BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode 1

This is Episode 1 of the Burial at Sea story expansion, functioning as a narrative bridge for the main title. You step into the shoes of Booker DeWitt within a rebuilt, pre-fall version of Rapture, focusing on exploration and story progression as you investigate a missing person case for Elizabeth. The gameplay integrates core shooter mechanics with new Plasmids, weapons, and Gears, utilizing the engine technology of the base game. This chapter sets up the central conflict for the concluding two-part narrative arc.

This downloadable content functions as the first installment in a two-part narrative expansion for the main title, shifting the player's perspective to that of Booker DeWitt. Set just before the catastrophic downfall of the underwater city, this episode plunges players back into the iconic, art-deco dystopia of Rapture. The environment has been completely rebuilt utilizing the technology of the base game, offering a fresh visual interpretation of familiar, yet now pristine, locations. This chapter focuses heavily on establishing the atmosphere and initiating a new, self-contained storyline within the established universe.

Setting the Stage: Rapture Before the Fall

The narrative places players in the role of Booker DeWitt, now operating as a private investigator in the city of Rapture on the eve of 1959. His current assignment comes from a mysterious woman named Elizabeth, who tasks him with locating a missing young girl named Sally. Elizabeth's motives remain obscured, providing an immediate layer of intrigue as Booker navigates the city's business districts.

The initial focus involves gaining access to an exclusive venue hosted by the elite artist Sander Cohen. This quest requires Booker and Elizabeth to secure specialized masks, leading the duo through various shops in the city's commercial areas. The atmosphere captures Rapture in a state of high society and simmering tension, contrasting sharply with its later, ruined state.

Core Gameplay and New Additions

As a shooter episode, this content retains the core mechanics of the main game, leveraging the Unreal Engine 3 framework. However, it introduces several specific additions tailored to this narrative arc. Players will encounter new weaponry, unique Plasmids—the signature powers of the universe—and new defensive items known as Gears.

Furthermore, the environment features new uses for Tears, the dimensional rifts central to the main game's lore, integrated into the level design and puzzle-solving elements.

How Does This Episode Progress the Story?

This content functions as the starting point for the Burial at Sea storyline. It is the first half of a two-part conclusion to the overarching narrative threads established in the base game. By placing the player in Booker's shoes within this specific time frame, it offers a distinct narrative viewpoint and explores critical moments leading up to the city's collapse, setting the stage for the subsequent episode.

What Platforms is This Content Available On?

This episode was released for a wide array of platforms, including PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Linux, Mac, and later became available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.