BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two (PlayStation 3) Review

By Kyle Henderson 10.07.2014

Review for BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two on PlayStation 3

BioShock: Burial at Sea - Episode Two follows directly on from the shocking ending of the first episode, with Booker/Comstock dead at the hands of Sally's Big Daddy. This time Elizabeth takes the spotlight and with her comes a different gameplay proposition for the series: full-on stealth.

It's difficult to say too much about the story in Episode Two without immediately getting into spoiler territory. The plot roars out of the gate, with juicy stuff from beginning to end, and anyone with even a passing interest in the exploits of Jack, Andrew Ryan, Frank Fontaine, Booker DeWitt, Elizabeth, and Zachary Comstock will be in heaven here. Much more information is given on what Elizabeth has been up to since the climax of Infinite and events from BioShock are expertly woven into the narrative.

The entirely new gameplay style may surprise veterans, though. The original BioShock game did feature some stealth, of course, but it was always the secondary option. Here it's the only one. Elizabeth is far less suited to proper combat than Booker or Jack, and so relies on crouch-walking, carpets to muffle the sound of her steps, silent takedowns, and distractions to make her way through this chunk of Rapture.

It has the feel of being something that Levine and his team have been longing to return to; having developed the original Thief games under the Looking Glass banner, this bears more than a passing resemblance to those seminal games. It suits BioShock and Rapture so well and brings to mind the many moments where the player might have wished Jack was a bit more competent at stealthily moving past splicers in the original.

Screenshot for BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two on PlayStation 3

It's fairly strange to see the developer take a risk as large as changing up the fundamentals of the series' gameplay for the second chapter of its final work on the franchise, but Irrational shows no fear in jumping in feet first. Stealth is absolutely required in this game; Elizabeth's health falls at an alarming rate as soon as she's under attack and, of course, enemies only get bigger and tougher as the hours pass. Without Booker to defend her, she has no other option but to avoid fighting.

She does have a few new tools at her disposal to deal with this unusual situation, though. First and foremost is a small crossbow that can be fitted with knockout, gas, and noisemaker darts. Knockout providing the quick takedown, gas doing the same but hitting a large area at once, and noisemakers providing a distraction either for Elizabeth to sneak past or to get enemies to congregate for the gas dart gospel.

The chapter's new Plasmids also get a lot of use. Early on the player will pick up a bottle of Peeping Tom, a Plasmid that allows a temporary Eagle Vision/Detective Mode view where enemies are visible through walls. It also allows invisibility for as long as the ADAM metre will hold out. Later on, another new Plasmid named Ironsides is waiting to be found, which provides a bit of a safety net in the more difficult combat situations towards the end. It puts up a protective barrier that absorbs bullets and even adds them to ammo stocks. If the game is being played well, though, this shouldn't be required too often.

Screenshot for BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two on PlayStation 3

Level design feels like a big call back to the original Bioshock; most of the four-to-five hour runtime takes place within the Housewares building of Fontaine's Department Store. That might sound like a limited arena but, as with many areas in Jack's trip to Rapture, there is a handful of large areas branching off. It acts as a hub with a layout that becomes more and more familiar with each return visit. That's not to say it becomes a safe zone, though, as with a Big Daddy stalking the central section and fresh splicers appearing on a regular basis, Elizabeth must always be on her toes.

Most of the new Rapture locations open for exploration in Episode Two don't really bring anything new to the table, unfortunately. Standards such as bars and shops make up the bulk of the episode, although a trip to a youth camp for Rapture's young boys is quite interesting, as is a stroll through the city's Bathysphere factory. Having to slowly creep through these areas does give them somewhat of a fresh feel but they are ultimately nothing that a BioShock expert won't have seen before.

Screenshot for BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two on PlayStation 3

In the end, that's rather the point. This is supposed to be a victory lap of Rapture, with Ken Levine having announced the closing down of Irrational Games shortly before the release of this episode, making this the last true chapter of this story. Of course, the IP remains with Take Two and it's unlikely that we there won't be another BioShock game developed by a different team, yet this has always been Levine and Irrational's baby.

The story's end brings a sense of completion and makes a good effort to tie together the stories of the two main games, although certain aspects do feel a little stretched. It's easy to forgive, though, and anyone who's a fan of this story already will already be willing to suspend belief a bit to enjoy the twists and turns and sheer excitement that BioShock has always delivered. It's sad to see this series end as it has been one of the defining franchises of the generation, but it's great that the team has been able to go out on its own terms and on such high a note.

Screenshot for BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two on PlayStation 3

Cubed3 Rating

9/10
Rated 9 out of 10

Exceptional - Gold Award

Rated 9 out of 10

BioShock: Burial at Sea - Episode Two is a fitting conclusion to the BioShock saga. Giving players the opportunity to check in with many of the best characters and concepts from across the entire series, it sets out to put a comprehensive capper on the story and succeeds with aplomb. All fans of the franchise owe it to themselves to play both episodes and say their goodbyes to one of the finest series in gaming.

Developer

Irrational

Publisher

2K

Genre

First Person Shooter

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  9/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date Out now   

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