This was also another microtheme I did which pertained to art and gaming. I decided to write on the extraordinary game BioShock, and since BioShock 2 is already out and deals with the same environment, I felt this would be a nice article to describe the world of Rapture! Also, since this game was so impressive, it deserves to be the first to fall under the category of Hall Of Fame!
“I’m Andrew Ryan and I’m here to ask you a question:
Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his own brow?
No, says the man in Washington. It belongs to the poor.
No, says the man in the Vatican. It belongs to God.
No, says the man in Moscow. It belongs to everyone.
I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something different.
I chose the impossible. I chose...
RAPTURE.
A city where the artist would not fear the censor.
Where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality.
Where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality.
Where the great would not be constrained by the small.
And with the sweat of your brow,
Rapture can become your city as well” (BioShock). BioShock’s creative storyline would simply not have thrived if it lacked the aesthetic and artistic endeavours it so thoroughly followed through on. The game creates a fusion between the past and future. With this fusion of a reminiscent Art Deco style upon an entire underwater city, the result is an awe inspired atmosphere. The use of this combination is becoming more heavily predominant in games; where the storyline cannot simply stand alone.
It is inherently known that homage is being paid to the past (what is known and renowned, rather than attempting to create a new future setting with potential failure). In the case of BioShock, a nod is being directed towards the Art Deco movement. The Art Deco style was based on mathematical and geometric shapes and is known for being an electric form of elegance, efficiency, modernism and lavishness. It was also well known for using multiple styles, motifs (such as repeated images, symbols or themes), and having a very ornate approach.
The Art Deco Style in BioShock crafts such an immersive environment, which is easily overwhelming at first sight. The artistic realm of the game nearly supersedes that of the gameplay. Some players (non-gamers in essence) may truly attempt to just walk through this game to experience the magnificent feats that have been accomplished with game-world environment and atmosphere created, but this tour will soon be impeded by the survival-horror element of the game (which truly requires skill and combination to survive). Such is seen with the introductions of the Big Daddy (essentially the protectors of the Little Sisters), as well as the limited weaponry available (Tavinor 97). Figure 1 truly shows a great comparison between the Art Deco style and the survival-horror genre. The ornate and impressive architecture truly emerges throughout the entirety of the game, as seen with the archways and flying buttresses, the themed and notable lights, and the constant representation of neon lights and fonts, mixing all styles into one (B. Jenkins 26). Then with the overt use of light and dark combined with shadows, its eerie nature, and the fear of the unknown all lead to horror and gothic elements which contribute greatly to the atmosphere and creates a new mood to this once utopian society (causing the game to truly become a survival-horror).
(Figure 1, BioShock)
This is where the interaction between the high or fine art represents that of the utopian ideals, where as the “playing God” scenario and disrupting morality turns this once potential society, into a dystopian mayhem. These questions of morality are then passed onto the character Jack (and essentially you, the one controlling Jack), and the decision of harvesting the Little Sisters, will affect the entire outcome of all of humanity, and not just Rapture. Also, a pertinent character to the story is Dr. Steinman. He is essentially the Art Deco movement brought to reality in Rapture, mainly due to ADAM. Dr. Steinman is driven insane by the pursuit of aesthetic perfection: he views his plastic surgeries as art, and since Rapture is "perfect," he must also strive for perfection. Quotes like, "ADAM denies us any excuse for not being beautiful," shows the importance placed on aesthetic perfection, and interconnecting interpretations of art and science (BioShock). This can also be linked back to the opening quote from Ryan saying Rapture is, “A city where the artist would not fear the censor” (BioShock). Dr. Steinman is the twisted artist that helps assemble the dystopia that Rapture becomes.
Lastly, with comparing figure 2 and figure 3, it is just merely a similarity that the entire game is based around and relies on the portrayal of art and the potentiality that there is a new world out there for discovery. Simply bringing art and video games together, places the notion of what is considered to be a “good” game at a new and higher level.
(Figure 2, BioShock)
(Figure 3, Art Deco Cityscape)
Works Cited
BioShock, 2K Games. August 21, 2007.
Jenkins, Barbara. This is Not an Art Book. (2009): 1-180.
Jenkins, Henry, and Kurt Squire. “The Art of Contested Spaces.”
Schmeink, Lars. "Dystopia, Alternate History and the Posthuman in BioShock." COPAS: Current Objectives of Postgraduate American Studies 10 (2009): (no pagination). Web.
Tavinor, Grant. "BioShock and the Art of Rapture." Philosophy and Literature 33.1 (2009): 91-106. Web.
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