Three different BioShock Infinite DLC’s have recently been announced; Clash in the Clouds, and Burial at Sea (in two episodes).
BioShock Infinite: Clash in the Clouds Trailer
This is the DLC that is going to be released first, although an exact date has not been announced for its release. This may be seen as a response to criticism of Bioshock Infinite‘s combat, as many fans believed this to be the game’s weakest element. However, I’m not sure I agree with the fans’ reaction to the combat, or Irrational Game’s response with this particular DLC.
Some of the criticism was aimed at the quantity of combat encountered during the course of the game; there should have been more shooting sequences. I totally disagree with this, however, as I feel there is plenty of fighting interwoven throughout a well-written narrative, and telling a layered story is a large focus for the BioShock series. If combat suffers for the sake of beautiful aesthetics and something that makes you think, then so be it. And I hope my usage of suffer is not misunderstood, here; I think the combat in BioShock Infinite is at least entertaining. My opinion aside, these fans will relish the chance for more gun-slinging, sky-lining action.
The other criticism was simply that the combat itself was too simple; vigor this, shoot that. Although I personally enjoyed the combat, I can see where this response comes from. You pull off similar one-two punch combos from the first BioShock, although there was a little more variation with the types of vigors (e.g. Possession, Return to Sender) and upgrades that added new options during shootouts. There were also various tears you could use to support you and Elizabeth tossing you things you so desperately needed mid-fight. Despite the changes, some people still perceived this as still remaining a little too similar to the original formula. If that’s your thinking, then I doubt you will be pleased with a shoe-shined horde-mode on familiar venues with identical combat mechanics, and purchasing this DLC probably won’t be worth your time.
Personally, I’m not a fan of horde-mode gameplay. I took a peek at Kotaku‘s quick preview, and was expectedly underwhelmed. I will skip over this one.
BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 1 Trailer
However, this . . . I am totally invested in. It’s essentially like a mini-expansion pack, which is something I favor in DLC. A quick peek at Booker’s desk reveals the date December 31st, 1958, on the verge of the 1959 New Year’s celebration. Fans of the series will remember seeing toppled 1959 New Year’s signs throughout Rapture’s halls and hearing how everything went to hell during the 1959 New Year’s celebration through audio diaries, so it’s pretty obvious which direction this DLC is going to take us. However, the chance to experience an unscathed Rapture, no matter how brief, is a wonderful thing. And seeing just how Rapture falls from grace will be just as exciting.
There are two parts of this DLC; this is the trailer for Episode 1. Apparently, you will be allowed to play as both Booker and Elizabeth throughout the course of Burial at Sea, although it is unclear whether or not each episode is dedicated to each character or both will be playable during one, one would assume the former (this is the case according to Joystiq).
There is a heavy (and all too obvious) film Noir influence to the feel and art of this game, which is definitely not a bad thing. The femme fatale, the man with the gun, and the DLC artwork shown at the end of the trailer reflects this; it reminds me of This Gun for Hire, Le Samourai, or Chinatown posters.
Not only does this DLC have more combat, but a deeper exploration into BioShock‘s lore. This looks like DLC that’s done right, and is absolutely refreshing to see. There is no exact release date for Burial at Sea yet, but Clash in the Clouds is out now and available for 5$ (400 Microsoft Points).
A Gaming Catalyst 
