The BioShock video game series, developed primarily by Irrational Games and published by 2K Games, is widely regarded as one of the most philosophically rich and narratively ambitious franchises in gaming history. Set in dystopian worlds beneath the sea (BioShock, BioShock 2) and among the clouds (BioShock Infinite), the series explores themes such as objectivism, free will, utopianism, and the nature of human identity. Beneath these layers, however, lies another profound influence—Greek mythology. From overt naming conventions to subtler symbolic parallels, Greek myth pervades the BioShock universe, helping shape its characters, settings, and moral dilemmas. These themes should also be present in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Bioshock.

I. Rapture as a Modern Atlantis in Bioshock

Before delving into specific mythological references, it is important to consider the setting of the original BioShock games—Rapture. Rapture is an underwater city, hidden beneath the Atlantic Ocean, created by the enigmatic industrialist Andrew Ryan as a utopia free from government, religion, and societal constraints. This concept draws immediate comparisons to the myth of Atlantis, the fabled advanced civilization described by Plato in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias.

Plato’s Atlantis was a powerful and technologically advanced city-state that eventually fell out of favor with the gods and sank beneath the waves due to its moral corruption. Rapture follows a strikingly similar trajectory. What begins as a beacon of human ingenuity and freedom ultimately collapses into chaos and civil war, driven by unchecked ambition, ego, and the pursuit of genetic perfection via ADAM and plasmids. The parallel suggests a modern retelling of the Atlantis myth—an ambitious society doomed by its own hubris.

II. Andrew Ryan: Prometheus, Icarus, and the Tragic Creator

Andrew Ryan, the founder of Rapture, is often seen as the central figure of the first BioShock game. His vision of a society free from moral and governmental constraints is reminiscent of several Greek mythological figures, most notably Prometheus and Icarus.

Prometheus is a Titan who defied Zeus to bring fire—symbolic of knowledge and progress—to humanity. In punishment, he was bound to a rock and tortured for eternity. Similarly, Ryan “steals fire” from the gods of the modern world (government, religion, societal norms) to create a new order. His punishment, like Prometheus’s, is self-inflicted torment. As Rapture descends into madness, Ryan becomes increasingly isolated and despotic, culminating in his philosophical and literal downfall.

Ryan also parallels Icarus, the mythological figure who flew too close to the sun despite his father’s warnings. Icarus’s fall serves as a metaphor for hubris—overreaching ambition. Ryan’s vision of Rapture is grandiose, but it ignores fundamental human weaknesses. His reliance on ADAM, his disdain for empathy, and his rigid idealism lead to his undoing. His death at the player’s hands is both literal and symbolic—a tragic fall from the heights of ambition into the depths of ruin.

III. Mythological Level Names in BioShock

The influence of Greek mythology in BioShock (2007) is not confined to overarching themes and characters—it is also embedded directly into the architecture of Rapture itself. Several levels are explicitly named after figures or places from Greek myth, reinforcing the classical undertones of the game’s narrative. For example, Hephaestus is a major area in the game, named after the Greek god of fire, metalworking, and craftsmanship. Appropriately, this level houses the city’s geothermal power core, functioning as the industrial heart of Rapture where energy is forged—just as Hephaestus’s forge powered Mount Olympus. Another location, Apollo Square, references Apollo, the god of light, healing, and prophecy. Ironically, in BioShock, this area has become a center of suffering and disease, a poignant inversion of the god’s purview that underscores the city’s fall from grace. Other levels in Bioshock 1 named from Greek myths include Arcadia, Olympus Heights, Point Prometheus and Neptune’s Bounty (Neptune being the Roman name of Poseidon). Go to this wiki page that lists all the levels of the game if you want to learn.

Bioshock 2 continues the tradition of naming levels from Greek myths, such as Adonis Luxury Resort, Siren Alley, Outer Persephone, Inner Persephone, The Adonis Baths, Folly of Dionysus, Minerva’s Den. Dionysus Park (expanded upon in BioShock 2) draws from Dionysus, the god of wine, pleasure, and madness—a fitting name for a once-luxurious leisure district that now lies in chaotic ruin, overrun by splicers intoxicated by power and ADAM. These mythologically inspired names serve as thematic signposts, guiding players through a landscape shaped by classical ideals and their inevitable collapse, further rooting BioShock in the narrative tradition of Greek tragedy. This wiki page lists all the levels in Bioshock 2.

IV. The Minotaur and the Labyrinth: The Splicers and Rapture

The Greek myth of the Minotaur—half-man, half-bull—trapped in the Labyrinth of Crete by King Minos, offers a metaphor for the inhabitants of Rapture. The splicers, addicted to ADAM and mutated by genetic modifications, are human-beasts trapped within the “labyrinth” of Rapture’s corridors. These splicers are driven by animalistic impulses, just as the Minotaur is a creature of instinct.

Moreover, the protagonist of BioShock, Jack, can be seen as a modern Theseus—a hero who ventures into the Labyrinth to confront and destroy the monstrous forces within. He moves through Rapture’s maze-like tunnels and chambers, encountering increasingly grotesque enemies and moral challenges, much like Theseus navigating the dangers of the Labyrinth.

The thematic resonance is deepened by the idea that the Minotaur was a byproduct of unnatural experimentation and divine punishment—much like the splicers are the result of unchecked scientific ambition and disregard for human limitations.

V. The God Complex: Atlas, Fontaine, and Deception

Another overt mythological reference is the character of Atlas, who turns out to be a false identity assumed by Frank Fontaine, a manipulative criminal mastermind. The name “Atlas” refers to the Titan condemned to hold up the sky for eternity. On the surface, Fontaine/Atlas appears to be bearing the burden of resistance against Ryan’s tyranny. He presents himself as a revolutionary, a protector, and a guide.

However, much like many Greek myths that explore themes of deception and disguise—such as Zeus disguising himself to seduce mortals or Odysseus concealing his identity—Atlas is not what he seems. Fontaine’s manipulation of the player character through the iconic phrase “Would you kindly…” echoes the cunning of mythological tricksters like Hermes or even Loki in Norse myth, who exploit trust to achieve their goals.

In the end, Fontaine’s transformation into a grotesque ADAM-enhanced being reflects the hubris of mortals who attempt to become gods, a recurring cautionary tale in Greek mythology. Like Niobe, Arachne, or Pentheus, Fontaine overreaches and is ultimately destroyed by the very power he sought to wield.

VI. BioShock Infinite: Columbia as Mount Olympus

BioShock Infinite, the third installment in the franchise, relocates the setting from the ocean to the skies with Columbia, a floating city founded by Zachary Hale Comstock. Columbia, like Olympus, is a realm above the world, inhabited by those who see themselves as gods among men.

Comstock, who proclaims himself as a prophet and wields near-divine authority, reflects Zeus in his arrogance and patriarchal dominance. He rules with ideological absolutism and uses advanced technology masked as miracles—Zeusian thunderbolts rendered as Columbia’s mechanical warfare.

The Songbird, Elizabeth’s mechanical guardian, acts as a hybrid of several mythological creatures, particularly the harpy and the cyclops. It is powerful, monstrous, and tragic—bound to its duty by design and ultimately doomed. The relationship between Songbird and Elizabeth mirrors mythic bonds between captors and prisoners, gods and mortals.

Elizabeth herself evokes Persephone, the goddess abducted and confined to the underworld for part of each year. Like Persephone, Elizabeth is both prisoner and powerful, victim and redeemer. Her journey across infinite universes and her ability to manipulate space-time through “Tears” ties her to the role of an oracle or a Moirae (Fate). Her ultimate sacrifice at the end of Infinite speaks to the ancient concept of fate as inescapable—even for those with divine powers.

VII. Plasmids and Genetic Power: Pandora’s Box

Another important motif in the BioShock series is the use of plasmids and ADAM—substances that grant superhuman powers at the cost of mental and physical stability. These substances parallel the myth of Pandora’s Box. In Greek myth, Pandora opens a jar (or box) out of curiosity, unleashing all evils into the world, leaving only hope behind.

Similarly, the discovery and widespread use of ADAM unleash chaos upon Rapture. It grants powers that seem miraculous—like fireballs, telekinesis, and swarm control—but it also brings addiction, madness, and destruction. Scientists like Brigid Tenenbaum, who helped develop ADAM, undergo moral transformations akin to mythic figures who repent after defying divine or moral law.

The consequences of scientific hubris and unchecked curiosity play out like a modern retelling of Pandora’s tale. The box—once opened—cannot be closed, and the world is irrevocably changed.

VIII. The Little Sisters and Big Daddies: Mythic Pairings

The Little Sisters and their protectors, the Big Daddies, form another mythologically resonant pair. These duos recall various protective pairings in mythology—Artemis and her nymphs, Hades and Persephone, or even the Cyclopes protecting Hephaestus’s forge. The Little Sisters are simultaneously innocent and corrupted—childlike carriers of immense power, evoking the duality often found in mythic figures like Cassandra or Medea.

The Big Daddies, silent guardians clad in diving suits, are reminiscent of mythical giants or golems—creatures created for protection, yet bound by programming rather than free will. Their presence evokes themes of paternal protection, sacrifice, and tragedy, which are common in myths involving demi-gods and their mortal or monstrous counterparts.

IX. Philosophical Parallels: Fate vs. Free Will

Greek mythology is deeply concerned with fate—predestination and the limits of human freedom. This is one of the central philosophical questions of the BioShock series: do we truly have free will, or are we manipulated by unseen forces?

The phrase “Would you kindly…” in the first BioShock functions like a magical incantation, controlling the protagonist’s actions without his awareness. This recalls the Greek understanding of moira (fate) and the influence of the gods over human lives. Just as Oedipus cannot escape his destiny despite all efforts, Jack cannot resist the command until he becomes aware of it—raising the question: can knowledge liberate us from fate?

BioShock Infinite builds on this with its multiverse concept, suggesting that all choices lead to fixed outcomes—a notion that mirrors the Greek idea of inescapable fate, no matter how far one travels or how clever one becomes.

X. The Upcoming Bioshock Netflix Film Adaptation

In 2022, Netflix announced that it was developing a live-action adaptation of BioShock, in partnership with 2K and Take-Two Interactive. As of mid-2025, the film is still in development, with Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence attached to helm the project and Michael Green (Logan, Blade Runner 2049) as the screenwriter. The project has generated considerable excitement due to its potential to bring the rich world of Rapture—or possibly Columbia—to a wider audience.

Given the cinematic and mythological scope of the source material, the film presents an opportunity to highlight the Greek mythic undertones in a more direct way. The tragic fall of Rapture could be staged as a modern Atlantis, while characters like Ryan, Fontaine, and the Little Sisters can be reframed as contemporary mythic archetypes. Whether the adaptation chooses to lean into these mythic roots remains to be seen, but the potential is certainly there.

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Greek mythology in Bioshock

Greek mythology flows beneath the surface of the BioShock series like a hidden current, enriching its narratives with layers of allegory, symbolism, and timeless moral inquiry. From the doomed utopia of Rapture echoing Atlantis, to characters embodying the hubris of Icarus and the deception of Hermes, the franchise is steeped in classical myth. These influences are not merely cosmetic—they form the philosophical foundation of the games, challenging players to confront questions of destiny, power, and the human condition.

As BioShock prepares to make its leap to cinema, these mythological threads may well be brought to the forefront, reminding audiences that even in worlds of genetic engineering and alternate realities, the old stories still shape us—and warn us. To learn more about the Bioshock series, visit the official site of the game.