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[IbizaPocholo]

Bioshock came out way back in 2007 but it was incredibly ahead of its time in its portrayal of the game's main enemies - splicers.

Zoe Delahunty-Light dives into why their conception and execution is groundbreaking looking back, and how they could be considered woke in their depiction. From representing political issues that we recognise now, to mirroring issues found in the influencer and acting industry, the splicers found wandering the halls of Rapture are nuanced in a way we don't often get with videogame enemies.

What do you think? Was Bioshock ahead of its time? And just how much did those plaster splicers freak you out when you first played it?!

 

[PauloRoberto]

Forget about all the stupidity of this article... again, if the title is a question, whoever is writing wants the anwser to be YES but knows the answer is NO.

 

[Gonzito]

Euroretarded strikes again with another article

 

[VGA-Games]

Don't forget that Eurogamer is full of Activists instead of Journalists!!!

 

[Punished Miku]

Forget about all the stupidity of this article... again, if the title is a question, whoever is writing wants the anwser to be YES but knows the answer is NO.

The article isn't stupid. Bioshock is a criticism of Ayn Rand, and by extension, a lot of right wing ideology. People today would hardly tolerate it without being triggered for wokeness. I think it's an interesting point honestly. Demonstrates how over the top people obsessed with being anti-woke are; often the mirror image of the political obsession they claim to be against.

Bioshock is basically the same kind of corporate total power future that Outer Worlds is, with a darker tone. And we all saw how obsessed people were with dunking on Outer Worlds 2 for any kind of anti-capitalist/anti-corporate commentary. People would probably dunk on Total Recall today for criticizing Cohaagen, or Robocop for being a corporate parody.

 

[Danjin44]

If people considered it "woke" then people are fucking morons…..simple as that.

I'm sooooo sick of people calling every little thing "woke" it gone beyond stupid.

 

[Trilobit]

People mistake stuff being woke in the past. There has been representation and criticism against powerful people for a long time. But in the 10s and beginning of 20s it became weird and hateful towards anyone not deemd to be in the right oppressed group. No one minds chocolate balls, but if someone puts them in the freezer and shoots them at people with a slingshot then it starts to annoy people. Or when someone puts chocolateballs in your lasagna because they think it's vital for it to be there.

So no, I don't consider past stuff woke, because wokeness is authoritarianism disguised as compassion.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

If people considered it "woke" then people are fucking morons…..simple as that.

I'm sooooo sick of people calling every little thing "woke" it gone beyond stupid.

The vast majority of modern media made by big studios, be it games, films, or even books, have staff in place to ensure their products are woke enough.

Brilliant people who walk around telling designers to make the characters ugly girls and make them gay!

But before 2015 that wasn't prevalent yet.

 

[PauloRoberto]

The article isn't stupid. Bioshock is a criticism of Ayn Rand, and by extension, a lot of right wing ideology. People today would hardly tolerate it without being triggered for wokeness. I think it's an interesting point honestly. Demonstrates how over the top people obsessed with being anti-woke are; often the mirror image of the political obsession they claim to be against.

Bioshock is basically the same kind of corporate total power future that Outer Worlds is, with a darker tone. And we all saw how obsessed people were with dunking on Outer Worlds 2 for any kind of anti-capitalist/anti-corporate commentary. People would probably dunk on Total Recall today for criticizing Cohaagen, or Robocop for being a corporate parody.

I see that you were so eager to try to validate this stupid article taht you forgot to mention... BIoshock 2

 

[Punished Miku]

I see that you were so eager to try to validate this stupid article taht you forgot to mention... BIoshock 2

I only played the first Bioshock. If you want to discuss Bioshock 2, go for it.

Would be interesting to see the reaction to Bioshock Infinite today though. I'm sure that would be a shitshow.

 

[Guilty_AI]

"X thing has Y thing that Z also has. Thus X == Z"

 

[PauloRoberto]

I only played the first Bioshock. If you want to discuss Bioshock 2, go for it.

Would be interesting to see the reaction to Bioshock Infinite today though. I'm sure that would be a shitshow.

Now you pissed me off and made my remind of Bioshock Infinite... good lord, what a horrible game :-(

 

[PlayStaytion]

Are women masculinity still around these days? cause I don't see them.

 

[roosnam1980]

 

[Ceallach]

The concept of this article is fucking retarded. Why even validate it with a discussion.

 

[StereoVsn]

The article isn't stupid. Bioshock is a criticism of Ayn Rand, and by extension, a lot of right wing ideology. People today would hardly tolerate it without being triggered for wokeness. I think it's an interesting point honestly. Demonstrates how over the top people obsessed with being anti-woke are; often the mirror image of the political obsession they claim to be against.

Bioshock is basically the same kind of corporate total power future that Outer Worlds is, with a darker tone. And we all saw how obsessed people were with dunking on Outer Worlds 2 for any kind of anti-capitalist/anti-corporate commentary. People would probably dunk on Total Recall today for criticizing Cohaagen, or Robocop for being a corporate parody.

There is nothing wrong with criticizing the powerful and rich. But the difference is that first Bioshock does that intelligently and also has a great game built around it.

Outer Worlds (1&2) has badly written Marvel style Temu Whedon writing with terrible (and completely forgettable) characters, uninteresting story and mid game.

Hell, BG3 could be considered "woke" and yet a ton of people love it. There is a reason for that.

 

[deriks]

So they are looking for clickbaits

You know, some rare incel victories are battles that people didn't even fought

 

[Punished Miku]

There is nothing wrong with criticizing the powerful and rich. But the difference is that first Bioshock does that intelligently and also has a great game built around it.

Outer Worlds (1&2) has badly written Marvel style Temu Whedon writing with terrible (and completely forgettable) characters, uninteresting story and mid game.

Hell, BG3 could be considered "woke" and yet a ton of people love it. There is a reason for that.

This still is missing the point though honestly. I think everyone would agree that Bioshock 1 and Baldur's Gate 3 are better games than Outer Worlds 1. I think everyone would agree Outer Worlds 1 has some portions with bland, poorly written dialogue / story.

What I'm discussing is the reaction to Outer Worlds 2 and the constant mocking of even attempting to criticize the powerful and rich. It was definitely mocked for even attempting to do that. If you're actually claiming there is zero culture change on the anti-woke reactionary side since 2012 then I just disagree, completely. I've seen a ton of games attacked in this manner. It is true that if it turns out to be a masterpiece people usually shut up about it and play it anyway. That happens on both sides.

 

[StueyDuck]

Discussing this in a thread is giving them what they want.

Let them fade into obscurity before AI takes their menial mundane lives and jobs

 

[StereoVsn]

This still is missing the point though honestly. I think everyone would agree that Bioshock 1 and Baldur's Gate 3 are better games than Outer Worlds 1. I think everyone would agree Outer Worlds 1 has some portions with bland, poorly written dialogue / story.

What I'm discussing is the reaction to Outer Worlds 2 and the constant mocking of even attempting to criticize the powerful and rich. It was definitely mocked for even attempting to do that. If you're actually claiming there is zero culture change on the anti-woke reactionary side since 2012 then I just disagree, completely. I've seen a ton of games attacked in this manner. It is true, that if it turns out to be a masterpiece, people usually shut up about it and play it anyway. That happens on both sides.

The mocking is coming from the fact that Obsidian is owned and being paid by a $4 Trillion corporation.

Corporation that has been spending ungodly amount of money on AI and firing employees while making shitty products, mind you.

The game is still mid and still has the bad writing and characters. If the game was actually good and not merely "Good Enough for Gamepasa", the situation would be different.

 

[Punished Miku]

The mocking is coming from the fact that Obsidian is owned and being paid by a $4 Trillion corporation.

I disagree. That's really just the easiest method of insult. It's coming from a much broader culture shift.

 

[StereoVsn]

I disagree. That's really just the easiest method of insult. It's coming from a much broader culture shift.

You don't see the dissonance?

Again, all of that and even woke material would be excused (see BG3) if it was a good and well written game.

The game writing, dialogue, characters are what causing the pushback. And then you have a studio that is owned by a huge corporation that is not liked by anyone making snarky points against capitalism? Meh.

 

[Kacho]

"X thing has Y thing that Z also has. Thus X == Z"

Checkmate Chuds

 

[DKehoe]

 

[DaleinCalgary]

Somebody find a picture of the person that wrote that

 

[Clear]

Sorry guys, Bioshock was a dumb monster movie that was somehow hailed as offering critique of Randian objectivism by a critical establishment desperate to prove their political bona-fides.

Truly one of the worst cases of stage-dressing taken as meaningful subtext in the history of gaming.

 

[DirtInUrEye]

Omg the long march of these guys to somehow find continued relevancy is pitiful.