BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Part 1 Review

Bisohock Infinite, nominated for Game of the Year and numerous other accolades at the Golden Joystick awards, was an incredible addition to the Bioshock series. Placing you in the shoes of Booker DeWitt, players have been able to experience a whole new side of bioshock, with new plasmids, weapons, and a completely different setting from the previous two games. Without revealing any details from the base game or DLC itself, the best way to sum up this DLC pack is that it is a great addition with "constants and variables" to the gameplay that make it very rewarding.

The return to Rapture is something that fans of the Bioshock series have been asking every since Bioshock Infinite was released, not because they didn't like the game, but because they wanted the fantastic experience extended to the place that they had come to know and love. There was no doubt that Rapture would look amazing with the new engine the game was running on, as well as it seemed the art style would fit incredibly well with the wondrous (and dangerous) underwater city. Overall, the experience of being back in Rapture is one that is very much worth your time, and there are quite a few reasons why!

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Part 1 - Gameplay

The gameplay of Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea Part 1 is basically the base game in a different setting, but with a few differences that make the experience much different overall. First off, you have an all new plasmid called "Old Man Winter" which freezes your enemies and allows for one shot melee kills as well as giving you an easier time when shooting them as well. The plasmid also has a very interesting effect that can be used on the environment, freezing any water that you come across. Along with the Hand Cannon, Carbine, and shotgun from Infinite, you also see the return of the Tommy Gun!

But by far the coolest new weapon addition is the Radar Gun, allowing you to shoot a beam at your enemies, dwindling down their health faster the longer you concentrate on them...and killing any other splicers in the vicinity when they combust! Of course, you still will have the ability to use tears with Elizabeth, who accompanies you through your journey again - with a much different look, of course. One thing to note - hard actually played more like 1999 mode in the full game, it was incredibly difficult!

Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea Part 1 - Story

I refuse to spoil anything in a review, so I'll keep the story portion brief and spoiler free. You wake up in the very same office that you saw over and over in Bioshock Infinite itself, face down on your desk surrounded by gambling tickets. You are approached by a young woman who calls herself Elizabeth (and if you notice, she's wearing the same neck jewelry you gave her in Columbia), saying she needs help finding someone, someone that she knows you want to find as well. You follow her, and find yourself back in the city of Rapture, in what appears to be a time before the events of the first two games. The first portion of the game has no combat and is just chock full of both Bioshock 1/2 and Infinite references, and there is little else that can be said without revealing spoilers, other than the fact that the ending of Part 1's DLC is just as intense as the ending of Infinite itself (At least, I thought so).

Yet again, the voice acting was absolutely superb - from the main characters to the supporting Non Playable Characters, it did nothing other than really enhance the gameplay. The voices of the splicers were also as creepy and crazed as they were in the original games, adding to the experience. With a nice nod to the original game(s), they also hid more audio diaries (17) thoughout part one allowing you to get even more backstory and side information as you play through. Overall, the music and ambiance music is perfectly suited for the game as well, enhancing the experience immensely.

Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea Part 1 - Back to Rapture

Stepping out of the office and wandering around Rapture again is more than enough to give you chills. Bioshock Infinite was built using Unreal Engine 3, and it looked spectacular, so taking that engine and using it on the world of Rapture as well as modifying rapture to the stylized graphics of Bisohock Infinite, and it is drop-dead gorgeous. From looking out over the great underwater city, to exploring your surroundings, the detail is all there and even better than you could have imagined. Taking the fans back to Rapture with Bioshock Infinite was truly a love letter from Irrational Games, and you won't be disappointed.

Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea Part 1 - The Final Word

If you've been on the fence about buying the Bioshock Infinite Season Pass, this DLC is the reason you should buy it. Distilling the excellent gameplay from Infinite itself and bringing you back to the city of Rapture, you are in for an action-packed and engaging journey through the underwater city. From the enhanced gameplay and gear that add a new experience to your gameplay all the way to the story and graphics, Burial at Sea Part 1 is really the game that was hoped for when it came time for a return to Rapture.

This review was originally published on 11-13-2013. While care has been taken to update the piece to reflect our modern style guidelines, some of the information may be out of date. We've left pieces like this as they were to reflect the original authors' opinions, and for historical context.