Summary
The originalBioShockremains an influential mix of first-person shooter and horror gameplay which spawned an entire franchise, but there were also several aspects of the ambitious title that never ended up making it to release. This cut content included elements which could have had major implications on future lore had they remained inBioShock, but have since been lost to time. Most of these elements are relatively similar to what ended up in the final product, but one enemy left on the cutting room floor was representative of a completely different vision for Rapture.
There are several cut enemies in the originalBioShock, many of which are documented in the Museum of Orphaned Concepts featured in later releases of the title. Others never quite made it past the conceptual stage, joining the likes ofBioShock Infinite’s Claw Daddy and Resurrector. An enemy type known as the Savant could have changed the tone of the series forever if they weren’t removed, as these were human brains in jars who apparently ran the entire city.
Savants Were a Bizarre and Important Part of the Early Vision for BioShock
The Result of Rapture’s Genetic Experiments
As detailed within an official behind-the-scenes documentary by director Ken Levine and other key developers at 2K, Savants were originally planned to be powerful people pulling the strings around the different areas ofBioShock’s city of Rapture. These would have been humans who were genetically modified to the extent that they could survive as a mere “brain in a jar” connected to technology, evoking similar imagery to howFuturama’s world comedically handled preserving public figures.
In the first drafts of the game, there was planned to have been a Savant who acted as the boss of each level. These people in power who went too far with genetic experimentation and completely lost their humanity have some clear ties tothe themes ofBioShock, but they were ultimately cut when the game’s entire scope was redefined during a troubling time in development that saw the team streamlining their original plan. The more distinct identities of the bosses of the game’s final version are more memorable than what is known of the Savants, but they had an even bigger issue that got in their way.
Disembodied Heads in Jars as Boss Fights Proved Unsatisfying
Bioshock’s Team Struggled to Make Savants Fit
When discussing why Savants didn’t make it into the final product, the developers stated that there was a fundamental issue in trying to design a compelling boss battle with an entity that can’t even move on its own. In a title that introduced a concept as novel and prolific asBioShock’s Big Daddy enemy, it makes sense that the more action-oriented ideas took priority in the end. While they still may have been possible through puzzle mechanics or utilizing minions to defend themselves, it might have been better for the future ofBioShock’s overall tone that Savants didn’t become a crucial part of Rapture.
Bioshock 2 Revisited the Savant Concept From Another Angle
Savants never materialized as they were described, but one encounter in the sequel managed to utilize several of the same ideas in what could have been a homage.BioShock 2’s Gilbert Alexanderis found mutated far beyond the limits of humanity and encased within a huge jar in Fontaine Futuristics, having succumbed to another persona known as Alex the Great. The player can choose to spare or kill Alexander after defeating all of his minions, hinting at how the Savant battles in the original game might have played out if they were included after all.
BioShock
WHERE TO PLAY
BioShock is a shooter unlike any you’ve ever played, loaded with weapons and tactics never seen. You’ll have a complete arsenal at your disposal from simple revolvers to grenade launchers and chemical throwers, but you’ll also be forced to genetically modify your DNA to create an even more deadly weapon: you. Injectable plasmids give you super human powers: blast electrical currents into water to electrocute multiple enemies, or freeze them solid and obliterate them with the swing of a wrench.No encounter ever plays out the same, and no two gamers will play the game the same way. Biologically modify your body: send fire storming from your fingertips and unleash a swarm of killer hornets hatched from the veins in your arms. Hack devices and systems, upgrade your weapons and craft new ammo variants. Turn everything into a weapon: the environment, your body, fire and water, and even your worst enemies. Explore an incredible and unique art deco world hidden deep under the ocean.
