BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode 2

The first episode of Burial at Sea set the stage for episode two, leaving us with a cliffhanger and a large amount of questions. Episode two concludes the Burial at Sea, introducing new sneaking elements while also explaining previous inquiries about BioShock Infinite's campaign. If you have any interest in BioShock Infinite, the final episode of Burial at Sea is something that you will want to play.

The BioShock franchise is known for having intricate settings throughout the game's environment, and Burial at Sea - Episode 2 is no exception. Every area has new ideas that expand on the universe, and nostalgic references from past games. Hidden throughout the DLC are the same fantastic audio logs that we saw in the campaign, giving players a better understanding of the BioShock universe. Questions like the mystery surrounding the drinkable plasmids and the connecting between Columbia and Rapture are made apparent here.

This time players have the chance to control Elizabeth, but unlike the combat veteran Booker DeWitt, Elizabeth is much more frail and doesn’t have access to a rechargeable shield. Instead, she must rely on taking out enemies through stealth. Elizabeth does have access to new tools to aid her such as a silent crossbow for knocking out or distracting Splicers and a new Peeping Tom Plasmid to see through walls and turn invisible. If things become too hectic Elizabeth can still wield firearms and offensive plasmids for direct assault.

The stealth mechanics work well and they're a welcomed change from Booker’s tactics, however, this approach is optional. Enemies are required to stay within their area and often won’t respond to Elizabeth’s appearance, even when she is directly in front of them, until a specific amount of time has passed. Alerted enemies rely on charging forward without any real tactics to govern their actions and using traditional weapons to dispose of them is just as effective as sneaking behind enemies and knocking them out.

Avoiding enemies or clearing a room doesn’t offer any real challenge but doesn’t become an inconvenience. That is reserved for the abundance of loading screens and autosaving that continuously sprout throughout the entire journey in vexing amounts.

Burial at Sea feels essential because of what it accomplishes with its narrative, explaining previously unanswered questions within both Columbia and Rapture. Even more significantly, it’s deeply connected to the original campaign but at the same time maintains its originality. Burial at Sea Episode 2 strengthens the amazing world of both Rapture and Columbia by offering more insight into each of these wonderfully crafted environment. If you own a copy of BioShock Infinite you owe it to yourself to download and play this final piece of DLC.

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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