The Truth Is In Here: The Bureau - XCOM Declassified
It's alive! The name change from XCOM: Mad Men Edition to The Bureau had been anticipated for some time, but we weren't entirely clear as to whether the former first-person reboot would retain any trappings of its original title. Moments ago, a video and press release revealed that 2K Marin, they of Bioshock 2, are indeed working on the game and that it will be called The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. It'll also be out on August 20th. I'm glad it's a period piece and I'm glad it still has XCOM in the name because I'd enjoy seeing at least some of the transition from men in fedoras with retrofitted alien tech to hovering super-snipers. Here's the trailer. It's live action.
Splendid music aside, it doesn't actually tell us a great deal, does it? My hope would be for smaller scale investigations, as suggested in the original trailer from wayback when, which would probably have been welcomed with open arms if it hadn't had those four letters at the end. There's definitely room in my life for a terrifying, against the odds struggle, with a first-person view and some basic squad commands. If I had my pick of XCOM spin-offs, this sharply dressed number would beat Interceptor and Enforcer into the dust.
Here are the details:
Set in 1962 at the height of the Cold War, The Bureau tells the origin story of the clandestine XCOM organization's first encounter with a mysterious and devastating enemy. Originally established as America's covert defense against the Soviet Union, The Bureau must adapt and overcome a threat unlike anything the world has faced before. As special agent William Carter, players will call the shots and pull the trigger, leading their squad of agents in the high-stakes secret war for humanity's survival. Paramount to repelling the outside threat is The Bureau's ability to cover-up the enemy's existence in order to prevent worldwide panic.
In the spirit of the XCOM franchise, The Bureau's calculated combat design requires players to think and act tactically. The game's third-person perspective gives the player a sense of spatial awareness and grants them the freedom to transition in and out Carter's unique Battle Focus ability seamlessly -- heightening the tactical shooter action. The Bureau also fully embraces the concept of permanent consequence. As our last line of defense, every command can mean the difference between life and death for Carter, his squad and mankind.
Aside from the fact that my eyes automatically achieve a state of glazed indifference whenever I read phrases like "carter's unique Battle Focus ability", I'm quite happy about this. We'll hopefully see something from the actual game in the near future.
Oh. And I can't be the only one who noticed the carefully framed shot of slow motion agent bum at 56 seconds, can I? Swoon!