Newly-released docs explain the BioShock that nearly was

"Things grow inside you.
We’re part of you now, you think you hear them say.
You step away from the med bench. The diagnostics screen presents a revolting before and after. On the left side, the before side, you see yourself. What you were. Human.
ꦏ And on the right side... what you are. What you’ve become. The only way you’ll survive. The only way you’ll-"

Thus begins the 2002 pitch document for Irrational Games' original vision for BioShock, the first 10 pages of which the company has just released on. How different is it from the BioShock we eventually got? Quite a lot. There's a different protagonist, a different story, a different♏ setting, extra gameplay mechanics, and although the splicing remains, it sounds absolurly bloody horrific. Want to know more about the BioShock you could have played? Read on.

Above: This guy = Not in it

  • BioShock was originally set in 2007 rather than 1960. And instead of Jack, you would have played Carlos Cuello, a 'deprogrammer' tasked with rescuing a rich heiress from an island-based religious cult. The cult, naturally, had access to extreme bioengineering technology throughout its vast underground - and undersea - base.
  • The original BioShock's genetic upgrades came not from Adam, but from splicing the DNA of sealife. Different creatures would give you different abilities, and several of BioShock's eventual plasmid properties can be traced back to these original designs. For example, jellyfish DNA would have turned your flesh gelatinous and made you able to hide transparently in the shadows, as well as giving you a poisonous touch. Electric Eel DNA would provide biological lightning attacks.
  • The splicing process sounded far more horrific and dehumanising. Check out the opening text from the pitch doc:

    You tense and feel unfamiliar chemicals moving within you, unfamiliar muscles tightening, unfamiliar organs working. Your new body comes to life without your consent. Chitinous plates slide over your torso, your groin. Bulbous stalks breach your forehead like knitting needles, releasing a salty green liquid that stings what were once your eyes.


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Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.