Ken Levine first became known within the gaming industry after his involvement with the unique and immersive game known asSystem Shock 2, but his popularity really exploded after the release ofBioShockin 2007. Soon after, Levine became known as one of those rare developers and writers who was willing to take risks, crafting games with amazing worlds, engaging gameplay, and stories that had never been seen in games before.
His narrative-driven style captivated the hearts and minds of players all around the world, and withhis new gameJudasseemingly not too far off the horizon, it’s a perfect time to take a look at the very best games that Ken Levine has been involved with throughout the years. These are the titles that critics and players alike often agree are the greatest works that beloved developer Ken Levine had a hand in making.
While thehectic third-person shooter gameplayofTribes: Vengeanceisn’t anything too innovative or unique, the story is actually very deep and features some fairly complex themes concerning the nature of war, and how much of an effect it can have on future generations. The game centers on a bloody Tribal War which spans over the course of two generations, and while there’s plenty of action to keep the game engaging, there’s also a good mixture of more somber moments that allow the player to reflect on the conflict and its larger impact.
Ken Levine was the lead writer for this game, and it’s clear from the focused and intricate storytelling that he had a big hand in guiding the plot, which does a lot to help the game stand out from other third-person shooters which were saturating the market at the time.
Thief: The Dark Projectis an incredibly innovative game which, in many ways, was responsible for making stealth games seem like a legitimate genre within the industry.Thiefwas the very first game to ever use lighting as a core part of its gameplay, meaning that players were able to utilize dark rooms to avoid detection by enemies, and this was all thanks to the incredibly clever AI that had never been seen before.
Future stealth games likeHitmanandSplinter Cellwere virtually born out of the success ofThief: The Dark Project, and like most of the games Ken Levine has been a part of, it ended up becoming incredibly innovative for its time. Aside from the gameplay, a lot of fans also gravitated towards the setting, which was a mix between the Middle Ages and more of a modern industrial aesthetic which Ken Levine was responsible for planning and designing for the game.
3System Shock 2
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System Shock 2was the game that put Ken Levine on the map, with him directing both the story and dialogue, alongside many of the design choices which ended up taking a lot of inspiration from the cyberpunk aesthetic. At a time when people were still struggling to see video games as a legitimate art form,System Shock 2provided a long and very in-depth story that was full of intricate details and complex characters which convinced many non-gamers that this really was a unique form of storytelling.
Thelayered RPG mechanicsfeatured in the game had also rarely been seen before in such a narrative-heavy title, butSystem Shock 2managed to pull it off exceptionally well. Similar toBioShockwhich Levine would work on later, the game also had a purposefully creepy and unnerving aura and atmosphere that made it incredibly enticing and hard not to get immersed in.
After the immense critical claim of the originalBioShock, many fans were skeptical whether Ken Levine and Irrational Games could really make another game in the series which would be of the same quality, but thankfully,BioShock Infintewas far from a disappointment. The change from the underwater setting to a floating city in the sky provided a breath of fresh air alongside also opening the door for new characters and concepts, while still retaining a lot of the core mechanicssuch as the Vigors.
In classic Ken Levine fashion, the game also incorporates a lot of interesting themes and messages within its grand story, placing a specific focus on the societal issues that have appeared throughout the course of American history. While it’s clearly rooted in the real world, there are still plenty of more fantastical elements that keep the plot exciting, especially towards the end when the secret of Booker and Elizabeth’s relationship is revealed.
Often heralded as one of the greatest video games ever made,BioShockis a game that is very easy to jump into, but there are so many extra layers to it that have encouraged a plethora of fan discussions, even to this day. Rapture was an incredibly unique setting that was eerie, but also captivating, with the many audio recording scattered throughout the game providing small hints as to how this gigantic underwater city came to be, and how it eventually collapsed.
Pair this astonishing setting with some amazing enemy types,especially the terrifying Big Daddies, and the game becomes an epic thrill ride which is packed full of twists and turns that keep the amazing story interesting from start to finish. It’s clear that Ken Levine took a lot of what madeSystem Shock 2so beloved, and remodeled it for a new gaming generation withBioShock, and not only did this pay off, but it resulted in an experience that many fans will never forget.
