Bioshock Analysis (Ep.2): No Gods Or Kings, Only Man | State Of The Arc Podcast

[@giovlms]

I'm absolutely LOVING this "book club" style game analysis. Never saw anything like it on KZbin on such level of quality, depth and polish! Been following and playing together since Xenogears, and it has been giving me a whole new lease on replaying these gems and understanding their philosophical/scientific/academic richness. Keep it up guys!

[@chrisramirez9696]

I started with xenogears too!

[@shakaj1525]

Wanna start Xenogears as well never played it, hopefully soon tho.

[@TheSpectacledOwl]

I love that we’re covering more than just JRPGs or Japanese games.

[@agroed]

After playing BioShock and Spec Ops: The Line you never look at playing games the same way again. So glad they decided to cover this game.

[@grahamwade5932]

Mgs, ffx silent Hill 2 , they've been going through some of my absolute favourites the last year or so and I couldn't be more pleased everytime I see a video pop up.

[@michs7451]

Spec Ops The Line has appeared on quite a few Patreon polls; hopefully it wins one day!

[@kingofthesharks]

Love watching Casen unwrap(ture) these games at a faster rate than any developer would've expected, but in a way that undoubtedly flatters the intentional artistry in every scene.

[@KILLERAOC]

In my Roller Coaster Tycoon parks ALL bathrooms require at least .$0.50 to $1.00 to use! Way ahead of Rapture on pricing!

[@grahamwade5932]

No Gods or Kings. Only Tycoons

[@silenthillfreak156]

I could never do such a thing. lol! You are savage!

[@victorholmes7075]

Instantly thought of Roller Coaster Tycoon when they brought up bathrooms

[@Gollvieg]

Truly, you are a monster worthy of being clubbed in the head.

[@ryanallen6325]

Free food. $5 bathroom entry

[@derrickpanciera5644]

18:53 one of my favorite rants of Mikes ever was on an episode of the podcast about this exact topic where he started thrashing persona 4 for taking like 4 hours to let you actually play the game lol. Edit: I found it. Go look at the final, Final Fantasy Tactics analysis video. Time stamp is 3:32:00 for the persona rant. It’s freaking gold.

[@Wicked061]

I freaking love this channels content.

[@joshy-noha]

This podcast is just amazing gaming analysis. I'm so grateful for this! SOMEBODY STOP CASEEEEEEEN!!!!!! HE'S ALWAYS SO ON POINT.

[@tearzofthefallen6586]

Mike you cant help yourself, you go "I want to be really careful about spoilers" then 5 seconds later you insinuate the entire twist. By talking about the illusion of choice you have effectively seeded Casens' expectations. I get the enthusiasm of talking about how fun the twist is, but by mentioning these concepts you're narrowing Casens' focal points. Subconsciously, and possibly consciously, he will now be more susceptible to the cues the game sets up, which significantly reduces the surprise. Not saying its spoilers, but its conditioning in a way that is counterintuitive to thrillers/mysteries such as Bioshock.

[@moisesperez8124]

At minute 12:00 its describe perfectly the reason why i love this show so much. The give and take between you two its so perfect. I think you guys are an amazing duo.

[@claudemartin7785]

Started playing it because of this podcast, man on a 49in 32:9 Ultrawide screen under 3ft away with a 5.1 surround sound system... This is one of the most immersive experience i've had from an FPS. Thank you, i had tried in the past but "something" else always came up and i dropped it, not this time

[@gamingmetalhead1996]

Interesting that you guys brought up Heidegger there. In The Question Concerning Technology he writes that one of the consequences of technological progress is that technology dictates the way in which people see the world. For example, he writes how a watermill can change people's view of a river from something that has an essential function within an ecosystem, to a source for electricity. Because the technology and tools are there, people view parts of the world as possible resources to be exploited, exploited by using the same technology that guides these viewpoints. This is interesting when it comes to ADAM, because the discovery of ADAM, and the technology to draw it from the Little Sisters, allowed for these girls to not be viewed as children to be protected, but as ''genetic material that keeps the wheels of Rapture turning.'' Viewing the children through this technological lens twists their status in Rapture's society. To the Splicers and Atlas, they are degraded from actual people to a resource to be used. This might also apply to other things in the setting, but I don't wanna get into spoilers.

[@TheTacticalRPGOdyssey]

Some have already mentioned it but when I visited Germany circa 2010 the 'Water Closest' (toilets) were pay to use. The sign said something about the cost being for cleaning though and they were cleanest bathrooms I've ever...well you know.

[@friendalex7384]

Casen has a completely different approach to analyzing art than I do, but I always appreciate hearing from him about things he noticed/interpretations he's making. Good stuff ❤️

[@Y-two-K]

I've grown to absolutely love hearing Casen's approach to analyzing art! Dude's got a lot of interesting info in that brain of his.

[@friendalex7384]

@@Y-two-K I completely agree. The fallen angel stuff was super interesting to me and I actually remember when I played BioS1 back in the day even thinking that the line that the Lil Sister says about you being an angel or whatever is kind of weird. The only I could think of was Paradise Lost where after falling, Lucifer and the demons land in a lake of fire and crawl out to build Pandemonium. I thought that since the place was called rapture it might relate to all that in some way.

[@mattcat83]

The only thing wrong with the State of the Arc podcast is there aren't enough episodes of it!

[@ScottWaltonDev]

Really interesting that you mentioned coin operated toilets. This is super common in the UK so it went completely over my head as a comment on capitalism!

[@nickburose8286]

I feel like Atlas' justification for relying on Jack is pretty reasonable at first glance, isn't it implied that Atlas is trapped in a different part of Rapture and that because you just so happen to conveniently be in a position that is more capable of accessing where his family is trapped? At this point it comes off to me as pretty quid pro quo.

[@allanrivera8361]

These podcasts are such a comfort watch to me. I look forward to them every week. Very well done. Can't wait for episode 3.

[@robertocarlospereiracosta5442]

One thing I would like to add is the fact that is really common in places where there is a lot touristic transit to charge for the toilets. One place that I saw in particular was a book story at the Vatican City where they charge 1 euro for it, so it's not far from reality that bathroom in Rapture.

[@xiiir838]

Also, we don't know how difficult is to dispose of waste in rapture, it might pretty well be a very expensive task, thus charging for using the toilets

[@gumielmgz]

Here in my country, there are several establishments that require you to pay in order to use the bathroom lol What's even more wild is that you see it frequently on gas stations. It's only for a few cents but still lol

[@Maccelerate]

I love these serious game talks. I can't wait for the Resonant Arc serious talk on Serious Sam.

[@punmastamatthew3543]

For the end of the video dasvidaniya is Russian for good bye or farewell. Andrew Ryan says it in both English and Russian cause he doesn't know if you are working for the USSR or America and since this is 59, this is peak cold war especially with the Red Scare in America.

[@Jcarroz]

Andrew Ryan’s speech when u enter rapture gave me chills and has stuck. With me ever sense.

[@ryandude3]

*Thoroughly* enjoying this series so far. Excited for the rest!

[@pmc259]

Just an FYI, if you think paying for a public restroom is bad, remember that these people have to pay for their air.

[@jamesbevan4479]

I've had the bioshock remasters for years now, only played infinite when I picked it up though, didn't get round to replaying the original. This video is giving me the urge to do so. 💪

[@sanc3375]

Absolutely! Game can be janky, gameplay age shows, but it's one hell of a roller coaster

[@shakaj1525]

Ahh, should have played the original for sure first before infinite for greater effect on infinite ending tbh, but i played the bioshock games last year and enjoyed them a lot. I think the second one is quite underrated as well. I would really advise u to play them they held up for me. Gameplay is indeed outdated a bit but it was playable.

[@Chimpy_Mc_Gibbon]

A wonderfully insightful account guys! Thanks!

[@dantedecastrolichi2987]

When you were discussing about the first moments of life after being born being chaotic and being surrounded by things that wana kill you, I’m reminded of the beginning of the game The Eternal Cylinder. This game is very primordial and it’s very much steeped in the brutality of nature. Check it out sometime.

[@YH-vj2xr]

You guys are doing great analysis

[@tacobales]

This was day one on Spotify and I appreciate you for that 🤣

[@mitchdouglas9844]

One theory of game design I've heard is that you build your first level last as it's the entry point to hook in players, and by that time you've build experience making the rest of the game so in theory your starting level will reflect that knowledge.

[@dandantin]

yes, They mentioned this fact. Good observation, Mitch, I didn''t know this.

[@judgekonnan]

If you learn a bit about the politics behind building Hoover Dam you'll see why they chose that statue.

[@CasenSperry]

Oooh, I'm intrigued...

[@AceBadguy]

You guys are awesome.

[@TheBeird]

"Is it someone new?" That part creeps me out to this day, and I love how it's reused in Infinite. Oh by the way, Netflix is finally doing the Bioshock movie. I'd have loved to have seen Gore Verbinski's take but hey ho. There are a couple of film recommendations I have that have similar elements to the Bioshock games. They be; DARK CITY and SNOWPIERCER. Check them out!

[@devan_danger]

I've always felt the Arcane Studios games had borrowed a lot from irrational's approach to world building as well as gameplay. For me, the origins and inspirations for BioShock in film have to be traced back to Fritz Lang's magnum opus 'METROPOLIS' Even the art deco production design aesthetics are there in its dystopic vision of a fully industrialized world where free capital has completely corrupted a City. Definitely shouldn't go unnoticed regardless if anyone's into media literacy and discource.

[@mabonman]

oh lord no not a Netflix adaptation... no thank you not for me! 😆 also anyone interested in snowpiercer, the original graphic novel is vaaaaaastly superior to the watered down (and fine) film, it's pretty short and easy to read and just brilliant dark city though, nothing to say what a classic!!! 🙏

[@ChocolatierRob]

My assumption about the opening being added late is that it was only the first few seconds where you see him actually sitting on the plane holding the present that was added with the game previously starting with him drowning in the ocean. This way nearly all of the now legendary opening was always there - the swimming, the lighthouse and the descent, just missing the few seconds before the crash. Starting with the drowning would be confusing but adding that tiny bit of context, the few seconds of peace helps to ground you in the character. Damn Casen, if you think that present was crudely wrapped then you really don't want to see some of the stuff I've wrapped over the years... I don't really find it weird that Atlas says he needs Jack's help to rescue his family. He explicitly says that he is cut off from them where he himself is, yes he had Johnny in the area but guess what, Johnny got gutted. If Jack hadn't come along then Johnny would probably _not_ have been gutted and was Atlas' original plan (So far as we would know by this point). The sign next to the New Years one is for the masquerade ball that is the new years party hence the mask wearing splicers, when it all hit the fan at new years the masks founds new purpose. Pretty surprised that you read out the second audio diary, its not exactly relevant to the story of the game. Sure I said to make sure not to miss any but that was just to make sure you don't miss the ones that _are_ relevant. BTW I recommend you guys watch the video 'Bioshock Critique: After The Shrug' by Monty Zander (though Casen would have to wait until he's finished the game first). A two hour Bioshock analysis video that came out last year, very well made. He's also done the next two games in the series as well as several others including Senua's sacrifice.

[@michs7451]

I second the video recommendation - it’s really good. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWHaaWqCi8pjrbc

[@devan_danger]

Hopefully Mike sees this comment soon enough so then he can review it and perhaps interview the creator for this series. @resonant arc

[@animeeddie2104]

I agree I think the scene added is the cutscene on the plane and that you previously probably just started in the water.

[@jaymulls5426]

Casen's powers of observation and connection are insane. Like I hear some of his ideas and I wonder if even the game designers thought so deeply about it, or if they did it almost subconsciously and Casen just interprets them instead. It's really impressive.

[@souio]

The intro kind of reminds me of when John Romero designed the first level of the original Doom, in that it was the last level that ever made for the game. He was able to craft a perfect opening level because since the rest of the game was finished, so he was able to draw upon everything in the game to craft the perfect opening level. I think that also might be why the plane crash is so iconic and important to the story. With the entire story already told and put into the game, they were able to craft the perfect intro that draws upon and ties into everything.

[@Sean-lr7lj]

Great episode as always guys, I don't know what version you're playing but the remaster/rerelease there's a directors commentary and a museum on production all on the title screen. Ivenonly seen the museum but some more stuff to look at and see!

[@erickgarcia6494]

Naive is the perfect word for andrew ryan. how did anyone ever thinnk this idea is gonna work? how do people down there not live in constant anxiety that the whole thing is gonna collapse? it's crazy

[@sammadden5540]

It's pretty much Ayn Rand's philosophy to a tee

[@pickerofnits3066]

It’s too early in the game for them to say, but I’d say it’s not only naïveté but also a dangerous combination of zealotry, megalomania and hypocrisy on Ryan’s part.

[@jordanetherington1922]

It's why Objectivism just doesn't work

[@bartandaelus359]

I love the Resonant Jung podcast.

[@Alan_Chapman]

You mentioned players looking for the tears in the curtain. That’s pretty much the crux of the speedrunning community. Coincidentally, AGDQ is happening this week so I’ll just plug that while I’m at it.

[@bahhhhumbug9804]

Fun dystopia fact there is houses in the Disney world park you can purchase and live in. There is also very strict guidelines you must follow to continue living there, it's quite creepy.

[@XenosbioZ]

Just watched the little intro thing so far but in some bathrooms in the Philippines you gotta pay for toilet paper! (At least back in 2005)

[@dandantin]

Guys, this channel is incredible, congratulations, the theme is very interesting and richfull. Keep going with the great work.

[@nathank2289]

Just want to point out for anyone who didn't play the game on launch day. Bioshock came out pretty early after the ps2 gen. The fire at the start looked so realistic that if you don't move the game prompts you to push the left stick. That's because people thought it was a cutscene instead of gameplay.

[@bradylewis1037]

Looking forward to the Final Fight analysis

[@nathank2289]

If you sit and watch the plane will sink completely into the water. It's both cool and creepy.

[@briancroft5601]

I just found your channel, not a big JRPG fan but a huge Bioshock fan. I would love to see you discuss the Last of Us games.

[@mohsensoleymanee6620]

I'm curious of how your view on The Rule of the Rose would be. A PS2 game of that era. Since you're fan of both silent hill 2 (with psychological themes) and bioshock (with sociological themes), if you haven't ever played it, I bet you'll definitely like it.

[@nateputerbaugh5709]

You want the game to start within an hour? So i guess Persona 4 isnt going to be covered any time soon lol

[@StubbsDK]

The coin operated toilets never struck me as a weird thing… Public toilets in Denmark are, more often than not, “pay-per-potty’s”, and truckstop toilets in germany are/where manned by a worker, where they had a tipbar, of sorts, and you’d out in a couple of coins, nothing specific, just what you had. But this also means that these toilets are maintained and cleaned a lot more.

[@TheLastSecretGarden]

I am surprised you guys didn't mention that the song "La Mer (Beyond the Sea)" recorded by Django Reinhardt in 1949, but made famous by Bobby Darin, is playing in the background when he first arrives at Rapture!

[@Caligulove138]

cant wait for next week

[@thejawgz6719]

If you really inspect the splicers as you play the game you’ll find even more horrific details about them. I killed a regular splicer once in gameplay and noticed she was missing one of her stilettos. I thought “huh, neat detail,” but when I approached further and zoomed in a little, I noticed she wasn’t missing her shoe at all: she’d had her actual foot surgically modified to be in the shape of a stiletto.

[@dreadn0de1]

Maybe I'm reading into this the wrong way, but I always thought that Rapture falling to shit from overuse of plasmids has something to say about (drug) addiction.

[@shakaj1525]

It does feel like they're on drugs or something and have completely lost their minds lol. I understand your interpretation tho

[@pickerofnits3066]

Rapture was doomed from the start, the plasmids just added (jet) fuel to the fire. Segments of the population were already growing disillusioned with Ryan’s “dream” independent of the plasmids to the point of threats of revolution being in the air. The proliferation of Adam and plasmids into society, regardless of the very real negative consequences, just underscores the flaws in Ryan’s belief in a society without any sort of “restrictions”.

[@clickingaming]

I get what you mean but to me that seems like a smaller part of it. Like Rapture was already problematic in all of these other ways and the overuse of plasmids was a result of those problems. All that to say that the addiction is relevant but not nearly the main problem.

[@dreadn0de1]

Thanks all, fully agree with your analysis. The plasmids are the effect, not the cause. Rapture's downfall was already in motion, and people just turned to whatever escape they could get their hands on.

[@oppayi]

Andrew Ryan kinda looks like Walt Disney?

[@madsolar480]

I remember playing this when it came out and the beginning intro stuck with me.

[@sebastianvonp1467]

Listening to this made me wonder what you guys think of Dead Space? The whole series has a lot to offer and reasons to dive deeper into its established world.

[@restlessoblivion]

Mike in terms of "crafting an amazing opening" which do you think wins: this or Vagrant Story?

[@DrowsyMongoose]

Casen’s analysis creeps me out a little bit sometimes but I enjoy how intellectually stimulated he is about all of it.

[@killscreen7519]

"Grab a crowbar or something" always saw this as a Half-Life reference

[@SokiHime]

Acknowledging Caeson's learned understanding of themeing and storytelling

[@LadypinkBanana]

Great episode guys! I just love your anylysis and watched over the last 2 months all your videos (only from games I played, my fave was FFX). I laughed so hard as you mentioned the coin toilets! "The darkest form of capitalism". haha I am from Germany...and Germany has arrived at this point for a very long time!

[@XiongGou]

The conversation around killing things has always cropped up whenever I play Final Fantasy VII. How many Shinra soldiers do we kill throughout the play through in random encounters? Yet, the story is told from the perspective of literally one of those former, no faced soldiers. When it comes to monsters I typically don't think much about it. However, when it's humanoid characters and we're just slicing through group after group, I always feel a little weird about it... Hahaha!

[@jasonsouth1652]

Just wondering they kept mentioning a pans labyrinth discussion, where do I find that?

[@fernandesh.m.5504]

I guess it's their patreon videos, they will be released in youtube eventually.

[@velvetimpulse]

Stephen Hawkins did warn about AI, as does Yuval Noah Harrari (well worth reading/watching btw!)

[@BestintheWest25]

Harari? Warn about? The guy who gleefully gets on stage at WEF and talks about hacking peoples brains, and getting rid of all the “useless eaters.” I don’t think he’s warning anyone about anything lol.

[@velvetimpulse]

@@BestintheWest25 have you read his books? Watched his talks on Politics of Consciousness and the like?

[@theFado96]

I ignored Mike's advice to look back at the note. I took a right decision for once. XD

[@andrewday4008]

Imagine my surprise when I found out the villains name is my name. Ryan is my middle name. I sprung to attention!

[@Blackalchemist369]

We have paid public bathrooms in NYC.

[@blaiselion]

does anyone know the outro song?

[@dudemcguy1227]

"Resonant Dreams (Arrange)" by symfonikev on KZbin

[@blaiselion]

@@dudemcguy1227 you’re a legend m8

[@void_gazer]

love the channel, would be cool to see u2 talk about bloodborne..peace

[@jamesbevan4479]

Paying to go to the bathroom, "that is the darkest form of capitalism"... Welcome to the UK 🇬🇧 😕

[@hian]

And Norway.

[@CasenSperry]

Really?? Oh man I've never even heard of this before!

[@hian]

@@CasenSperry In a lot of public toilets you need to pay to enter. It's something they started doing to prevent junkies from using the toilets to shoot drugs etc.

[@AshenVictor]

@@CasenSperry You mostly see it on public toilets at big train stations and other really busy places.

[@jamesbevan4479]

@@CasenSperry all true. Not every public toilet, but a majority of inner city places do.

[@manuelbesada]

Disney world, inspired in La República de los Niños, La Plata, Argentina.

[@Djamp_htx]

More like “‘no’ says the man in Washington ‘it belongs to me but I will use the poor and less fortunate to justify my wages’”

[@orcbrand]

hey i just met you / and this is rapture / would you kindly / save my family The goodbye is in Russian. Do Svidanya - "goodbye", or literally "until [we] meet again."

[@tookool5616]

Shout out WingsOfRedemption

[@IWFDI]

funny that you say it starts with your birth in a way. Fallout 3 did start with your birth, but the beginning is one of the worst openings in gaming history. Todd Howard it just didn't work. The mod for skipping this annoying beginning is one of the most downloaded mods for Fallout 3.

[@El-Duderino-His-Dudeness]

Mike, wants to avoid spoilers, but also brings up the topic of an unreliable narrator, and then continues to bring it up. I'd avoid that topic altogether. Sets expectations.