The Bureau: XCOM Declassified

 PC
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 689 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 284 out of 689
  2. Mixed: 261 out of 689
  3. Negative: 144 out of 689
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  1. WellEvil
    Jan 8, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game with a huge focus on story, characters, and world-building. I don't remember the last time when the story absorbed me so much. Yes, there are a few bugs here are there, but nothing game-breaking. Usually minor visual glitches.… Expand
  2. Pickle
    Jan 6, 2023
    4
    Recuerdo cuando supe de este juego; leí de él en una revista hace algunos años donde aún ni sabía de XCOM ni cuándo iba a salir. Después de un cierto tiempo fue como si este juego desapareciera y nunca volvía a saber de él, asumí que el juego había sido cancelado, hasta que recientemente leí nuevamente del juego.

    No fue bien recibido, tiene problemas, tiene demasiados problemas que se    Recuerdo cuando supe de este juego; leí de él en una revista hace algunos años donde aún ni sabía de XCOM ni cuándo iba a salir. Después de un cierto tiempo fue como si este juego desapareciera y nunca volvía a saber de él, asumí que el juego había sido cancelado, hasta que recientemente leí nuevamente del juego.

    No fue bien recibido, tiene problemas, tiene demasiados problemas que se han exacerbado con el tiempo.

    Técnicamente no tuve problemas con el juego, pero en términos de diseño, este es un juego que no sabe decidir si ser un juego de disparos en tercera persona o alternativamente un juego de estrategia similar al titular XCOM. Idealmente hubiesen separado este juego y se hubiese preservado esto como un juego aparte y único, en cambio, se intento mezclar la experiencia, pero de formas bastante poco constructivas.

    Entonces se tiene un juego que no tiene mecánicas bien implementadas o desarrollaras de juegos de acción de disparos en tercera persona, con un sistema extraño y confuso de estrategia que no se acerca a la calidad de los juegos de XCOM.

    Una pena por que el concepto del juego parece bastante bueno, es tan solo la ejecución lo que lo acabo.    … Expand
  3. hileger
    Oct 19, 2022
    5
    Донный Середняк Середняк Середняк Середняк Середняк Середняк Середняк Середняк Середняк
  4. PrincessRose
    Mar 21, 2021
    6
    It's an alright game, enjoyed playing it.
    I liked the story, though a bit disappointed that your choices don't affect much.
  5. Prometheus1241
    Feb 10, 2021
    6
    Quite decent third person tactics shooter, which occasionally breaks XCOM: Enemy Unknown's exposition.
  6. Nerevarinho
    Nov 6, 2020
    3
    Poorly cloned Gears of War gameplay (and it came out 7 years after Gears 1), in an XCOM setting.
  7. Bigmano
    Jun 29, 2020
    8
    Xcom buroue is a fun addition to the series. Though the graphics aren't brilliant as it was made in 2013
  8. yoytag
    Oct 28, 2019
    7
    It is novel to use alien weapons and has a good sense of blow when using weapons. but Both allies and enemies have terrible A.I. The game is not bad, but I recommend buying it at a discount.
  9. RhodriM
    Mar 21, 2019
    6
    It's not terrible. It's just not... right.

    Had a troubled development and it shows.
  10. kennypowers0815
    Mar 13, 2019
    4
    From a technical standpoint this game has some serious issues, because even in 2019 using an RTX 2060 you still get hard fps drops down to 15-20 fps when you play with activated PhysX. You also have to MANUALLY put an up-to-date PhysX runtime library into the game's working folder to stop it from crashing on Windows 10.

    The game itself has some interesting ideas to stand out from the    From a technical standpoint this game has some serious issues, because even in 2019 using an RTX 2060 you still get hard fps drops down to 15-20 fps when you play with activated PhysX. You also have to MANUALLY put an up-to-date PhysX runtime library into the game's working folder to stop it from crashing on Windows 10.

    The game itself has some interesting ideas to stand out from the classic Xcom games but everything is executed so mediocre that while I really tried to like it, I just didn't. Besides the really boring gunplay and imprecise movement controls it was mainly the absolutely awful character dialogue and childish storytelling that finally made me stop playing after about 3 hours. Wasted potential.    … Expand
  11. NightGeisha
    Jan 2, 2019
    8
    The Bureau: XCOM Declassified was a pleasant surprise. A fantastic story that held me until the end.

    The game is part of the universe of XCOM games and seems to be a prequel to the foundation of the agency and from the first XCOMs. It as a captivating story that holds us to the end, portraying the nostalgia of the 60's in a amazing way. Graphically is very good, its a 2013 game (year    The Bureau: XCOM Declassified was a pleasant surprise. A fantastic story that held me until the end.

    The game is part of the universe of XCOM games and seems to be a prequel to the foundation of the agency and from the first XCOMs. It as a captivating story that holds us to the end, portraying the nostalgia of the 60's in a amazing way.

    Graphically is very good, its a 2013 game (year of GTA V, Metro Last Light and many others) that stills look pretty fine comparing with some 2017 title. The soundtrack it's pretty good and the game mechanic is quite easy to pick up and very well conceived.

    Overall its a fantastic game that easily takes us 10 to 15 hours of gameplay.

    Here is small YouTube vide with the first minutes of the gameplay if you wanna check it out:
    https://youtu.be/7pjZxpsDDg8    … Expand
  12. PortalToH3LL
    Dec 16, 2018
    7
    Although the tasks are monotonous, game turned out to be cool with a decent plot, the graphic part of game also didnt let down, everything looks very nice. Fans of killing aliens, I advise.
  13. LoletinAlexis
    Jun 3, 2018
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Uninspired aliens, a decent script and decisions that are of little use, except for those of the choice of carrier, practically in the last part of the game.
    The characters and the world of The Bureau are interesting, the Sleepwalkers stand out, the 60s are a success and simple but well executed secondary missions.    … Expand
  14. Mobile
    Nov 22, 2017
    5
    ENG
    I guess this is the part of the series, which are suitable for those who have not tried or disliked the previous games. Because in this part all the games you will play in the usual shooting and hide behind cover all game. Despite the fact that shooting is not felt and is not interesting to shoot, no tactical raisins, and two morons teammates that all games will be setting you up.    ENG
    I guess this is the part of the series, which are suitable for those who have not tried or disliked the previous games. Because in this part all the games you will play in the usual shooting and hide behind cover all game. Despite the fact that shooting is not felt and is not interesting to shoot, no tactical raisins, and two morons teammates that all games will be setting you up. Don't know what inspired me to play on the highest difficulty level, but it was a mistake that cost not only nerves, but also a couple of extra hours to complete the passage. Fans of the series will surely pass by this game, but newcomers I can say that if was not playing in one part XCOM and would like to try and like the setting (1960, alien invasion, etc), you can try, but don't repeat my mistakes, I play on medium difficulty and do not bother at the expense of tactics - it's not here.
    RU
    Наверное эта та часть серии, которая подойдет для тех кто не пробовал или не недолюбливал прежние игры. Так как в этой части вы всю игры будете "играть" в обычный тир и прятаться за укрытиями и так всю игру. При том что стрельба здесь не чувствуется и стрелять не интересно, никакой тактической изюминки, так еще и двое дебилов напарников, которые все игру будут вас подставлять. Не знаю, что меня сподвигло играть на максимальном уровне сложности, но это было ошибкой, которая стоила не только нервов, но и пары лишних часов на полное прохождение. Фанаты серии наверняка пройдут мимо этой игры, а вот новичкам могу сказать, что если не играли не в одну часть XCOM и хотели бы попробовать и нравится подобный сеттинг (1960 года, вторжение инопланетян и т.д), то можете попробовать, но не повторяйте моей ошибки, играете на средней сложности и не заморачивайтесь на счет тактики - ее здесь нет.    … Expand
  15. zimmer600
    Aug 19, 2017
    6
    A good and well-tailored tactical shooter, in the xcom universe. True tactics begin to work only at a high level of complexity (which is a minus of the game).
  16. rookie1
    Apr 30, 2017
    10
    The game is really nice. The game is a very good quality game even on bad graphics cards. I like the game in every way. It's a fabulous production. Beautiful!
  17. georgio
    Apr 15, 2017
    7
    Forget the title. XCOM Declassified is a story driven RPG very similar to let's say Mass Effect 3. You and 2 of your squadmates go around shooting enemies and doing some missions. The story is nice and overall the gameplay is solid.

    The biggest shortcoming is that it is very short game. I did all the missions, talked with people etc. and clocked less than 20 hours before it was    Forget the title. XCOM Declassified is a story driven RPG very similar to let's say Mass Effect 3. You and 2 of your squadmates go around shooting enemies and doing some missions. The story is nice and overall the gameplay is solid.

    The biggest shortcoming is that it is very short game. I did all the missions, talked with people etc. and clocked less than 20 hours before it was finished. Given that it is very story dependent game it is very unlikely that you will want to play it twice.

    TL;DR if you manage to buy it with a discount you can get solid 20 hours of gameplay similar to Mass Effect.    … Expand
  18. GPReS
    Feb 12, 2017
    10
    1st review - Oct 19, 2013 / Score - 7
    Boring, unlogically created plot, boring main hero, boring missions. Boring, boring, boring, boring. And ending is also boring... I am really sad I've preordered this nonsense.
    The only thing I relly liked fighting/leveling system, but this game is really mediocre and I am pretty not sure I will replay it soon enough... 2nd review - Dec 25. 2015    1st review - Oct 19, 2013 / Score - 7
    Boring, unlogically created plot, boring main hero, boring missions. Boring, boring, boring, boring. And ending is also boring... I am really sad I've preordered this nonsense.
    The only thing I relly liked fighting/leveling system, but this game is really mediocre and I am pretty not sure I will replay it soon enough...

    2nd review - Dec 25. 2015 / Score - 10
    It took me 2 replays with half a year and 1.5 year periods to re-estimate the game completely =) Also I bought all DLCs =)
    Hangar DLC is good for those, who'd prefer to spend more time shooting without extra dialogues in The Bureau, and also it's quite a good prequel to the main story :)
    Game's replay-ability is fine (as you can see I had re-played it 3 times already, even that I didn't like it on my first round) :)

    Advice: replay games that left unsure impression after a long period of time, you may really change your mind =)    … Expand
  19. Vicente_ao
    Apr 13, 2016
    7
    he Bureau es un juego bien realizado, dentro de lo que propone esta muy bien llevado a cabo, tiene momentos altos memorables, pero cae también en mucho vacío. Si bien nos presenta una trama que avanza acorde a la temática, le falta algo a mi parecer, algunos huecos por ahí o momentos más memorables.
    No es bueno compararlo a la saga Xcom, son cosas muy muy diferentes, la trama trata de    he Bureau es un juego bien realizado, dentro de lo que propone esta muy bien llevado a cabo, tiene momentos altos memorables, pero cae también en mucho vacío. Si bien nos presenta una trama que avanza acorde a la temática, le falta algo a mi parecer, algunos huecos por ahí o momentos más memorables.
    No es bueno compararlo a la saga Xcom, son cosas muy muy diferentes, la trama trata de enlazar un poco, o despejar dudas, pero en sí, pueden ser vistos como juegos completamente diferentes.
    La jugabilidad es bastante repetitiva, básicamente no hay tanta estrategia como un principio parecía prometer, la fórmula de la victoria es básicamente la misma, te pones tras una pared o lo que sea y espameas las habilidades de tu pelotón y las tuyas y listo. Si bien tiene combates muy entretenidos y desafiantes, como pelear contra mutones de élito o los sectopodos.

    Lo bueno:
    - Buenos gráficos
    - Interesante historia
    - Combates muy entretenidos (cuando estás contra los enemigos más duros)

    Lo malo:

    - La música pudo destacar más
    - Ciertos vacíos en la trama
    - La jugabilidad es muy repetitiva y carente de real estrategia
    - No final Boss

    Recomendable para amantes de los aliens, mundo xcom, shooter tercera persona

    7.4/10    … Expand
  20. linvail
    Mar 28, 2016
    9
    People buy the game before investigating and later criticize this for not no being what they expect. This game belongs to the X-com series, yes, but is a spin-off, complements the story, but the gameplay is very different (and enjoyable in its own style).
  21. fractyja
    Nov 7, 2015
    9
    The first hour, I hate it. After 3 hours I tolerated it. After 4 hours I was pleased. After 6 hours I was loving it. After that I was too anti-social to describe how much I was enjoying.

    Don't let metascore and user score stop you on that one. If you are a XCOM fan, you'll hate this game for hours before being convinced. Really. I know that this even looks like an XCOM game from the    The first hour, I hate it. After 3 hours I tolerated it. After 4 hours I was pleased. After 6 hours I was loving it. After that I was too anti-social to describe how much I was enjoying.

    Don't let metascore and user score stop you on that one. If you are a XCOM fan, you'll hate this game for hours before being convinced. Really. I know that this even looks like an XCOM game from the start but wait a little longer and you'll have an awesome surprise. Wonderful art direction, fun gameplay and an undecryptable plot with the best twist ever.    … Expand
  22. Grismar
    Sep 20, 2015
    6
    Set in the XCOM universe, it's not a typical XCOM game. As a fan of typical XCOM games, you will notice:
    - lack of freedom in choosing missions, the game is pretty railroaded;
    - lack of freedom in researching upgrades and training your team from the start, very constrained; - lack of overview in battles, third person perspective is interesting but very unlike other XCOM games and more    Set in the XCOM universe, it's not a typical XCOM game. As a fan of typical XCOM games, you will notice:
    - lack of freedom in choosing missions, the game is pretty railroaded;
    - lack of freedom in researching upgrades and training your team from the start, very constrained;
    - lack of overview in battles, third person perspective is interesting but very unlike other XCOM games and more akin to (for example) Mass Effect.

    Depending on your preference, the above is a bad thing or a good thing if you want to feel a little more immersed and don't care about the base and team micro management of the previous titles.

    I liked:
    - the setting and period look and feel, like a less tongue in cheek Fallout or LA Noire with aliens;
    - the combat system basics, although the novelty wears off well before the game is over.

    I did not like:
    - the artificial feel of the set pieces, with ammo and weapons piled on every street corner, just to balance out the ridiculous amount of aliens sent at you at fixed locations, or the toughness of the bigger aliens - a weak bid to make an overly easy game a bit harder;
    - the wooden direction and dialogue; the voice acting is ok and the dialogue options are fine, but it all feels too formulaic.

    With a world a little more free form like Left 4 Dead or a less clinical separation between battles and combat and story, the Bureau could have been a modern classic - even though it would still have split the XCOM fanbase in lovers and haters.    … Expand
  23. jelikey
    Sep 8, 2015
    7
    i first met xcom series in this game The bureau: xcom declassfied. this game is common shooter game. and i like the view of world of this game. but combat system is lack of diversity.
  24. Lenzie
    Mar 22, 2015
    7
    A reasonably enjoyable 'tactical-shooter' style game with story and then shooter + squad management type game play similar to the Mass Effect games.

    Pros: - The story and set design are superb! I was very impressed with how well visually crafted the alien sites and structures are. Many of the sites had this beautiful and immense cavernous feel to them - the base under the Hoover dam    A reasonably enjoyable 'tactical-shooter' style game with story and then shooter + squad management type game play similar to the Mass Effect games.

    Pros:
    - The story and set design are superb! I was very impressed with how well visually crafted the alien sites and structures are. Many of the sites had this beautiful and immense cavernous feel to them - the base under the Hoover dam was particularly cool.

    - The combat is challenging, at times very hectic and is certainly fun; I often had to repeat encounters several times in order to successfully beat them.

    - A good length to game as well, about 20 hours, which meant I was still enjoying the game by its end versus starting to feel like it was dragging on.

    Cons:
    - For me the original XCOM: Enemy Unknown was a better game as it had much more to do versus The Bureau, for example being able to develop your base and invest in different technologies - none of which is present in the The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. The base elements in this game simply serve as story vehicle and at times were tedious / uninteresting.

    Anyway, I bought this game in one of the Steam sales for $4.99 - for that price this game is serious entertainment bang for buck! If you can get it cheap I'd definitely recommend giving it a go.    … Expand
  25. Khaosom
    Mar 15, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Okay I've been reading the negative reviews for this game and I have to say either they went into to the game and don't know how to play it, or they believed the hype. I'm going to rebut a few of these negative claims and add some positives. First off, someone mentioned the guns feeling under powered, in this game you're fighting off an alien invasion force with human weaponry, it's the 1950's maybe, so the guns are what we used during WW2, and we are fighting an advanced life form. Secondly they complained about the real time squad control, that slows down the fight to literally a CRAWL. If you use this right, you can end any fight in a matter of moments, positioning your people prior to being seen by the enemy.

    The gameplay is very much like Mass Effect, which to me was the ultimate shooter/rpg/strategy hybrid. The game takes place before Enemy Unknown, explains why there is an X:Com project ongoing, and much more. This game is a must have for any Xcom Fan    … Expand
  26. Booliot
    Feb 26, 2015
    6
    The game is not bad, somehow it feels like it had the potential to be an unique breath taking game that set it apart from other games in the current market, it feels like just bone and skin no flesh between.

    Im simply disappointed, the game didn´t deliver as I thought it would do. The creators wanted to show a possibility how the Xcom organization was formed, I doesn´t really think    The game is not bad, somehow it feels like it had the potential to be an unique breath taking game that set it apart from other games in the current market, it feels like just bone and skin no flesh between.

    Im simply disappointed, the game didn´t deliver as I thought it would do.

    The creators wanted to show a possibility how the Xcom organization was formed, I doesn´t really think they said it was a prequel to the main remastered Xcom game that came out a while ago.

    Good features

    Nice strategy layout with awesome functionality
    interesting characters
    The game follow the red line
    The abilities for each class
    Dynamic field of battle ( victory seems close then the mutons suddenly show ups)

    Bad Features
    Very interesting characters but no depth to know them better ( the notes are not enough)
    Few missions (can be finished within 5 hours if you guys know what to do)
    Repetitive enemies (in the early game make the game dull)
    Dull interactions sometimes (finish a badass mission no mention of it later in conversations)
    No iconic stuff ( no base management, no economy, no gut mentioned decision( until late game), no research, no production)

    Final verdict

    An awsome third pirson strategy game hybrid, waste of potential and with Xcom theme on it like a label on the game, still worth buying if you are an Xcom fan but if not then let this game pass.

    Review is made by Zorg/Booliot
    The best player in the eternal silence game, sadly no one plays it any more ;_;    … Expand
  27. kappapi99
    Feb 11, 2015
    0
    This is not XCOM. It tries to mix XCOM and Mass Effect, taking the best from both genres, but it falls horribly short. The developers relied on the XCOM name to sell a game that is poorly designed. You cannot save at all. The plot destroys the XCOM universe. The gameplay is clumsy. The graphics are decent for an FPS, but that is the only thing going for it. If you are an XCOM fan,This is not XCOM. It tries to mix XCOM and Mass Effect, taking the best from both genres, but it falls horribly short. The developers relied on the XCOM name to sell a game that is poorly designed. You cannot save at all. The plot destroys the XCOM universe. The gameplay is clumsy. The graphics are decent for an FPS, but that is the only thing going for it. If you are an XCOM fan, then this game is not for you. Worst game to bear the name XCOM since Apocalypse.… Expand
  28. ave
    Feb 10, 2015
    7
    A title like The Bureau: XCOM Declassified comes with an heavy burden: the legacy of its ancestors.

    So, if you really like the original XCOM and especially the recent XCOM Enemy Within (a great game), this one is complete departure. You are Willam Carter and you lead a team of two agents in the field, completing a serie of missions to insure the survival of the human race facing a    A title like The Bureau: XCOM Declassified comes with an heavy burden: the legacy of its ancestors.

    So, if you really like the original XCOM and especially the recent XCOM Enemy Within (a great game), this one is complete departure.

    You are Willam Carter and you lead a team of two agents in the field, completing a serie of missions to insure the survival of the human race facing a massive alien invasion. You give orders to your mates while being in Concentration mode (a kind of slowmo a la F.E.A.R.) and take charge of (approximately) 80% of the shooting (I haven't played with the sniper or soldier yet). In spite of this good idea, I felt the constant shifting between the characters disorienting, forcing me to adapt to this particular aspect of the game instead of just playing. Maybe a static bird view of the scene would have been more convenient.

    As a player, you have to make difficult choices : your team mates profiles (you can only bring two with you), your weaponery (you can only carry two, and your mates only one), and your bagpack (that can changes your stats).

    The interesting yet controversial aspect of the game is that the storyline is rich, with multiple credible characters with their own agenda. At the beginning, you simply navigate from one to another to help them, but at the end you face dilemmas that could potentially impact your chances of winning the war (never seen it yet, just suspecting). So you basically have a wild difference in pace between headquarters and the field.

    The level design is strong when action takes place in Cold War America, but kinda dull in the alien facilities. Up to the point of a deja vu feeling.

    To wrap it up, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is a decent squad-based shooter, with an honorable storyline and a mediocre-to-great level design. Luckily, it can be played casually.    … Expand
  29. JamesBondX
    Jan 26, 2015
    1
    This game is terrible, it leeches off the name of XCOM, it could be named the bureau: aliens invade. But no, the devs wanted to make money off of XCOM and their fans. It's not particularly tactical, flanking is about as far as you get. Initially the game was buggy and the AI was literally miserable.

    In my opinion the setting doesn't work either.
  30. MadDavid
    Jan 11, 2015
    1
    I'm a big fan of the shooter genres, and I usually dive straight into them on the hardest difficulty. Understand that when I say, this is the single most difficult, frustrating, and poorly designed shooter I have ever come across. And in "Poorly designed," I'm including "XCOM Enforcer." Most games try to make the *process* of playing fun and easy. This is the only "game" I've playedI'm a big fan of the shooter genres, and I usually dive straight into them on the hardest difficulty. Understand that when I say, this is the single most difficult, frustrating, and poorly designed shooter I have ever come across. And in "Poorly designed," I'm including "XCOM Enforcer." Most games try to make the *process* of playing fun and easy. This is the only "game" I've played where if feels like the developers set out to make the game unintuitive and difficult to master.
    I'm writing this review, because after several tries, I'm unable to get past the first part of the first actual mission (after the tutorial level) on Veteran.

    2K Games has no concept of "Learning Curve." The most basic enemies (sectoids) in the game take eight hits from the M-14 or multiple hits from the friggen shotgun to down (at close range). Meanwhile, your entire team goes down in seconds.

    The choice of having a way-point save system is mind-boggling in this day and age. Way-point saves were a product of the limitations of early console systems. "It's fun to have the developers choose exactly where my game saves," said no gamer ever. The actual choice of where the game saves leaves a lot to be desired. For example it saves after you choose your team and personal equipment, after which you can't go back. Having trouble and want to try different team members or weapons? Tough. Go back to the beginning of the level and watch all the cut-scenes again.

    Your squad's AI is actually worse than nothing. The squad members don't start the battle by rushing to the nearest cover and opening fire. They don't start the battle by standing in place and opening fire. They start the battle by rushing across the battle-field to your side while not opening fire. You have to baby-sit all of their actions from the battle-commander view to get even remotely competent performance out of them, a big problem when you want to be getting to cover and opening fire yourself. This is something you can't do from the group coordination screen. I would much prefer if you could give orders to your own character and treat the game as a real-time squad combat game instead of a shooter. Or if I could give generic orders a-la Unreal Tournament and have the squad carry them out competently. As it is, you can choose to get perforated while trying to manage your squad, or have your squad go down, and then get perforated.

    As far as shooters go, it's just not very good. Aside from everything mentioned above, there are problems such as requiring you to press an "aim" button to see a reticle of where you're aiming at, and grenades that work--well, I don't know. There was no explanation of how to throw a grenade, so I assumed it was simple. I pressed the grenade button, and nothing happened. (Meanwhile, time's ticking down.) I hold down the grenade button and see a grenade aiming curve, so I place it on my enemy and release. Nothing happened. (Meanwhile, time's ticking down.) Am I supposed to hold down the grenade button and then press "fire?" Maybe. That was my next thought. I don't know, because by that time I was dead. Which sums up much of the problem with this game. You die and get a TPK before you can actually figure out the mechanics of how to play it.    … Expand
  31. bloodyshan
    Oct 17, 2014
    6
    A Mass Effect like tactical shooter based on the XCOM story background, this game inherited the "cover system" from XCOM and some similarities in skill trees, though I found it enjoyable at first few hours there's nothing particularly outstanding in this mediocre game.
    It's a mission-orientated FPS with the feature to control your squad (with two more soldiers) by pressing Space during    A Mass Effect like tactical shooter based on the XCOM story background, this game inherited the "cover system" from XCOM and some similarities in skill trees, though I found it enjoyable at first few hours there's nothing particularly outstanding in this mediocre game.
    It's a mission-orientated FPS with the feature to control your squad (with two more soldiers) by pressing Space during combat, you can feel the peculiar tempo this game delivered which I think is the reason why lots of people hate this game, but honestly it's quite novel and it requires more than aim and shoot to keep your squad alive.
    In conclusion I'd say the combat itself is too long and repetitive, and the story isn't compelling or even a bit boring, you can actually take down every tough aliens with heal (from lv1) and with the lengthy main quest scenarios there's no incentive to do those side quests which is a requirement of this game from time to time.    … Expand
  32. Cyclomatic33
    Oct 7, 2014
    8
    Outstanding game. Story line too linear for my liking. I played it twice, back to back, and enjoyed it even more the second time playing as veteran. However, have I mentioned that the story line is too linear?
  33. William_Carter
    Oct 2, 2014
    10
    XCOM DECLASSIFIED = IS A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) XCOM ENEMY WITHIN (GAME PLAY) 2) INFAMOUS (POWERS OF WILLIAM CARTER) 3) LAST OF US (SLEEP WALKERS) 4) CALL OF DUTY (WAR BETWEEN MAN & ALIEN TACTICAL SHOOTING) 5) L.A. NOIRE (1962 CLASSIC TIME SETTING) ---------- IF YOU ARE A FAN OF XCOM GAME THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU!! ------------ The Bureau is a third-person shooter with anXCOM DECLASSIFIED = IS A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) XCOM ENEMY WITHIN (GAME PLAY) 2) INFAMOUS (POWERS OF WILLIAM CARTER) 3) LAST OF US (SLEEP WALKERS) 4) CALL OF DUTY (WAR BETWEEN MAN & ALIEN TACTICAL SHOOTING) 5) L.A. NOIRE (1962 CLASSIC TIME SETTING) ---------- IF YOU ARE A FAN OF XCOM GAME THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU!! ------------ The Bureau is a third-person shooter with an emphasis on squad-based tactics. The player controls the agent William Carter and commands two additional agents in each mission. Carter has his own unique abilities, but other agents are divided into the Commando, Engineer, Support, and Recon classes. By entering "Battle Focus Mode", which slows time significantly, the player can order their agents to move to strategic positions and activate class-specific abilities. Agents have customizable outfits, weapons, equipment and abilities. As in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, soldiers will suffer from permanent death and if Carter is unable to revive agents who have taken too much damage, they will die (variable difficulty levels also determine whether or not it is possible for downed agents to become battle-ready when revived, or if replacement agents will appear during a mission).… Expand
  34. Pffff
    Sep 2, 2014
    6
    This game by itself is moderately good (or bad) because its story, sound, graphics and characters are not among the best or worst.
    1. Story: a bit simple and shallow but still make sense.
    2. Sound: 2.1. Musics: repetitive, flat, transition between musics is no good 2.2. Sound effect: adequate, vivid in its own way, only too much background noise, not exactly a good design. 2.3. Voice:    This game by itself is moderately good (or bad) because its story, sound, graphics and characters are not among the best or worst.
    1. Story: a bit simple and shallow but still make sense.
    2. Sound:
    2.1. Musics: repetitive, flat, transition between musics is no good
    2.2. Sound effect: adequate, vivid in its own way, only too much background noise, not exactly a good design.
    2.3. Voice: good, but listening to the voice of the main character for too long gave me headache, literally.
    3. Graphics: in terms of texture, detail, lighting and stuff, it is not the best but good enough.. However, the alien weapons could be a bit more stylish/alien.
    4. Characters: Mundane, sexist in terms of profession, conversations are not quite impressive.

    Interestingly, if you have played the Mass Effect series (especially 2&3) you would find a lot of similarities between them. Additionally, I sure don't hate the developers for experimenting on different game genre, especially when they did an rather adequate job, but it would be better if they considered adding certain profound philosophical standpoint/logic or futuristic prospects.

    In a nut shell, it is adequate and has quite a bit potentials.    … Expand
  35. Klewer
    Aug 8, 2014
    7
    Found this to be a very interesting and enjoyable game. New to the series I had no previous knowledge of earlier games and how they were. Challenging, good graphics and not a bad story make this worth a look for tactical shooter/fps fans.
  36. MaestroVolpe
    Aug 8, 2014
    0
    I have never seen such an elegant cross between action and strategy, fun and playability, be so quickly ruined by taking everything you ever remotely thought you loved about XCOM and throwing it down the drain. Everything you could possibly love about this game is instantly ruined by the awful story, the dialogue that's so crappy it's not even fun to make fun of, or the weird, sexist twistI have never seen such an elegant cross between action and strategy, fun and playability, be so quickly ruined by taking everything you ever remotely thought you loved about XCOM and throwing it down the drain. Everything you could possibly love about this game is instantly ruined by the awful story, the dialogue that's so crappy it's not even fun to make fun of, or the weird, sexist twist the developers made by deciding that this should be the only XCOM game that only lets male soldiers on your squad.

    If you're a fan of having your favorite things destroyed for no good reason (or if you just love awful writing), grab this game.    … Expand
  37. Morring
    Jul 28, 2014
    2
    It is obvious that whoever decided to port it to PC didn't care about the game being playable. The controls are simply baffling, one of the worse cover shooters I have ever played. Tries to copy mass effect in different areas, without improving anything and usually accomplishing much, much less, also thanks to the appalling AI. Your soldiers will jump to their deaths as often as they can,It is obvious that whoever decided to port it to PC didn't care about the game being playable. The controls are simply baffling, one of the worse cover shooters I have ever played. Tries to copy mass effect in different areas, without improving anything and usually accomplishing much, much less, also thanks to the appalling AI. Your soldiers will jump to their deaths as often as they can, forcing you to micromanage every second of a battle. Since the story is quite mediocre at best, this is a forgettable title I can't recommend to anyone. Also experienced a few annoying graphic glitches.… Expand
  38. MetaviraVet
    Jul 24, 2014
    8
    An interesting hybrid that functions quite well, but will probably not meet the tastes of a broader audience. The tactical elements are fun, upgrading and equipping your squad adds a bit of an incentive and the enemies are challenging (if not terribly smart).
    Only occasionally does the dumb AI of your followers cause trouble (they are really meant to be ordered around as much as    An interesting hybrid that functions quite well, but will probably not meet the tastes of a broader audience. The tactical elements are fun, upgrading and equipping your squad adds a bit of an incentive and the enemies are challenging (if not terribly smart).
    Only occasionally does the dumb AI of your followers cause trouble (they are really meant to be ordered around as much as possible), and the graphics and level of polish are excellent. The 60s- atmosphere was also captured in such a way that you want to buy a suit and start smoking indoors again...    … Expand
  39. Deadmeat553
    Jul 19, 2014
    0
    Major texture bugs EVERYWHERE! I was standing on clear ground, letting me see through the entire world, the entire world is flashing wildly with weird static effects on all the walls, and many of the textures stretched randomly through the world! Completely unplayable!

    Even if you somehow manage to make the game playable, the guns feel like BB-guns and your AI team-mates are all idiots    Major texture bugs EVERYWHERE! I was standing on clear ground, letting me see through the entire world, the entire world is flashing wildly with weird static effects on all the walls, and many of the textures stretched randomly through the world! Completely unplayable!

    Even if you somehow manage to make the game playable, the guns feel like BB-guns and your AI team-mates are all idiots who never shutup.

    0/10 DO NOT BUY.    … Expand
  40. nhh
    Jul 13, 2014
    8
    Great atmosphere, reasonable shooter. Does have bugs and freezes on a mac, which is quite annoying. Nevertheless, the story is quite good and I love the presentation.
  41. cylian3
    Jul 7, 2014
    6
    "X-com's style of strategy" my arse. It's nothing but an unnecessary and overcomplicated mess taken after Mass Effect's formula. Instead of having all abilities conveniently conveyed to you via HOTKEYS, WHICH YOU HAVE OVER 20+ OF ON A KEYBOARD, you have to clumsily jump through character to character in order to take use of them and adapt to swapping viewpoints like an indecisive CCTV"X-com's style of strategy" my arse. It's nothing but an unnecessary and overcomplicated mess taken after Mass Effect's formula. Instead of having all abilities conveniently conveyed to you via HOTKEYS, WHICH YOU HAVE OVER 20+ OF ON A KEYBOARD, you have to clumsily jump through character to character in order to take use of them and adapt to swapping viewpoints like an indecisive CCTV operator making the entire game scream "CONSOLE PORT" so badly, I cannot even begin to note it all. But what I can note is the painfully apparent rushing of this game. The character (whom is a skinny, malnourished and sleep-deprived 1960's human) pushes up 15+ ton vault doors like they're made out of styrofoam, REPEATEDLY as early as in the first 15 minutes of the game. Just cutscenes, right? Sadly, every other cutscene I've seen so far involving facial viewing has not only a downright wrong lipsynching but the developers also went that extra feet to feed every gamer uninspired dialoge through the "cake" system.

    But enough graphical. How are the controls for steering your character besides the moronic order-giving? They're horrible as well sadly. You sprint (shift) to take cover. You sprint (shift) to vault over things. You sprint (shift) to sprint. And only forward. How dare you presume that controls will be suited for an actual keyboard mouse whereas you can hold down sprint with one hand and perhaps press something else than forward as you just bought the game for 50€ to have it on a PERSONAL COMPUTER? But the controls aren't even the worst part though.

    The AI is the most rotten piece of this turd. I have lost count on how many times they flop behind you, dying repeatedly from not keeping up without your constant micromanagement (turning it into a put that foot infront of the other chore) just to keep them alive or how they are insanely eager to run into the middle of the battle-field at a moments notice when fighting breaks out. Even guys I have recruited with extra stamina (survival, more hp etc.) flops dead within split seconds of a mission if I don't pause every other second to give them non-braindead advice on where to be, run from grenades and not try to snipe enemies with shotguns and instead aim at the ones that are 2 feet to the left. Combine that with the extremely tedious combat of having to headshot most things 12 times, there's not much more that can be said about this embarassing flop of a title.

    Needless to say, this game is a shame and a surprising one at that considering the previous, excellent X-com release that integrated just fine onto a PC from a console even when the launch had a few bugs so I would whole-heartedly recommend everyone to stay away from this game unless you can get it for 10$ or less.    … Expand
  42. yesdrama
    Jun 30, 2014
    10
    This game is under rated. I have played for about 5 hours now and the combat is a blast, story seems interesting, good graphics, and good character development. IMO the combat is better than turn based. You can directly instruct your men as to what weapon to use and what target to hit, yet they will act on their own, somewhat effectively, in between commands. As your commands are beingThis game is under rated. I have played for about 5 hours now and the combat is a blast, story seems interesting, good graphics, and good character development. IMO the combat is better than turn based. You can directly instruct your men as to what weapon to use and what target to hit, yet they will act on their own, somewhat effectively, in between commands. As your commands are being followed your player acts as a third person shooter with access to both conventional, alien weapons and some cool alien powers - a total alien annihilator, As for the to cool for anything 'cept XCOM crowd, get over yourself - TBXCOMD is as good a game, and better in aspects, vs. XCOM, If you like TPS and Turn Based (less focused Turn based) with an old time si-fi twist, you'll like the game-it's a lot of fun.… Expand
  43. eponymous
    Jun 29, 2014
    2
    Great game and unique gameplay. Would score much higher except I encountered the common 'war factory door' bug in Mission 4 'Not of this Earth' and was unable to progress further. No patch for this to date. Also squad members frustratingly only follow orders briefly before wandering off to do their own thing. Often walking right out into the open to get gunned down. Stupid. ResolveGreat game and unique gameplay. Would score much higher except I encountered the common 'war factory door' bug in Mission 4 'Not of this Earth' and was unable to progress further. No patch for this to date. Also squad members frustratingly only follow orders briefly before wandering off to do their own thing. Often walking right out into the open to get gunned down. Stupid. Resolve these 2 issues and the game would be significantly better.… Expand
  44. HiroZA
    Jun 18, 2014
    10
    I have actually created a Metacritic account, simply to point out that this game has been criminally underrated! i'm not saying its going to win GOTY, but its a superbly build game, with excellent voice acting, creative gameplay elements, and a cool storyline to boot!

    Its the thinking mans FPS :-) do yourself a favour and give it a try. i promise, you don't be disappointed!
  45. SRKNZ
    May 26, 2014
    2
    THE WINDOWS 8 OF COMPUTER GAMES. I only paid $3 for this title on EBAY and now I know why. Utterly horrible usability with an command interface that looks like it was designed by aliens for aliens.

    If you enjoy frustration and swearing at your computer this is the title for you. If by contrast you are a normal person with better things to do with your life then give this big budget    THE WINDOWS 8 OF COMPUTER GAMES. I only paid $3 for this title on EBAY and now I know why. Utterly horrible usability with an command interface that looks like it was designed by aliens for aliens.

    If you enjoy frustration and swearing at your computer this is the title for you. If by contrast you are a normal person with better things to do with your life then give this big budget lemon a wide birth.

    A REAL STINKER.....    … Expand
  46. JimCorbett
    May 25, 2014
    6
    The Bureau is a prime example of how complaining fanboys can ruin a game. The original FPS version of this game looked like it would be filled with story and immersion while taking a lighter take on the strategy. Everyone whined about it and they changed it to be a tactical TPS instead. The story itself had all the makings of being good, but the terrible animations and voice acting killedThe Bureau is a prime example of how complaining fanboys can ruin a game. The original FPS version of this game looked like it would be filled with story and immersion while taking a lighter take on the strategy. Everyone whined about it and they changed it to be a tactical TPS instead. The story itself had all the makings of being good, but the terrible animations and voice acting killed any opportunity for the player to get involved with it. Being a TPS, it was very difficult to get immersed in the world because i never really felt like I was there. The tactics themselves are crap. Even on the hardest difficulty, there is absolutely no reason for you to try to flank enemies because of how awful the AI is. If you try to move you squad around, they'll just jump out of cover and immediately get downed. So you're stuck with straight firefights and skill spam. There is little depth in your character. The high point of Enemy Unknown was that you could completely customize every aspect of your character. In The Bureau, you can change their cosmetic appearance, but the weapons and backpacks are all unlocked at set times throughout the story and the later you acquire them, the better the gun is. There is nothing interesting about it. The skill trees are boring, you'll either have 1 or 2 options each time you level. The game is just very shallow. You can see that there are good ideas, But due to public outcry against a game they've never played, the developers had to constantly change their vision of the game until it has become the unfinished, sloppy mess that it is today. It's still an enjoyable game at times. If you're a fan of tactical shooters, it's well worth a single playthrough. Just don't expect to be wowed.… Expand
  47. MyNameIsHuman
    May 13, 2014
    2
    Bad. Bad. Bad. What the hell 2K?! I always liked you and your games but no this THING if you can call it a thing is just horrible. I've played it for about 10 hrs and now it doesn't even turn on. Please everyone who reads this and if you're planning to buy this game the fricking don't because it is a piece of crap. That's all I can say. Sorry 2K but it is just HORRIBLE.
  48. Banhammer0
    Feb 23, 2014
    5
    The problem this game has, it is trying to be all at once. It is trying to be an FPS (well in third person), but the guns feel so vanilla and unrealistic they feel like BB guns. Is is trying to be a tactical game, yet your teammates AI is so bad that it's a lottery whether they do what you want or do something silly to get them killed. It is trying to be an Xcom game it feels as such inThe problem this game has, it is trying to be all at once. It is trying to be an FPS (well in third person), but the guns feel so vanilla and unrealistic they feel like BB guns. Is is trying to be a tactical game, yet your teammates AI is so bad that it's a lottery whether they do what you want or do something silly to get them killed. It is trying to be an Xcom game it feels as such in the beginning but it lacks base building, researching technologies, basically everything that Xcom games are loved for.
    The plot is very poorly written, I expected a cheesy plot but this was far worse than I expected combined with boring cardboard characters. Levels are designed terribly, CoD level of linear gameplay yet far less epic action filling the screen. The best comparison here is probably to Mass Effect series gameplay-wise, with much worse level design but more tactical options (when it works Everything is the world is static, there is no destruction of environment. Enemies are your standard FPS baddies nothing unusual here (ME had it better).
    No multiplayer coop even though it would really fit.
    Badly designed UI designed for consoles.
    If this game was released 5-6 years ago it might stand a chance.
    Right now I don't recommend getting it unless it's in a humble bundle or something. Sure there is some fun but overall not much.    … Expand
  49. theeDarkhorse
    Jan 29, 2014
    10
    Critics are wrong. It has the most expensive polygons i've ever seen. It is wonderfully voiced. It's gorgeously tactical yet perfectly first ''persony''. Theres even a perk/upgrade system not unlike Mass Effects.

    If i made this game i'd have expected better reviews. I suspect the people reviewing this game were chosen by the editors for their expertise in reviewing tactical games.    Critics are wrong. It has the most expensive polygons i've ever seen. It is wonderfully voiced. It's gorgeously tactical yet perfectly first ''persony''. Theres even a perk/upgrade system not unlike Mass Effects.

    If i made this game i'd have expected better reviews.

    I suspect the people reviewing this game were chosen by the editors for their expertise in reviewing tactical games. This game is half tactical ergo the half-hearted reviews.

    This game failed to disappoint me and im saddened it took me so long to play it because of my respect for the average metacritic review score. Lesson learned    … Expand
  50. BlueRaja
    Jan 25, 2014
    6
    A lot of people seem to think this is an attempt to remake X-Com from a third-person viewpoint. It's not, and if you come in thinking that it is, you will be sorely disappointed. Instead, this is an entirely different game, taking place in the X-Com Universe.

    The game clearly took inspiration from Mass Effect - the fighting, the dialog choices, even many of the abilities are set up    A lot of people seem to think this is an attempt to remake X-Com from a third-person viewpoint. It's not, and if you come in thinking that it is, you will be sorely disappointed. Instead, this is an entirely different game, taking place in the X-Com Universe.

    The game clearly took inspiration from Mass Effect - the fighting, the dialog choices, even many of the abilities are set up exactly the same. However, it's missing the RPG-elements and side-quests that made Mass Effect so great. It seems like a game made by Mass Effect fans, who didn't quite 'get' what made the game so great. Thus, if you haven't played Mass Effect before, you should be playing that instead: you'll have basically the same experience but 100x better. And if you have played it, you'll probably be disappointed by this poor clone.    … Expand
  51. thedeuce75
    Jan 24, 2014
    10
    I picked this up on a Steam sale and all I can say is that the critics really got it wrong on this one when it first came out. It plays very much like Brothers in Arms, but with aliens and sic-fi tech. The look and feel of the game is really great, they nailed the early 60's esthetic. The main character is kind of cool, a WW2 vet, turned CIA agent whose seen a lot of **** and no he's gotI picked this up on a Steam sale and all I can say is that the critics really got it wrong on this one when it first came out. It plays very much like Brothers in Arms, but with aliens and sic-fi tech. The look and feel of the game is really great, they nailed the early 60's esthetic. The main character is kind of cool, a WW2 vet, turned CIA agent whose seen a lot of **** and no he's got to take on aliens.

    I feel kind of bad for the Devs of this game, to me it's obvious they put a ton of effort in here, and got nailed by critics because it happened to have XCOM in the title and didn't strictly stick to formula. But trust me this is a strategy game at it's heart.

    The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is the most underrated game of 2013    … Expand
  52. DRiVER_helsinki
    Jan 24, 2014
    1
    Really the hype made me do it buy it . but as i got deeper into this one i felt more and more frustrated about the slobby controls, and many things felt like amateurs built this, started to feel like a port. omg i checked , it was a port . no wonder it unrespects gamers so much. heres cool looking game sold for kids. that will disappoint most of the heavy gamers.
  53. C3ntauR
    Dec 29, 2013
    1
    This is XCOD really, nothing to do with XCOM. No way to do any proper tactics, with 10:1 enemy fights, as they overrun you and overpower you at all times. Boss fights is another stupid addition, which makes it like quake, with the exception that you're running out of ammo on every single occasion. Freedom of movement doesn't exist, as there's always only one way in/out and around. YourThis is XCOD really, nothing to do with XCOM. No way to do any proper tactics, with 10:1 enemy fights, as they overrun you and overpower you at all times. Boss fights is another stupid addition, which makes it like quake, with the exception that you're running out of ammo on every single occasion. Freedom of movement doesn't exist, as there's always only one way in/out and around. Your team is getting shot at all the times, because they have to be standing in order to shoot. There's no stand down order, so they will force you to keep moving them back, otherwise they will get killed quickly. Your healing power is useless, in those situations, as they get shot down again very quickly, and it only regenerates every minute or so. Enemy AI is always pushing forward, and you'll get 6 8 enemies shooting from around you in very short time.
    Ammo limit seems the worst choice here, as who wouldn't want to be well stocked when fighting hordes of 10 enemies at every single time, which take minimum 4 headshots to get killed,
    Some boss fights are ridiculous, i.e. against some flying crafts, where you have no choice of any heavy weaponry what happened to Heavy MG class, or grenadier? You fight flying crafts with hand guns instead how ridiculous is that! Conversations are boring and meaningless. Running around to find tapes with recordings or notes with general info, is also not needed, as there are no added benefits for doing that.
    All in all, game feels like an arcade semi-shooter with Crysis like colors, and loads of BS put into it, which makes it a boring gameplay.    … Expand
  54. Lotto74
    Dec 28, 2013
    3
    Another console port. Graphics is fine, the gameplay itself is terrible. Storyline and maps are straightforward. Attempts to copy Mass Effect interaction style failed utterly: the interaction wheel provides no choices affecting the storyline, it's just a set of boring recorded conversations. The combat engine sucks: little ammo, incredibly hard to unstuck your character from a cover (it'sAnother console port. Graphics is fine, the gameplay itself is terrible. Storyline and maps are straightforward. Attempts to copy Mass Effect interaction style failed utterly: the interaction wheel provides no choices affecting the storyline, it's just a set of boring recorded conversations. The combat engine sucks: little ammo, incredibly hard to unstuck your character from a cover (it's critical when you try to avoid a grenade blast or just change your position under heavy flanking fire), checkpoint save system (there is even no quicksaves), your computer-controlled partners are idiots, and so on. On Veteran difficulty, first missions are hard (especially when you fight tougher enemies with bullet weapons), but after you've developed your character and acquired plasma weapons, a combat drone, a silicoid and a mind control ability, combats become too easy and boring. Even shielded mutons are not a real threat anymore. Following the storyline, when you need to select who of your comrades must die, you make this choice indifferently it doesn't affect anything, and this is not ME1 choice where the emotional choice between Kaidan and Ashly was really difficult. In addition, this is NOT X-COM. At least, not that X-COM as in strategic games.

    And it's just 15 hours of gameplay.

    In short, this is one shooters which I'll never play again. There's only one bright spot: it was a sale, so it cost me just ten bucks. It doesn't cost even a cent more.    … Expand
  55. ophirme
    Dec 28, 2013
    10
    Fantastic game. Just finished it.
    This is *NOT* a strategy game, but a spin-off loosely based on the classic X-Com series.
    Most close definition would be a squad-based shooter.

    This game was tremendous fun to play. The graphics are great. The gameplay was great. I loved the atmosphere, as well as the story.
    This game is highly underrated. Don't miss this one!
  56. SoNick_RND
    Dec 21, 2013
    5
    Not a FPS as I know it, Not a XCOM as I know it, strange, completed once, feeling tricked. Glad that I got it discounted. Not my favorite game, bit dissapointed. Love first XCOM and OK with Firaxis's XCOM.
  57. Echo9k
    Dec 16, 2013
    5
    A third personal shooter strategic like Mass Effect. Which, at the beginning, it's fun, amusing and worth to play; but its lack of tools, develop and some game's limitations makes the gameplay rough after a while. I'll give you a better critic but it seems like the guy of 2K keep doing the same that in XCOM: Enemy Unknown... "I"A, because it is not Intelligent; they (your team mates) rush,A third personal shooter strategic like Mass Effect. Which, at the beginning, it's fun, amusing and worth to play; but its lack of tools, develop and some game's limitations makes the gameplay rough after a while. I'll give you a better critic but it seems like the guy of 2K keep doing the same that in XCOM: Enemy Unknown... "I"A, because it is not Intelligent; they (your team mates) rush, leave positions and deform your orders pretty horrible and getting killed in the blink of an eye.

    Anyway, it's funny, if you can deal with that or you don't want to play too much... Go ahead and buy it, if not, go with a friend and play a while, just enough to know it    … Expand
  58. orctown-troll
    Dec 14, 2013
    6
    Quite brilliant story and dialogues here. (10/10) Unfortunately they are stuck in another clunky console port. Even at the supposed correct resolution it is impossible to access some menus on a wide screen monitor. The game suffers from tedious, slow and clunky gameplay. Too plot bound and linear, getting around your base is a royal pain in the rear-end. So while the set pieces, and plotQuite brilliant story and dialogues here. (10/10) Unfortunately they are stuck in another clunky console port. Even at the supposed correct resolution it is impossible to access some menus on a wide screen monitor. The game suffers from tedious, slow and clunky gameplay. Too plot bound and linear, getting around your base is a royal pain in the rear-end. So while the set pieces, and plot lines, the voice acting and lighting are all FANTASTIC (Bravo) the GAME is terrible. This is a must buy for fans of UFO retro, not as a game but as a cultural artifact. Wait to get it on sale under $10. Play it to enjoy the story because you WILL NOT enjoy it as a 'game'.

    Orctowngrot.    … Expand
  59. daskind
    Dec 13, 2013
    10
    highly underrated. nice graphics, good voice acting and an intriguing story is what you get in this little gem. it is definetely not XCOM though, more like a parallel universe.
  60. vkouroub
    Dec 8, 2013
    9
    I was so excited when i first heard about this game. Then after the release and the first diassapointing reviews i refused to play it. When i finished playing XCOM Enemy Within i needed more so i decided to try it out. And i was suprised! It's an excellent game, state of the art graphics, sound, music. Great XCOM atmoshpere combined with the depressing era of 60's. A very good storyI was so excited when i first heard about this game. Then after the release and the first diassapointing reviews i refused to play it. When i finished playing XCOM Enemy Within i needed more so i decided to try it out. And i was suprised! It's an excellent game, state of the art graphics, sound, music. Great XCOM atmoshpere combined with the depressing era of 60's. A very good story explaining the origin of XCOM and the saga in general. Gameplay is basically a more tactical copy of Mass Effect but who cares.It fits pretty nicely.
    I enjoyed the game for every minute. Truly listen to your instict when it comes to games. Don't rely on the reviewers only. Terrific game.    … Expand
  61. K1ller
    Dec 2, 2013
    8
    I have bought the game three days ago during a sale on Steam. The only research I did was checking scores here and watching two videos from gameplay. I was fully aware of the turbulent history of this game and that it is a nearly a miracle it was released at all. Given all this I must say I was pleasantly surprised.
    The game mostly resembles Mass Effect in a different universe but with    I have bought the game three days ago during a sale on Steam. The only research I did was checking scores here and watching two videos from gameplay. I was fully aware of the turbulent history of this game and that it is a nearly a miracle it was released at all. Given all this I must say I was pleasantly surprised.
    The game mostly resembles Mass Effect in a different universe but with very similar mechanics. So it is a TPS where you command two other squadmates fulfilling main and optional missions using one base of operations. And instead of figting across the galaxy, you are fighting aliens invading Earth in the year 1962.
    The story itself is a typical science fiction alien invasion one using parts of the Xcom universe. So everyone familiar with Xcom will knwo what a Sectoid or Muton is. Between missions you can wander around your main base talking to people and making some optional missions for your colleagues. Talking about colleagues, the game has many interesting NPC like a german main scientist. Also during your wandering around you will encounter some funny dialogues and moments. All in all the base looks much more alive than the Normandy in ME.
    And now to some negative parts. The main problem I am encountering is the AI of your squadmates. If you give them orders contantly, it not so bad. But if you leave them alone a little longer, they will make really stupid things. They really love to running from enemy grenades right in fron of enemy guns. They also seems incapable if using their special abilities by themselves so you must tell them all the time. The second problem is the length of the game. It took me 14 hours. It is not that short, however I would expect something about 20 hours. Other than that, I am really satisfied with the game. It has qute a good graphics using the Unreal 3 engine and even a DX11 support (which I have not tried eventhough I have a DX11 card).    … Expand
  62. Liteit
    Nov 17, 2013
    3
    The first impression the game made was really good. The plot and the gameplay seemed interesting. But after some time this impression was ruined. It's just really boring to play this game. It's really repetitive and dull. And the worst part is kilometres you went in your secret base, just to launch another boring mission.
  63. Lucky-Jinx
    Nov 14, 2013
    3
    This game is not worth it. The characters are bland, the plot is a thumb in the eye to the entire series, the gameplay is tedious, and customization is non-existent. There are much better tactical combat games on the market.
  64. Liqutos
    Nov 6, 2013
    6
    This game isn't really X-com. It just doesn't fit the style, and the controls are just plain bad. It's half-finished and put together in a hurry. Remember the game just called XCOM? Well, it was first person shooter made by 2K and was scrapped and changed into this. The game is way to short for the heavy price tag of $80USD. I think everyone here wants classic Turn-Based Strategy back.
  65. Keychain
    Nov 1, 2013
    6
    Although mostly a generic thirdperson shooter, it adds some nice spice to the gameplay by having a strategic mode that allows you to command your squadmates. When you're in strategic mode, the gameplay is either paused or drastically slowed down, much like typical XCOM games. While in this mode you can command your squadmates to move about the map, set up flanking positions, and useAlthough mostly a generic thirdperson shooter, it adds some nice spice to the gameplay by having a strategic mode that allows you to command your squadmates. When you're in strategic mode, the gameplay is either paused or drastically slowed down, much like typical XCOM games. While in this mode you can command your squadmates to move about the map, set up flanking positions, and use multiple abilities that synergize very well with your own.

    For example, your commander can use a telekinesis ability that lifts the enemy in the air, pulling them out of cover, then you can order a Sniper squadmate to snipe them out of the air. It's very satisfying and very fun.

    Despite that, the game doesn't feel very loyal to the XCOM franchise. It has some nice things here and there and make you think, "Oh, this is from XCOM" but at the same time it lacks a lot of polish in other areas. The game feels as though it might have been a bit rushed to release. In my opinion this is worth checking out on a sale, you might have a bit of fun.    … Expand
  66. Tziwen
    Oct 30, 2013
    7
    Well the gameplay is amazing and it's the very main interest in that game. It's speed, hard and you pay your errors cash.

    The main cons are the franchise and the story telling. This game is between two worlds: Action/aventure and RPG. I wish they had make a clearer choice. FOr now we feel stuck between fake freedom and a clumsy rithm. Second, the franchise. All the x-com fans must be    Well the gameplay is amazing and it's the very main interest in that game. It's speed, hard and you pay your errors cash.

    The main cons are the franchise and the story telling. This game is between two worlds: Action/aventure and RPG. I wish they had make a clearer choice. FOr now we feel stuck between fake freedom and a clumsy rithm. Second, the franchise. All the x-com fans must be pissed of. I understand that. Forget about the franchise and the game is even better.    … Expand
  67. Kamokazi-UK
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    An enjoyable mix of 3rd person shooter and alternate history. Just like Resistance Fall of Man wrapped in the mystery of the world of X-Com.

    Combat takes a little bit to get used to if you've played other x-com games or other similar 3rd person squad games like KOTOR as there is no actual pause, time is just slowed down rather than stopped so you have to be careful where your characters    An enjoyable mix of 3rd person shooter and alternate history. Just like Resistance Fall of Man wrapped in the mystery of the world of X-Com.

    Combat takes a little bit to get used to if you've played other x-com games or other similar 3rd person squad games like KOTOR as there is no actual pause, time is just slowed down rather than stopped so you have to be careful where your characters before issuing commands during combat as you coiuld be killed by shots or grenades    … Expand
  68. kampfturke
    Oct 21, 2013
    7
    My first review on Metacritic, but I just had to comment on this game as I find its score a bit unfair. The Bureau is not a perfect game, but the score of 6.4 is very unfair to it.
    Had they NOT used the name XCOM then I think the score would be even higher, but fans of XCOM got angry because it is a different kind of game then the original et al. BUT BUT BUT you guys need to embrace    My first review on Metacritic, but I just had to comment on this game as I find its score a bit unfair. The Bureau is not a perfect game, but the score of 6.4 is very unfair to it.
    Had they NOT used the name XCOM then I think the score would be even higher, but fans of XCOM got angry because it is a different kind of game then the original et al. BUT BUT BUT you guys need to embrace ideas like this, as they try something new with a beautiful franscise.
    We fans should embrace these attempts and allow games like this to develop and not slate and destroy them just because "it is not XCOM boohoo".

    The Bureau is a fresh take and copies the Mass Effect combat system in many ways and IMPROVING it greatly. The combat system is actually unique and I personally don't know ANY game that is so good in its team AI tactics and gameplay. You have alot of choices and it would be nice if more games had these ideas.

    The graphics are actually really pretty and the world is interesting. Yes it is linear. Yes it has hidden walls. These things are a negative, but the idea of what they tried should be embraced.

    The story is amazing. Some may disagree, but I find myself enjoying the strange atmosphere and the alien base mission was just.....good. The main missions are good. Good. Good is enough. In the older XCOM games the story was....basic. Even in the newest version the story wasn't that great. IN the Bureau they try and flesh it out more and it is a nice attempt

    I will stop here and conclude that this game is worth a go for 20 euros (on kinguin). It has so much potential and I think a sequel or a spin off of these ideas would be fantastic if they took this game and made it better, cutting out all the flaws. This is a gold mine for fresh ideas and it deserves at least some minor praise for attempting something new.    … Expand
  69. keefbaker
    Oct 17, 2013
    2
    On paper this sounds like a winner. A game with a mechanism like Mass Effect with strong ties to the XCOM franchise but set in a stylized 50s. Shame its a massive bag of crap then, eh? That is, of course unless being trapped in constant revive loops sounds great. In fact there's more loops in here than the whole of the Venetian Snares backcatalogue, except of course that's actually good,On paper this sounds like a winner. A game with a mechanism like Mass Effect with strong ties to the XCOM franchise but set in a stylized 50s. Shame its a massive bag of crap then, eh? That is, of course unless being trapped in constant revive loops sounds great. In fact there's more loops in here than the whole of the Venetian Snares backcatalogue, except of course that's actually good, whereas this is like having your eyes fried in urine and then having to drink the resulting soup.… Expand
  70. Nelvar
    Oct 10, 2013
    8
    This game is underrated.

    The characters are actually not bad, the story is good, the art desing and graphics are nice and the combat system is decent.
    The game is not a masterpiece and certainly its kind of a mass effect wannabe with the overall control and combat of the game... but that doesn't make it a bad game, it just lacks a bit of identity when it comes to that.
  71. Diaord
    Oct 9, 2013
    8
    The Major issue most people have had with Xcom Declassified is that, in short, it was not Xcom. The developers attempted to create a different game set in a universe similar, but not the same as, the universe XCOM and its predecessor, UFO resided in. They then took this altered reality and said "we're going to try something different" and made The Bureau into a 3PS. In short, if you'reThe Major issue most people have had with Xcom Declassified is that, in short, it was not Xcom. The developers attempted to create a different game set in a universe similar, but not the same as, the universe XCOM and its predecessor, UFO resided in. They then took this altered reality and said "we're going to try something different" and made The Bureau into a 3PS. In short, if you're looking for an expansion to XCOM Enemy Unknown, you're barking up the wrong tree.

    So, how does this 3PS differ from other 3PS?

    Well first of all, you're not alone in your fight. While you are a badass, if you run in guns blazing alone, you will get yourself killed. For this reason, the game gives you a pair of sidekicks that accompany you on missions (the characters themselves are unimportant) these two can do any range of jobs from pissing off giant alien quadrupeds so you can shoot them in their rear, to deploying laser cannons to cover your advance or do massive amounts of damage in a single shot.

    Secondly, the game penalises you heavily if you aren't in cover. IT utilises a similar cover system to XCOM EU with a half and full cover, with damage being reduced based on where you stand. Also like XCOM EU, if an enemy is in a position where your cover is useless against him, he flanks you, that is, he will do a lot more damage as you aren't expecting the hit. These combined features make The Bureau one of the most cover-intensive modern games, and makes a good position the difference between life and death.

    A good position is not everything, however, as your opponent's AI, a stunningly complex and intelligent system on heavier difficulties, is always on the move, always changing position and trying to get into places from which the most damage can be done. For this reason, constant movement, literal island hopping is needed to ensure the safety of your team. There is never a single map where you can't gain an advantage as the fight progresses, and there is not a map where you can be safe in any one place for long.

    To top off a gripping, battlefield motivated gameplay, the game contains a novel plotline that you can truly get into, and offers many interesting plot twists. This along with adequate voice acting and enjoyable graphics makes for an inspired, if not what you expected game.

    Ratings:
    Gameplay: 10/10
    UI: 7/10
    AI: 9/10
    Story: 8/10
    Voice acting and graphics: 6/10    … Expand
  72. Xicronic
    Sep 28, 2013
    4
    The Bureau is a bad game. The levels are extremely linear, the controls are clunky, and the AI is subpar. The game has an interesting premise but is littered with an absurd amount of small mistakes which make the game unenjoyable. The story is hit and miss, with many cliches and plot holes but takes full advantage of being an XCOM game. This game isn't worth your time unless you're a bigThe Bureau is a bad game. The levels are extremely linear, the controls are clunky, and the AI is subpar. The game has an interesting premise but is littered with an absurd amount of small mistakes which make the game unenjoyable. The story is hit and miss, with many cliches and plot holes but takes full advantage of being an XCOM game. This game isn't worth your time unless you're a big fan of the series.… Expand
  73. GLaforte
    Sep 28, 2013
    4
    I enjoy the XCOM universe enough to despise this game. This is a team-based shooter, without an ounce of the strategy gameplay that I look forward to. The AI for your team mates and for the enemies is weak: you will have to constantly tell them what to do, while doing most of the killing yourself. You never get the feeling that time is not on your side...
  74. Fallingstars
    Sep 27, 2013
    8
    Being new to the XCOM series (Very unsure whether UFO series count in any way), I'm not confined within the box to what a "XCOM game" should be like. Yes, this game is buggy, the graphics are not top notch, the combat control is not that linear and yes there are gaps in the storyline/dialog/logic.
    Despite all these flaws, the atmosphere it creates and the ambition to combine the turn base    Being new to the XCOM series (Very unsure whether UFO series count in any way), I'm not confined within the box to what a "XCOM game" should be like. Yes, this game is buggy, the graphics are not top notch, the combat control is not that linear and yes there are gaps in the storyline/dialog/logic.
    Despite all these flaws, the atmosphere it creates and the ambition to combine the turn base tactical roots with FPS is VERY new and enjoyable.
    Just didn't think this game should be rated as low as it is now despite needing some refinements with some patches. For me, at least 7.5 without patches, and maybe 8.5 if all technical problems are smoothed out.    … Expand
  75. Terrier
    Sep 26, 2013
    5
    The gameplay in a nut-shell:
    -The stage starts, there are some introduction but nothing so special.
    -Move to the first stage.
    -Kill some or all enemies, and yes, it is one of those games that sometimes you are deadlock until you kill all enemies (such Painkiller).
    -Move to the next stage, rinse and repeat.
  76. midwinter
    Sep 21, 2013
    0
    the worst game i have ever pre-ordered (i have over 300 on my steam library and have been gaming for A LONG time) what to say it runs with terrible fps drops (on a top of the range pc) the gameplay is old enough to be in the mid 2005 budget games, the gaphics can be somewhat okay but they didnt take the 40's look to heart. also the controls are clunky, the movement system is terrible andthe worst game i have ever pre-ordered (i have over 300 on my steam library and have been gaming for A LONG time) what to say it runs with terrible fps drops (on a top of the range pc) the gameplay is old enough to be in the mid 2005 budget games, the gaphics can be somewhat okay but they didnt take the 40's look to heart. also the controls are clunky, the movement system is terrible and after 4 hours of trying to like this game i cant find one thing i enjoy in this sad state of a money grab (towards xcom fans). to date the worst game i have ever pre-ordered (and possibly that i own)… Expand
  77. TheBank
    Sep 18, 2013
    6
    The Bureau was a good try at something that should have never been attempted. I'll admit as far as rebooting old games goes, this wins any day against Syndicate.

    The Good: -Clint Eastwood like protagonist. -Fedora's. -Story is okay. The Bad: -Not that great of AI -Bugs -No Research and Development -No Control of base construction -Makes you wish you were playing Mass    The Bureau was a good try at something that should have never been attempted. I'll admit as far as rebooting old games goes, this wins any day against Syndicate.

    The Good:

    -Clint Eastwood like protagonist.
    -Fedora's.
    -Story is okay.

    The Bad:

    -Not that great of AI
    -Bugs
    -No Research and Development
    -No Control of base construction
    -Makes you wish you were playing Mass Effect
    -It's time to say goodnight to the Mass Effect (Unreal) Engine    … Expand
  78. conserd
    Sep 18, 2013
    5
    The Bureau could have been so much more considering it was made by the bioshock devs but the nice graphic style can not save this am from it's bland story and repetitive missions.
  79. gerszom
    Sep 12, 2013
    8
    It is really good tpp game. For every Xcom fans. Gameplay is enjoyable. Plot quite surprising at the end. Mix of 60 's and traditional Xcom is eatable. If You had good time with ME (especially 2 and 3) You will like this game also. It is not so long though, but worth of playing.
  80. Scritty
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    I wanted to give this 4, but not a "red" review. 4 should be amber...but 4 is all it's worth really.
    Ok the game is alright. The first couple of hours it seems like their is more depth, but that peters out pretty quickly to "not a lot". Gameplay is ok when you are on foot, and shallow when tactical (even more shallow than Firaxes..which itself was a helluva lot more shallow than the    I wanted to give this 4, but not a "red" review. 4 should be amber...but 4 is all it's worth really.
    Ok the game is alright. The first couple of hours it seems like their is more depth, but that peters out pretty quickly to "not a lot". Gameplay is ok when you are on foot, and shallow when tactical (even more shallow than Firaxes..which itself was a helluva lot more shallow than the original games). So yes like all games made now, it's dumbed down for idiots. But in an idiot modd I sort of enjoyed it...just    … Expand
  81. JoshMouch
    Sep 7, 2013
    8
    I admit, I was expecting a first person version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, one of the best games I've ever played. This game was not that. At first, I almost stopped playing because this game felt way more first person shooter than tactical. It could be because the battle never slows down enough for you to think out your decisions, or because the beginning battles are in such smallI admit, I was expecting a first person version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, one of the best games I've ever played. This game was not that. At first, I almost stopped playing because this game felt way more first person shooter than tactical. It could be because the battle never slows down enough for you to think out your decisions, or because the beginning battles are in such small rooms/areas, or because the battles barely lasted long enough to actually flank anybody, or because if you actually did try to flank somebody, you'd die on your way there. Additionally, none of the powers you start with are very tactical at all. At any rate, it didn't feel like I had much control over the battlefield. However, the story, characters, graphics, and voice acting were good enough to keep me trudging through. Eventually, though, the powers started getting better, the battles started getting larger scale, and it started to feel like what I ordered my team to do mattered a *little* more. Toward the end, you can still win a battle without leaving your starting spot, but at least it feels a little more like Mass Effect 1, now. And I'm enjoying myself.

    I think the reason this game is getting such bad reviews is because of 1) the expectation of it to be similar to XCOM: Enemy Unknown and 2) for whatever reason, the beginning is pretty weak. But it does get better and the graphics, story, acting, etc. are great. I'd classify it as a slightly weaker copy of Mass Effect 1.

    I also think the one thing they could have done to improve this game *tremendously* would be to actually pause the battle when you bring up your command screen, rather than just slowing it down. Just slowing it down makes things rushed and chaotic. You care less about making the "right" decisions and tend to just spray and pray, instead. You also have absolutely no time to "scan" the battlefield as you were meant to (it's a power) because if you actually spent time doing that, it would remove the small window of time you have to flank an enemy before they die.    … Expand
  82. ComradVlad
    Sep 7, 2013
    9
    I liked it! Very similar to the films from the old days. The game has an atmosphere that is now rare. But shuternyh part of me seemed incomplete, shooting is not happy, but tactically it feels comfortable with. Overall impressions write if passing game, and while it's pretty good.

    P.S. Finally there is a Russian voice, and I already forgot what it is, let it not a strong quality, but I    I liked it! Very similar to the films from the old days. The game has an atmosphere that is now rare. But shuternyh part of me seemed incomplete, shooting is not happy, but tactically it feels comfortable with. Overall impressions write if passing game, and while it's pretty good.

    P.S. Finally there is a Russian voice, and I already forgot what it is, let it not a strong quality, but I do not care so pleasant.    … Expand
  83. Chechoo4
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    Hey, guys, you say that the game is very different from the series XCOM, but I can tell you that we should not be so conservative in this world is changing, and if you leave the same series of games, it all quickly get bored. But what about the game, the game I very much liked the first held on the second, then the third and last. All the complexity of the game is revealed at the lastHey, guys, you say that the game is very different from the series XCOM, but I can tell you that we should not be so conservative in this world is changing, and if you leave the same series of games, it all quickly get bored. But what about the game, the game I very much liked the first held on the second, then the third and last. All the complexity of the game is revealed at the last level of complexity. This difficulty I have not seen in any game. In general, ten points an excellent game.… Expand
  84. cwestpha
    Sep 2, 2013
    0
    This is one of the worst games I have played this year and it all comes down to one thing: Controls. I pre-ordered this game on steam seeing the XCOM name and how they were going to make a strategic shooter that has had some great entries in its genre in the past (ie Republic Commando). The Bureau has a downright lazy control system that is more likely to get you killed. Pressing space mayThis is one of the worst games I have played this year and it all comes down to one thing: Controls. I pre-ordered this game on steam seeing the XCOM name and how they were going to make a strategic shooter that has had some great entries in its genre in the past (ie Republic Commando). The Bureau has a downright lazy control system that is more likely to get you killed. Pressing space may be fine, but since its a 10% real time speed strategic mode you MUST nail the control scheme or your squad will be slaughtered... something 2K Games failed to do. Issuing commands are only taken as vague suggestions by the engines, your squad constantly goes to illogical cover only to be shot up. So you overide and by the time you plot out a path and execute the order they are down to half health (about 20 of our seconds plotting the move, issuing cover, and then designating a target). By the time you have one position designated and in proper cover there is already a grenade hurled towards you that the broken cover system wont let you clear in the 5 seconds it takes to pop. Now your allies break cover trying to rez you resulting in a team wipe. Rinse and repeat for perhaps 13 hours of some otherwise good story telling and interesting back-story on how XCOM originally came to exist... though this seems to be quite alternative universe.

    This game isn't to bad other then that, but it still is unplayable and 2K clearly designed this game to be unplayable despite otherwise decent to excellent content. So go ahead and get a game that has a better day 1 experience... like the new SimCity. :p    … Expand
  85. TGAMCallahan
    Sep 2, 2013
    4
    Although by no means terrible, The Bureau does not feel like an XCOM game, and should not be considered as such. Extremely poor shooting mechanics, an excruciatingly boring storyline, vapid, uninteresting characters, truly terrible progression systems, and sub-par voice acting combine to create an uninteresting and lackluster game.

    You will not be surprised, or engaged while playing    Although by no means terrible, The Bureau does not feel like an XCOM game, and should not be considered as such. Extremely poor shooting mechanics, an excruciatingly boring storyline, vapid, uninteresting characters, truly terrible progression systems, and sub-par voice acting combine to create an uninteresting and lackluster game.

    You will not be surprised, or engaged while playing this game. You cannot customize your troops in any real way. You form no genuine connection with them. There is no large unit tactics. And in turn, it falls into all the same pitfalls that ME2/3 fell into in terms of the cover system, and it falls into them even worse.

    This game is clunky, frustrating, unforgiving, and boring. I would not advise anyone to purchase it under any circumstances. And I pity those who were foolish enough to pre-order it.    … Expand
  86. Fredownsyou
    Sep 2, 2013
    2
    One word Disappointing.

    Squad based shooter with poor AI and even worse execution. The action is frantic and hectic, but lacks any of the XCOM charm or draw except for the possibility of the 'powers'. Locking weapons to squad class sucks. The engineer is hampered throughout most of the game because they're bringing a shotgun to a sniper fight. Its somewhat demoralizing to run up    One word Disappointing.

    Squad based shooter with poor AI and even worse execution. The action is frantic and hectic, but lacks any of the XCOM charm or draw except for the possibility of the 'powers'.

    Locking weapons to squad class sucks. The engineer is hampered throughout most of the game because they're bringing a shotgun to a sniper fight. Its somewhat demoralizing to run up close on an exposed and flanked enemy for a single digit damage projection.

    Lack of vertical movement also sucks. The recon, a sniper class, seems like it would do best perched atop a high post so they can look down and lay some good fire. Instead, the squad AI gets antsy if you move too far and even if they have the perfect sniper's nest your squadie will run out of cover and straight to you across open ground because of fear they are being left behind. Your perfect sniper is now screaming for assistance in an open field within the perfect alien killzone because they didn't want to sit still. Directing things like mine and turret deployment is also a pain because it has to follow a footpath so you can't just throw a mine into an alien sniper nest simply because you can't walk there.

    Aliens have grenades and your squad doesn't. This means the enemy always, and I mean ALWAYS, has something to flush your squad out of cover to be gunned down. On the flip side no one had the foresight to give your squad anything perhaps out of the fear that if explosives are not in your hands the AI would start chewing on them or something.

    The entire 'research and build' aspect of XCOM has been gutted and thrown away. You unlock new weapons by finding them in the field and once you pick up your first new toy everyone can have one. The same can be said for backpacks and grenades and a lot of those upgrades are given far too late to make a difference. Oooh...laser backpack? Awesome! That'll help my plasma weapons a lot! Oh...wait...it won't.

    Decisions? Pfft! Who needs to make decisions? The choices during conversations provide some neat flavor, but have no impact on the game whatsoever. Missions and dispatch? Send everyone on everything! No time limitations or choices in the side missions means you have ample time to do everything and you'll be going into the 2nd act of the game with a roster filled with 'senior' agents. The actual dialogue itself is somewhat stilted and disconnected. Several times you would get a response because the game was expecting you to say something different so the NPC would wax on about some story they haven't mentioned yet because it was part of the other decision dialogue.

    A decent third person shooter with a load of 'XCOM juice' sprayed over it, but otherwise a very disappointing pickup. Lacks any hint of tactics or weight that a title with the XCOM brand should hold. Just you gunning down aliens while you escort tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber with you.    … Expand
  87. Pureray
    Sep 1, 2013
    8
    I really did enjoy my time playing this game, but it did have its flaws which made this game not as good as it could have been. I'm alright on how the story went out since it was interesting and there are people that are complaining about it being confusing like are you suppose to understand everything early in the game? I don't think so. I don't mind that this is a 3rd person shooterI really did enjoy my time playing this game, but it did have its flaws which made this game not as good as it could have been. I'm alright on how the story went out since it was interesting and there are people that are complaining about it being confusing like are you suppose to understand everything early in the game? I don't think so. I don't mind that this is a 3rd person shooter since it had something unique to it which was the commands.

    The score I'm giving it is a 7.5 because there isn't really a perm death to squad-mates with these checkpoints. Also the customization is weak (My opinion). The squad would still get shot down when in cover mostly.    … Expand
  88. kingcard2
    Aug 31, 2013
    7
    The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is a fun game that has some of the best over-the-shoulder squad based combat I have seen. The graphics are appealing, most of the game is enjoyable, and most of the game is new. However the main problems I feel with the game is the lack of variety in weapons, lack of variety in aliens, "investigations" often just break up the combat, you have less involvementThe Bureau: XCOM Declassified is a fun game that has some of the best over-the-shoulder squad based combat I have seen. The graphics are appealing, most of the game is enjoyable, and most of the game is new. However the main problems I feel with the game is the lack of variety in weapons, lack of variety in aliens, "investigations" often just break up the combat, you have less involvement with the The Bureau (you only go on missions compared to Enemy Unknown where you controlled the functions of the base or development of gear and tools), and the ending is poor. I'm not for one to leave spoilers but the game overall is very well well made.… Expand
  89. Evilcalyptic
    Aug 31, 2013
    5
    I have been watching this game since late 2009 waiting for its release. I have no prior exposure to any of the xcoms or anything from the series except for what I have read on the lore. Upon finally playing it what I will say is; it could have been so much more than it was. IT was a serious letdown in terms of the storyline. I could live with gameplay inconstancies which it has its fairI have been watching this game since late 2009 waiting for its release. I have no prior exposure to any of the xcoms or anything from the series except for what I have read on the lore. Upon finally playing it what I will say is; it could have been so much more than it was. IT was a serious letdown in terms of the storyline. I could live with gameplay inconstancies which it has its fair share of. Such as voices not matching characters later on in the story or unexplained lapses in time. The storyline just doesn't deliver and that is why this game gets such a low rating from me. It felt as though had they brought in good writers it could have excelled even having very little to do with the other xcoms and original lore. Not everything is gameplay as seen by games like Telltales walking dead and The last of us, Both stellar games with central focus on story. Xcom at time also feels like it tries to steel from bioware's mass effect series, which is the right direction if you want to implement intuitive character dialog and progression, but its only a shadow of what it is in dragon age/mass effect. This game was an alright play and I completed it all the way through, meaning to me it wasn't horrible. However the whole time I couldn't wait to complete it to free up the SSD space to play the next game. Don't expect too highly with this game.… Expand
  90. TheUnbeholden
    Aug 31, 2013
    5
    This is probably one of the most generic games I've ever played.

    +Guns work +60's style is somewhat realized here. +When you shoot at enemies from the side or from behind, it does bonus damage. -Graphics are really outdated, plastic looking faces, hair, and washed out textures. Except for the 2 main characters. -It has audiologs... in giant movie reels... kind of retarded way to    This is probably one of the most generic games I've ever played.

    +Guns work
    +60's style is somewhat realized here.
    +When you shoot at enemies from the side or from behind, it does bonus damage.

    -Graphics are really outdated, plastic looking faces, hair, and washed out textures. Except for the 2 main characters.
    -It has audiologs... in giant movie reels... kind of retarded way to add audio. How do common people record their thoughts with giant movie reels? It makes no sense. They threw it in because most FPS/TPS have it now. Suffice to say it's really boring dialogue. Nobody has anything interesting to say.
    -Characters are almost non-existent.
    -Story is the same story as every single sci-fi movie out there. Aliens attack, they have a hive mind and must attack this central point.
    -Reclaiming a nuclear missile silo is overtaken by aliens and it's listed as a "minor mission"?
    -AI is downright lazy, not just bad, they run into walls, move right into incoming fire, they will ignore you if you shoot at them from the side/behind,

    When ordering your squad mates to move to an area they either
    A. stay there whatever happens.. even if they are ambushed, they don't tell you that they are and they die.
    Or B. They move away from the position you told them to stay in for no apparent reason... even if that position is a good one.

    Theres no hold position command, so when a squad mate gets shot down and cries for help.. all your men will run into enemy fire and die to try and save the man.. regardless of how insane that is.    … Expand
  91. Konigstiger
    Aug 29, 2013
    7
    I have just finished the Game. There is no absolute need to replay it.
    I enjoyed it, not lets make some critics.
    I'm a great fan of many games that 'The Bureau' borrowed concepts: Mass Effect 3: Combat, Dialog Wheel, Base navigation, tactical pause to issue commands, ... Batman Arkham Museum/City: Tactical View with 'detective mode'. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood: Dispatch Missions.    I have just finished the Game. There is no absolute need to replay it.
    I enjoyed it, not lets make some critics.

    I'm a great fan of many games that 'The Bureau' borrowed concepts:
    Mass Effect 3: Combat, Dialog Wheel, Base navigation, tactical pause to issue commands, ...
    Batman Arkham Museum/City: Tactical View with 'detective mode'.
    Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood: Dispatch Missions.

    The Graphics Style is nice and detailed, very few flaws. Noir RetroFuturism. Maybe.
    Sound is very good, and so is Voice Acting (regardless of the script).

    History: The drama is present, but not really there. The characters are easy to forget. Your agents are very common and uninteresting.
    Perhaps the most disturbing thing is that for the 90% of the Game, your dialogues and CHOICES are meaningless.

    Dispatching Agents in missions only serves for leveling them. The rewards are not really useful.
    There are many unexplained abilities of the characters, technology, how do they magically appear?

    I found very disappointing in the fact that in the epilogue you see how they are trying to Cover Up everything (like was so widely advertised). The cover-up effort is barely visible in game.

    It is sincerely not possible to cover up something like that.
    You see the US map later in game full of RED (aliens, not commies).
    No connection with the US Central Command? Possible, but not realistic in that time, when a crippling attack of Soviet forces was feared.

    Customization: Is there, but is not enough. And when later in game they took my Fedora Hat, I cursed. Details, details.

    Difficulty: For a setting of 'Veteran' (easy, normal, veteran, commander), I found it very easy and with a lot of ammunition. For an X-COM title, it had to be Harder.

    Likes:
    Besides some usability, the tactical commands, combos and combat in general is good.
    Some surprises on the history late game, a few decisions with some impact, well crafted scenarios.
    The main character is likeable.

    Dissapointments:
    No real bridge (in history) with X-COM: Enemy Unknown. It was the perfect opportunity to explain how the Council was formed years ago.
    More drama expected.
    SideQuests with no real Impact or rewards, just more extra mini-history.
    No weapon customization.
    No connection with some of the secondary characters and my recruited agents.
    No randomness.
    Fedora Hat removed.

    I do Recommend this game, you will have fun, but is only for one playthrough.    … Expand
  92. master2042
    Aug 29, 2013
    10
    I feel the critics have been overly harsh with this game. I just finished it, having put approximately 20 hours into the game. Granted that was doing every side mission, and taking my time to listen to conversations. Its definitely not Enemy Unknown, but I enjoyed it non the less.

    The story was compelling, if a bit rushed in parts, and I wish they had incorporated some more of the    I feel the critics have been overly harsh with this game. I just finished it, having put approximately 20 hours into the game. Granted that was doing every side mission, and taking my time to listen to conversations. Its definitely not Enemy Unknown, but I enjoyed it non the less.

    The story was compelling, if a bit rushed in parts, and I wish they had incorporated some more of the research and building aspects of Unknown but in the end I was completely happy with my purchase. The end of the game feels very rushed, and I would have liked a bit more diversity among my squad as I tended to use the same two for every mission.

    Definitely worth a buy though, as long as your expectations are right    … Expand
  93. Lupinthewolf
    Aug 28, 2013
    8
    While the definitely tried to go a different route, the game itself wasn't badly executed. It has a good story and offers closure to said story unlike in xcom enemy unknown. Which I enjoyed for another reason all together. However the game was completed in 11 hours. This could have been greatly been improved if the game had more optional quests. The stifled skill trees of normalWhile the definitely tried to go a different route, the game itself wasn't badly executed. It has a good story and offers closure to said story unlike in xcom enemy unknown. Which I enjoyed for another reason all together. However the game was completed in 11 hours. This could have been greatly been improved if the game had more optional quests. The stifled skill trees of normal characters seemed to cap out way to quickly and you are left only leveling your main character. However its not totally unenjoyable experience I truly enjoyed the story though the game was short you still connected with the main character. Many thing they could of added like base construction and missions to get certain things to build up your base, and the option to switch between tactical between and FPS it would have been able to please ALL its fans but that would require a great deal of capital and effort. Overall it was a fascinating game which left you craving for more sadly there is nothing more it offers for the re-playability seems sparse at best.… Expand
  94. NemesisR3
    Aug 28, 2013
    10
    Its like a mass effect+xcom with a good story. I dont understand why review sites give 5-6 score to this game,
    Its a tactical shooter game with a lot of strategy, you must lead your teammates to battle, give orders to use their skills or make them move another location.
  95. SnowMen713
    Aug 28, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall it is a pretty decent game, with an interesting atmosphere. This is a well done game, that shows nothing exceptional: I found the combat system too easy. The graphics are nice and the story is really great, but I don't think this game will be a classic. Sadly not too long (took me 12 hours on veteran), and the replayability is not too high (although there are a few endings which might be interesting to see).

    The game is a simple TPS, copying the Mass Effect franchise in most aspects; the combat system is virtually the same (squad of 3, giving orders while time is practically stopped, TPS cover, etc) and it is not as well done as in ME2 or 3, nonetheless it is good; if you liked those, you won't have a bad time.
    The game is set in the '60s of USA, which I found a bit cliche, but well done cliche; the aliens are nice, though not really different from eachother, and also not too original. There are hundreds of cannon fodder with some minibosses (giving shield, drones, support, etc), snipers, and some bosses which are only fun in the beginning, but after a while they get really repetitive.
    The combat works well, I found that while you can choose from 4 types of squadmates (which you can customise further) you will end up with the same 2 after a while, simply because those are the best. This makes the imbalanced combat even easier: although you will die sometimes on Veteran (usually thanks to the sometimes stupid AI of the squadmates), the game gets gradually easier towards the end. The checkpoints are well placed, so even if you bite the dust, you won't loose much time.
    There is an HQ where you can kill some time between missions (like the Normandy in ME), but it is not even close to the spaceship: the characters are just not as interesting.
    The story is interesting: in the beginning you want answers about the aliens, but as it goes on, you will find a larger mystery, and it tells a unique and interesting tale, with a few really good turns!
    Graphics are nice, polished but not too flashy, but the sounds are mediocre nothing too good, nothing too bad.    … Expand
  96. Alphabet
    Aug 27, 2013
    6
    A rating of 7 seems worthy of this edition to the Xcom series. For those who think it is low, it is just that for replay value.. complete the game on even the easiest mode and there is little need to play it again other than seeing other plot lines opened up by making different interaction choices. For those who think the rating is high- I am a Xcom fan. Many of the negative review's ofA rating of 7 seems worthy of this edition to the Xcom series. For those who think it is low, it is just that for replay value.. complete the game on even the easiest mode and there is little need to play it again other than seeing other plot lines opened up by making different interaction choices. For those who think the rating is high- I am a Xcom fan. Many of the negative review's of the game take into account aspects I do not feel the game creator's intended to approach in the first place. It is not a first person shooter, rather a tactical 3rd person that actually places a player in a good position of how it might feel to be a Xcom agent in the field (in a very much real time gameplay rather than turned based). Those who expected a first person shooter may be disappointed at not being able to run around shooting things and dodging incoming fire like a DOOM or Wolfenstein type game. Do remember, a enemy in cover in the turn based takes a 40% chance to hit... it seems fitting that in this game... taking the time to aim for a certain hit at an enemy behind cover is no easy feat... and may actually get you shot to pieces trying to do so. The storyline was appealing and fun, the choices given to advance certain plot lines entertaining.

    The real value of the game may well be in it's not yet applied applications. The Xcom series now has a lovely new turned based system reborn with XCOM-Enemy Unknown, as well as a boots on the ground tactical combat with The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. The mother of all XCOM games may still await... a combination of both games.. allowing users in the XCOM universe to choose between Turn Based missions, or Real time play along with all the base management/research applications of Enemy Unknown. As a avid fan of the series.. one can only hope.    … Expand
  97. KingMob4313
    Aug 27, 2013
    9
    Pretty much everything I wanted from the canceled XCom Alliance game that we never got. Yes, it apes Mass Effect, in more than a few ways. It has the third person cover-based shooting and pause-and-command system of Mass Effect, along with the mechanic of storyline choice steering your experience.

    While it lacks the overwhelming scope of the Mass Effect games, it does offer a deeper    Pretty much everything I wanted from the canceled XCom Alliance game that we never got. Yes, it apes Mass Effect, in more than a few ways. It has the third person cover-based shooting and pause-and-command system of Mass Effect, along with the mechanic of storyline choice steering your experience.

    While it lacks the overwhelming scope of the Mass Effect games, it does offer a deeper tactical system than found in Bioware's games.

    The story is fun, even if you need to stretch your 'suspension of disbelief' a bit. Honestly, considering that you had to do the same for the previous X-com games, it's not a surprise. In the second half of the game, the stakes get raised and the plot twists in some interesting and unexpected ways.

    The voice acting is pretty solid and the overall flavor of setting it in that weird time period of the space race, yet before the hippie cultural revolution was a jolting and interesting choice.

    It is 3rd best X-com game, past the first and the recent tactical remake.

    The game is not without it's flaws, of course. The lip syncing and actor motion capture lacks polish. Also, the graphics are stylized and simplistic, yet run horribly on the highest graphic settings. It's also rather brief, with very little in the way of fleshing out and side missions.

    Also, it lacks the research, production, interception and base management of the previous games, so if that is what defines an Xcom game to you, you may be disappointed.

    This game with has convinced me that this will be cult classic game, like Vampire: Bloodlines or Alpha Protocol (though not as broken as either of those) and that not everyone is meant to 'get it'.    … Expand
  98. von_Werra
    Aug 27, 2013
    10
    If the developers had not called XCOM then critics had been benevolent. Maybe they expected a common shooter like BF or COD, but They were surprised because it was a tactical action game. The AI is high quality, because the enemies react as they should, although sometimes surprising reactions from teammates.

    I totally recommend it.
  99. oz_carter
    Aug 27, 2013
    7
    If you ignore this being an XCOM game it is a very good game. The combat is crisp and interesting with good progression for your characters, the weapons and powers are satisfying to use and the enemies work well together to make the combat interesting ensuring you have to prioritize targets.

    It operates in a very similar way to mass effect during combat and this is no bad thing. However    If you ignore this being an XCOM game it is a very good game. The combat is crisp and interesting with good progression for your characters, the weapons and powers are satisfying to use and the enemies work well together to make the combat interesting ensuring you have to prioritize targets.

    It operates in a very similar way to mass effect during combat and this is no bad thing. However though it does leave a lot to be desired outside of combat. The time in the base is usually dull with the information (books, voice recordings etc) not being very interesting and adding little to the story itself. Most of the characters also seem to be on steroids as they are all very angry all the time.

    An XCOM game though? Not really. There is no research to be done, little use or development of your team apart from on mission and very little control of what missions to do and the impact they have. It also seems to leave some rather large plot holes if you view it as a prequel to XCOM:EU.

    So essentially a good combat game with good mechanics and ideas, but nothing ground breaking, nothing new and most certainly not XCOM    … Expand
  100. marksman
    Aug 27, 2013
    10
    Great game! XCOM meets Mass Effect, with an above average story. It isn´t XCOM: Enemy Unknown, but it´s also very good on its own. It´s fun, intelligent, albeit not so long, and not really hard.
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Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
51
#51 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 45
  3. Negative: 2 out of 45
  1. PCGamesN
    Nov 6, 2013
    60
    For all that The Bureau get’s wrong, it is at least a passable tactical shooter with a novel, well-realised setting. If you love the golden age of science-fiction, there’s something here for you. Just don’t expect it to ever get truly interesting, because XCOM Declassified never captures what XCOM is all about.
    Read full review
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 5, 2013
    73
    The Bureau: XCOM Declassified does not deliver. It is not bad, but rather depressingly average. [Sept 2013]
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Sep 25, 2013
    70
    A competent tactical shooter that doesn't push any boundaries and is only peripherally related to XCOM. [Oct 2013, p.96]
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