The Bureau: XCOM Declassified

A really unique game with awesome graphics, great story and good gameplay.

While it's not the best game in the world, I still adore it to pieces. I played this when I was much younger and it has never left my mind. Back then it was on my Xbox 360, so playing on PC shows me how pretty everything is. The story is fun, the characters are great to listen and interact with, and the game play is hoot, if not a bit mindless lol. I'm glad I finally come back after all these years to play it again.

One of the best third person tactical shooters of all time. Amazing story coupled with very engrossing gameplay mechanisms. Looks good even years later, controls great and has a ton of unique features and is very fun to play. They don't make them like this anymore.

Pretty good game

Don't like it (within XCOM universe) too far removed from team turn-based tactical. As a stand-alone alien FPS, sure. Not bad.

Here is the review of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and the comparison, professionally formatted for a Steam Review (using Steam-style headers and markdown). 🛸 THE BUREAU: XCOM DECLASSIFIED – Review & Comparison "Mad Men meets X-Files in a Tactical Identity Crisis" The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is the "black sheep" of the XCOM franchise. Released in 2013, it traded the classic turn-based strategy for a third-person tactical shooter format. Imagine a blend of 1960s Americana, Cold War conspiracies, and the combat DNA of Mass Effect. 🛡️ CORE EXPERIENCE: BEYOND THE COVER Unlike the mainline games where you manage a global threat from a satellite view, here you walk through a secret underground bunker in real-time. You can talk to scientists, investigate alien artifacts, and select missions from a map of the USA. Weight of Decisions: While the story is linear, there are dialogue branches and choices that affect the fate of certain characters. It adds a light RPG flavor that traditional XCOM titles lack. Retro-Tech: It’s fascinating to see "primitive" versions of classic enemies. You’ll fight Sectoids and Mutons with rustic designs adapted to 1960s technology. Battle Focus: This is the heart of the game. Slowing down time to issue orders is satisfying, but be warned: Permadeath is real. If an agent dies and you don't stabilize them, they are gone for good. 📊 COMPARISON: THE BUREAU vs. XCOM: ENEMY UNKNOWN Feature The Bureau: XCOM Declassified XCOM: Enemy Unknown / 2 Genre 3rd Person Tactical Shooter Turn-Based Strategy (TBT) Perspective Over-the-shoulder Isometric / Top-down Pacing Frantic action with tactical pauses Slow, reflective, and mathematical Base Management Direct interaction (Walking around) Menu-based / Room construction Difficulty Aim + Reflexes + Micromanagement Probability (%) + Positioning Protagonist William Carter (Set character) "The Commander" (You) ⚠️ WHY WAS IT CONTROVERSIAL? In Enemy Unknown, if a soldier dies, it’s usually due to a tactical error or bad RNG. In The Bureau, soldiers sometimes die because the AI decided to walk directly into a laser beam while you were busy aiming. This lack of total control frustrated strategy purists. However, The Bureau offers something the turn-based games can't: the adrenaline of the front lines. Feeling a plasma bolt whiz past your ear while screaming orders to your squad is a powerful immersive experience. ✅ PROS Unique 1960s Aesthetic: Impeccably executed "Atompunk" style. Tactical Depth: The combo system between squad abilities is very rewarding. Lore Expansion: An interesting prequel that shows the origins of the XCOM initiative. ❌ CONS Frustrating Friendly AI: Requires constant babysitting to keep them alive. Repetitive Side Missions: Some environments feel recycled. Linear Story: Despite the dialogue options, the path is mostly set. 🏆 FINAL VERDICT The Bureau is a misunderstood gem. It’s not a "true" XCOM, and that disappointed fans back in the day. But if you play it today as a tactical shooter with retro style, it is a very solid 10–12 hour experience. Pro Tip: Do not trust your squad's initiative. If you don't tell them exactly which rock to hide behind, they will likely stand in front of a Muton like they're posing for a photo.

La serie X-COM mi ha saputo intrattenere per molte ore davanti allo schermo per il suo gameplay tattico a turni. Questo è un misto tra action e tattico e mi sono potuto accontentare, l'ho finito e non sono rimasto deluso.