Summary
The 2010s were full of ambitious releases that were well-received but never really made it to the forefront of the industry, with 2010’sSingularitybeing a prime example. A first-person shooter spearheaded by Activision’s Raven Software, the game wowed a lot of players with its refined gameplay and mind-bending themes.
Unfortunately, at its time of release,Singularitystruggled to overcome the industry-wide attention of theBioShockfranchise, which released its second title in the same year asSingularity’s launch. Now, with theBioShockIP lying dormant for a decade, fans should consider revisitingSingularityto keep themselves occupied during the potentially long wait forBioShock 4.
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Singularity’s Great Take On the BioShock Formula
Despite being officially confirmed as in development, fans are having to come to terms with the fact thatBioShock 4is still a long way away. 2013’sBioShock Infiniteboldly moved away from the grungy aesthetic that the franchise previously employed, with many hoping for a return tothe dilapidated feel of Rapturein the IP’s upcoming installment.
Singularitywas clearly inspired by these themes of earlyBioShocktitles, and can easily give fans the kind of classic experience that they are hoping to see inBioShock 4.Singularitytakes place on a remote island once controlled by the Soviet Union, with the player taking control of a U.S. Marine investigating strange electromagnetic pulses that are emitting from the deserted location. The game even begins with a helicopter crash, having instant similarities with the famous plane crash opening of the firstBioShock.
A main gameplay element ofSingularityis the Time Manipulation Device, which the player can wield to move objects back or forward in time or to devastate the enemies that populate the island. This blends directly into the narrative ofSingularity, with the protagonist often shifting between the present day and the 1950s, and the player’s actions in the past directly impact how the island appears in the present.
Switching between the island and its facilities in their heyday versus how derelict they look in the present adds a great sense of unease toSingularity, much in the same way thatBioShock’s Rapture achieved the same feeling. This also allows for the same kind of implicit world-building thatBioShockdoes so well, with the Cold War-era version of the island having thesame feel as Rapture and Columbia’s early 20th Century aesthetic.
The player slowly learns to master the peculiar technology of the island as the game progresses, which is also comparableBioShock, with the imposing setting becoming tamed as the player descends further into the mystery. Raven Software did an excellent job at rivaling the environmental feeling andunique gameplay of theBioShockfranchisewithSingularity, with many fans usingSingularityas proof that Raven should be given its own, originalCall of Dutyproject in the near future.
Ironically,Singularityfaced a lot of criticism around the time of its release thanks to the clear inspiration it took fromBioShock, with players at the time accusing it of lacking originality. With that being said, it is these similarities that makeSingularitysuch a compelling title through a modern lens, with it being a perfect ode to the experiences that made this brand of game so popular in the 2010s. Ultimately, the clear nods thatSingularitymakes towardBioShockare done tastefully and in a constructive way, making it the perfect title to tide fans overbefore the release ofBioShock 4.
Singularityis available now on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
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