Judas Waiting Room Playlist

Originally intended to release this spring, it would appear that Ken Levine's highly anticipated Judas is still a ways away. It missed its initial, tentative March 2025 deadline, leading many to believe that the sci-fi immersive sim/roguelike/action-RPG/space horror extravaganza won't be available until 2026 or beyond. But whenever Judas launches, it's sure to be an interesting experience, as it's the first game directed by Ken Levine since BioShock Infinite in 2013.

Judas' mashing-up of genres, in addition to its prestigious director, makes it rather interesting to consider. With a healthy smattering of immersive sim elements and high-octane first-person shooter mechanics to go along with its roguelike structure, it's sure to appeal to players of several different kinds. As one might expect from Levine at this point, it is also concerned with some heady philosophical subject matter, exploring the nature of existence and the relationship between body and mind. Judas promises to deliver on this hodgepodge of mechanical and narrative facets, but players can explore games with similar sensibilities in the meantime.

Bioshock 4 Waiting Room Playlist

BioShock 4 is still taking its time, but in the meanwhile, there's a solid selection of similar titles that fans can try or revisit until it emerges.

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By J. Scott Thurlow

Best Games To Play While Waiting for Judas

Atomic Heart
BioShock 1, 2, & Infinite
Dead Space
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Dishonored 1 & 2
Prey (2017)
Soma
The Swapper
System Shock 1 & 2
Thief: The Dark Project
We Happy Few

Granted, there are a few obvious options out there for those excited about Judas, with the BioShock trilogy being chief among them. But for those who have somehow never played BioShock despite being excited for Judas, now is the perfect time to start. The first game in the series is often lauded as the best thanks to its ambition, atmosphere, and expertly delivered story, but BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite bring unique elements to the table as well, and Judas will likely share at least some DNA with all of them. Ultimately, all three BioShock games are unique, so it's worth trying them all.

For those most excited about Judas's more action-heavy elements, BioShock 2 or Infinite might be the best option, as they contain far more gunplay and power combinations than the first game.

Other immersive sims are worth checking out as well. System Shock, a spiritual predecessor to BioShock, is often cited as one of the most important releases in the genre, and its sequel was designed by Ken Levine himself. Levine also worked on Thief: The Dark Project, another iconic immersive sim. But these titles are rather dated by modern standards, so those looking for more contemporary immersive sims, Prey, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and the Dishonored games are great alternatives—Prey is even set aboard a rogue spacecraft, much like Judas.

Though considerably different in terms of gameplay, Soma, The Swapper, and We Happy Few are perfect for those intrigued by Judas' philosophical elements. Soma and The Swapper might be particularly good fits, as they hone in on the same questions of identity and consciousness, with some plot elements that are remarkably similar to Judas' ostensible narrative.

Finally, there are Atomic Heart and Dead Space. Though they are both more action-oriented, with Atomic Heart being almost all action, they do share some similarities with BioShock's combat and, in the case of Atomic Heart, environment design. Dead Space is a good match thanks to its setting, though, which is spacebound and leverages horror elements to elevate player uncertainty and fear. Backtracking also plays a big role in the first Dead Space, which may put it in conversation with Judas, which will naturally have a lot of repetitive elements as a roguelike.