In 2007, BioShock rocked the gaming world with its fascinating blend of the FPS and horror genres. FPS horror games aren’t exactly a new concept, of course. However, nothing else felt as claustrophobic and action-packed as running and fighting your way through Rapture and Columbia. If that sounds like your idea of a great game, then get ready for Judas.
One look at the trailer, and you can tell that Judas is heavily influenced by the world of BioShock. From the animations to the art to the gameplay. Why is that, and what else can you expect? Here’s everything you should know about Judas.
When Is Judas Coming Out?
Judas was first announced during The Game Awards 2022 followed by a press release on the developer’s main website, which included a short synopsis Unfortunately, what it didn’t include was a release date. However, the release window for Judas might be between now and March 2026, and there is evidence to support this.
You can take a look at Take-Two Interactive’s latest investor presentation. In slide 29, you’ll see a list of upcoming games they have planned for fiscal years 2024-2026. They have 52 games planned, and among those is Judas. The end of Take-Two Interactive’s fiscal year is at the end of March, which means Judas should release before that.
Take this with a grain of salt though, because the investor presentation they released in February 2023 presented something else. There, they still have Judas listed as one of their upcoming games. However, this time, the list is for games within the fiscal years 2023-2025. Who knows how far they’ll push the dates back in future presentations?
What Is Judas About?
Judas is an FPS game made by the same people who made BioShock. That’s not where the similarities end. The plot and gameplay of Judas have some striking similarities to BioShock.
You play as a woman named Judas stranded in a disintegrating starship. The good news is that you’re not alone on the ship. The bad news is that everyone else hates you. If you want to survive and escape, you’ll have to form shaky alliances with some of them.
The game has been stuck in development hell for some time now. The developers may have made Judas public in 2022, but they’ve already been tinkering on its concept since 2014. Ken Levine mentions this in the Game Developers Conference 2014. By 2015, they’ve already had “Very rudimentary gameplay” going.
With all that time, they’ve barely revealed any specific features and plot points apart from the synopsis and trailer. So, until more news surfaces, it’s hard to get any more specifics about the plot.
As for the gameplay, much like BioShock, Judas’ combat will involve a mix of traditional firearms and what appears to be either magic or sci-fi technology. Your right-hand holds and fires guns, while your left-hand controls fire, electricity, and probably more.
Which Platforms Will Judas Launch On?
Judas will be launching on the PS5, Xbox Series X & S, and PC through Epic Games and Steam. Bad news for players whose main consoles are the PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch. If you’re looking forward to Judas and you only own those consoles, you might want to get an upgrade.
This is just upon release though. If Judas is received well enough, it could get ported to older consoles. Admittedly, that could take years after release, if it’ll even happen at all.
Also, the publisher has yet to release a price for the game on any of the platforms. So, you’ll still have to wait if you plan on pre-ordering.
Who Is Developing Judas?
As mentioned above, Judas is being developed by the same company that made BioShock, Ghost Story Games. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, that’s because it’s undergone a rebranding. And the thing is, it’s not even the first time it’s been rebranded.
Ghost Story Games started out as Irrational Games in 1997. It was then purchased and turned into a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive in 2006. It was renamed to 2K Boston in 2007. In 2010, Take-Two Interactive changed 2K Boston’s name back to Irrational Games. It was during these periods that it made its most successful franchise: BioShock. It’s why 2K Boston and Irrational Games are probably the names most people would recognize.
2K Boston/Irrational Games housed the minds behind BioShock 1 and Infinite. BioShock 2 was made by 2K Marin, another subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive.
In 2017, they changed their name to Ghost Story Games. Despite the name change, it is still a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, and Ken Levine is still the president and creative director of the company.
Judas is actually Ghost Story Games’ first release after the rebranding. If it becomes a huge success, you can expect more games like this on the horizon. Maybe even a sequel or two.
Aside from BioShock, other games that came from Ghost Story Games’ predecessors are System Shock 2, Freedom Force, Tribes: Vengeance, and SWAT 4.
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