Rethinking Ludonarrative Dissonance in BioShock

This article critically appraises Clint Hocking's seminal blog post, “Ludonarrative Dissonance in Bioshock.” In doing so, it aims to provide clarity on ludonarrative dissonance: a concept that has been widely utilised yet under-theorised since its inception. First, the article reviews contesting notions of ludonarrative dissonance before establishing a game-centred, rather than a player-centred, understanding of the term. Then, by expanding on Hocking's brief reading of the acclaimed 2007 video game, BioShock , the article challenges the common assumption that certain aspects of this game's ludic and narrative properties are in flux. Finally, the article advocates moving away from Hocking's perception of ludonarrative dissonance as a design flaw in video games; embracing the concept from the point of view of the researcher and video game developer as a signifier of ideological tensions and a rhetorical device.