- “The spliced characters were Norman Rockwell American ideal characters, but totally distorted. One artist we looked at was Jennie Seville who does horrifically beautiful figures. If they're twisted Norman Rockwell, these are more idealized, perfect Leyendecker, Rockwell representations. We're trying to show the perfect humans in Rapture.”
- ― Colin Fix[src]
The Partygoer is a unique Rapture Citizen model encountered in BioShock 2. The models are meant to showcase the perfect, beautiful citizens of Rapture before they lost their minds and became mutated from their abuse of the substance ADAM.
BioShock 2
Celebrating the new year.
- Main article: BioShock 2
The Partygoer model is seen in the opening cinematic when Subject Delta briefly observes a New Year's Eve celebration at the Adonis Luxury Resort.
A beautiful "Angel."
The models are only seen two other times: In Dionysus Park, briefly during a flashback of one of Stanley Poole's wild parties, and in Outer Persephone during the portion of the level playing as a Little Sister. There, Delta sees the city of Rapture the way the girls have been conditioned to see it: an idealized, beautiful utopia. Instead of hideous, deformed Splicers, the area is populated by the regal Rapture Citizens. Their corpses are outlined with angel wings and halos while their blood looks like rose petals.
Design
Eleanor goes in for the kill.
Removed content and unused radio messages from BioShock 2's original Prelude level, which would have taken place in the Welcome Center during the 1958 New Year's Eve Riots, reveal that Partygoers would indeed act as enemies. Despite their regal appearance, these Splicers would become violent during the riots and Subject Delta would be forced to fight them to get young Eleanor Lamb to safety.
That seems excessive.
Small hints of their previous status as enemies still remain when the models are seen in Outer Persephone. These models are not meant to be encountered under ordinary circumstances by Subject Delta, yet they can exhibit characteristics of normal enemies. Using Console Commands, the player can cheat their way back to the idealized version of the level. Eleanor Lamb, in her Big Sister suit, will instinctively attack the models like she would normal enemies. Once dead, they will go rag doll. Just like normal enemies, their bodies sometimes hold loot and are labeled as per their fighting style, in this case "Rapture Citizen".
Appearance
The different character models for Partygoer.
The men and women of this model class are dressed in white tie attire. They wear "clean" versions of some of the BioShock 2 masks. Each model also has a spliced, beaten version which would have been seen during the riots when the Partygoers were attacked by Atlas' supporters.
Male
The male version is dressed in a tailcoat, bow tie, dress shirt, waistcoat, trousers, and oxford shoes as per white tie standards. The model wears a boutonnière on his tailcoat which has peaked lapels. All models have brown eyes, black, slicked-back hair, and a widow's peak.
The male variant by Juan Solis, used for BioShock 2's cinematic launch trailer.
Model 1: This model is dressed entirely in red except for the white shirt, tie, waistcoat, and carnation.
Model 2: This model is dressed entirely in black except for the white shirt, tie, and carnation. His waistcoat is red.
Model 3: This model is dressed entirely in a golden ivory fabric except for his tie, which is white, and his carnation, which is pink.
Model 4: This model is dressed in black with a white shirt. His waistcoat, tie, and carnation are grey.
Model 5: This model is the Splicer variant. He's dressed exactly like model 1, except his clothes are grungy and soiled. His shirt and waistcoat are covered in dark stains, His tie is torn slightly and his carnation is gone. The right side of his face is badly bruised with a dark circle under his eye. The bruising and discoloration also appears on the rest of his face and hands.
Female
The female version is dressed in a three-tiered, floor-length, strapless ball gown, with high heels of matching color. She wears white opera-length evening gloves, a pearl bracelet on her right arm, and a pearl necklace. Her hair is worn short and up in a finger wave style.
The female variant by Juan Solis, used for BioShock 2's cinematic launch trailer.
Model 1: This model wears a red dress and has blonde hair and hazel eyes.
Model 2: This model wears a golden dress and has brown hair and green eyes. Her skin is noticeably more tanned than the other models.
Model 3: This model wears a black dress and has black hair and green eyes. Her earrings are a dark grey color.
Model 4: This model wears a dark turquoise dress and has red hair. This model only appears briefly during the opening cinematic at the Adonis Luxury Resort.
Model 5: This model is the Splicer variant. She's dressed exactly like model 2, except her outfit is torn in several places and she's afflicted with heterochromia iridum (one eye is green and the other is an unnatural purple). Her dress is soiled with specs of dirt and grime and both of her gloves are stained around her forearm. Her make up is smeared, revealing rashes and skin discoloration. This model only appears briefly during the opening cinematic as the corpse Eleanor Lamb harvests.
Videos
Gallery
Behind the Scenes
- Concept art from the Deco Devolution Art Book depicts three models: The male and female models seen in the game and a second male model not present. This absent model has a gaunt face, prominent nose, sunken eyes, and a sickly thin physique. Some of the early concept art for their design shows them in more hunched over and animalistic poses.
- One of the beaten and bloodied male models may appear during the Little Sisters exploration of Outer Persephone. This is likely a mistake as the Little Sisters are meant to see Splicers in perfect condition.
- These models only speak thrice in the game: While controlling the Little Sister in Persephone, one male Partygoer in a cell lures the Little Sister by saying "Pssst… over here. I can help you."[1] Approaching the man reveals his true form; an ADAM-hungry Splicer. Other than that, the models only speak in the game's opening cinematic when a man gasps at the sight of Subject Delta, and a woman is seen singing onstage singing for a New Year's party.[2]
- The song the woman on the stage performs is "Dream" by The Pied Pipers.