Come back to Rapture in a story that brings Booker and Elizabeth to the underwater city on the eve of its fall from grace. Developed by Irrational Games, the studio behind the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite, this DLC features Rapture as you’ve never seen it before—a shining jewel at the bottom of the ocean, built almost entirely from scratch in the BioShock Infinite engine. The combat experience has been rebalanced and reworked with a greater emphasis on stealth and resource management to give the player a combat experience that merges the best parts of BioShock and BioShock Infinite.
It includes a new weapon, an old favorite weapon from the original BioShock as well as the return of the weapon wheel, a new Plasmid, new Gear and Tears. Explore the city when it was at the height of its beauty, meet some old “friends,” and make some new ones, all through the eyes of Booker DeWitt. Why are Booker and Elizabeth in Rapture? What was the city like before everything fell to pieces? The answers to these questions and more will be found in BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 1.
It’s an affectionately crafted homage to the first game, retroactively building on the grim story and Ayn Rand-ian themes, galvanising them with a fresh perspective whilst simultaneously tying Rapture more wholly into the Columbian narrative. It’s intelligent, indulgent and nostalgic in equal measure, left dangling on a transfixing narrative hook. It’s everything we love about BioShock, condensed.
After completing the first episode of this Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea, it clearly appears that mixing Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite universes was a very good idea indeed, and maybe the best reason for a solo DLC. Going through Rapture is a true joy, and the meeting with Elizabeth as a pin-up is great. The gameplay, the art direction and the scenario are still very interesting. The only drawback are the two hours of play sold for 15€. You should go for the Season Pack!
Burial at Sea is potentially the best DLC of the year. Rapture has been beautifully brought to life, which has you reaching for you PrintScreen button multiple times throughout playing. The story is also brilliantly told, but the content has been split in two. This makes it a relatively short experience, and players will have to deal with that until they can get their hands on part 2.
Burial At Sea tells an interesting tale with plenty of twists, but it doesn't have enough substance on the gameplay side of things to back it up.
While the combination of frustratingly underdeveloped combat and a short length weigh the experience down, there’s definitely enough worth seeing here, at least from a visual and narrative standpoint.
BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode 1 is an excellent expansion in its fundamentals. It offers a new location, a completely new story and new things to discover. Especially returning to Rapture is e pleasant experience. But then, after ninety minutes, your presented with an ending.
Burial at Sea seems a prime example of the tail wagging the dog, and the result is an adventure with fantastic sights and sounds that don't come together in a meaningful way.
April 16, 2018
2K Games is developing a new Bioshock, according to Kotaku. Read more
April 3, 2018
City of Brass, developed by former Bioshock devs, sets its release date: May 4. Watch video
October 26, 2017
Guillermo del Toro: “I would love to direct a Bioshock movie”. Read more
August 3, 2017
Bioshock Remastered will have a Mac version before the end of the year.
July 7, 2017
Uppercut, managed by former BioShock creatives, presents its game City of Brass. Watch video
May 24, 2017
2K (BioShock, Borderlands) is working on a new title of “one of its biggest franchises” for 2018.
