RetroDEX: "Bioshock" ends not with a bang, but a whimper (Burial at Sea 1,2)

Irrational followed up Bioshock Infinite with two expansions. Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea features a return to Rapture and the world of Andrew Ryan through the eyes of Booker and Elizabeth. Released in two parts, Burial At Sea Episode 1 is a more conventional experience, whereas Episode 2 tries (and fails) to break the Bioshock mold.

The first episode features a more adult, jaded and seductive Elizabeth visiting Booker in Rapture. She gives him a job to find a Little Sister. There are references to the original Bioshock, as well as some cameos, but it's a pretty standard affair. The mechanics are the same as those of the base game and there's not much story to speak of. If 1930s adventure serials inspired Bioshock Infinite, then film noir-inspired Burial At Sea 1.

RetroDEX: When creators look in the mirror (Bioshock Infinite)

This has always been the one in the series I liked. Returning to it for a second playthrough, I understand why it has held a special place in my heart. Irrational returned for the development of Bioshock Infinite. Unsurprisingly, the game is a better sequel to the original Bioshock rather than its sequel. Much as I enjoyed the second game, this series isn't a trilogy; it's a two-act play, with the second game being a stand-alone spin-off of the original game.

Bioshock Infinite ditches the claustrophobic Rapture for the flying city of Columbia. Its quantum-based technology and sky-rails have always been a draw for me. The game is visually familiar, but the change in the setting brought with it a change in color and lighting. Everything is bigger and brighter, which contributes to the feeling of a 1930s adventure serial.

Bioshock Infinite's popularity has waned post-release. It's not without reason: it's somewhat pretentious and superficial in its thematic approach. It can also get repetitive, slow and boring, from a gameplay perspective. Additionally, the game's the poster-boy for luddonarrative dissonance, more so than Bioshock. I can sing its praises, but Irrational remains a worse developer than 2K Marin.