BioShock is beloved for many reasons, from its shooter elements to the oddly beautiful city of Rapture itself. If you’re after more thrilling single-player experiences like this, would you kindly check out my top 10 games like BioShock?
As BioShock 2 and Infinite are obvious places to get your fix, I’ve not included them in this list. Still, if you haven’t played them, you owe it to yourself to change that. While I don’t think the sequels quite captured the original’s magic, they are still master-crafted single-player experiences with a stunning amount of replay value.
10. We Happy Few
If your favorite parts of the BioShock titles are the environments and world-building, We Happy Few may be right up your alley. The denizens of We Happy Few are addicted to a drug called Joy, which keeps them in a permanent state of euphoric happiness.
We Happy Few offers several stories played through the eyes of different people who have denounced the drug. These playable characters have different strengths and showcase several playstyles.
The standout for me is the world itself. This twisted alternate take on 1960s England is a fever dream, so if the eclectic underwater city of Rapture drew you in, you might find a similar feeling here in Wellington Wells.
9. System Shock 2
I wanted to get this low-hanging fruit out of the way early as it’s uniquely positioned. BioShock is a spiritual successor to System Shock 2, with obvious similarities throughout the entire game.
In fact, BioShock’s creative director, Ken Levine, even worked on System Shock 2, so it’s not hard to find parallels between the titles. System Shock 2 leans more heavily toward sci-fi horror, but there are RPG elements. The title also does a great job of capturing that ominous feeling of isolation you experience in BioShock.
System Shock 2 shows its age a little, as it was made in 1999. If you can look past the primitive graphics, it’s a real treat to see the origins of BioShock in action.
8. Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 is a legendary first-person shooter, and it’s not hard to see why fans have been clamoring for a sequel for almost 2 decades.
While pretty different from BioShock aesthetically, there are enough similarities in the gameplay to recommend it. Half-Life 2 offers a fantastic single-player campaign where you play as former scientist Gordon Freeman.
Gordon doesn’t have fancy powers, but he does have the Gravity Gun. Combined with Half-Life 2’s stellar physics system, this weapon feels like several of BioShock’s Plasmids rolled into one. Seriously, you can do anything with this weapon, from stacking boxes to throwing objects at your enemies.
Gunplay is solid, and while Gordon does have friends, there are plenty of sections where you feel isolated and alone.
7. Dead Space (remake)
If you’re open to a sprinkle of sci-fi horror in your games, you can’t go wrong with Dead Space. You play Isaac Clarke in his effort to survive the aftermath of a space-mining operation gone bad.
Like BioShock, Dead Space is a story-driven shooter with a great upgrade system and iconic weapons. We’ve traded Splicers for Necromorphs, and these monstrosities are pure nightmare fuel.
Dead Space received a superb remake in 2023, boasting significant graphics and audio improvements. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s the best way to enjoy this terrifying classic.
6. Control
Control offers plenty of BioShock vibes and is a 3rd person adventure game. You play as Jesse Faden, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Control. As one of this title’s biggest strengths is its story, I don’t want to spoil it, but Control’s eclectic cast is a huge selling point.
Jesse has psychic powers, and Remedy Entertainment knocked it out of the park, making them feel incredibly satisfying to use. Throwing chunks of scenery at your opponents never gets old, and the gunplay is solid.
Control never fully reveals its hand, and the environments that constantly morph and change are always full of surprises, even multiple hours in. If you don’t mind a more story-driven experience and the 3rd person view, there’s a lot to love in Control.
5. Prey (2017)
If you mixed BioShock with a generous serving of Dead Space, the result would probably look like Prey. In many ways, this title feels like BioShock in Space and offers a lengthy story-driven campaign.
If you enjoy Plasmids in BioShock, you’ll find a similar system in Prey with Neuromods offering a slew of supernatural abilities. Weapons are your typical Sci-Fi affair, but switching between guns and powers keeps combat interesting.
Prey leans into sci-fi horror and assaults the Player with a barrage of jump scares. Without delving into spoilers, I found these got a little tiresome. Still, the eeriness of space makes for a perfect backdrop to this solid single-player experience.
4. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Any of the Deus Ex games could have made the list, but Mankind Divided is the newest and a great introduction to the series. People have fully embraced augmentations in the grim future of Deus Ex.
You play as Adam Jensen, an experienced covert operator. Augments feature heavily in gameplay and feel similar to Plasmids, offering multiple ways to approach combat.
While Adam is more equipped to deal with his surroundings than you are in BioShock, the extensive upgrades and gunplay make the titles feel similar. There are even a few ‘not so subtle’ nods to System Shock, proving those similarities are intentional.
3. Singularity
Singularity may be up your alley if you don’t mind your first-person shooter experience with a dose of time travel. This game looks quite dated these days, but the visuals are well worth slogging through.
It’s been a while since I played Singularity, but any BioShock fan will love the Time Manipulation powers. These abilities can do everything from slowing down opponents to making them rapidly age and perish in front of you. It’s pretty grim if you think about it!
These powers tie in nicely with Singularity’s environmental puzzles. Fear not if you’re like me and are awful at puzzle-solving, as they are mostly straightforward.
Out of every title on this list, Singularity is one you may not have heard of, and if you’re looking for something to scratch that BioShock itch, I highly recommend it. If you’re on Steam, just keep in mind that there are several titles called Singularity, but this is the only one made by Raven Software.
2. Atomic Heart
If you asked me to pick a game that most felt like a ‘love letter’ to BioShock, it’s Atomic Heart, without question. Atomic Heart is set in an alternative reality where Soviet aesthetics meet sci-fi technology.
As a BioShock fan, you’ll find a lot to love. Weapons are old-school but with steampunk, futuristic modifications. There’s even an abilities system that feels eerily similar to Plasmids. While Atomic Heart wears its BioShock roots on its sleeve, it does plenty to stand out on its own.
Atomic Heart has arguably the most gorgeous visuals on this list, as it’s a current-gen title.
1. Dishonored
Arkane Studio is most well-known for its legendary Dishonored games. While I recommend playing the original, if you fall in love with it, Dishonored 2 offers a superb continuation of the story. In Dishonored, you play as Corvo, condemned of a murder he didn’t commit. Set in the sprawling Steampunk City of Dunwall, Corvo must rely on stealth and all manner of nifty abilities and gadgetry to survive.
Dishonored’s reliance on stealth does make it feel quite different from BioShock, but there’s a robust upgrade system, a simple but solid narrative, and a ton of replay value. Dunwall is a decent alternative to Rapture, and the Steampunk aesthetic makes the City stand out.
Arkane crafted a masterpiece in Dishonored, and if you’re looking for a world to suck you in like Rapture, I can’t think of a better game to do it with.
Those are my picks for the best games like BioShock. While some have undeniable similarities, others are only linked by aesthetic or gameplay components. If you ask me, the industry needs more bold single-player adventures like BioShock. Until that happens, we need to think outside the box to get our fix. Now, would you kindly check out our choices for the 10 best games like Assassin’s Creed?
