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. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Hermes_tri
    Aug 27, 2013
    10
    I love the game so far. It is a really well done TBS, I really enjoy this mix of tactical planning with TBS, I like the scanning tactical layer, agent management and side missions(sending agents is fun too) and squaddies AI is solid as well i play on Veteran. Setting and level detailing is awesome, abilities feel diverse and fun to use.
    On the negative, the narrative is patchy, the    I love the game so far. It is a really well done TBS, I really enjoy this mix of tactical planning with TBS, I like the scanning tactical layer, agent management and side missions(sending agents is fun too) and squaddies AI is solid as well i play on Veteran. Setting and level detailing is awesome, abilities feel diverse and fun to use.
    On the negative, the narrative is patchy, the beginning lacks suspense and magnitude of you know, alien invasion, aliens feel not so alien. Laser turrets on level one? yes I know it has a somewhat plausible explanation and what not, but the could at least show Carter's shock at seeing these techs? And even then, it looks really strange all these all style computers and laser turrets projecting from nothing.. Carter throwing alien blobes and no one asking questions? Wierd..

    Overall, I'd give this game a solid 8 for uniqueness and gameplay.

    To elaborate a bit more on my impression:

    Things I Love:

    1. The setting is just awesome. Authentic 60s feel, all the decorations and dialogues are just full of 60's feel
    2. The graphics are very nice to look at, like someone else have said, well done on those alien animations, every enemy is really different and unique. Some environments look fantastic. Artstyle is unique
    3. Music is awesome, really spooky and thought-provoking.
    4. Mostly decent voiceovers.
    5. Gameplay is a blast. tactical mode is awesome. How do you use your valuable time in battle focus? Give orders straight away or firstly analyze the environment and enemies via scanning? Mix of different abilities really open up strategies and tactics. The gameplay is really awesome.
    6. I love the narrative overall. The storyline is solid so far with some twists, all little voice recording and notes found on the mission add to the experience, as do investigations in between the missions.
    7. Agent disposal missions add some depth to the game.

    Things I don't really like:

    1. Lack of build up and anticipation opening missions are lackluster.
    2. Technologies are not properly explained.
    3. Bonuses from backpacks are not properly explained.
    4. Usage of new weapons in mission straight after picking them up.
    5. Lack of real desicions early and in mid game.
    6. Classes are not clearly defined: why do commandos give protective shields to others?
    7. Narrative is somewhat patchy: some illogical decisions and dialogues in the game.
    8. Outsiders feel not alien enough.
    9. Sound effects are disappointing.
    10. Level designs are too linear, ME3-esque.

    Overall, the game is solid 8. However I gave it '10' here due to too negative unfair reviews here.    … Expand
  7. SaifK
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    I REAALLYY thought this would just be another shooter but they implemented X-COM's style of strategy so well it actually feels like 3rd person RTS xcom, I dont care about the unsatisfied destructoid review I don't see why in the world he would like how it isnt a shooter or a strategy or an xcom game BECAUSE ITS ALL OF THOSE COMBINED, and that's much more awesome than it sounds

    GamePlay:    I REAALLYY thought this would just be another shooter but they implemented X-COM's style of strategy so well it actually feels like 3rd person RTS xcom, I dont care about the unsatisfied destructoid review I don't see why in the world he would like how it isnt a shooter or a strategy or an xcom game BECAUSE ITS ALL OF THOSE COMBINED, and that's much more awesome than it sounds

    GamePlay: 9/10
    Story: 8/10
    visuals: 7/10
    Replayabilty: 10/10

    P.S: anyone going into this expecting a carbon copy of XCOM enemy unknown or UFO defense's gameplay is an idiot    … Expand
  8. 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
  9. smoovelai
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    I don't understand the bad reviews

    Solid Third person shooter, not very innovative in this department but gets the job done and is very enjoyable(why take points away for that) The tactics are fun and different the game took a lot of risk and i applaud that rather than just being a mass effect 2 clone. I will add the tactics in battle may not be for everyone but if your not a fan of    I don't understand the bad reviews

    Solid Third person shooter, not very innovative in this department but gets the job done and is very enjoyable(why take points away for that)

    The tactics are fun and different the game took a lot of risk and i applaud that rather than just being a mass effect 2 clone. I will add the tactics in battle may not be for everyone but if your not a fan of tactics don't rate this game badly because your not good at it

    The story is entertaining enough and made me want to finish the game what else could you ask for? i see too much complaining about what the game isn't but it does not get any credit for what it is

    reviewers rather give games like Saints Row 4 which was just a clone of saints row the third with super powers great scores because its simple minded and easy. I give a game like SR4 a 6 its the same thing as saints row the third with annoying super powers i did not even want them in the game wish they were optional.

    Thank you 2k Marin for trying something different the game is solid and fun I hope these biased reviews don't completely mess up your sales game is worth the money     … Expand
  10. RainDash
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    10/10 Well done a good job storyline wise the controls are TOP It has the same strategy as all the other
    x-com's but with a much better story it also added the hole 3d person thing witch at first I was disliking and now I love it Just give this game a chance and it will work its love on you!
  11. andyjadams
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    Not sure why others don't see this as an XCOM game. XCOM have tried different game types in the past. Some more successful than others. For a third person shooter it feels right. And I get to actually shoot the aliens this time myself instead of just targeting and hoping. Fun.

    This is a game I've enjoyed playing, that's why I give it a 10/10.
  12. Amoro
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    First off, if you're looking for the sequel to Enemy Unknown, you're looking in the wrong place. This is a 3rd person squad based tactical shooter and it's a lot of fun. The story is excellent and I feel really immersed. The character models are amazing and it truly feels like the 1960's.

    Fans of the series should definitely give it a shot.
  13. Kikinoux
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    10/10 it's not a pure xcom okay deal with it but it's a good game not a bad game 10/10 because so many want this game so bad so i just want to equilibrate the score sorry for my english
  14. zpotgieter
    Aug 22, 2013
    10
    This. Is. Excellent! I beg of you not to listen to the other reviewers (most of them seem to complain that it isn't like the other XCOM games?!) and try this game for yourself. I was playing this on my low(-ish) spec laptop (only an i3 processor and Intel HD 3000 Graphics card) before and it runs super smoothly. Even the low settings on this game looks incredible. The characters, gameplayThis. Is. Excellent! I beg of you not to listen to the other reviewers (most of them seem to complain that it isn't like the other XCOM games?!) and try this game for yourself. I was playing this on my low(-ish) spec laptop (only an i3 processor and Intel HD 3000 Graphics card) before and it runs super smoothly. Even the low settings on this game looks incredible. The characters, gameplay and storyline seems pretty good so far. Controls are easy to use and quite intuitive... The people criticising this game for not being like the others should have known that, as it was made extremely clear that it's a 3rd person shooter. Buy it, try it, and I'm sure you'll like it!… Expand
  15. jej3689
    Aug 23, 2013
    10
    The Bureau IS worth the 50$! I have been an avid x-com fan since day one and have owned it on every system. The controls could use a little fine tuning however, the story and flow of the game are both great!

    If you haven't played the game. Imagine a typical action adventure game except with a twist whenever you encounter the enemy you can press space bar and slow the combat down    The Bureau IS worth the 50$! I have been an avid x-com fan since day one and have owned it on every system. The controls could use a little fine tuning however, the story and flow of the game are both great!

    If you haven't played the game. Imagine a typical action adventure game except with a twist whenever you encounter the enemy you can press space bar and slow the combat down extremely and issue orders to your guys just like a typical battle in x-com. Okay, so it's not exactly like that but it feels similar. This game is unique! Anyone who says otherwise is more than likely quick to judge or a pubescent little girl! Remember a 9 nine year old can post on Metacritic! Judge for yourself!    … Expand
  16. Hatge
    Aug 23, 2013
    10
    I enjoy this game very much. I like the grafic-style, the details in the xcom-base, the ironman-gamemode while in action/battle and i like the mix of shooter and tactic (tactic-shooter). The only thing which annoys me a little bit is the console-port-hotkey-stuff. A suitable interface for the PC-version would be much better.
  17. maximuskain
    Aug 25, 2013
    10
    Played the game to near completion and I must say this game does not deserve those low scores. Story is interesting, the shooter mechanic is fun and the premise of the game is amazing. Don't let the reviewers discourage you from getting this game. If you enjoy Mass Effect you'll enjoy this game tremendously.

    AI is dumb at the beginning and needs a lot of micro management but as you go    Played the game to near completion and I must say this game does not deserve those low scores. Story is interesting, the shooter mechanic is fun and the premise of the game is amazing. Don't let the reviewers discourage you from getting this game. If you enjoy Mass Effect you'll enjoy this game tremendously.

    AI is dumb at the beginning and needs a lot of micro management but as you go up in level they grow smarter as well, as it should be. Fiddle with the customizable control if you find the PC settings to be a bit challenging. It will grow on you after awhile. If you are used to playing ME then you'd know how to play this game, you have to keep using your Battle Focus to be effective, always go for the recon NPC as they have the critical strike which is a very powerful attack.

    PC is still the way to go I guess. Turn off the PhysX and Screen Decal settings if you experience slowdown, just some tip for PC users who finds this game to be a resource hog. This is my first time in metacritic but I really have to write because of all those negative reviews out there have to put in something positive. There are tons of good game releases this week but I find it that this is the game I'm putting my time on. Love this game!    … Expand
  18. 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.
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. 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!
  23. 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!
  24. 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
  25. 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!
  26. NazTfox
    Aug 24, 2013
    9
    This game is amazing. I have been having a blast playing it. Think of a mix of Xcom and Mass Effect. These 2 awesome games are brought to you in a single package. This was totally worth every penny I spent.
  27. mike176525
    Aug 21, 2013
    9
    Coming into The Bureau, I was expecting a mediocre experience at best. In my 8 hours spent with it I've learned I was wrong. So far the combat has been incredibly satisfying. Lifting a Sectoid into the air and ordering a Sniper to use a critical strike to blow its head clean off its shoulders feels incredibly fantastic. I don't know how they did it, but it feels (to me at least) like anComing into The Bureau, I was expecting a mediocre experience at best. In my 8 hours spent with it I've learned I was wrong. So far the combat has been incredibly satisfying. Lifting a Sectoid into the air and ordering a Sniper to use a critical strike to blow its head clean off its shoulders feels incredibly fantastic. I don't know how they did it, but it feels (to me at least) like an XCOM game. Graphically, the game looks good. Not great, just good. I must admit, I had no idea that there was PhysX suport and I haven't used it yet. The story so far has been alright. Nothing truly spectacular, although it does keep me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who you can trust. Squad customization is not nearly as deep as it is in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, but it's there. So in short, I'm enjoying my time with the game a great deal. If you enjoy XCOM and are looking for a diversion until XCOM: Enemy Within comes out, then I highly recommend this game. If you've never played XCOM before, then I suggest starting with Enemy Unknown, not The Bureau, because c'mon, Enemy Unknown was awesome.… Expand
  28. 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
  29. vanStraalen
    Aug 20, 2013
    9
    The game feels fresh and is fun to play. I like the spacebar command prompt. Looks proper tidy on the eyes. I got this after playing EU and liking that. So far I'm not disappointed with this purchase.
  30. lukemacu
    Aug 24, 2013
    9
    Let me get this out of the way: The Bureau is not XCOM:EU or any other previous XCOM game; if you expected it to be then just leave. The Bureau is an interesting concept with some interesting mechanics, it's difficult but not overly. It feels a little clunky at times and has a HUGE learning curve: you're looking at about 2-3 hours before you even get close to the actual game. But none theLet me get this out of the way: The Bureau is not XCOM:EU or any other previous XCOM game; if you expected it to be then just leave. The Bureau is an interesting concept with some interesting mechanics, it's difficult but not overly. It feels a little clunky at times and has a HUGE learning curve: you're looking at about 2-3 hours before you even get close to the actual game. But none the less it is worth the money.… Expand
  31. pambuk
    Aug 24, 2013
    9
    As many others I don't get all the negative reviews.
    I'm an old fan of XCOM, I had my objections to latest XCOM Enemy Unknown, but Bureau is what I think it was supposed to be.
    Graphics look good, missions play nice, story is ok and basically it's what I expected, a TPP game in XCOM universe, that is something more than a shooter. So yeah, thanks 2K Marin, I hope you'll keep working on    As many others I don't get all the negative reviews.
    I'm an old fan of XCOM, I had my objections to latest XCOM Enemy Unknown, but Bureau is what I think it was supposed to be.
    Graphics look good, missions play nice, story is ok and basically it's what I expected, a TPP game in XCOM universe, that is something more than a shooter.
    So yeah, thanks 2K Marin, I hope you'll keep working on this branch of XCOM games.    … Expand
  32. 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
  33. 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
  34. 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
  35. 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
  36. 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
  37. 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).
  38. 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
  39. 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
  40. 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
  41. 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.
  42. Zakk
    Aug 26, 2013
    8
    I don't understand the bad reviews this game has got, it's excellent. There might be few techncial glitches but the story and gameplay is pure solid gold! If you're into games like Mass Effect this one is just for you, It's tactical 3rd person shooter with a lot of story elements. Some people might play it without doing additional investigation quests and without reading notes and audioI don't understand the bad reviews this game has got, it's excellent. There might be few techncial glitches but the story and gameplay is pure solid gold! If you're into games like Mass Effect this one is just for you, It's tactical 3rd person shooter with a lot of story elements. Some people might play it without doing additional investigation quests and without reading notes and audio logs, then I understand why they don't like this. This is for patient players who like to read a good story while playing. Recommended!… Expand
  43. Spoonie
    Aug 20, 2013
    8
    I'm seeing a lot of moaning that this isn't XCOM, and maybe the dev's should have just dropped the name because it seems more like fanboy rage, then actual constructive criticism of essential a pretty good 3rd person shooter.

    The development has been marred with problems, mainly I believe to fanboy outrage to initial screens of the game. I was actually looking forward to a First    I'm seeing a lot of moaning that this isn't XCOM, and maybe the dev's should have just dropped the name because it seems more like fanboy rage, then actual constructive criticism of essential a pretty good 3rd person shooter.

    The development has been marred with problems, mainly I believe to fanboy outrage to initial screens of the game. I was actually looking forward to a First person, investigation game. Then the game went dark, but eventually came back to life, in what seemed to be a mash up between Mass Effect and some XCOM elements.

    I love the XCOM series, do I care that this game has XCOM in the title? No. I take games on face value, and not what I expect the game should be. In fact, I don't go into any games with expectations why would you? Why not be surprised, which I am about this game.

    It didn't take long before I started getting the knack for the controls and ordering my men around it all seemed to work well, and I was killing aliens left, right and centre. The AI, seems intuitive enough to get the job done on both sides.

    I love the setting, and the story isn't as convoluted as some have suggested. The game isn't perfect by any means. There have been some hiccups with stuttering, and slow downs but the steam community is on the ball. Hopefully updated video drivers and possible game tweaking will solve most of these issues which we should all be reminded happens even to the best of games.

    I do feel the game is a little barron in respects to environments and ambient objects within the world. It kinda feels like a lost opportunity, but I also wonder whether it was a design decision to have more of a clean sterile look to most environments?

    Overall this is a solid title, not great, but definitely not worth the scores that it's getting. This game is easily a low mid 8. I paid $36.00 for this game through a site, with some discounts, if you can't get 36 dollars worth of value from this game, then you are doing something VERY wrong.    … Expand
  44. yolktern
    Aug 20, 2013
    8
    Hey man, it isn't tactical turn based Xcom...it's more like tactical Mass Effect 1-3. Since I enjoyed ME 1-3 I'll be enjoying this. But if you're looking for X-com vanilla, don't but this...
  45. 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
  46. 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.
  47. 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
  48. KratosITALY
    Aug 23, 2013
    8
    The story is interesting and entertaining and works perfectly as a sequel to the X-Com games. The only aspect that you may complain about is the gameplay, that has a few bugs that can easily be fixed with a patch. You should at least check it out.
  49. tmarti24
    Aug 22, 2013
    8
    I feel the critics have been overly harsh with this game. I just finished it, having put approximately 30 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 30 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
  50. vojtaruzek
    Aug 22, 2013
    8
    This game is very good, tactics, rpg, atmosphere etc. Only thing that misses is base management.
    The biggest problem of this game is its name, many people (including critics, who should be neutral) simply can't deal with the xcom game from soldier's (agent's) sight and they automatically give a bad score without any thought or doubt.
    So, if you want to know the real "score" of this game,    This game is very good, tactics, rpg, atmosphere etc. Only thing that misses is base management.
    The biggest problem of this game is its name, many people (including critics, who should be neutral) simply can't deal with the xcom game from soldier's (agent's) sight and they automatically give a bad score without any thought or doubt.
    So, if you want to know the real "score" of this game, you have to add some points (10-15%) to annulate the haters.    … Expand
  51. jmnm1990
    Aug 22, 2013
    8
    Overall I think its a pretty decent game, It's pretty fun if you like tactical shooters. The gameplay style and mechanics are very similar to Mass Effect I think the developers actually even came out and said they were shooting for Mass Effect 'ish gameplay mechanics. It has a very authentic 50's-early 60's theme and feel. Sure it's not like any of the other X-COM or XCOM games but thenOverall I think its a pretty decent game, It's pretty fun if you like tactical shooters. The gameplay style and mechanics are very similar to Mass Effect I think the developers actually even came out and said they were shooting for Mass Effect 'ish gameplay mechanics. It has a very authentic 50's-early 60's theme and feel. Sure it's not like any of the other X-COM or XCOM games but then again almost all the games in the series are very different from each other anyways. To some it isn't "X-COM enough" but that doesn't make it a bad game, The Bureau is good in its own way, and has even some typical features of a XCOM game like the customization of your squad member's names, load outs and uniform color. So... In a nut shell.

    PROS:
    *Awesome 50's atmosphere that feels very original.

    *Tactical combat is fun and creative.

    *Very logical abilities of squad member classes.

    CONS:
    * Limited amount of customization options.

    * The facial expressions of some of the NPC's are kind of bad, considering the standard of games
    in this day and age.

    *Feels kinda short for a story based tactical shooter, games like this are good with longevity.

    *Some wasted opportunities that could of pushed this game higher would of been something similar to XCOM:EU's collecting resources on the battlefield and researching tech for better weapons and armor.

    In summary, The Bureau isn't a bad entry in the XCOM, it can be pretty fun to utilize your squad's abilities in combat, I just feel it needed more features and longer and better character progression for the player and the squad members.    … Expand
  52. logicbomb82
    Aug 23, 2013
    8
    Fun game with a good story and challenging FPS tactical combat. It could use some polish and a better introduction first mission, but the squad customization and base exploration story telling is worth the play through.
  53. P0tenC
    Aug 23, 2013
    8
    Although not perfect I don't understand why the game is getting bad reviews. A few negatives are that only one key can be bind to each action and some agent abilities can be fiddly moving with the camera. Over all though this game is enjoyable and much better than some reviewers would have you believe.

    I especially like the XCOM 60's theme and the GFX is good too. I probably would not    Although not perfect I don't understand why the game is getting bad reviews. A few negatives are that only one key can be bind to each action and some agent abilities can be fiddly moving with the camera. Over all though this game is enjoyable and much better than some reviewers would have you believe.

    I especially like the XCOM 60's theme and the GFX is good too. I probably would not pay £30 for it but considering I got it for £20 with all the pre-order bonuses I'm quite happy and will have fun playing it through once. I don't see this game having the replay ability of XCOM Enemy Unknown, but these are 2 fundamentally different games, so would be unfair to compare them. They share the same theme and that's where it ends.

    Don't expect Battlefield 3 or Mass Effect 3 and look at this game as something unique.    … Expand
  54. DhogonX
    Aug 24, 2013
    8
    This game is very decent. People complain and ALWAYS want to compare to ME. When this game is its own. This game is no different than Xcom: EU, other than you move about "realtime", you aim-n-shoot "real-time", and the obvious its in 3d person. You unlock parts of the base and new technology (same as before). The cover system is there (full, lite), give your agents orders to attack,This game is very decent. People complain and ALWAYS want to compare to ME. When this game is its own. This game is no different than Xcom: EU, other than you move about "realtime", you aim-n-shoot "real-time", and the obvious its in 3d person. You unlock parts of the base and new technology (same as before). The cover system is there (full, lite), give your agents orders to attack, depending on the enemies position and type of cover affects damage (same as before), flanking, expose, etc..

    You build your team skills by picking paths of perks (same as before)....I swear I don't see how some are complaining, if you like waiting 4 turns before your turn come around to shoot then turn base is for you and maybe you might be disappointed. But if you like the best of both worlds Xcom has to offer, tactical strategy and realtime combat, then get this game, I like this game    … Expand
  55. Ineluki
    Aug 25, 2013
    8
    First thing is to accept, YES its a console port, if you are not "Ok" with that, don't bother.
    Second, not worth without a controller, playing with keyboard and mouse is too painful.
    Took me about 25h to finish the game with all side quests (Must say I'm not a hardcore gamer) The bads, the first missions (tutorials) felt too long and the learning curve was too high, characters are    First thing is to accept, YES its a console port, if you are not "Ok" with that, don't bother.
    Second, not worth without a controller, playing with keyboard and mouse is too painful.

    Took me about 25h to finish the game with all side quests (Must say I'm not a hardcore gamer)

    The bads, the first missions (tutorials) felt too long and the learning curve was too high, characters are stereotyped and there are some ridiculous bugs, friendly AI teleporting, physics and camera issues, and some objects and textures popping.

    Besides that I like the game, was sceptical about the game play, not being able to build and manage my base, investigate new tech and so on, but after playing few missions I stop caring about that and focus on squad skills and perks, story and character customization, still got the feeling of "what next" that I love form the xcom games, even if was in lesser degree.

    The encounters are nicely done, the variety of enemies is good, I found myself asking, "what are they going to throw at me next" multiple times, still has a lot of room for improvement but I enjoyed the experience.

    Will rated a 70-75 but will give it a 8 for trying to do something different from the typical Xcom games (nothing against them) maybe someday we see a more dynamic combat in XCom: Enemy    … Expand
  56. TomJ
    Aug 25, 2013
    8
    It's like a mass effect with XCOM story. They should increase the team number up to 5 same as XCOM:Enemy. and more base strategy. many aspect of the game are too simple. for example only two item a squad can equip. The strategy focus is funny but should add more command. for example hide, hold you ground. The technical item should be have more function. not just increase some kind ofIt's like a mass effect with XCOM story. They should increase the team number up to 5 same as XCOM:Enemy. and more base strategy. many aspect of the game are too simple. for example only two item a squad can equip. The strategy focus is funny but should add more command. for example hide, hold you ground. The technical item should be have more function. not just increase some kind of damage.This is not a really XCOM game should be.
    but whatever I play this game over 10 hours. and I enjoy the time. it's a good game but should be better    … Expand
  57. Muf69
    Aug 25, 2013
    8
    Having not played the series I'll rate this as a stand alone game and tbh it's really pretty good.
    This is a solid 8/10 game though it does feel like a console to PC port which means it feels better played with the controller as the keyboard/mouse feels a little clunky
  58. Bezzer
    Aug 26, 2013
    8
    I have been playing this for a day or so now and despite the meta-critic score it has been an enjoyable experience! The game kind of reminds me of playing Mass Effect but with the XCOM squad command features thrown in. A different take on the XCOM universe and playing from a first person perspective is different but good.
  59. DarkHawkPro
    Aug 26, 2013
    8
    I'm a big XCOM fan and have been since i was a kid. I knew what i was getting into and i'm really happy with what i got. An OTS with strong tactical elements. It's not a turn based game, it's fast and intense and sometimes frustrating, but overall i am enjoying the hell out of it.
  60. Babu-x
    Aug 27, 2013
    8
    Better than Mass Effect, which I never play again after a few hours. Tactic is everything not a run and gun game. I gave 8 because of squad edit menu can be done in a better way and a little graphic hungry. I was hoping they include research management and such. I'm playing this more than Enemy Unknown for now.
  61. 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
  62. 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
  63. 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
  64. 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.
  65. 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?
  66. 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
  67. 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
  68. 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
  69. Bluethunder213
    Aug 20, 2013
    7
    Sure, this isn't a perfect game, but the gameplay is decent and the story is very interesting. Despite playing it on the PC, I did use a 360 controller. I liked the controller, and I would recommend you use one if you like console gaming, even if you're playing on the PC. This is not the game that many think it is, it's much better. I'd recommend renting a console copy or buying it on sale.
  70. RealMuthaF
    Aug 23, 2013
    7
    Considering the Bureau's long and painful production cycle (wonderfully explained on polygon.com), it turned out to be a surprisingly good game. Certainly it has its flaws, like the inconsistent plot (for a while it seems like the game is a parody on B-movies, but it's not, stuff's presented seriously) with cliche characters, out-of-place moral decisions, the dialogues, sometimes reachingConsidering the Bureau's long and painful production cycle (wonderfully explained on polygon.com), it turned out to be a surprisingly good game. Certainly it has its flaws, like the inconsistent plot (for a while it seems like the game is a parody on B-movies, but it's not, stuff's presented seriously) with cliche characters, out-of-place moral decisions, the dialogues, sometimes reaching unprecedented degrees of stupidity (Alien interrogation. It's VERY dumb.), the cheesy voice acting and moderately clunky controls. But it's the gameplay that still manages to pull the game out of depths of awfulness. While using Mass Effect's combat system as a foundation, The Bureau expands on it, providing some interesting tactical situations. Here, especially on the harder difficulties, the Rambo style won't work, you'll have to manage your squad's actions. (The squadmates on their own are pretty dumb, can't use their powers and tend to run out into the open and get incapacitated.) The Bureau's path to being released was long and winding, but the developers managed to make the game quite enjoyable. It's one of the games I clearly see a sequel to: so many mistakes await to be fixed and with that done, we'll get a great game instead of a good one.… Expand
  71. Ottomic
    Aug 26, 2013
    7
    Let me be perfectly clear: The Bureau is a third person alien shooter with sort-of turn based gameplay thrown in, some classes, and some XCOM lore thrown in. It's more of an X-COM: Enforcer than Enemy Unknown. It's very important for you to know this, and I'll discuss why later. For the time being, allow me to give you my impressions on it:

    This game is far from perfect. First off,    Let me be perfectly clear: The Bureau is a third person alien shooter with sort-of turn based gameplay thrown in, some classes, and some XCOM lore thrown in. It's more of an X-COM: Enforcer than Enemy Unknown. It's very important for you to know this, and I'll discuss why later. For the time being, allow me to give you my impressions on it:

    This game is far from perfect.

    First off, and despite the messages suggesting you to flank your enemies and remaining mobile, the Bureau is a pretty punishing game with aggressive tactics, and the player soon has to learn to to turtle up and play it safe unless he wants to risk two droids suddenly popping out of nowhere and pummeling your squad into dust. In some cases, your squadmates will continually get hit despite being behind cover. It doesn't help the fact that the AI will act up sometimes, exposing your allies to fire for no good reason.

    And it's not just the fact that your squadmates seem to have quite a bit of trouble aiming, but the aliens are able to take quite a lot of hits while able to dish out considerable amounts of damage in the process, especially if a Commander is on the field, which will shield allies and make them even hardier. The problem with this is not only the fact that you neeed to be constantly watching out for insta-outflanks, but having to spend almost an entire magazine per alien, you run the risk of running out of bullets pretty fast, and then you will be exposed to both enemy fire and maybe an even bigger hindrance: the controls.

    The Bureau's controls are one of the most indecisive and weird I've seen in some time. It seems a game designed with a controller in mind (you move markers along the ground to signal orders to your allies with WASD, as opposed to the mouse, for instance), but it really takes advantage of the keyboard and mouse layout for quick and efficient shootout control, and as a result you are constantly wondering if it wouldn't be better to switch from keyboard to gamepad and vice versa. Add to that a couple of bafflingly impractical actions (you do THE EXACT SAME THING -tapping "R"- to reload than to pick up ammo than to pick up weapons, which frequently can lead you to switch your empty sniper rifle for a shotgun and grab the ammo the shotgun instead for the rifle in just two presses of "R", leaving you utterly rifleless in a long-range battle, for instance), and a honestly weird menu layout, and you'll end up wondering how could 2K Marin seriously mess up such basic features so hard.

    Graphics are OK. For the most part, and for the scenario that the developers thought we would be looking at. Turn around somewhere you aren't expected to look at, though, and you might find some of the worst scenario filler I've seen in a while, and that's counting sandbox games such as Prototype 2: blank, ginormous sheets of metal, blank walls, lifeless environments; and the game needs a nice computer to run it all at a decent speed, too: my i7 3770 8GB DDR3 RAM Nvidia GTX650 2GB DDR5 couldn't handle it at max detail, having to turn off some of the subtler options.

    Characters are pretty unique, and in some cases they remind me a bit of L.A. Noire's cast. While not award-winning, one can be really entertained by the Dirty Harry-esque dialogue from the main character. There is a dialogue tree that really doesn't do much aside from giving you some extra info, there are a bunch of collectibles strewn about, and there are a couple of side missions that usually need you to go from point A to point B and then to point A again. Serviceable, if a bit lackluster. Soundtrack can be pretty inmersive, and voicework is pretty good too.

    All in all, The Bureau is not a perfect game, but it is not a BAD one: every aspect of it is unpolished and even weird sometimes, but it does its job without really failing at anything. It is a Rogue Trooper, or a Stubbs the Zombie, or any Red Faction game: bad enough to not be a classic, good enough to play, complete and forget about, and I think it deserves love despite its faults.

    A lot of people seem to hate the "XCOM" in the title, and it's probably the most main point of many people's about it. It's quite tragic, in my opinion, that someone would pre-order, buy and then complain about "their" turn-based strategy franchise being ruined by a Third Person Shooter when there's already been X-COM games that have deviated from the original formula (basically all of them between "terror of the deep" and "enemy unknown"), but then again, that shows you when people in the internet feel entitled to with franchises that are older than themselves.

    The game came with its DLC, plus all the X-COM collection and Spec Ops: The Line as pre-order bonuses for about 40€, which is an awesome deal. If you didn't get it then, you'd probably do better to wait for it to go on sale for Halloween or Christmas. If you like third person shooters get it, but maybe not at full price.

    7.5.    … Expand
  72. 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
  73. Kron604
    Aug 26, 2013
    7
    This game isn't a carbon copy of X-COM as most seemed to be expecting, but it does have elements of X-COM. This game is enjoyable, although a little frustrating at times... The squad AI is atrocious, and the fact that you have to babysit them every step of the way takes away from the overall feel of the game. With that being said, there's an immense amount of satisfaction when youThis game isn't a carbon copy of X-COM as most seemed to be expecting, but it does have elements of X-COM. This game is enjoyable, although a little frustrating at times... The squad AI is atrocious, and the fact that you have to babysit them every step of the way takes away from the overall feel of the game. With that being said, there's an immense amount of satisfaction when you complete a mission. I still enjoy the game, even with its short-comings.… Expand
  74. ManSpider
    Aug 24, 2013
    7
    "XCOM Declassified: Wearing smart casual to alien firefights since 1963"

    In all seriousness, the game was alright; managing to create a genuine sense of scope and gravitas midway throughout, after stumbling over itself in the opening missions. However, It did feel a bit bland, and the storyline comes across as forcibly emotive and hard to take seriously in some instances. In XCOM:    "XCOM Declassified: Wearing smart casual to alien firefights since 1963"

    In all seriousness, the game was alright; managing to create a genuine sense of scope and gravitas midway throughout, after stumbling over itself in the opening missions.

    However, It did feel a bit bland, and the storyline comes across as forcibly emotive and hard to take seriously in some instances. In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the situation of an alien invasion felt plausible. The aliens never "talked" or interacted with the player, serving to pull you into the games atmosphere as you attempted to deal with what could very well have been a real and "unknown" threat to the earth and humanity, as you slowly discover clues and scraps of information regarding the alien's agenda.

    In the XCOM Declassified however, this feeling is gone, replaced by a slightly generic, Hollywood esque scifi narrative that instead creates its own alternate human history, rather than attempt to play along with the events of the cold war in the 60's as cover ups for alien activity (A premise that could have been brilliantly developed and executed, but alas...).

    But if there's one thing I should say, it's kudos to the developers for the SHEER amount of dialogue and brilliant character interactions throughout your time spent in the underground XCOM base. (I swear I've almost had the impulse to use one of Carter's signature hand gestures in conversation :P)

    All in all, it's a decent, slightly clunky third person cover based shooter, with a commendably executed, yet somewhat bland and predictable plot.
    7/10    … Expand
  75. 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.
  76. 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
  77. alllifeinfate
    Aug 27, 2013
    7
    Having to regroup after the rather surprising XCOM Enemy Unknown is a blessing in disguise and a touch of poison both at the same time. I gather from the behind-the-scenes that they're going for the third iteration of the Bureau's gameplay when the surprise hit...well, hit which sounds rather believable when you watch the video. I just can't grasp the ignorance that they totally copy MassHaving to regroup after the rather surprising XCOM Enemy Unknown is a blessing in disguise and a touch of poison both at the same time. I gather from the behind-the-scenes that they're going for the third iteration of the Bureau's gameplay when the surprise hit...well, hit which sounds rather believable when you watch the video. I just can't grasp the ignorance that they totally copy Mass Effect 3's gameplay and would not admit it....granted that it is not as smooth as and not as polished. It is not fair to compare the two games but the developer puts themselves in this position and the success of the turn based strategy rebirth certainly affects them the most, positively and negatively. The traces of Enemy Unknown can be seen throughout the game, as a true homage and also straight copycat. This review is written as I played only a few hours of the game and does not represents my final verdict of the Bureau. That is still to come but I will give my score nonetheless.… Expand
  78. Sickbeard
    Aug 23, 2013
    7
    The constant revisions to gameplay are really obvious when you get a chance to play it. The gameplay is very well structured and thought out; unfortunately the rest of the game is not so much.
    The voice acting is forced, and doesn't feel truly authentic, although the choice in voices is brilliant.
    The story is lacking that something to get you to feel for the characters, and any that you    The constant revisions to gameplay are really obvious when you get a chance to play it. The gameplay is very well structured and thought out; unfortunately the rest of the game is not so much.
    The voice acting is forced, and doesn't feel truly authentic, although the choice in voices is brilliant.
    The story is lacking that something to get you to feel for the characters, and any that you lose, by story or just through the normal gameplay, don't make you feel anything.
    Given, most XCOM games are pure tactical, turn-based-strategy, but for a game like this (and in this generation), you need more than just stellar gameplay. You need a bit more variety and a better story (or at least better executed).    … Expand
  79. jacksami
    Aug 21, 2013
    7
    The Bureau Xcom Declassified xcom series is very good. i think user many facilities in this game to play this game the Bureau begins investigating a series of mysterious attacks by an enemy more powerful than communism. i think game is actionable you can play this game
  80. FirestormMk3
    Aug 23, 2013
    7
    I liked the refreshing ways this game was different. I like the way you moved and issued orders to your squad, and it becomes relevant with the difficulty all the way up. I'm more reliant on my squad in this game than I ever was in Mass Effect, even on insanity. I do think, especially in the early game there are major flaws. The one that really bothered me was your allies in the firstI liked the refreshing ways this game was different. I like the way you moved and issued orders to your squad, and it becomes relevant with the difficulty all the way up. I'm more reliant on my squad in this game than I ever was in Mass Effect, even on insanity. I do think, especially in the early game there are major flaws. The one that really bothered me was your allies in the first mission having alien tech like laser turrets. I know they have you leveled up allies for the tutorial level, but it made things seem absurd. But abilities feel like they have real power when used correctly.

    I feel like the conversation wheel falls flat too often. In a game like Mass Effect, there are certainly the times where a conversation feels unnatural and disjointed based on the order you address things, but The Bureau usually feels that way. Plus the fact that conversations don't branch makes me wonder why they bothered with the system instead of just having scripted, skippable conversations. I also think the lack of a research system was a missed opportunity, but this game isn't a turn-based strategy XCOM with randomly generated missions, and I recognize that. It wan nice to see an XCOM game with a story though.

    Overall I've enjoyed my time with the game. I might feel a little more short changed were it not for all the free stuff you got with a Steam preorder.    … Expand
  81. lemon07
    Aug 23, 2013
    7
    I believe this game is a lot better than people give it credit for. Fans may be angry at the change from turn based strategy to an 3rd person shooter, but it definitely is not just run and gun, it requires careful positioning and strategy. looking at this game as a separate entity from the other games in the series is important. yes it is different but a solid game.
  82. Zutha
    Aug 26, 2013
    7
    I was apprehensive about buying XCOM, but I just had to in the end because well... it's XCOM.

    The strongest aspect about the game is the combat itself even with the annoying controls (mouse keyboard). You quickly get past this (learn to adapt people). The downfall of the game itself is two things: 1. Running about the base is boring as hell. 2 .It's far too short. Considering    I was apprehensive about buying XCOM, but I just had to in the end because well... it's XCOM.

    The strongest aspect about the game is the combat itself even with the annoying controls (mouse keyboard). You quickly get past this (learn to adapt people).

    The downfall of the game itself is two things:

    1. Running about the base is boring as hell.
    2 .It's far too short.

    Considering you are in story dialogue and running around the base for a large part of time (about a 3rd) and combat the rest it took under 12 hours total to complete on veteran. This is reading every item, listening to every recording and doing all side missions. I actually thought, "nah, this can't be it..." and was really disappointed when it ended. I feel i HAVE to go back and complete on Commander difficulty to make this purchase worth it.

    If this is another attempt at developers to cash in on DLC for more content at a later date I'll be quite pissed. It does feel like half a game.

    Overall it kept me playing to the end in a short space of time and that says a lot, as I rarely complete games these days.

    n.b. A note on character perma-death. It's a meaningless mechanic as I lost troops twice, but quickly died myself and just re spawned with them.    … Expand
  83. Eide
    Aug 26, 2013
    7
    The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is one of those games that oozes with potential but fails to quite get the most out of it. It's far from great but still has managed to hook me enough to keep me coming back to it

    The setting will feel instantly familiar to XCOM veterans with opponents are terrain features that appaer in earlier XCOM titles as well. As far as 3rd person shooters go it's    The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is one of those games that oozes with potential but fails to quite get the most out of it. It's far from great but still has managed to hook me enough to keep me coming back to it

    The setting will feel instantly familiar to XCOM veterans with opponents are terrain features that appaer in earlier XCOM titles as well. As far as 3rd person shooters go it's fairly ok. The game feels somewhat sluggish but offers enough tactical options to make combat interesting. It never evolves past interesting though since the AI leaves much to be desired making combat feel slowpaced and kinda dumbed down. Opponents are hardhitting and tough making combat challenging enough, although perhaps not in the way I would've hoped.

    The 1950's backdrop is cool, not something you see a whole lot, but as with the gameplay (and pretty much everything else in The Bureau) the full potential hasn't been unlocked. The towns and vehicles are 50's but never does the game feel convincingly set in the USA of the 50's. Walking around on linear maps from combat area to combat area there's the occasional vista which manages to impress but it's too little really.

    I could go on and on but the gist is clear. This game could've been great, instead it's just ok. Barely.    … Expand
  84. 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
  85. 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
  86. 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
  87. 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
  88. 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.
  89. 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
  90. 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
  91. 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
  92. 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.
  93. 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.
  94. 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
  95. 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
  96. Kriv
    Aug 23, 2013
    6
    .Este es el segundo review que hago de este juego. Decidí darle la oportunidad después de haber gastado 45 dólares y este es el resultado. En mi primer review le di 3 de puntuación pero ahora lo voy a cambiar por un 6. Le he dedicado unas 6 horas al juego en este momento. Admito que mi me decepcione porque soy un Fan de Xcom-Enemy Unknow y esperaba más de ese tipo de juego de estrategia..Este es el segundo review que hago de este juego. Decidí darle la oportunidad después de haber gastado 45 dólares y este es el resultado. En mi primer review le di 3 de puntuación pero ahora lo voy a cambiar por un 6. Le he dedicado unas 6 horas al juego en este momento. Admito que mi me decepcione porque soy un Fan de Xcom-Enemy Unknow y esperaba más de ese tipo de juego de estrategia. El juego empieza a ponerse interesante una vez subes a tus personajes a nivel 4 ya que para entonces puedes tener mejores habilidades y armas. Creo que el juego es un buen comienzo para un próximo juego que vayan a hacer en el futuro pero realmente aun no está pulido del todo. Las graficas le doy un 7-10. El gameplay es bastante entretenido. A nivel de estrategia el juego se queda un poco corto, aunque algunas de las habilidades son interesantes y divertidas. El juego es una mezcla de Wanted, Red Faction y algo de Xcom. Ósea si nunca has jugado un juego de Xcom este sera un juego bueno, pero si esperas el gameplay y estrategias de los pasados Xcom quedaras decepcionado. En resumen un buen juego pero no excelente. Y básicamente el Juego es un Beta de lo que se espera se convierta la serie de Xcom. A veces lo viejo resulta ser mejor para los Gamers. En este caso se esperaba lo viejo y nos encontramos con nuevos elementos interesantes pero que aun no sobrepasan el éxito de los juegos anteriores.… Expand
  97. ckount
    Aug 20, 2013
    6
    Console. Port. And not a great one at that. Graphics are fine. Settings and story telling is fine. Mouse and keyboard controls are horrible on the verge to unplayable. Especially for a cover to cover shooter. If it would have had the same controls as Ghost Recon Future Soldier it would be fine. Loading stutter interrupts flow as well. Might be fixed with patching but I don't really feelConsole. Port. And not a great one at that. Graphics are fine. Settings and story telling is fine. Mouse and keyboard controls are horrible on the verge to unplayable. Especially for a cover to cover shooter. If it would have had the same controls as Ghost Recon Future Soldier it would be fine. Loading stutter interrupts flow as well. Might be fixed with patching but I don't really feel compelled to pick it up again.… Expand
  98. oliver1h
    Aug 20, 2013
    6
    Well the game's story is somewhat weak... They borrowed ideas from 'Mass Effect' to 'Dead Space', and of course from the original 'XCOM'. The characters are all two-dimensional, cardboard clichés at best. The dialogues are cheesy and not too developed. The gameplay is somewhat clunchy (also a lot of Mass Effect influence here), but it is the best part of the game. I liked the idea thatWell the game's story is somewhat weak... They borrowed ideas from 'Mass Effect' to 'Dead Space', and of course from the original 'XCOM'. The characters are all two-dimensional, cardboard clichés at best. The dialogues are cheesy and not too developed. The gameplay is somewhat clunchy (also a lot of Mass Effect influence here), but it is the best part of the game. I liked the idea that experience points, perks, traits and team and character customization were implemented. The side missions are repetitive and the whole game could be a billion times better with more care for the details. It would have been better with implemented world map strategy elements, base building, research and micro-management. I would rate this 57%... Not very bad, but could have been much better… Expand
  99. 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
  100. 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
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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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