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BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two - Spoiler OT

Red

Member
Interesting question for the Episode 2 Spoiler thread.

I ran into the same bug. No fix that I'm aware of, I had to restart.
Posting here because it is the most recently active BI thread. I am not too worried about spoilers. I'd rather stop playing than restart. What a pain.

Is there any way to import saves? Maybe I could find one online that's passed the door?
 

Fuchsdh

Member
Posting here because it is the most recently active BI thread. I am not too worried about spoilers. I'd rather stop playing than restart. What a pain.

Is there any way to import saves? Maybe I could find one online that's passed the door?

Not to my knowledge, but if you're on PC there may be hope.
 
Posting here because it is the most recently active BI thread. I am not too worried about spoilers. I'd rather stop playing than restart. What a pain.

Is there any way to import saves? Maybe I could find one online that's passed the door?

Indeed. I almost stopped myself.
 

Red

Member
Just finished episode 2.

(booted into my original save for ep1 and was spawned on the other side of the door -- yay.)

I didn't really like episode 1. I liked episode 2 a lot, great sense of place and an ending that made me want to immediately restart the first game. Combat started to drag near the halfway point but I found it constantly more enjoyable than episode 1 (which was way too stingy on ammo and way too aggressive with enemy respawns... it was more efficient to cheese my way through combat and sacrifice cash than it was to actually put effort in and play the game).

I am not sure what the point was for either episode, besides fan service. But sure, they were well crafted even if the story wasn't necessary.

I wonder, since Elizabeth saw all the doors, did she have any concerns about those timelines where Jack hijacks a nuclear sub and becomes the splicer king?

Regardless of the quality or necessity of the story, regardless of the shortcomings of the combat gameplay, no one crafts environments like Irrational did. What a joy to wander through. There were several times I was tempted reflexively to reach toward my TV, as if I could touch the game world. Really incredible work. Playing it maxed on PC is truly a sight to behold. Even the dingiest parts of Rapture look inviting, as if I could step through and enter that world. I can't think of another shooter that achieves that sense of place or context.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
Just finished episode 2.

(booted into my original save for ep1 and was spawned on the other side of the door -- yay.)

I didn't really like episode 1. I liked episode 2 a lot, great sense of place and an ending that made me want to immediately restart the first game. Combat started to drag near the halfway point but I found it constantly more enjoyable than episode 1 (which was way too stingy on ammo and way too aggressive with enemy respawns... it was more efficient to cheese my way through combat and sacrifice cash than it was to actually put effort in and play the game).

I am not sure what the point was for either episode, besides fan service. But sure, they were well crafted even if the story wasn't necessary.

I wonder, since Elizabeth saw all the doors, did she have any concerns about those timelines where Jack hijacks a nuclear sub and becomes the splicer king?

Regardless of the quality or necessity of the story, regardless of the shortcomings of the combat gameplay, no one crafts environments like Irrational did. What a joy to wander through. There were several times I was tempted reflexively to reach toward my TV, as if I could touch the game world. Really incredible work. Playing it maxed on PC is truly a sight to behold. Even the dingiest parts of Rapture look inviting, as if I could step through and enter that world. I can't think of another shooter that achieves that sense of place or context.

I think more the the retcons or undermining of character, that's my issue with BaS Ep 2. When convenient Levine wants to act like there's only one universe. Changing things in only your single universe is fine, I guess, but you can't act like its this grand gesture after your previous games made the point that leaving Comstock alive in any universe was a great wrong to be rectified.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
I think more the the retcons or undermining of character, that's my issue with BaS Ep 2. When convenient Levine wants to act like there's only one universe. Changing things in only your single universe is fine, I guess, but you can't act like its this grand gesture after your previous games made the point that leaving Comstock alive in any universe was a great wrong to be rectified.

That is one of the many narrative failings of Burial at Sea. In order for it to work, threads and rules from Infinite are ignored and never addressed ( the ending of Infinite for example), or retconned to benefit the new story. Bioshock Infinite imo was a fantastic game and a prime example of video games as an art form. It deserved a dlc that serviced itself instead of a past work. Elizabeth deserved better or a death that was in service of HER story instead of fleshing out another.
 

Red

Member
I agree with you guys. Burial at Sea doesn't really make sense unless the original Bioshock universe is somehow considered the right one, or primary one, which makes no sense in the context of Bioshock Infinite.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
I agree with you guys. Burial at Sea doesn't really make sense unless the original Bioshock universe is somehow considered the right one, or primary one, which makes no sense in the context of Bioshock Infinite.

I wouldn't say it makes much sense in the context of Bioshock 1 and 2, either, considering that multiple endings were never declared "canon" or not.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
J
I wonder, since Elizabeth saw all the doors, did she have any concerns about those timelines where Jack hijacks a nuclear sub and becomes the splicer king?

Well she didn't have any concerns about the people that will die on the plane that Jack will hijack, so i guess not. They were trying to push the good ending as canon, which does not work in my opinion given the games rules of infinite universes.
 
So finished this today and ugh...

I... I'm not crazy about where it went and am inclined to just pretend that it isn't canon. I mean, I thought the ideas leading up were fun (though I was starting to get concerned even then), but that ending/pay-off/debt/whatever the hell you wanna call it, just felt like the epitome of forced.
Like someone else said, it basically devalues Infinite's story and instead just opts to just say, "Hey, yeah we know that Bioshock1 is still everyone's fav, so enjoy this sweet fanfic..."
I also cant help feel that Irrational's demise may be tied to this in that they just needed something to get out the door or something.

I read somewhere else here on GAF that about people saying that they wish they hadn't played this and yeah, i'm definitely inclined to agree now :(
...and it sucks too and I was just about to replay Bioshock1 for the first time in years and now I'll have this.... this thing in my head.
 

Red

Member
Burial at Sea pt2 is still an good game. I thought the art was reward enough for playing through it. The story is bad but it's not hard to ignore it to still see B1 and BI as independent entities. It does not retroactively take anything away from either game. They play the same and contain their own stories. Burial at Sea is not required to understand either one.

I don't mean to defend what I agree were clumsy choices by Irrational, but I found something to appreciate in BaS pt2 despite its fumbles.
 
Alright, can I just say Kevin Levine got so pretentious to the fact this entire franchise's plot got too convoluted? Christ, I am reading the majority of your posts and even I am having trouble to figuring out who's dead and who's alive in which universe. I think it would've been better if they made Bioshock 1 and infinite's universes separate.
 
Alright, can I just say Kevin Levine got so pretentious to the fact this entire franchise's plot got too convoluted? Christ, I am reading the majority of your posts and even I am having trouble to figuring out who's dead and who's alive in which universe. I think it would've been better if they made Bioshock 1 and infinite's universes separate.

Yup, like others said, Ken or whoever, sacrificed emotion and character for the sake of convoluted plot twists.

I wonder if the Voice actors had any issues with what was ultimately done with Elizabeth.... It really is a huge fuck you in a way.
 
It's shocking how sometimes the canon is so underdeveloped, it can come off like the ravings of a madman. Not that Ken Levine is mad. But pseudo-science fiction plots need their own solid ground to work. You go throwing around bizarre ideas like.. well.. Infinite's DLC has, just abstractly floating out there, and it really starts sounding bonkers.

Agree and why, till this day, I still find the original Bioschock's lore/universe the most convincing :)
 

snyderman

Neo Member
Burial at Sea pt2 is still an good game. I thought the art was reward enough for playing through it. The story is bad but it's not hard to ignore it to still see B1 and BI as independent entities. It does not retroactively take anything away from either game. They play the same and contain their own stories. Burial at Sea is not required to understand either one.

I don't mean to defend what I agree were clumsy choices by Irrational, but I found something to appreciate in BaS pt2 despite its fumbles.

Agreed. I myself like Burial at Sea and enjoy playing it once in a blue moon. I'm just not crazy about the story
 

Fuchsdh

Member
So here's a question, on going back to play through and not really finding my answer--who are these Splicers you're fighting? If they were all Fontaine’s men, shouldn’t they allied with Atlas? Doesn’t seem to make much sense he’d want his allies to be killing themselves.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
So here's a question, on going back to play through and not really finding my answer--who are these Splicers you're fighting? If they were all Fontaine’s men, shouldn’t they allied with Atlas? Doesn’t seem to make much sense he’d want his allies to be killing themselves.

Thats an interesting question. Perhaps Atlas deemed them to be useless once they became crazy on Adam. He has his own group of stable thugs to serve as appropriate henchmen.
 

Menome

Member
Just finished Burial At Sea and as someone who thought the original Bioshock was a tad overrated but loved Bioshock Infinite, having Elizabeth's adventures end up as an enabler for the first game to happen was a bit of a kick in the teeth.

It also seems that the entire situation could have been avoided if Elizabeth had just turned the heating up a bit at the end of Part One, rather than spinning that wheel all the way to the right instantly.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
Just finished Burial At Sea and as someone who thought the original Bioshock was a tad overrated but loved Bioshock Infinite, having Elizabeth's adventures end up as an enabler for the first game to happen was a bit of a kick in the teeth.

Agreed. Seemed very anit-climatic.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
i was taking screenshots like crazy while i played through and this scared the fuck out of me

D142D15A6DE5A573D7C785EC5124448421172279

This always scares the crap out of me.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
Kind of odd how the Little Sisters got massively creepier in BaS. Before they were creepy more by their action than their looks... Sally looks like an alien in this game.
 
I really enjoyed episode 2. I did a no kill playthrough, and it was fun stealthing it.

I didn't mind the story either, but agree it's best to treat it as fan fic. Still, by the end I was kind of tired of Rapture. I would have preferred DLC that fleshed out Columbia (the location was under utilized in the main game).
 

GRIP

Member
Damn I completely forgot I bought the DLC for this game (kinda forgot about the game altogether). Guess I should finally get around to playing it.
 

Menome

Member
Still, by the end I was kind of tired of Rapture. I would have preferred DLC that fleshed out Columbia (the location was under utilized in the main game).

I was incredibly excited when I got to go through the tear to Columbia, then we there for half an hour to sneak and tranquilise some people, then went straight back to Rapture. Like yourself, I was hoping for something more than that and expected Elizabeth to run into someone who recognised her but got confused by her older looks.
 
So, after purchasing the season pass a while ago (probably during the Steam Christmas sale... geez was that a long time ago) and having played through the first episode, I finally decided to make my through the second episode of the DLC.

And honestly... while I really enjoyed both Bioshock Infinite's campaign and the first DLC episode, this one just feels awful to me so far. The story bits are engaging as always, but the more-stealth orientated gameplay just feels miserable. I enjoy stealth games, so I don't think it's the change in style that throws me - rather, it's just that the stealth elements here feel as if they've been forced into the framework of what is otherwise a shooter. Really just a chore to play.
 
i loved this, but i do agree with a lot of sentiment in this thread about how it sort of ignores the big reveals in infinite and basically asks the player to all of sudden act as if one universe is suddenly important. i also agree with the idea that seeing more of columbia would have been nice. still was great though.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
i loved this, but i do agree with a lot of sentiment in this thread about how it sort of ignores the big reveals in infinite and basically asks the player to all of sudden act as if one universe is suddenly important. i also agree with the idea that seeing more of columbia would have been nice. still was great though.

Burial at Sea is not a bad game by any means, its just the story has some annoying failings. Still wish we could have seen some more Columbia.
 
Just finished it. Boy was that not good. It's not fun to play, and the story really trips over itself in it's effort to tie the first Bioshock in with Infinite.

One thing I'll say in its favor is that it's visually stunning - the art direction here is great, and just walking around and taking in the environments is a joy. But on the whole, what a disappointing way for Irrational Games and the Bioshock franchise to go out.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
Just finished it. Boy was that not good. It's not fun to play, and the story really trips over itself in it's effort to tie the first Bioshock in with Infinite.

One thing I'll say in its favor is that it's visually stunning - the art direction here is great, and just walking around and taking in the environments is a joy. But on the whole, what a disappointing way for Irrational Games and the Bioshock franchise to go out.

The art direction is excellent and the voice acting is superb. So I'm guessing you were not a fan of the ending of episode 2?
 

snyderman

Neo Member
The ending does not take into account virtually anything from Infinite: Booker, Columbia, Comstock, baby anna, lutecees, not even Elizabeth really in terms of her personal thoughts about her journey, existence, being with Booker, or anything related to Infinite. Elizabeth at that point felt like a catalyst and not a character. Her death is ultimately in service of the story of Bioshock, a story she was never a part of in the first place. Hell, the after credit scene is from Bioshock and not from Infinite. So while I think the ending does a neat job in tying the two games together, as a definitive conclusion to Infinite and Elizabeth's story, its rather lackluster. Its not that Elizabeth deserved better or a happy ending, its that she deserved an ending that paid attention or more attention to herself or none at all.
 
Just finished. Enjoyed the experience, but I think it absolutely undermines Infinite proper in a huge way.

The "There will always be a man, a lighthouse, and a girl" ending was so crucial to what Infinite was about, and what I took away from Burial at Sea is that there are only two. And the ones in Infinite only exist in service to the ones in Rapture.

It's incongruous.
 

Joeku

Member
A lot of BaS was like that, apologizing for and retconning what Infinite said. That was them almost denying that, and saying that these two universes are connected tightly.
 

Capitan

Member
Does Ken have a fetish for killing you in first person?
Anyway, I didn't really like the story of either burial at sea. It was nice to romp around rapture, and I did like the stealthy gameplay, but, it all felt pointless. I really had no reason to care for Sally. We know Atlas is a dick, and yet we walk into his arms, knowing it's a trap. It seemed like he didn't have any reason to spare Sally after he killed Elizabeth anyway. It's like, i think Ryan said at some point during pt2- "It's like watching Isaac Newton going back into a burning building to save his cat." They knew how frustratingly pointless it all seemed, so I'm not sure why they kept that as the story. I preferred Infinite without all this nonsense.
 

IBetUHav

Neo Member
Finished this recently and while I loved having a chance to go back to Rapture one more time (amazing art direction once again) a few of the plot points really disappointed me with how they were handled. I don't mind that Elizabeth and Booker are present in the Rapture universe, but trying to make Elizabeth the keystone in the "would you kindly" (WYK) plot point seemed very forced and inaccurate based on what we knew from the original Bioshock game and how the facts were presented.

From what I could find these are the facts (based on time stamped audio logs, character dialogue etc.) we are given surrounding the origin of WYK:
- WYK first used in 1956 by Suchong (tells young Jack to break puppy's neck)
- Jack sent to surface in 1958 by Fontaine and Tenenbaum
- It's early 1959 when Atlas gets WYK (Elizabeth hands it to him in BaS)
- Quote from original Bioshock clearly implies Suchong taught Fontaine WYK and there was no rift between them as shown in BaS --- Tenenbaum: "Suchong designed your mind, taught Fontaine to control you"

So according to this Fontaine sent Jack to the surface without knowing the activation phrase to bring him back AND Suchong never told Fontaine about WYK for 2 years despite the fact he was expressly working on the project for Fontaine and being paid by him.

Dissapointing considering Bioshock is one of my favorite games of all time.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
I really had no reason to care for Sally. We know Atlas is a dick, and yet we walk into his arms, knowing it's a trap. It seemed like he didn't have any reason to spare Sally after he killed Elizabeth anyway. It's like, i think Ryan said at some point during pt2- "It's like watching Isaac Newton going back into a burning building to save his cat." They knew how frustratingly pointless it all seemed, so I'm not sure why they kept that as the story. I preferred Infinite without all this nonsense.

This.
 

snyderman

Neo Member
I don't mind that Elizabeth and Booker are present in the Rapture universe, but trying to make Elizabeth the keystone in the "would you kindly" (WYK) plot point seemed very forced and inaccurate based on what we knew from the original Bioshock game and how the facts were presented.

This
 
Finally started up Burial at Sea this weekend, and just wrapped it up. For most of the two episodes I was in love with it, especially the second episode with the head-Booker and all that, but man, what a deflating ending, especially considering it's pretty much the final note of the franchise (proper, at least).

I liked the idea of directly tying together Infinite and the first game and "closing the loop" on the franchise with the events of ep2, but I didn't want that to be the only point of the DLC. This was not at all a satisfying end for Elizabeth. After how "big" the ending of Infinite got it feels almost like a ripoff to have the continuation - again, effectively the end of the series - amount to little more than "Elizabeth dies so the first game can occur." That's it? For a game that set up infinite possibilities, its DLC was certainly narrow-minded. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting anything as crazy as the end of Infinite and I didn't expect Elizabeth to be shockingly revealed as SHODAN or something, but I figured it was at least leading to something a little bigger.
 

Dead

well not really...yet
Sales bump: So..how meaningful and worth it is Burial at Sea?
It's essentially the coda to Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite. The two episodes together are a good 7-10 hours depending on how you play.

Do you feel there is more to the story that you need or want to know? Then play. If you are satisfied, then tread with caution.
 
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