“The Big Three” – friends or foes?
Fans of BioShock are familiar with fixed antagonists such as Fontaine and Comstock – in Judas, everything is different. Game Director Ken Levine explained on the official PlayStation blog that this time, players actively determine who will be the antagonist at the end. Three central characters, known as the “Big Three,” initially appear as potential allies. But every decision, every dialogue, even ignoring a character can turn a friend into a dangerous enemy.
Levine makes it clear: these characters are not just quest givers, but constant companions who closely observe your actions.nbsp;If you react too dismissively or form the wrong alliances, they will develop their own plans—even to the point of open hostility. “We want it to feel like you’re really losing someone when one of the characters turns against you,” says Levine.
“We want it to hurt” – Emotional impact instead of standard villains
Levine drew inspiration from well-known systems such as the Nemesis feature from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. But he promises more depth: The “Big Three” will not only develop new powers, but also show real emotions – joy, disappointment, anger. In doing so,Judas aims to finally break down the classic division of roles between hero and villain.
The system is designed to make the story more personal, almost as if the players are putting a friendship at stake. “We want to play with this dynamic, and we want this decision to be super difficult,” Levine emphasizes. So if you pull the wrong strings in Judas, you may end up having to fight someone you previously considered your closest confidant.
Levine was unable to give an official release date. Publisher Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick recently mentioned a period of twelve months, but industry insiders expect a later date. At least there was a small consolation for the waiting community: the newly unveiled key art shows the game’s dark visual direction for the first time – and reminds us that Judas continues to take shape despite all the delays.