ElzarTheBam
Member
Thread Rules:
This thread will contain spoilers for BioShock Infinite. However, anything related to Burial At Sea Episode 2 in regards to major plot points will need to abide by the rules below.
Thread Rules:
The standard rules of NeoGAF apply. Use your judgment. For the foreseeable future, NO SPOILERS will be permitted without the proper formatting.
Here are the tags:
What constitutes a spoiler?: major events, character deaths, plot twists, the game’s ending, speculation following your playthrough, and so forth.
Err on the side of caution. Again, use your judgment. Most of this should be intuitive: be respectful, be mindful, and don’t do anything cretinous.
Disagreements are going happen, and that’s fine, as long as they don’t escalate into being belligerent.
The spoiler thread is located here and below as well.
Use the spoiler thread to discuss the end game to EP2 without having to use spoiler tags.
Note: IG are keeping their cards close to their chests this time round because of spoilers, more information will be added to this OT, specifically the FAQ section prior and post release of said DLC.
Have fun and enjoy the closing chapter of the BioShock Infinite series!
Below contains links to the original BI OT, the BI spoiler OT, the topic for the first piece of DLC for BI, Clash in the Clouds (CitC) and the OT for BAS EP1.
The BI spoiler OT is especially useful as a guide and refresher into the themes, understanding and general discussion on BI’s story. It is advisable that you look at it to get the most out of the story line in BAS. Just pick a door.
Glossary of terms.
BAS = Burial at Sea.
EP1 = Episode 1.
EP2 = Episode 2.
BI = BioShock Infinite.
CitC = Clash in the Clouds.
Ken = Kevin.
Title: BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two.
Developer: Irrational Games
Publisher: 2K Games
Worldwide Release date: Available starting March 25th, 2014.
ESRB: M; PEGI: 18.
The premise.
See the world through Elizabeth’s eyes in BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode Two. Set immediately after the conclusion of BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode One, this concluding episode puts you in the role of Elizabeth as she journeys through Rapture in an effort to rescue the little sister she abandoned. Developed by Irrational Games, the studio behind the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite, this conclusion of the Burial at Sea saga features parts of Rapture you’ve never seen before, and involves nearly every major character from the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite.
- Will be available on XBL marketplace, PSN network and Steam.
- Pricing: Set at $14.99/11.99 pounds each episode, both episodes will cost $30. Alternatively, the season pass is $19.99/15.99 pounds; representing great value. More details are available on the Irrational store. As part of the season pass, owners also get access to BAS EP1, CitC as well as the Early Bird Special Pack (this pack includes four exclusive gears, Machine Gun and Pistol Damage Upgrades, gold skins for each weapon, and five Infusion bottles for the main campaign).
- Until the 25th of March you can get BioSchock Infinite and the season pass for only $24.99/17.99 Pounds.
- For a limited time you can get EP1 for half price on the Xbox 360, either on the console or via the online web store.
- PC specs can be found here.
- Size: will be 6-10 gigs depending on platform. On the 360, there will be 2 downloads in order to play.
- Approximate release times for EP2, according to Irrational is as follows: Xbox 360: 5AM EDT | PC: 1-3PM EDT | PSN NA: 3-7 PM EDT | PSN Europe/Asia: Wednesday.
- Single player only.
- Not stand alone DLC, will require either the BI disc or install to run.
- The average length of BAS EP2 is around 6 hours according to Ken Levine
- Gameplay is a mixture of BS1 and Infinite (see previous OT and FAQ here for further details).
- Is tied directly to the events in BI.
- Noir style storytelling.
At a glance - Elaborated upon in the FAQ.
Achievements/Trophies (contains minimal spoilers)
Up and running:
Repaired the machine in Suchong’s lab in Burial at Sea – Episode 2.
Delivered the hair sample in Burial at Sea – Episode 2.
Completed Burial at Sea – Episode 2 .
Collected all Audio Diaries and Voxophones in Burial at Sea – Episode 2.
Completed Burial at Sea – Episode 2 in 1998 mode.
Gained five noisemakers through lockpicking.
Knocked out two or more enemies using the same Gas Bolt.
Used Ironsides to collect 20 rounds of ammo or more in Burial at Sea – Episode 2.
On three occasions, knocked out an enemy after silently dropping off a Freight Hook.
While invisible, used Peeping Tom to knock out 15 enemies with a melee attack.
Video Guide: From left to right: EP2 Exclusive preview clip (spoilers) | EP2 Behind The Scenes (spoilers) | #IrrationalJobs Proudest Moments | Episode 2 Launch trailer.
When is the story set?
The story takes place directly after the events of BAS EP1.
How will controlling Elizabeth be different to controlling Booker?
Irrational have been vocal in trying to get across the point that playing as Elizabeth won't merely be just a change of character models. They have changed the gameplay to suit her characteristics. As a result, the gameplay focus for BAS EP2 will stealth focused.
What is 1998 mode?
1998 Mode challenges gamers to complete the narrative using only non-lethal tools
Ken Levine stated that:
As we were developing this new style of gameplay, we started to see people self-impose non-lethal playthrough’s. Given the fan reception of 1999 Mode, we thought it would be cool to give them another way to play Burial at Sea that challenged their mastery of stealth tools.
Will 1999 mode be present?
Yes, all the difficulty levels will be present in BAS EP2, 1998 is just an addition on top of those difficulties.
How does the Peeping Tom Vigor work?
The Peeping Tom Vigor allows you two looks through walls and see where the enemy is, this allows you as a player to smartly choose you encounter and better stealth through sections. The upgrade for the Peeping Tom Vigor allows Elizabeth to go invisible, but she only remains in this state if she is standing still.
How does the Ironside Vigor work?
The Ironside allows Elizabeth to 'shield' enemy bullets INTO her inventory.
How does the crossbow work and what differentiates the bolts?
The cross bow works similar to the one found in BioShock 1, the bolts can be accessed via the weapon wheel which again functions like the one found in EP1.
In respect of the bolts. The tranquilliser bolt will put an enemy to sleep, one bolt per enemy. The gas bolt surrounds enemies in a toxic gas which knocks them out, this bolt can be used against more then one enemy provided that they are within close proximity to each other. The noisemaker bolt, true to its namesake allows you as a player to bypass encounters faster by making a noise filled distraction in the direction the bolt is fired in.
Irrational Games: Worlds Apart Bound by Theme and Nuance
(OP's notes - B33 went beyond the call of duty for this section)
“We all make choices, but in the end, our choices make us.” – Andrew Ryan
Upon the winding down of the final BioShock DLC project, Burial at Sea: Episode 2, Ken Levine made a formal announcement: Irrational Games would be closing. In the interim between projects, it’s normal for employees to leave either through layoffs or attrition. This was of an entirely different ilk.
In his missive, Levine spoke of his desire to work on smaller download only, narrative-driven games for the “core gamer.” This required closing Irrational and starting a new, focused company (in conjunction with 2K Games) with 15 personnel and Levine. 75 of the remaining personnel were laid off.
We have no desire to vilify Take-Two, Levine, or 2K Games. Nor will we waste this space opining on the rumored politics behind this decision. Instead, we’d like to think of the glass as half full. 57 different companies in the tech industry attended Irrational’s job fair for its workforce. Levine’s taken to plugging his former co-workers and their bevy of talent through social media. We’ve good faith all of the awesome personnel affected will get through this difficult time.
There may never be another world to explore from a future Irrational game, but the dilapidated stations in the void; the cities lofted up in the clouds; and the ruins of a city plunged in the depths of the ocean will always exist. These resonant moments ingrained in our minds can’t be destroyed.
“Welcome to my world, insect.” – SHODAN
Gaming is cyclical: the only thing that changes are the trends themselves. Founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts and steeped in the niche of PC gaming, Looking Glass Studios is venerated for good reason. The studio’s menagerie included Thief, Command & Conquer, Underworld, and System Shock.
During a time where technological limitations made characters look like sinewy kite figures and storytelling was seen as an inessential component of games, Looking Glass begged to differ. Their games boasted engaging characters, innovative gameplay under tight technical constraints, and compelling narratives. These things would go on to seep into the works from its “alumni” across the entire industry.
Irrational was no exception. The company was founded in 1997 by a triumvirate of bright-minded former Looking Glass employees: Ken Levine, Jonathan Chey, and Robert Fermier.
The studio’s first breakthrough title was System Shock 2, a direct successor to System Shock, made in conjunction with Looking Glass. Despite the dearth of polygons and memory limitations, System Shock 2 proved to be a complex hybrid of a first-person shooter and RPG.
In a sea of mindless shooters, Irrational chose to make a game that encouraged the player to think, go below the surface and strategize. Sometimes, the best choice was inaction; circumventing the conflict for the greater good. This use of subtlety and restraint would be perpetuated in all of Irrational’s work.
“For Freedom.” – Minute Man
Freedom Force and S.W.A.T. 4 showcased another penchant of Irrational’s impressive skill set: Theme and the consistency of it. Whether it was the mirth of the golden age of comics or the stark grit of an elite police squad, it didn’t matter. Motifs and themes were still woven throughout each game.
There was always something beneath the surface level to unify the player’s experience. Gameplay informed the story and vice versa. In S.W.A.T. 4, players were incentivized to use restraint and not kill their adversaries. Rather than bullets, it was better to strategize and overpower your foes with wits.
Irrational also boasted versatility by offering a compelling single player and multiplayer experience with Tribes: Vengeance. Kinetic jet-pack battles were blended seamlessly with the tenets of a sprawling sci-fi story. It managed to carve its own place in the series without falling prey to so many of the other trappings of ill-received sequels.
“The mind of the subject will desperately struggle to create memories where none exist…” – Barriers To Trans-Dimensional Travel, R. Lutece, 1888
BioShock is in many ways a spiritual successor to System Shock 2. Released for the Xbox 360 and PC, and later PS3, BioShock was Irrational’s first foray into the console space. Ayn Rand's philosophy was layered between what many perceived to be as commentary for the medium itself. The "Would you Kindly?" scene is bar none one of the most riveting moments in a video game; you simply won't forget it.
With each work, Irrational has acknowledged the faults of the preceding title in order to make their next game better. In BioShock, subtlety and atmosphered percolated throughout a dilapidated underwater city. We saw hints of what Rapture once was before it hit its nadir, but NPC contact was rather limited. Enemies did one thing: Attack, sans for the Big Daddies, who wouldn't strike unless provoked.
So many games seem to miss the notion of environment informing the player. A story isn’t just what’s fed to someone in large chunks of text. It’s not just a cinematic or dialogue delivered to the player during gameplay. Story permeates throughout everything. One of the early things a player encounters in BioShock is a crazed denizen of Rapture cooing what seems to be a child in an old-fashioned stroller. Moving forward will trigger the mother to attack and upon inspecting the stroller, a firearm rests where a baby should be. This really informs us of so much without missing a beat. All of Rapture is littered with these little nuggets of detail, and it greatly informs the player whether it escapes their subconscious or not.
With Irrational's next title, BioShock Infinite, players ascended to Columbia, a city nestled in the clouds of Americana, Exceptionalism, and Jingoism. Throughout most of the adventure, players were accompanied by Elizabeth, a character that required an extensive and intricate AI. Whether it be an ocean underwater or a convincing AI, Irrational was never one to shirk their ambitions due to technical challenges. The first hour or two of Infinite in fact boasted no combat, and instead focused on introducing the player to Colombia without any immediate threats.
Temerity led Irrational through the process of creating many of its worlds. In spite of the foibles of BioShock and BioShock Infinite, players can’t help but feel the resonance of either story. At the very least, neither are works that’ll stop percolating in your mind long after completing them. And we think that’s a telling sign.
Few games have attempted to delve into the philosophical, psychological, and human condition on the same level. Art owes it to itself and its consumers to ask the question, “What am I trying to say?” While a game can still be fun without a fully involved narrative, it doesn’t need be a dearth of story and character. Why not strive to accomplish more? The interactivity of the medium is its greatest strength. When everything is firing on all cylinders, the experience can be sublime. Irrational was bold in their approach to developing video games and we feel their work furthered the art of interactive storytelling.
It was with deep morose that we learnt of the closure of Irrational Games. Each game was worlds apart, yet all so intricately woven by their nuance and themes. We’ve no doubt many if not all of the staff at Irrational will go on to contribute more to the medium. They may no longer be together, but they’re still connected via the intricate fabric of the industry.
It was a collective effort that we were able to explore such new microcosms. We thank Ken Levine and all of the wonderful people at Irrational, and wish them all the best on their future endeavors.
Recommended Reading/Viewing/Listening:
Ken Levine and the Infinite Idaho
Postmortem: 2K Boston/2K Australia’s BioShock (presented by Gamasutra)
The Final Years of Irrational Games, According to Those Who Were There
The Irrational Behavior Podcast
Irrational Games: A Message from Ken Levine
The AI Behind Elizabeth
GDC 2014: Narrative Legos with Ken Levine
Ken Levine BAFTA Q&A
Featured Employees of Irrational Games
Eurogamer: The making of BioShock
IGN - A closer look at Irrational Games change in focus
A big thanks to the following people:
Andrew (For his contribution on the BI OT) | Blue Ninja (For providing a sexy banner) | BruceLeeRoy (For his contribution on the amazing BI spoiler OT) | B33 (The ying to my yang, for incredible feedback and critiques whilst on a busy schedule, for his dedication to the IG tribute section of this thread) | Cystm (For his contribution to the BI OT thread, and general guidance) | OneLetter (For his invaluable support) | Overdoziz (For his IG tribute header asset) | Zakislam (For his CitC thread).
And lastly, thank you my dear readers.
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