Video Games
Fourth ‘BioShock’ Game “Ramping Up” Production, According to Developer
The wait for the fourth BioShock game has been agonizingly slow, but it appears that things are about to pick up. Per Gamesradar, 2K Cloud Chamber senior cinematic designer Jeff Spoonhower recently took to LinkedIn to announce that production on the BioShock project was ramping up, with “many positions open across a variety of disciplines” available.
The last that we heard regarding this long-awaited fourth entry in the series was last year, where a Cloud Chamber Senior Concept Artist had posted to their ArtStation that the fourth BioShock game would be coming in 2028. Even before that, the rumour going around was that the game would be released in 2022 (which it obviously never did).
We still don’t know a heck of a lot about this next BioShock game, codenamed “Parkside”, which has had rumours flying around for years, from it being open world and taking place in a 1960s Antarctic city called Borealis. Updates have been quiet since then, with fears that the game was in development hell.
Admittedly, this is still not much to go on, but the news that Cloud Chamber is looking to hire people for the project indicates that things are moving forward. Whether we see a teaser or official announcement later this year remains to be seen, but you never know.
With only a few days to go before WildSphere’s Escape From Umbra launches on PC and console on July 10, the devs have released an updated demo to Steam and GOG to woo potential players. The new 10-15 minute demo allows players to get their first look at the game’s story, while also offering a glimpse into the core mechanics of the full game.
Furthermore, Xbox players can now pre-order the game, where early supporters can take advantage of a 10% limited-time discount until July 9th. Nintendo Switch, Steam, and GOG launches will be accompanied by a discount upon launch.
Escape From Umbra transports players to a labyrinthine town inspired by the mountain villages in Las Alpujarras. Their iconic narrow streets and white facades have been invaded by dark roots and a dense, oppressive fog. Following the trail of enigmatic black cats, players will freely explore every corner of the town to find the way to escape from the nightmare where Umbra has locked them up.
Eschewing artificial inventories or floating backpacks, the game opts for a true “escape room” format. Players must investigate the environment, manipulate objects, and figure out how to use them within the 3D space to escape each area. To do so, they will rely on a mysterious magic book, deciphering its logic-based clues to solve every puzzle and challenge.
However, the town is governed by shadow creatures that watch for any presence to summon the mistress of darkness. Players will carry a unique flashlight capable of condensing energy and unleashing powerful bursts of light, which allow them to defend themselves against specters and reveal secrets hidden by magic.
Additionally, controller vibration becomes a living gameplay mechanic: there are no on-screen indicators; the character’s heartbeat is transmitted directly to the player’s hands, accelerating chaotically as the only radar for imminent danger.