Ken Levine says his next game may look like his 2007 classic on the surface, but in feel and design, it’s heading in a very different direction. With Judas approaching release, the studio has started sharing more concrete details.

The launch of Judas seems closer than ever. Three years after it was first revealed, Ghost Story Games founder Ken Levine has reappeared in the spotlight, releasing the first developer diary in September and promising more frequent communication. Expectations are sky-high, as the game looks like it could be another BioShock.

In the video below, Levine explains that Judas has far more going for it than plasmids and a wrench. “Some parts of Judas are similar to BioShock, but other parts are radically different. I’m sure people will notice that there’s a gun in one hand and powers in the other. We also have an additional hacking feature that we haven’t really shown yet. But the way the game plays, how the world is built, how encounters happen, and how you make choices between relationships — that’s something entirely new for us. The way the world is decorated, how events unfold, and especially how the story is told are all radically different. Honestly, it’s probably the biggest departure we’ve made since BioShock. In some ways, it’s an even bigger leap than BioShock was from System Shock 2.”

He added that System Shock 2 was hardcore, BioShock leaned more on world-building, and BioShock Infinite was focused on accessibility. In his view, Judas sits somewhere between System Shock 2 and BioShock in terms of depth. Levine admitted that BioShock Infinite felt a bit shallow when it came to player agency, but Judas is designed around complex relationships between characters, allowing players to manipulate and pit them against each other in meaningful ways.

Players take on the role of Judas aboard the Mayflower, a massive ship carrying humanity’s last survivors. The fate of everyone aboard ties into three major characters — you can befriend them, spend time with them, or push them away. One will likely emerge as the antagonist, depending on the choices you make throughout the story. There’s still no official release date, but with Levine now openly giving interviews and releasing developer diaries, it’s likely not far off.

Levine promised an almost old-school experience: “You buy the game, and you get the whole thing. No online component, no live service.”

Source: PCGamer