BioShock 4’s Gunplay Might Want to Take Notes From Avowed

BioShock 4's Gunplay Might Want to Take Notes From Avowed

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can’t help but marvel at the potential synergy between BioShock 4 and Avowed’s combat systems. The idea of swapping between ranged, melee, and magical playstyles on the fly is music to my ears.


As BioShock 4 takes the cherished series into contemporary gaming, it’s crucial that it evolves and refines its fundamental mechanics while preserving its unique charm. In terms of combat, BioShock 4 holds a distinct advantage: the BioShock franchise has significantly shaped action-RPGs over the past decade and a half; however, there might be instances where the students can teach the teacher a thing or two.

Despite facing some debate, the game titled “Avowed” demonstrates significant potential and serves as a worthy successor to the engaging and diverse gameplay of “BioShock“. Similar to the “BioShock” series, “Avowed” enables players to tailor their combat style using an array of unique weapons and abilities. Dual-wielding is emphasized in this game, and players can effectively utilize a mix of melee weapons, firearms, and magic. The creative blending of these offensive and defensive options hints at numerous novel and exhilarating possibilities. While games like “BioShock 2” set the bar high for combat that focuses on synergy, “Avowed” introduces its own innovative elements that could potentially enhance future “BioShock” titles.

Avowed’s Loadout System Could Work Wonders in BioShock 4

Loadouts Give Avowed’s Combat Additional Depth and Variety

In a glance, the initial examination of Avowed‘s battle system highlights its focus on adaptability and exclusive weapon pairings, allowing players to simultaneous wield multiple melee weapons, firearms, and enchanted items such as wands. While this kind of dual-wielding and interchangeable equipment isn’t entirely new in the realm of action-RPGs, what sets Avowed apart is its loadout system: players can modify a few gear configurations and switch between them swiftly, enabling a player to use pistols at medium range before quickly changing to a heavy two-handed weapon when approaching an enemy.

This feature holds immense versatile potential. While each combat playstyle in Avowed – ranged, magic, and melee – may not be exceptionally unique on their own, the ability to freely switch between them allows players to devise unconventional strategies for battles. The range of possibilities for a mage-ranger or heavy-ranger character is significantly broader due to loadouts, and even if the implementation falls short, the concept should be explored in future games like BioShock 4.

A BioShock Game Could Make Great Use of Avowed’s Loadout System

In the likely scenario that BioShock 4 follows its earlier versions, players will have the opportunity to utilize a variety of spells, firearms, and possibly melee weapons. Integrating the loadout system from Avowed would enhance this, offering more versatility and consequently, a richer strategic experience during combat situations.

If BioShock 4 were to introduce a more complex weapon and magical system, enabling players to simultaneously use guns, melee weapons, and what BioShock 4 might term its form of quasi-magic powers (plasmids), it would be an exciting development. For example, players could initially employ dual-wielded status-affecting plasmids during enemy confrontations, trading the stopping power of guns for cumulative, ongoing damage, before switching to twin firearms for a more substantial short-term impact. Given the success of previous BioShock games in blending unique weapon-plasmid combinations, the possibilities offered by such adjustments are staggering.

If BioShock 4 doesn’t directly replicate the loadout mechanic of Avowed, it could still gain from incorporating some of its aspects. Instead of a direct copy, a traditional loadout system with certain enhancements could be beneficial, given that BioShock 4 might have a larger selection of weapons and powers. However, whether or not this would be advantageous depends on the direction in which BioShock 4 develops, as it could either make an Avowed-style loadout more potent or less so, depending on whether there are major changes to gameplay or progression.

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2024-09-16 02:04