A game’s opening moments are just like a book’s first few lines, if the player/reader isn’t hooked immediately, then their interest in the product is going to drop significantly, very quickly. The best video game developers know this, and attempt to make opening levels or narrative sequences memorable, and engaging. Bethesda’s way to hook the player is to give thema “stepping out” moment, where the player is first introduced to the world, usually in a flash of blinding light. While Bethesda’s openings are iconic, theBioShockseries gives them a run for their money.
TheBioShockgames are widely known for their compelling narratives, with deep, philosophical themes that are intertwined masterfully with sci-fi/fantasy elements. Introducing these complex themes is no easy task, butBioShockuses its grandiose settings to do much of the storytelling, and in turn, uses its “stepping out” moments to cement the games' themes, and tone immediately.
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BioShock’s ‘Stepping Out’ Moments Immediately Set the Tone
The firstBioShockwill forever be remembered for itsiconic “Would You Kindly” twist, its striking visual design, and for its opening level, which sets the stage for the rest of the game in such a perfect way, that even its direct sequel couldn’t replicate it. Following a mysterious plane crash, the player-character swims to a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean. Once inside, the player is immediately met with a looming statue of a man, holding a large banner exclaiming “No Gods or Kings. Only Man.”
Descending the lighthouse’s stairs will take the player to the Bathysphere. Taking a seat inside, the Bathysphere descends, and the player is shown a short projected video, with a man named Andrew Ryan describing his dream for a utopia in whichpeople can live free from any governments or religion.
As his speech comes to a dramatic finish, the projector screen lifts, andRapture is unveiled for the first time; a gigantic underwater city, with neon lights dotted around the retro-futuristic art-deco buildings and connecting tunnels. Rapture is beautiful, but something doesn’t feel quite right, and the tone and the themes of the game are immediately set.
The use of music and voiceover inBioShock’s opening gives it the edge over some Bethesda titles as the game quickly conveys the entire setting, premise, and themes of the game, all within just a minute-long sequence. Andrew Ryan’s optimistic voiceover juxtaposes the grand but foreboding music that’s playing, giving players an immediate sense of unease. This moment also summarizes the game’s core theme, thatRyan’s strive for unlimited freedom only led to greed and depravity. The city of Rapture may seem like a paradise on the surface, with its lavish architecture and fantastical setting, but the player is going to quickly find out what Rapture is truly like.
This masterful use of music is also present inBioShock Infinite’s “stepping out” moment, which sees the player-character fly into the clouds, giving them their first glimpse at Columbia,another city that looks idyllic on the outside, but harbors some dark secrets. Once again, as players are shown the otherwise beautiful location, with the natural lighting making the city look dream-like, the music that can be heard isn’t triumphant, it’s somewhat melancholy, and eerie.
Upon landing in Columbia, players exit out into a church, with the game using environmental storytelling to recount the tale of the man who is said to have brought salvation to the world through his creation of the floating city in the clouds. As the player makes their way through the chapel, more foreboding music can be heard, and aftera brief flashback sequenceand baptism, the player gets another “stepping out” moment, opening a set of doors that unveil Columbia up close.
This sequence (a brief elevator ride) uses music, lighting, and the game’s striking visuals to really cement the game’s unnerving tone. Just as the first game did, players are being shown a retro-futuristic paradise, but the visuals don’t match the score, and Columbia’s seemingly idyllic foundations don’t matchits psychotic, fanatical society.
