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Andrew RyanHQ
"There is something more powerful than each of us, a combination of our efforts, a Great Chain of industry that unites us. But it is only when we struggle in our own interest that the chain pulls society in the right direction..."Andrew Ryan

This article falls within the scope of the BioShock Wiki:Businesses Project. This project is dedicated to improving the articles about Rapture and Columbia's many businesses.
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Julie Langford
"Yes, this is perfect... perfect..."Julie Langford

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Arcadia Glens Sign
Arcadiaglensentrance

The Arcadia Glens marquee.

Arcadia's a big place, but mostly rural.
― Atlas[src]

Arcadia Glens is the primary promenade of Arcadia in the city of Rapture. The Glens connects most of the major gardens, businesses, and other spaces together.

History[]

Arcadia-Arc Glens-08

The greenery of the Glens.

Arcadia afforded its guests the wonders of the great outdoors with each district offering something special. The Tea Garden proffered the peace and serenity of a botanical garden, the Waterfall Grotto supplied scenic and secluded beauty, the Tree Farm demonstrated nature put to work, and the sloping terrain of the Rolling Hills recreated the organic, unevenness of the wild landscape above. Arcadia Glens connected all these areas and provided visitors a lengthy garden stroll, plenty of places to sit, and the amusement of an observation point. It consists of a long concourse running through Arcadia; it's most distinctive feature is the water channel that runs the full length of the Glens.


BioShock[]

Arcadia-Glens-Attack

A sudden ambush.

Main article: BioShock

By the time Jack arrives in 1960, Arcadia Glens has been transformed from a pleasant promenade to Saturnine stomping ground. He finds the entrance to the Glens from the Tea Garden is blocked by dense vegetation, so he detours through the Employee Area to proceed. When he finally makes it over towards the door, he hears a Lady Smith Splicer calling out in distress. As he passes through, he witnesses her be immolated by a Saturnine cultist. The Houdini Splicer disappears leaving Jack a chance to investigate.

Arcadia-Arc Glens-01

A high, hidden treasure trove.

Arcadia-Arc Glens-02

All roads lead to the Glens.

Down a set of steps is the Corpse of a man who was killed in a bloody incident; it appears someone was planning to hastily bury him. Further back is a Little Sister Vent and U-Invent, and to the side are a stack of fruit crates. Jack can use these boxes to reach the rafters above and then the hidden crawlspace. Inside a woman tried to survive the fallout of the Rapture Civil War, but either died of starvation or took her life in despair. Back on the ground, a staircase leads down to the waterway. Jack passes the corpse of a woman who had her head smashed in against the stone wall. With Telekinesis, he can use the body to trip the trap bolt in front of the mouth of the waterfall. Beyond it is a storage crate containing invention supplies and a pistol.

Bio Arcadia Glens Pathway

Even after a war, Arcadia Glens is still gorgeous.

Jack follows the signs for the Rapture Metro. Like in the Tea Garden, the entrance to the Tree Farm is inaccessible as months of overgrowth ensnare the doors. As he rounds the corner, he spies a Leadhead Splicer picking a fight with a Rosie and its Little Sister. Another Little Sister Vent, a Power to the People vending machine, a Health Station, and a Vita-Chamber are all nearby. To the right is the path ahead which runs parallel to the Waterfall Grotto, and to the right is a stairway down to the canal; if Jack heads right, he crosses paths with a Leadhead and if he heads down, he has an encounter with a Houdini beneath the boardwalk.

Arcadia-Arc Glens-07

Standing at the crossroads.

Back up above, Jack finds himself at a crossroads with the path to Rolling Hills straight ahead, Arcadia Glens continuing to the left, and the alternate entrance to the Tree Farm closed off by thick foliage. An unreachable Security Camera guards the intersection up above and a Gene Bank is located close by.

Arcadia-Arc Glens-03

The Rolling Hills Lookout.

Arcadia-Arc Glens-04

A stream-side seating area.

Jack heads down the stairs and arrives at an observations area with a lookout over the canopy of Rolling Hills. To the right is another crawlspace which leads to a gardening supply storage area with a safe containing 20 antipersonnel auto rounds, 6 electric buck, and 53 dollars. The watercourse comes to an end here; a stone path over the stream leads to a small seating area with a Circus of Values.

Further on is an archway that leads to other parts of Rapture, but it's hopelessly blocked by debris. "Who is Atlas?" posters surround the area. Arcadia Glens a short distance further back at a Gardening Supplies Storage Room. As Jack walks in, a Saturnine agent turns and disappears. There's a Gene Bank, a U-Invent, and some useful supplies in the room. A Thuggish Splicer walks in to check out the vending machines. If Jack fails to deal with the Houdini immediately as he walks into the storage room, it will reappear later in front of the caved in passage when Jack makes his way back.

Spoilers


Later on, Andrew Ryan releases a deadly herbicide into the air withering the plant life in Arcadia and triggering a lockdown. As he returns to Arcadia Glens, Jack discovers the previously overgrown paths are now clear and will stay that way even after he releases the Lazarus Vector and revives the greenery. If he should head towards the Tea Garden, a Saturnine will flex his fiery muscles before disappearing.

Gallery[]

Behind the Scenes[]

  • Developer Jean-Paul LeBreton remarks on this area:
    • "Over the summer of 2006 the level was rebuilt piece by piece, mostly by the 2K Australia art team - Jay Kyburz, Andrew James and Christian Martinez, primarily - to organize the space better and meet the visual quality bar. The layout shifted a good deal during this time and by the end of that summer it was largely in the shape that shipped. The central hallway called "Arcadia Glens" was added to unify the disparate spaces."
    • "This is the name of the central hallway that connects the rest of Arcadia's sub-areas. It was a great addition that improved the level's spatial hierarchy. At the far end of it, there's a cave-in that used to offer another way to get to the labs."[1]

References[]

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