, in many respects, invokes the ambiance of the iconic 2007 game. Ken Levine, the celebrated creator of the renowned franchise, is developing a game that captures the essence of the BioShock series while crafting an entirely new world. The announcement of Judas sparked considerable anticipation among fans eager to get their hands on it.

More than a decade after the release of the last BioShock game, and despite no official sequel announcement, fans of the franchise still have reasons to be excited. The upcoming shooter, Judas, possesses all the elements that made BioShock so unique, spearheaded by none other than Ken Levine, the legendary creator of the said franchise. First introduced at the 2022 Game Awards, Judas has since garnered significant interest. Here is everything worth knowing about the spiritual successor to BioShock from Levine’s studio, Ghost Story Games.

When and on What Platforms Will Judas Be Released?

As of now, there’s no official release date for Judas. The most recent information comes from a February 2023 statement by Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, to IGN, indicating plans to launch the game in March 2025. However, a year has passed since this announcement without fresh official updates from the developers, leaving the release date uncertain.

Regarding available platforms, Judas will be accessible on PC via the Epic Games Store and Steam, as well as on Xbox and PlayStation 5. There’s currently no information on a Nintendo Switch version, but if Judas indeed launches in 2025, it may also appear on the rumored successor to the Switch console.

The Story and Development of the Game

Judas unfolds on the Mayflower, a spaceship carrying the last survivors of humanity to Proxima Centauri. The ship is steered by three individuals with differing viewpoints: Tom, who aims to preserve humanity’s original state; Nefertiti, Tom’s Nobel Prize-winning wife, who seeks to transform humanity into perfect, flawless robots; and their adopted daughter Hope, who wishes to erase her own existence. In a society where computers decide who are model citizens and report on those who deviate from expected behavior, Judas, the game’s protagonist, manages to escape this control, sparking a revolution on the Mayflower.

Judas is the first project of Ghost Story Games, founded by Ken Levine following the closure of Irrational Games. The concept for the game emerged in 2014 when Levine discussed at the Game Developers Conference the type of “narrative LEGOs” they’d like to work with, aiming to create a highly replayable game with multiple outcomes. The following year, Levine announced the project as a first-person sci-fi game akin to the System Shock series, inspired by the Nemesis system from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Levine emphasized that the game would be more challenging than BioShock or BioShock Infinite. In early 2022, Bloomberg News reported that the game’s development faced difficulties, partly due to Levine’s working style, leading to staff burnout. Later that year, at The Game Awards 2022, the game debuted with a trailer, receiving positive reception.

Gameplay of Judas

From the short gameplay previews available, it’s evident that Judas is heavily inspired by the BioShock series, which is unsurprising given Levine’s involvement. The State of Play showcase revealed Judas to be a first-person action game incorporating characteristics synonymous with the BioShock games. The gameplay demonstrates the protagonist wielding weapons in the right hand while launching energy-based attacks similar to BioShock’s Plasmids with the left. Players are expected to find a balance between firearms combat and abilities that interact with the environment and enemies in novel ways as they explore and acquire them. If you enjoyed the BioShock series, you’ll likely appreciate the gameplay of Judas.

Levine shared via the PlayStation Blog that Judas’s story will be less linear, offering players more opportunities to shape the narrative. “We wanted to create an experience where these decisions and the unfolding story depend on you. As Judas, you’re the driving force behind every event in a story where you can meet – and alter – new characters in ways not previously seen in our games.”

It seems Ken Levine and the team at Ghost Story Games are working on elevating narrative-driven, first-person shooters to a new level while drawing from the inspiration and innovation of the BioShock series.

First Impressions from The Game Awards Chief

Geoff Keighley recently shared his thoughts and impressions on the highly anticipated game, Judas. Levine, the creator behind the BioShock series, has embarked on a new venture with his own studio, Ghost Story Games, following in the spiritual footsteps of his previous works. The studio allowed a select group of media, including Keighley, to test the game.

According to Keighley, the story of Judas is woven with deep mysteries and employs sci-fi elements more intensely than the BioShock games, reminding him of the System Shock series. Set within the grim corridors of the Mayflower spaceship, where inhabitants monitor and betray each other while machines oversee every area, Keighley noted that the game’s protagonist, Judas, incites a rebellion that completely transforms the system.

His report describes Judas as a first-person, story-driven shooter that might feel familiar to BioShock fans but also expands the genre with new elements. Players will have the opportunity to interact with the ship’s three leaders, and their decisions will shape the story’s outcome. Levine describes the narrative structure as “narrative LEGOs,” suggesting how players’ choices build upon each other throughout the adventure.

Keighley shared his initial impressions in a video, noting that the game is still under development, the adventure is non-linear, and it incorporates certain rogue-like elements. He emphasizes that the game includes all the features one would expect from the BioShock series, including special abilities, hacking, cinematic moments, compelling characters, and a rich story.

-Gergely Herpai (BadSector)-