The Bureau: XCOM Declassified - Part 1

Welcome To XCOM

So, about 8 hours into The Bureau, and I've come to a conclusion about myself: I should never be allowed to lead a group of soldiers in any situation. The very first combat scenario where you can actually lose a guy, I did. We hadn't even left the base, and he was shot dead! Under my command...

Poor bastard never even got to kill anyone

But anyway, on to more positive notes! The Bureau is actually pretty awesome so far! The shooting is solid, the combat can actually be tactically challenging and Carter is a drunken badass. Like seriously, you can straight up get him wasted in the middle of the base at one point and no one bats an eye. Granted, the game isn't without flaws, like the story being a bit haphazard, but generally good voice acting makes it a decent trip anyway.

The 60s aesthetic is pretty awesome too. It's pretty neat walking around the base and just see everyone is waistcoats, smoking like there's no tomorrow. The game even has a thin layer of smoke in some rooms that add to the effect and it's goes a long way to add to the atmosphere in really nice way.

Alien invasion? Nothing a little whiskey won't solve!

For a game with such a troubled development, The Bureau has been pretty good so far, solid in most aspects, but not groundbreaking in any way. I guess we have to see how the second half of the game holds up to get a full opinion.