BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two

Burial At Sea: Episode 2 combines a cool fan-pleasing story, enjoyable new gameplay (that you'll wish Bioshock had attempted more), wonderful level design, a satisfying conclusion to the series, and I haven't even mentioned how great Rapture looks and sounds.

It’s a phenomenal entry in the BioShock saga.

After finishing Burial at Sea Part 2, I realized it is the missing piece in the bigger picture representing the Bioshock series. It concludes the whole Bioshock saga with a high note.

In terms of narrative it’s as dizzying, exhilarating, and divisive as the series has always been, arguably providing some of its most memorable sequences yet, and for fans it’s something that not only has to be experienced, but savoured.

Second big, story-driven DLC for Bioshock Infinite is a mix of exploration, stealth gameplay, following an interesting storyline and finding many hidden facts about the whole Bioshock universe. Getting to the end of Elizabeth's adventure can take up to 6 hours and everything ends with a quite shocking finale, that resembles the one from the original game. It's a must have for fans of the series.

It’s become cool to hate on Infinite in recent times, but bandwagons be damned, this is a fantastic piece of content, if a little pricey. You already know you’re going to play this if you grabbed Part One, but I’m here to tell you that you won’t be disappointed with Part Two.

Although the ending is far from perfect, Burial at Sea Episode 2 finishes the whole series neatly. From open questions to small plotholes from the previous games: nearly everything gets an answer. Episode 2 doesn’t just tell an amazing story, but it also enriches your experiences with infinite and even the Original BioShock. This is how a series like this should be concluded.

Feels very much like a send-off for the Rapture and Columbia eras of BioShock – a carefully crafted, appropriately mind-bending sendoff.

The sheer scope of the episode and what it accomplishes with the story makes it feel essential. Even more importantly, episode two is the best kind of DLC by being both distinct and deeply connected with its associated game. If you’re willing to invest in the struggling first episode, episode two considerably strengthens this interesting extension of Bioshock’s world.

Burial at Sea Episode 2 is much better than Episode 1. The underdeveloped sneaking function now is a fully featured gameplay element. And where Episode 1 mostly addressed the Infinite-fans, Episode 2 turns out to be a hoot for lovers of the original BioShock.

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode Two blows Episode One out of the water. It improves upon nearly every shortcoming of the first outing, and with all of the lore additions it's a must-play for fans of the series. It's worth picking up the Season Pass just to see this story through to the end.

Maybe Bioshock Infinite: Burial At Sea - Episode 2 is exactly what Thief was meant to be: the best stealth game of the early days of 2014? This one is an absolutely must-have for Bioshock fans. As an awful reflection of the recent events at Irrational Games, Bioshock releases its true conclusion and leaves the taste of accomplishment. An awesome last shot.

Finishing Episode 2 is bittersweet, since it’s the last piece of content created by Irrational Games as we know it. However, Burial at Sea also ties together the landmark creations of the talented team in a satisfying way, making it an appropriate curtain call for this amazing studio.

Very fanservice-ish, but that's the point anyway. The stealth mechanics work well enough, which is remarkable from a design viewpoint and some story connections are brilliant. A convincing way to close Bioshock Infinite.

It’s goodbye to Irrational Games, but at least the studio got the chance to finish off the series with a standing ovation, a satisfying conclusion that will help fans remember it for years to come.

It integrates the fighty and the talky enough to make Rapture feel a more dangerous and believable place, discards the impenetrable conceits with which the first DLC began, and brings an almost seven year old series full circle and to a satisfying end. What a wonderful trick, and a fitting note for one of PC gaming’s best loved studios (as we know them, at least) to bow out on.

BioShock Infinite Burial at Sea Episode 2, for the most part, is a fitting end to the entire series.

In the end, Burial at Sea finishes on a much stronger, series-apt note than the one it began on, and it's impressive how Irrational Games drops curtains on its universe with something truly unexpected but wholly fitting.

Both episodes of Burial at Sea develop different and interesting aspects of the BioShock franchise: stealth and the opportunity to visit Rapture in all its glory. Maybe the second episode is the best in terms of new game mechanics, but the first one does a wonderful job at complementing the excellent plot first established by BioShock Infinite.

Some strained metaphors and connections aside, the cities of Rapture and Columbia make for strange but comfortable bedfellows in BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode 2. More importantly, Elizabeth's journey is tense and rewarding on its own terms, and is one that makes Rapture as mysterious as it was the first time you ventured inside.

Burial at Sea episode 2 is a brilliant conclusion to the story that started a few months ago. This great stealth-oriented experience with Elizabeth will make you feel fear, loneliness, hope and sadness like not so many modern games can do.

BioShock Infinite adapts to stealth with surprising ease, and the art design is as spectacular as ever. Irrational's final release may somewhat lose the plot, but if you've been on board this long you can likely tolerate the incredible leaps of faith it demands.

As Irrational's final work, Episode 2 is a fitting epitaph; both in its ability to offer a fresh perspective on the series, and in the way it obsesses over past triumphs.

Impressively crafted and polished, it's a fitting end to Irrational's body of work. The story of BioShock might belong to Ken Levine and Irrational Games rather than to its players - but it's a story that's been well worth telling.

The lengths to which Burial at Sea: Episode 2 goes to distance its gameplay from BioShock Infinite's blueprint is outmatched by the indulgent spectacle of its writhing narrative - a risk not fully conscious of its consequences. Through success, failure, and to simply admire the sunset of a generation, the conclusion of Burial at Sea remains a worthwhile experience.

Elizabeth is a match for Booker's first episode, she even outdoes him with several intense scenes. Besides, if you belong to those that saw the shooting as a nuisance, you'll agree with this one's freer tempo along with an option to get around the shooting.

In this final installment, you’ll spend 3-4 hours watching the writers retconning the history of Columbia and Rapture, but none of these revelations are exciting.

Irrational Games have a lot of loose ends to tie up in the final conclusion to the Bioshock saga. And they do it well, but there is so much story and content here we can't help but think that this should have been a more full fledged retail title instead of short DLC.

Great level design and brilliant dialogue in the second act have you thrilled for the resolution of this well crafted DLC. But that's where Levine overdoes it a bit. It feels forced in a way, as the steps he has to take to get us there, aren't too believable. In some ways he even takes away some of the first Bioshock's magic in the process, which leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Burial at Sea is fun, looks lovely and makes a valiant attempt to tie together the fiction of Irrational's BioShock games. Some of these ties are elegant enough to not seem like the retcon they of course are. But the game has to go through so many narrative contortions to do so, it's hard to escape the sense that the whole thing feels more like well-made fan fiction than the final piece of one of gaming's most beloved canons.

If this is to be Irrational’s last hurrah then it’s a mixed but compelling swansong for a company that often took bold, divisive design and narrative avenues. It might not hit the highs of some of its best work, but it’s a fitting testament to the studio’s unbridled creativity and theatrical magnificence.

A quaint stroll through Rapture, but not nearly enough focus in the right areas to make this a must-have BioShock experience.