Yeah watching slashers twitch stream the game looks like a lot of fun.... maybe it starts sucking later but it looks like a nice change up.
Still won't buy it because I'm poor but it seems like a good game
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The Bureau: X-COM Declassified |OT| It's all about Taction
- Thread starter Pops Maellard
- Start date
Still won't buy it because I'm poor but it seems like a good game
I finished the first level and I really don't get why people are so down on this game. It's like 60's Mass Effect with better squad controls. I haven't run into bad squadmate AI, yet anyway; they do what I say (am I missing something?). Sure, it's derivative, but there's nothing wrong with taking something works and is fun. We'll see if the formula wears thin, but so far I'm liking it. Maybe the X-COM name is doing it more harm than good by setting the expectations too high.
Remachinate
Member
Some initial impressions after a few hours:
-This literally is Mass Effect: The 60s, except with more granular squadmate positioning and a much more narrow focus on combat at the cost of story and world. They cribbed a lot--there's the same ability spam, conversation wheel, and mission-base-mission pacing.
-The story is pretty sub-standard. The dialogue is dull to painful, and elements are introduced without explanation. Somehow my squaddies could name a Muton and Sectopod without them ever having been previously referenced.
-I'm playing on Veteran, the intended difficulty where squadmates can get back up if you get to them in time. Permadeath isn't even going to come into play. I'm curious if Commander difficulty turns it into an interesting challenge or a controller-breaking frustration, but I'm not willing to start over to find out.
-Of course, your squadmates constantly whining about their health and falling down never stops getting annoying. What's the point of cover if they drop to enemy fire in two seconds anyway?
-The sniper rifle is OP.
-There are moments where you feel like a tactical genius, but they're way too few and far between. Most of the time your tactics come down to babysitting your squadmates while ability spamming and headshotting Outsiders.
All in all, it's the essence of mediocrity--moderately entertaining so far, but a lot of minor flaws that make me wince and nothing truly memorable or striking. Which is really too bad given the promise of the original vision. Plus, I really like Take-Two for what they try to do with AAA games and wish they had a higher batting average. Of course, it's possible the game develops further in; I'll post my impressions after finishing it (if it can hold my interest that long).
-This literally is Mass Effect: The 60s, except with more granular squadmate positioning and a much more narrow focus on combat at the cost of story and world. They cribbed a lot--there's the same ability spam, conversation wheel, and mission-base-mission pacing.
-The story is pretty sub-standard. The dialogue is dull to painful, and elements are introduced without explanation. Somehow my squaddies could name a Muton and Sectopod without them ever having been previously referenced.
-I'm playing on Veteran, the intended difficulty where squadmates can get back up if you get to them in time. Permadeath isn't even going to come into play. I'm curious if Commander difficulty turns it into an interesting challenge or a controller-breaking frustration, but I'm not willing to start over to find out.
-Of course, your squadmates constantly whining about their health and falling down never stops getting annoying. What's the point of cover if they drop to enemy fire in two seconds anyway?
-The sniper rifle is OP.
-There are moments where you feel like a tactical genius, but they're way too few and far between. Most of the time your tactics come down to babysitting your squadmates while ability spamming and headshotting Outsiders.
All in all, it's the essence of mediocrity--moderately entertaining so far, but a lot of minor flaws that make me wince and nothing truly memorable or striking. Which is really too bad given the promise of the original vision. Plus, I really like Take-Two for what they try to do with AAA games and wish they had a higher batting average. Of course, it's possible the game develops further in; I'll post my impressions after finishing it (if it can hold my interest that long).
SlasherJPC
Banned
Here is a video I uploaded of the opening moments/gameplay. Just a bit of commentary at the start and then silent the rest of the time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvzdme01-bk
BoosterDuck
Banned
takes an extremely long time for me to line up shots though
Karak
Member
Glad you are liking it.
a secret-boss
Banned
I trust GAF impression looking forward to getting the game
Remachinate
Member
Pshaw, those Outsiders love their half-cover but never can get their heads all the way behind it. Like fish in a barrel...
I can see that. I've played through the opening mission and a bit into the first deployment while that comparison didn't immediately occur to me I can definitely see similarities. A centralized mission hub that you can wander, the ability to select which areas you go to, dialog trees, and (unfortunately) a less than stellar execution overall.
I like the game so far, mostly. The optional dialog and ability to wander around and talk to characters is great, but I admit that the dialog feels somewhat flat and I turned on subtitles so I can just read the lines and skip then rather that listen to them read aloud by the voice actors because I found myself getting impatient. The cover based shooting mechanics are decent, but not great. I like the idea of the tactical interface, but the way it works feels slow and clunky and without orders your squadmates tend to act pretty stupidly.
Still, a more narrative heavy game set in the Xcom universe is a welcome addition so unless I find some major flaws further down the road I'll likely play this game to completion.
Fragamemnon
Member
I'm playing on Commander (PC version w/ M&K controls) and it's tough as nails. You really have to get creative with abilities and available terrain to deal with the nastier encounters, especially early on when you don't have powerful ability cooldowns or weapons.
As I expected, the game's a lot better with the added challenge. It does magnify the problems the game has with its friendly AI and is so grenade happy that it would make Call of Duty blush, but without sufficient challenge the tactical elements would get stale fast.
Rei no Otaku
Member
I've played it for a few hours now and I'm really enjoying it. I love the setting. I can see how some people might not like it, I mean we all have different tastes, but to give it scores like 4-5 and say it's garbage? I don't really see how that's possible.
I like it so far. The sound mix seems a little...off on the PC version, but everything else is cool. Just realized the action doesnt stop when issuing commands, just slows down while you choose. Playing on commander.
Also as far as squadmates knowing about certain tech first, it seems Carter is in the dark more than anyone else, being late recruit and all, so it makes a little bit of sense as to why they might have laser turrets already. A few off hand comments by Carter early on would've been nice though.
Kinda funny that you can call in artillery indoors.
Also as far as squadmates knowing about certain tech first, it seems Carter is in the dark more than anyone else, being late recruit and all, so it makes a little bit of sense as to why they might have laser turrets already. A few off hand comments by Carter early on would've been nice though.
Kinda funny that you can call in artillery indoors.
SlasherJPC
Banned
Agreed. I'm pretty impressed by the level of style and theme. I was fearing the worst with some of these reviews and I glad to see I don't see eye to eye at all with the low scores whatsoever.
BoosterDuck
Banned
Isn't it weird that 2K Marin didn't map Tab to anything?
Yeah i'd say its 7-7.5 at the most. No where near the low scores some places gave it.
On that note, I just found out Enforcer was also a third person shooter (trying to get into the series and the history of it as a while), so I guess this isnt the first time this has happened.
On that note, I just found out Enforcer was also a third person shooter (trying to get into the series and the history of it as a while), so I guess this isnt the first time this has happened.
Karak
Member
ya it was really fun to review. There are issues but the Alpha Protocol connection is so strong with this. I felt pretty confident in my ideas of what I saw during my playthrough and despite the issues I could never see really hating this.
I can see the tacticial interface feeling slow. I used the fast button alot especially in set pieces that were more open. For example I would fast send them to the right, while I would flank left. Then ONLY if there was an issue would I go into the tactical interface and adjust them. The more complicated areas I used the tactical interface alot.
Cameron122
Member
Playing on Commander difficulty, loving the combat system. I find myself wanting more lore goodies though.
Love to see this squad system in other IPs. Battlefront 3 maybe? Ha.
Love to see this squad system in other IPs. Battlefront 3 maybe? Ha.
In the case of AP, I can see why people complained about it but it was filled with so many good ideas that I quickly forgot about the areas where it was a little rough around the edges like the mediocre shooting mechanics and a decidedly uncharismatic main voice actor (I often imagined that you could re-label all of the dialog options from "Suave", "Aggressive", "Friendly" and "Confident" to "Smarmy Jerk" and nobody would notice).
I'm not quite as sold on this game yet. The shooting feels a lot more tedious and it seems like you are constantly dealing with a stream of bad guys. Your squadmates seem positively braindead at times. Not just the AI, but even the characters whine when you aren't constantly micromanaging them. You even have to guide them outside of combat to keep them from stepping on plainly visible mines that take off a significant chunk of non-regenerating health.
Although a lot of people/reviewers are complaining about the tactics screen breaking game flow, I would actually prefer it if it completely paused combat rather than just slowing it. Squadmate pathfinding doesn't really take into account enemy fire so I find myself micromanaging squad members for long flanking maneuvers. In even just the time it takes me to set a path for someone, my other guy might have lost half his health because he's too dumb to get behind cover.
Also, most of the enemies are bullet sponges. Granted, I'm very early in the game and I don't have any cool upgrades yet and perhaps this was done deliberately to impress on the player just how crappy our weapons are compared to theirs, but it's a trait that's shared with many a mediocre shooter/horror game so my initial reaction to that was negative. I realize that you can get significant damage bonuses through good troop positioning, but that goes back to my previous point about the UI.
I picked up this, Saints Row 4 and the new Splinter Cell at the same time and I'm embarrassed to admit that I've put more time into SR4 because in the strictest sense I am finding it to be a lot more entertaining. I kind of hate that this is the case.
Unfortunately it doesnt seem that way.
Professor Lich
Member
I haven't gotten to far and I don't want it spoiled, but I'm curious as to how this ties into the XCOM canon. Guess I'll have to finish it and play around round of Enemy Unknown and compare stuff.
Or do we know if this doesn't actually relate?
Or do we know if this doesn't actually relate?
XANDER CAGE
Member
First thing I noticed in this game upon starting: the font.
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Baron_Calamity
Member
Yeah, the frame rate isn't great. I have a i7 3770 cpu, 12 gigs ram and a Nvidia 660 ti running on windows 7 with latest drivers. Is there anything I do or add to improve the frame rate without turning off effects?
Schopenhauer
Member
I rented the 360 version.
Got sick of having to micromanage the horrible companion AI, seeing companion health shredded to ribbons almost instantly and constantly having to revive them by the third story mission.
I think I would have enjoyed this as a solo shooter but the companion crap kills it for me.
Got sick of having to micromanage the horrible companion AI, seeing companion health shredded to ribbons almost instantly and constantly having to revive them by the third story mission.
I think I would have enjoyed this as a solo shooter but the companion crap kills it for me.
I haven't gotten very far in it but so far it appears to not really tie in at all. Both EU and this game are "first contact" situations but this game precedes the other by 50 years. This feels more like a re-imagining.
Alcoholikaust
Member
I disabled the reflection option and get a smooth 60 frames now-worth a shot maybe?
Soyongdori
Member
If you already have extra Spec Ops The Line that came with pre order, be a cool cat and share with me.
Same and sameThe only thing I dont like so far is that your squadmates really dont seem to like to stay in cover.
Also had to turn Physx cloth off. Killed my framerate
Their pathfinding can be absolutely awful at times, picking the route that will get them shot at the most when a cover based one (in my mind at least) would not only be safer but quicker
Enjoying the game regardless. I like that you can dress your squad up in bright ass colors if you want
It seems to get a little better if your squadmates level up and get more hp. That and sometimes you have to be a little more aggressive than you should be...just to draw attention. When things flow nicely, its great. But on the hardest difficulty, it is rough going at times.
Derekloffin
Member
Well, I have finished it, and I give it a solid 7/10. It definitely has a variety of technical issues, and just issues with lack of polish, but still enjoyable for the most part. Combat was considerably more engaging than Bioshock Infinite's for me. Story wise... meh, it's passable, but totally forgettable.
Near the end of this.
Its not a bad game at all. There's a lot of framerate issues on PS3 though (thankfully, it doesn't get too bad during combat. Seems to be when walking around between fights mostly). I love their concept for Taction - its what Mass Effect tried to get right 3 times but they nailed it in one go. The only issue with it is that it lacks adequate pathfinding. Combat in general is good but it has... issues.
There are times when the entire battlefield truly is yours to mold and play with and that is when the game shines. Then there are times when you're pretty much starting out forced into a corner and your only option is to fuck yourself up a hill. Enemy diversity isn't all their either. Sectoids don't act different than Outsiders, Outsider Elites act the same as Outsider Anythings, Mutons and Sectopods aren't all that different either. There are times when you can see a relationship between enemies but its not nearly as good or creative as it could be. In Enemy Unknown, you absolutely expect a Muton to get right on line with a Sectoid and turn a small problem on the flank to restarted checkpoint. In The Bureau? No. Muton's while awesome looking, armored, and intimidating - don't interact much at with anything. Sectopod's kinda do... but not really. In a game such as this where the focus is squad based, you'd just want more out of the opposing force other than a blunt object.
Music is great. Tied with the look of the world, it fits perfectly and gives the game a great vibe that does wonders for the overall package. My biggest gripe though is that navigating the base takes a LOT of time - and as much as I like to pick up all the tidbits here and there and soak it all in, I'd much rather see a way to get from the ops room to the lab without taking 5 minutes. A database would've been nice too. There are a lot of recordings and photos to pick up and they all add to the feels. It'd just be nice if they weren't tethered to their locations and you could play them on your own time.
Whoever wrote the review about their being no real urgency when it comes to squad management is absolutely correct though. Because there is a main character, a unique one at that, its hard to care about blue-shirt Ricky. The main character isn't a bad one at all, but you could argue that playing the game from his perspective isn't at all necessary and his 'uniqueness' isn't required either. Because the game talks you down a hallway, there is no exploration - there is no inherent risk in that exploration either because you're never going to be surprised by a fight and your losses will never be felt. In previous XCOMs, you wrote the story yourself with the nameless soldiers who saved the world that you molded. In this game? No feels for these dudes. When the Main Character goes down, its literally their job to die for him.
I like the idea of dispatch missions though - where your guys are gone Imperium Gallactica II spy style and return with either failure or riches.
Anyways... not trying to right a full review, but the game is worth a rental if nothing else. I had a lot of fun with it despite how negative I may have sounded.
Its not a bad game at all. There's a lot of framerate issues on PS3 though (thankfully, it doesn't get too bad during combat. Seems to be when walking around between fights mostly). I love their concept for Taction - its what Mass Effect tried to get right 3 times but they nailed it in one go. The only issue with it is that it lacks adequate pathfinding. Combat in general is good but it has... issues.
There are times when the entire battlefield truly is yours to mold and play with and that is when the game shines. Then there are times when you're pretty much starting out forced into a corner and your only option is to fuck yourself up a hill. Enemy diversity isn't all their either. Sectoids don't act different than Outsiders, Outsider Elites act the same as Outsider Anythings, Mutons and Sectopods aren't all that different either. There are times when you can see a relationship between enemies but its not nearly as good or creative as it could be. In Enemy Unknown, you absolutely expect a Muton to get right on line with a Sectoid and turn a small problem on the flank to restarted checkpoint. In The Bureau? No. Muton's while awesome looking, armored, and intimidating - don't interact much at with anything. Sectopod's kinda do... but not really. In a game such as this where the focus is squad based, you'd just want more out of the opposing force other than a blunt object.
Music is great. Tied with the look of the world, it fits perfectly and gives the game a great vibe that does wonders for the overall package. My biggest gripe though is that navigating the base takes a LOT of time - and as much as I like to pick up all the tidbits here and there and soak it all in, I'd much rather see a way to get from the ops room to the lab without taking 5 minutes. A database would've been nice too. There are a lot of recordings and photos to pick up and they all add to the feels. It'd just be nice if they weren't tethered to their locations and you could play them on your own time.
Whoever wrote the review about their being no real urgency when it comes to squad management is absolutely correct though. Because there is a main character, a unique one at that, its hard to care about blue-shirt Ricky. The main character isn't a bad one at all, but you could argue that playing the game from his perspective isn't at all necessary and his 'uniqueness' isn't required either. Because the game talks you down a hallway, there is no exploration - there is no inherent risk in that exploration either because you're never going to be surprised by a fight and your losses will never be felt. In previous XCOMs, you wrote the story yourself with the nameless soldiers who saved the world that you molded. In this game? No feels for these dudes. When the Main Character goes down, its literally their job to die for him.
I like the idea of dispatch missions though - where your guys are gone Imperium Gallactica II spy style and return with either failure or riches.
Anyways... not trying to right a full review, but the game is worth a rental if nothing else. I had a lot of fun with it despite how negative I may have sounded.
phantomspiker
Member
I'm about 7 hours in and I'm still enjoying it quite a bit. Although the story isn't anything to write home about, I really like reading all of the notes and listening to the audio logs.
Karak
Member
This is a great writeup!
BoosterDuck
Banned
If this game were in the oven for a little while longer then it would've been fantastic.
archnemesis
Member
Had anyone else any issue with the 360 controller disconnecting every 20 seconds (Win 8)? With this game I prefer using a gamepad, but it's currently completely unplayable.
archnemesis
Member
Even on a fairly powerful PC (i7, GTX670, 16+4 GB memory, SSD) I can't get a steady 60 FPS with everything maxed. I'm going to have to turn down some dials.
Did you try turning off "Screen Space Reflections"? I used to get a very unstable 20-30fps on max settings, but just turning that off gave me a fairly solid 60fps.
archnemesis
Member
Yep, that seemed to improve it a little. I can output Fraps's FPS display to my speaker screen and monitor it more closely later today. I suspect I also have to turn off PhysX or lower the AA to get it completely stable.
archnemesis
Member
I fixed my controller issues by just replacing the batteries. A notification that they were running out of juice would've been nice.
I also managed to increase the framerate from ~40 to stable 60 by turning off both PhysX options.
I also managed to increase the framerate from ~40 to stable 60 by turning off both PhysX options.
Getting close to the end. As someone who did feel attached enough to my two squadmates to keep them alive all game so far, it definitely feels like they were expected to have died many times over. Im pretty sure theyve been voiced by ten or so different actors over the course of the game.
Other than the limited customization options (or after potentially sticking around for ten hours) theres really nothing there to attach you to them.
Other than the limited customization options (or after potentially sticking around for ten hours) theres really nothing there to attach you to them.
Haunted
Member
This might seem petty of me, but one aspect of the XCOM franchise (and institution) I've always liked is its "international" nature. The nations of the world setting their differences aside and coming together to combat a common foe, that global task force, the rotating globe in the command centre, deploying satellites internationally, having squad members from special forces from all over the world working together etc etc.
This loses all of that. It feels so much smaller. It's only focused on the US, implying that XCOM starts in the US... the pathos they're trying to invoke by having American soil and US citizens attacked just passes completely by me.
Pretty disappointing.
Setup and setting gripes aside, the graphics are solid (great facial modelling in parts) despite the heavy post processing 60s instagram filter. The core gameplay is fine, extremely similar to many other squad-based third person shooters, most notably Mass Effect.
This loses all of that. It feels so much smaller. It's only focused on the US, implying that XCOM starts in the US... the pathos they're trying to invoke by having American soil and US citizens attacked just passes completely by me.
Pretty disappointing.
Setup and setting gripes aside, the graphics are solid (great facial modelling in parts) despite the heavy post processing 60s instagram filter. The core gameplay is fine, extremely similar to many other squad-based third person shooters, most notably Mass Effect.
Cameron122
Member
This game can be really hard on commander difficulty ._.'
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