The case for and against a voice actor

Key recommendations

• A voiced protagonist in BioShock 4 could improve the game's storytelling and characterization.
• A voiced protagonist can take away from player immersion and impose limitations, conflicting with the series' tradition of silent protagonists.
• BioShock 4's choice between a vocal or silent protagonist could have a significant impact on gameplay and narrative depth.

Almost five years after the official confirmation of its development, BioShock 4 it's still mostly in limbo, with any information about it coming down to unconfirmed rumors and leaks. However, considering it's been over a decade since the last one was released BioShock game, BioShock Infinite, BioShock 4 could explore features that defy series tradition, including the possibility of introducing a voiced protagonist.

If BioShock 4 should feature a voiced protagonist, it wouldn't be the first game in the series to do so, as BioShock Infinite presented Booker DeWitt, in full voice. After BioShock and BioShock 2 both featured silent protagonists, it was a bit of a shock when Booker's voice first rang out in BioShock Infinite. Even so, it had its pros and cons, and now remains a pro and con argument BioShock 4 to follow suit.

The positives and negatives of BioShock 4 having a vocal protagonist

A voiced protagonist for BioShock 4 would improve the storytelling and characterization

On the positive side of things, a protagonist with a voice for BioShock 4 it would enhance the characterization of the protagonist as well as the narrative of the game. This is true for any game but a voiced protagonist BioShock 4 it could help develop a distinct personality for the character, making him feel like an integral part of the world and not just a player avatar. Additionally, while the player's emotions and reactions are important, a voiced protagonist for BioShock 4 it would allow these emotions to be transmitted through the character themselves and to the world and characters around them, thus adding depth to their relationships.

Since BioShock It was probably always about its story more than its gameplay, having a voiced protagonist BioShock 4 it could lead to a more cinematic storytelling experience where players are more or less witnesses to the story and not cogs driving the plot forward. A voiced protagonist would also allow BioShock 4 to have more detailed cutscenes that actually feature the protagonist from a third-person perspective, as opposed to intermittent first-person dialogue and event breaks.

This would make it more like the future of MachineGames
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
who uses a first-person perspective during gameplay and occasionally switches to third-person during cutscenes.

A voiced protagonist for BioShock 4 could diminish immersion and restrict player agency

Of course, having a protagonist with a voice BioShock 4 it wouldn't come without its drawbacks, the most prominent being a potential decrease in player immersion. First-person games are generally built specifically to immerse players in their worlds, giving them a more intimate connection with the protagonist—one where the line between player and character is significantly blurred. BioShock is a series that has benefited in the past from having a silent protagonist with its eerie and isolated atmospheres, but one that needs a silent protagonist that can amplify the sense of loneliness and introspection often present in each game's themes.

A protagonist with a voice in BioShock 4 it could also impose limitations on the freedom players feel they have in shaping their experience, as they would essentially be little more than the mastermind behind the protagonist rather than the heart and soul of the character. If the protagonist's personality or decisions conflict with their own playstyle or choices, players may feel a disconnect from immersion with the character that would likely not be possible again through the narrative itself.

BioShock
is a series that has benefited in the past from having a silent protagonist with its eerie and isolated atmospheres, but one that needs a silent protagonist that can amplify the sense of loneliness and introspection often present in each game's themes.

These arguments for and against a protagonist with a voice in BioShock 4 applies to almost any game, but the decision to present a voiced or silent protagonist in a BioShock game is perhaps even more important given the history of the series. However, it should BioShock 4 features a voiced protagonist, could benefit from the game's storytelling and characterization. If it sticks to tradition and features a silent protagonist, however, BioShock 4 it could strengthen the immersion and make the experience more personal for those who play it.