14 DAY TRIAL // The development team at Irrational Games and publisher Take Two are announcing that they are planning to add a new game mode in the second episode of the Burial at Sea downloadable content for BioShock Infinite, called 1998, which will challenge gamers to complete the entire experience using only non-lethal methods.
Gamers will need to be extra careful to enemy movements and will also need to become familiar with the new weaponry that they can use in order to avoid taking out any of their opponents.
Ken Levine, the creative director of Irrational Games, explains in the official announcement that, "In Burial at Sea – Episode Two we put a focus on balance and stealth mechanics. As we were developing this new style of gameplay, we started to see people self-impose non-lethal playthroughs."
He adds, "Given the fan reception of 1999 Mode, we thought it would be cool to give them another way to play Burial at Sea that challenged their mastery of stealth tools."
The 1998 Mode is possible in the second episode of Burial at Sea because the gamers are able to control the nimble Elizabeth rather than the hulking DeWitt, which means that they have more options when it comes to staying out of sight and taking out enemies from the shadows.
Irrational Games says that it is eagerly awaiting to see how gamers are approaching the newly announced mode and whether it will prove as popular as the original 1999 Mode from BioShock Infinite, which increased the overall experience of the original campaign.
Burial at Sea – Episode 2 takes place in the underwater city of Rapture and will allow gamers to explore the unique location before its downfall, using new weapons and new abilities.
This is the last piece of DLC that Irrational Games is creating for BioShock Infinite, but the company continues to urge fans to buy the Season Pass offered for the title.
After its launch, the studio will disband as leader Ken Levine will take a smaller 15-man team in order to pursue new projects inside Take Two.
The developer says that he is interested in creating complex narrative experiences that also offer a lot of replay value.
Take Two has not yet announced what its long-term plans for the BioShock universe are, but it is likely that a new studio will be allowed to work on it, maybe with Ken Levine as a consultant on any future projects.