3 Reasons Why The Bureau: XCOM Declassified Is Totally Awesome (So Far)

3. The Setting

There is something rather nice about the setting of The Bureau. Taking place in 1962 America, it serves as a perfect backdrop for this story. Setting it during the cold war era already gives The Bureau a great point of reference as it gives the game that feeling of tension that was inherent with the time. The game is based on the agency called the Bureau, which actually wasn't established to find aliens. Being set in the Cold War , the Bureau were an agency set up to try and find Russian spies and influences in America at the time, but quickly found instead of Russian invaders, that the were dealing with the space variety pretty quickly. Now the agency is tasked with dealing with the extraterrestrial scourge who keep turning citizens of certain small American towns into eye-bleeding, bumbling husks. the story of the game is this 1960s outfit dealing with a far superior race and trying to stop them. Tied into the setting is the whole style of the game. The clothing, the music, the talk, the environments. They all come together to craft a intriguing atmosphere and, from what I played, a rather immersive experience. I was actually surprised how impressed I was with the graphics of the game but this is in large part due to the very same art direction and and inventive use of setting. The 1960s are an incredibly interesting time and that is before you even open up the can of worms that was all the alleged alien activity at the time. The mixing of all these elements in X-Com the Bureau give the game a dark and edgy Weekly World News vibe and one I am eager to explore further.
 
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Patrick Dane is someone who spends too much of his time looking at screens. Usually can be seen pretending he works as a film and game blogger, short film director, PA, 1st AD and scriptwriter. Known to frequent London screening rooms, expensive hotels, couches, Costa coffee and his bedroom. If found, could you please return to the internet.