How To: Survive 1999 Mode in Bioshock Infinite

Being an avid trophy hunter, I thought I'd stick my head in the clouds and try to platinum Bioshock Infinite because (1) it looked easy enough and (2) it's a single-player game, which means there are no pesky multiplayer trophies. Needless to say, I ran into the obstacle of completing the game in 1999 Mode, which has been claimed by its creators and various reviewers as being retro-hard, but really is only difficult in today's standard. In comparison to Big Boss Extreme in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Hardcore in Max Payne 3 or Hard in Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis, 1999 mode is a walk in a park but if you haven't experienced those particular forms of torture, I've knocked up a quick guide to help you survive Bioshock Infinite's toughest game mode.

1) Scavenge like your life depends on it (because it does).

The biggest challenge in 1999 Mode is managing your resources, particularly because you need to upgrade your weapons and vigors because enemies get increasingly tougher and appear in larger packs as you progress through the game. At the same time, you should have some spare cash handy so you can be "saved", which is the game's mechanic of bringing you back to the fight without having to restart at a checkpoint. Whenever possible, scrounge ammo from fallen enemies and look around for extra money, lockpicks and gear in the immediate area. Be thorough, make sure you give every area a fine-tooth comb so as not to miss anything of value.

2) Upgrade what you use or need the most.

As previously mentioned, the game only gets harder as you progress, so, upgrading weapons and vigors is a must. Make sure to only upgrade the weapons and vigors you need though, as money is short and the upgrades are many. Personally, I'd recommend upgrading the sniper rifle as it provides huge damage output, lets you put some distance between yourself and the bad guys and is fairly common throughout the game. For vigors, it really depends on what you use primarily and what you feel most comfortable with. Generally though, upgrade Possession to its maximum as well as Shock Jockey as you'll be needing both quite often throughout the game. 

3)  Gear up for every fight.

As with the first point, scavenging is your friend and when you find gear, always take it since you don't have an inventory management problem as you can carry as much gear as you want. For the best combination of gears, assess the situation and determine what gear you have is best for the job. If you need maximum damage output for melee because you're out of ammo, put on Burning Halo, Deadly Lungers, Executioner and Vampire's Embrace. If you need to find more ammo after a particularly gruelling firefight, put on Scavenger's Vest. Of particular note is a piece of gear called Winter Shield which grants you brief invulnerability every time you jump off a Sky-Line. Whenever you see a Sky-Line and enemies about, always equip Winter Shield, it's extremely effective and will keep you alive through many tough battles.

4) Infuse away.

Always look for infusions when you have the time because they will save your life. Particularly, upgrade your shield as opposed to your health as the shield regenerates all the time while your health does not regenerate and requires health kits and snacks to replenish. As well as that, upgrade your salts as you will need better salt capacity in order to use your vigors more often without needing to re-stock on salts too much.

5) Tear 'em a new one.

When you discover Elizabeth's ability to open Tears, don't be afraid to use it. Open up Tears with an offensive capacity (e.g. Motorized Patriots, Mosquitos, Automatons) to soften up enemies. Alternatively, if you prefer getting into the thick of it, open up defensive Tears (e.g. Cover, Weapons, Salts, Medical Kits) that provide much needed resources for you to wage war against your enemies. Furthermore, it is important to remember that offensive Tears recover over time, so, if you're low on health and ammo, you can alternate between opening say a Rocket Automaton and Cover to maximise the damage you do to the enemy without getting hurt in the process.

6) Be tactical.

Not all fights are necessary to progress. If you get to a point where you can escape from a fight instead of staying and duking it out, wasting precious ammo and salts in the process, then do it. If you see a skyline, use it to perform Sky-Line Strikes or regenerate your shield. During the fights with Lady Comstock, take out her undead allies permanently by using Shock Jockey or Devil's Kiss to kill them, it completely destroys their bodies, stopping her from raising them to rejoin the fight. 

Other than the six main tips I've given, there's not much in terms of specific strategy I can give you. Just hope that Elizabeth will keep you well-stocked and that the enemy won't suddenly develop genius-level artificial intelligence and aim-bot accuracy. I hope this has been useful for all you trophy/achievement hunters out there. On a related note, I'm currently writing up a Bioshock Infinite review, expect that to appear some time in the near future.