Rapture’s decaying beauty made BioShock one of the most beloved franchises in gaming ever since its first instalment released in 2007. When it initially came out, the video gaming world was completely different compared to now. With its first-person shooter gameplay, a number of jumpscare scenes, and beautifully designed horror aesthetics, the question now arises, what genre does it belong to?
Should Bioshock be considered a horror game? While its unsettling atmosphere sends tingles down your spine, is that scary enough to be called a horror game? Let’s discuss this and more further below.
Is BioShock a Horror Game?
BioShock undoubtedly has a number of horror elements. Splicers, the city’s mutated inhabitants, lurking in the shadows, with limited ammo and health can make you feel uncomfortable for sure.
Some find the early game genuinely frightening, while others view it as more atmospheric suspense. This difference in perception often boils down to personal experience within the game. The story itself delves into disturbing themes. ADAM fuels Plasmids, granting superhuman abilities, but at a cost.
Little Sisters, orphaned girls who gather ADAM, are both pitiable and dangerous. The desperate choices that you face – harvest them for a quick, meagre ADAM boost or save them for a significantly larger ADAM reward and access to valuable upgrades and badges just support the city’s moral decay.
The looming threat of a Splicer ambush, the desperate cries of a Little Sister, and the unsettling whispers echoing through Rapture’s flooded corridors – all build a tense atmosphere.
Too Powerful?
However, BioShock struggles to maintain pure horror. Gameplay mechanics like Hypnotize Big Daddy eventually turn these intimidating foes into temporary allies. As you progress through the story you will become more powerful, and at some point erasing the survival mode.
Imagine if ADAM remained scarce, forcing agonizing choices about plasmid use. Perhaps ADAM-dispensing machines were limited, creating constant tension around resource management. The Hypnotize Big Daddy plasmid could be removed entirely, forcing you to confront these terrifying creatures head-on or avoid them altogether. Maybe this would have made the complete campaign unplayable, but it would certainly build upon the everlasting presence of the horror elements.
Failed Utopia Represents a Constant Horror
Despite everything, BioShock’s haunting phrase, ‘Would You Kindly’, holds a dark secret. You are unknowingly conditioned to obey commands and spend a great portion of the game unknowingly acting as Andrew Ryan’s puppet, eliminating anyone who threatens his power. This makes you a true antagonist of the game until you realize the true story and ultimately break free and carve your own path.
While BioShock might not be a traditional horror game in the strictest sense, there’s no denying the horrific core of Rapture itself. The decaying utopia serves as a constant reminder of humanity’s capacity for destruction. The Splicers and their addiction to ADAM, the disturbing audio logs paint a chilling portrait of a society ravaged by its own descent into madness.
This eerie atmosphere lingers throughout the game, even as Jack becomes more powerful. BioShock offers a unique blend of horror and first-person action shooter, in a city where beauty crumbles, leaving a lasting impression long after the credits roll.