BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea is a two-episode single-player DLC story for BioShock Infinite, developed by Irrational Games and published by 2K. Episode One follows Booker DeWitt in Rapture; Episode Two shifts to Elizabeth and changes the pace toward stealth, lockpicks, and resource pressure.
Content warning: Burial at Sea is rated Mature 17+ and includes blood and gore, intense violence, language, mild sexual themes, and use of alcohol and tobacco. This guide stays non-graphic and focuses on gameplay.
This is a spoiler-light beginner guide for starting both episodes in the right mindset. Beginner does not mean the DLC is frictionless: Episode Two is much less forgiving if you try to play Elizabeth like Booker.
Essential Tips
1. Confirm How You Own the DLC
Burial at Sea is not a standalone BioShock game. On Steam, Episode One and Episode Two are DLC tied to BioShock Infinite. They can also be part of the BioShock Infinite Season Pass, BioShock Infinite: The Complete Edition, or BioShock: The Collection.
That access detail matters because this guide covers the two story episodes, not Clash in the Clouds and not the BioShock Infinite base campaign. If you are using a collection release, the package may expose the content differently from the original separate DLC pages.
2. Play the Episodes in Order
Episode Two is set immediately after Episode One and assumes the context of both BioShock Infinite and the first Burial at Sea episode. You can understand the controls from BioShock Infinite, but the DLC’s mechanics and story structure are built around the two-part order.
For a first run, treat Episode One as the onboarding half and Episode Two as the rule change. Episode One teaches Rapture through Booker with weapons, Plasmids, Gear, Tears, and tighter resource management. Episode Two asks you to relearn the space through Elizabeth, where direct fights are riskier.
3. Do Not Bring Pure BioShock Infinite Combat Habits
Burial at Sea uses BioShock Infinite technology, but it pulls the player toward older Rapture habits: tighter rooms, scarcer supplies, Plasmids, a weapon wheel, and more incentive to search optional spaces. Episode One is still an action episode, but it is not as open and forgiving as many Columbia arenas.
Slow down before entering shops, side rooms, and obvious combat spaces. Look for ammo, money, Gear, Infusions, locks, switches, water hazards, and turret angles before spending resources.
4. Use the Weapon Wheel Instead of Tunnel Vision
Episode One brings back a weapon wheel, so you are not limited to a tiny active weapon pair. That makes resource management broader: if one weapon is running dry, rotate instead of wasting rare ammo or forcing a bad angle.
The same principle applies to Plasmids. Episode One supports multiple Plasmids with press and hold functions, and they are not all for raw damage. Some are better for control, defense, switch interactions, or traversal puzzles.
5. Treat Elizabeth Differently in Each Episode
In Episode One, Elizabeth is Booker’s partner and can open lockpick-gated spaces. Those rooms can hide Gear, audio logs, or upgrades, so do not ignore locks just because the main route continues.
In Episode Two, Elizabeth becomes the playable character. She is not simply Booker with a different camera voice. She has weaker survivability, no Shield, less ammo capacity, stealth tools, lockpicks, a crossbow, Peeping Tom, and routes that favor avoidance. This is the most important mechanical distinction in the DLC.
6. Spend Lockpicks With a Plan
Lockpicks are useful in both episodes, but Episode Two leans harder on them. They can open doors, disable turrets, and support stealth routing. Some enemies can even carry lockpicks that Elizabeth can steal if you approach carefully.
Do not spend every pick the instant you see a lock. Check the room, enemy positions, and whether the lock supports progress, safety, supplies, or collectibles.
7. Search Optional Spaces Before Big Fights
Burial at Sea places useful items off the straight path: Gear, Infusions, audio logs, ammo, money, Plasmids, and lockpick rewards. Episode One’s tighter combat is easier when you have explored first, and Episode Two’s stealth is easier when you know where vents, lighting-sconce routes, vending machines, and bypass routes are.
Searching does not mean clearing every enemy. Especially in Episode Two, sometimes the better route is to scout, take what you need, and leave quietly.
8. Use Plasmids for Utility, Not Just Damage
Shock Jockey can activate switches. Old Man Winter can create ice bridges from water in Episode One. Possession, Peeping Tom, traps, and other tools can change an encounter before the first shot.
Use Plasmids to prevent bad fights, isolate enemies, deal with turrets, or open routes. In Episode Two, EVE scarcity makes this even more important, because wasted casts are costly.
9. Respect Episode Two’s Noise Rules
Episode Two is built around stealth-style play. Crouching makes Elizabeth harder to notice, hiding matters, and alternate paths such as vents can be the difference between a clean route and a messy fight. Crossbow tranquilizer darts, gas bolts, and noisemakers are tools for managing patrols, not decorations.
If enemies keep overwhelming you, stop trying to win the room loudly. Scout with Peeping Tom when available, watch patrols, and use noisemakers to move attention.
10. Use Vending Machines Before You Are Empty
Vending machines can sell medical supplies, EVE, crossbow ammo, and lockpicks depending on the episode and area. They are most useful before you hit zero.
Before leaving a safe pocket, check your health recovery, EVE, ammo, and lockpick count. In Episode Two, especially, a single extra stealth resource can save more health than another direct fight.
11. Save 1998 Mode for a Focused Run
Episode Two includes 1998 Mode, which challenges players to complete the episode with non-lethal tools. That is a distinct route, not just a difficulty label you should casually toggle for a first blind run.
If you are learning Burial at Sea, finish a normal run first or be ready to play slowly and deliberately. A 1998 Mode mindset means avoiding lethal habits, valuing stealth resources, and planning patrol routes more carefully than a standard completion requires.
12. Keep Collection Differences in Mind
Burial at Sea appears across original DLC listings, season-pass bundles, Complete Edition packaging, and BioShock: The Collection. The core episode advice is the same, but menu access, platform storefront wording, and included-content labeling can vary.
If you are on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch, you are likely encountering the episodes through a collection rather than the original 2013-2014 separate console DLC route. Check the package’s content list and your platform library before assuming something is missing.
Episode One Habits
Episode One is the better place to practice deliberate Rapture combat. Use the weapon wheel, rotate weapons to preserve ammo, search side areas before scripted pressure, and look for utility Plasmid uses. Elizabeth can open locked spaces for Booker, so carry enough lockpicks to make exploration worthwhile.
Turrets and tougher enemies can punish careless rushing. When a room gives you turrets, water, cover, or vertical movement, solve the room before spending all your ammunition. Gear and Infusions are limited enough that skipping optional spaces can make later fights feel tighter.
Episode Two Stealth Habits
Episode Two should be approached like a stealth survival chapter. Elizabeth’s lack of Shield and lower combat durability mean you should crouch, scout, hide, and bypass when possible. Use Peeping Tom to understand a room, crossbow ammo to disable threats quietly, and noisemakers to move patrols away from where you need to go.
Lockpicks are part of routing, not just loot keys. They can open progress, supply rooms, and turret solutions, while pickpocketing can help refill the supply. If a plan fails, retreating and hiding is often smarter than trying to turn Elizabeth into a front-line shooter.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Do not start Episode Two before Episode One - the second episode assumes the first episode’s events and changes the playable character.
- Do not treat Burial at Sea as a standalone install - the episodes are DLC or included content tied to BioShock Infinite packages.
- Do not rush Episode One like a large Columbia arena - tighter Rapture spaces and scarcer resources reward searching and setup.
- Do not ignore the weapon wheel - rotating weapons helps preserve scarce ammunition.
- Do not spend Plasmids only for damage - switches, ice bridges, turrets, traps, scouting, and control can be just as important.
- Do not waste every lockpick on impulse - locked rooms, turret options, and Episode Two routing all compete for picks.
- Do not play Elizabeth like Booker - Episode Two expects stealth, crouching, hiding, and careful resource use.
- Do not save 1998 Mode for casual experimentation - it is a non-lethal-focused challenge and needs a deliberate route.
Summary
| Category | Top Tip |
|---|---|
| Access | Confirm whether you own separate DLC, the Season Pass, Complete Edition, or BioShock: The Collection |
| Episode Order | Play Episode One before Episode Two |
| Episode One | Use the weapon wheel, Plasmids, lockpicks, Gear, and Infusions to manage tighter combat |
| Episode Two | Treat Elizabeth’s chapter as stealth-first survival, not Booker-style combat |
| Resources | Spend lockpicks, EVE, ammo, and vending-machine purchases with a plan |
| Challenge Runs | Save 1998 Mode for a focused non-lethal route |
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8 checked for this guideEvery factual claim in this guide was checked against at least two independent sources before publication. These are the references used for BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea.
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