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After years of development, BioShock: Infinite launched to rave reviews and solid sales figures - giving gamers a major title to champion in early 2013. Both the gameplay (which allowed players a lot of room for experimentation and improvisation) and story (grounded in a mind-bending sci-fi storyline) became topics of passionate debate in the gaming community as players shared their favorite vigor combinations and analyzed Infinite's thought-provoking final act.

Still, the one thing that most players agreed on: they wanted more BioShock from creator Ken Levine and the team at Irrational Games. Fortunately, the developer was already hard at work on the Burial at Sea story DLC - a two part add-on that follows Booker and Elizabeth during the downfall of Rapture. Now, to coincide with the release of Burial at Sea Episode One, 2K Games has unveiled a new trailer that showcases the darker tone of the Rapture world (even before its demise) along with the return of fan-favorite boss baddy, the Big Daddy.

Anyone who has yet to complete BioShock Infinite will, likely, be scratching their heads at why Booker and Elizabeth, featured in the Columbia story, are suddenly in the doomed underwater city of Rapture. Spoilers for the Infinite ending provide at least one explanation, though it'll be interesting to see how the storyline actually plays out as well as how this side arc could impact the larger BioShock universe.

BioShock Infinite Burial at Sea Rapture

While Columbia was an interesting back drop for a new BioShock adventure (not to mention exciting sky rail traversal), many detractors felt as though the city in the sky lacked the same immersive tone as the original BioShock. Obviously Levine and his team were attempting to do something different with Infinite, so it's unfair to criticize the studio's follow-up for not being scary (or dark) enough; however, many fans regardless of their preference for Rapture or Columbia, will be excited to see the creepy aesthetic of the original game back on screen once again.

Burial at Sea Episode Two will feature a significantly different gameplay formula, since players will take control of Elizabeth - instead of the more standard gun and vigor-toting Booker. Levine has kept quiet about how exactly the combat mechanics will work in the second chapter but that doesn't mean that gamers should expect a direct copy and paste job for Booker in Episode One - as the add-on features new weaponry, gear, and plasmids (instead of vigors).

BioShock Infinite Big Daddy Burial at Sea

Still, the biggest draw, given that many gamers play the BioShock games for their story and philosophical rumination, will be watching the fall of Rapture on New Year's Eve 1958 - an event that players explored (sometimes in gut-wrenching detail) through BioShock and BioShock 2 audio logs. Considering the state of Rapture, and its twisted surviving citizens, during the events of BioShock, there's copious narrative material for the developers to explore - as they have the ability to provide a lot of fan service by revisiting memorable characters and locales before the city falls to ruin.

One returning character that BioShock enthusiasts will, without question, be excited (and probably nervous) to see again is the original game's iconic Big Daddy characters - one of which is featured prominently at the end of the launch trailer. It's known how many times gamers will encounter (and presumably fight) Big Daddies between the two DLC episodes but it'd be a major missed opportunity if Irrational Games didn't give players at least one final opportunity to go toe-to-toe with the the Little Sisters' hulking protector.

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BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea Episode One is available now for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick.

Source: Irrational Games