Sneaking Around in Burial at Sea--Episode 2

I've been continuing my journey under the briny seas in the crumbling utopia of Rapture.  BioShock:  Infinite's two part DLC takes the story of Booker and Elizabeth and plunks them far, far away from the floating magnificence of Columbia.  Part one of the DLC introduces a very film noir version of Rapture with Elizabeth playing the role of the mysterious woman who is seeking out the assistance of the washed up, struggling private eye who just happens to be Booker DeWitt.  Elizabeth and Booker are trying to locate a missing girl, Sally, who both of them have some sort of connection to.  There are some twists in the story and in the end we learn that Elizabeth is out for blood.  But, as it turns out, things aren't as simple as they appear, and Elizabeth's quest for vengeance is about to get infinitely more complicated.  (Possible spoilers ahead.)

Pros:
--A completely different playstyle.  The second part of the story sees you taking on the role of Elizabeth.  Unlike Booker, Elizabeth isn't some combat hardened warrior--she's an intelligent woman who knows that facing enemies head-on is a good way to die.  Rather than continuing the game spitting lead and throwing plasmids around, the game switches to a stealth game.  Elizabeth must sneak through the shadows and utilize her small frame to navigate the complex system of heating vents that run through the splicer-infested halls of Fontaine's Department Store.  Players have to make choices about how to deal with groups of splicers--do you try to pick them off one by one or do you use distraction to sneak by them?  Elizabeth still possesses some of her unique abilities--namely breaking codes and picking locks.  One ability she no longer possesses is opening tears.

Elizabeth can utilize the crossbow for quick, silent takedowns.

--New weapons and plasmids for a stealthier playstyle.  Elizabeth needs to be stealthy so she doesn't get overwhelmed by splicers, so traditional weapons won't do the trick.  Early on, players gain access to the crossbow.  The crossbow can be equipped with several different kinds of bolts--tranquilizer bolts will knock enemies out, gas bolts release a cloud of gas that can be used to incapacitate groups of enemies, and noise makers (which can be salvaged from success in the lockpicking minigame) are useful for distracting groups of splicers.  Since Elizabeth needs to remain in the shadows, several new types of plasmids are introduced.  Peeping Tom allows players to see through walls and track the movements of enemies or to briefly turn invisible to sneak past them.  In order to see through walls, players must remain motionless, which can be a little tricky.  The other new plasmid is called Ironsides and it allows players to activate it as a sort of defensive bonus.  While active it will shield Elizabeth and, if you find the right modification upgrades, it can also be used to catch ammunition and restore some health and Eve.

--Another mind bending story.  The base game revealed that Elizabeth possesses the unique ability to navigate through time and space--in her words she can see "all the doors" and everything that is behind them.  Every possibility, every outcome--the past, the future....it's completely mind-boggling.  At the beginning of episode two, we learn that there are some rules about her insanely powerful ability--if she has died in the current world, she cannot linger there or she will be stuck.  No powers, no ability to see...well, basically everything.  Elizabeth decides that rescuing Sally is worth giving up her powers and sets out to find her.  The path isn't a simple one though--she has to deal with Atlas to find Sally and she will run into many citizens of Rapture who we've heard about before--Dr. Yi Suchong, Sander Cohen, Andrew Ryan--and even a few from Columbia--Daisy Fitzroy, the Lutece's, and Jeremiah Fink.  As Elizabeth investigates, we learn that there is a clear link between Columbia and Rapture.  Constants and variables....

Cons:
--I greatly enjoyed the change to playing as Elizabeth, but I could definitely see some people not enjoying the stealthier playstyle.  It's a big switch from running and gunning to patiently waiting in the shadows for the right opportunity to strike.

--Like the first episode, it's also fairly short in length.  Maybe 3-4 hours or additional content.

--If you're a fan of Elizabeth (which, I am...even though she took awhile to grow on me) you will probably be disappointed by the ending.  It's not some horrible cliffhanger or some more weird meta-physical mumbo-jumbo, but it definitively ends the story and completes the link between Rapture and Columbia.

Of the two parts of Burial At Sea, episode two is definitely the highlight.  The change to playing as Elizabeth combined with the interesting story are enough for me to recommend buying and playing the DLC.  I really enjoyed the way that the story and connection of Columbia and Rapture are linked together--it's something that I would not have predicted.

The BioShock series is frequently featured in sales on Steam and the whole thing can typically be grabbed for a song.  Be sure to grab the DLC for Infinite if you want to see how the story of Booker and Elizabeth is resolved.  (Also, avoid the remastered version of BioShock 2--it tends to crash often.  The regular version doesn't look as pretty, but it runs like a charm).