Game Review: The Bureau: XCOM Declassified

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (Rated M-17+)
Tactical Shooter
Available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360

4 out of 5 stars

By Jay Yeo

Grab some heavy firepower, because that tin foil hat isn’t going to save anyone’s hide when aliens attack. Prepare to outsmart, outrun and outgun the extraterrestrial hostiles as they bring the battle to the American neighbourhoods in The Bureau: XCOM Declassified.

The Bureau hits the sweet spot yet again with the winning formula of the well-established XCOM franchise — engaging narrative, intense tactical gameplay and unrelenting difficulty. This time though, it departs from the turn-based grid gameplay of previous XCOM games and instead uses a tactical squad-based third-person shooter approach.

Set at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s, an alien invasion leads to the formation of the highly-classified task force known as XCOM. Its mission? To intercept and eliminate the extraterrestrial enemy, referred to as the Outsiders.

The player controls XCOM agent William Carter, the story’s unwilling hero. Carter is a former superstar operative who has since fallen by the wayside after his entire family was killed while he was on a mission. With a brooding, steely gaze and a deep raspy voice to match, his jaded and cynical style exudes a distinct charm that lends itself to immersive narration throughout the game.

The game opens with dramatic film noir cutscenes of vintage 1960s American towns ravaged by futuristic alien technology. The player is given a brief walkthrough of the basic game controls before quickly being thrust into the real fight.

In each mission, the player takes control of a three-man team — Carter and two other agents. In combat, the player has to alternate between the real-time shooter mode and a slow-motion mode known as “Battle Focus”, where actions can be assigned to the two supporting agents. These include orders to move, attack, defend, and revive incapacitated squad members.

To survive, it is paramount to rely on teamwork and tactics instead of taking the one-man-army approach typical of most shooter titles. One tip is to exploit the terrain by flanking and attacking the enemy where they are exposed. Another is to shoot from higher ground to increase the squad’s weapon damage and accuracy. Conversely, taking cover behind objects like cars, trees and walls will help shield your agents from hits.

Constant maneuvering of the squad over the course of the firefight is equally crucial as enemies will use similar flanking tactics as well. Hunkering down in a fixed position will only lead to death as the squad becomes haplessly encircled and outgunned. Getting the combination of the right men and the right gear can make the difference between victory and annihilation. Between missions, squad members can be upgraded through RPG-style leveling-up and customisation. Players have to choose wisely from the various character classes, abilities and weapons for maximum effectiveness in upcoming missions. Be warned, however — painstakingly groomed characters are lost forever if they die in combat.

The only obvious caveat in The Bureau is the difficulty of the game — those new to the XCOM series can consider choosing an easier setting as it might be challenging at the defaults. Not only does it take time to get used to the gameplay and controls, the enemy AI is no pushover either.

With all the hallmark strategy game elements of the niche XCOM series, die-hard fans will not be disappointed at this latest instalment, while players of typical shooter games will find the strategy element of The Bureau an interesting deviation from their usual fare. Players looking for a real challenge will relish multiple playthroughs at increasingly difficult levels.

The Outsiders are out there. Go get ‘em.

Hits: Engaging storyline and eye candy, stays true to tactical flavour of XCOM games

Misses: May be difficult for beginners