2K & 2K Marin (of BioShock 2 fame) today announced that The Bureau: XCOM Declassified has been given a release date on August 20th, 2013 in North America and August 23rd, 2013 internationally on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown, developed by Firaxis Games, dazzled turn-based strategy fans and rebooted the classic franchise. Now The Bureau will deliver a new experience in a different genre within the XCOM universe.
In the spirit of the XCOM franchise, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified — formerly known only as XCOM — has a calculated combat design that 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.
Watch The Bureau: XCOM Declassified live-action trailer here:
What is the storyline of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified?
Set in 1962 at the height of the Cold War, The Bureau tells the origin story of the clandestine XCOM organisation’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.
Here are some quotes from the creators:
“We’re thrilled about 2K Marin’s refined vision for The Bureau: XCOM Declassified,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “The game has evolved through a creative and iterative development process, and the result is a narrative-driven experience that is smart, engaging, and challenges players to think tactically.”
“The Bureau tells the story of XCOM’s mysterious beginnings,” said Morgan Gray, creative director at 2K Marin. “We’re expanding the universe with a declassified tale of government conspiracy and heroic cover-ups told through third-person tactical gameplay.”
“The team has been working hard to leverage core XCOM elements like tactical decision-making and permanent death of squad mates in a purposeful way that makes this a unique tactical shooter,” added Gray. “To that end, The Bureau will challenge players unlike any other third-person tactical shooter.”
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified can be pre-ordered today at all participating retailers. Those who pre-order will receive the Codebreakers side-mission as a bonus. In this special campaign side-mission, a communications facility responsible for intercepting and interpreting the enemy’s transmissions has gone dark. Special Agent Carter and his squad must make contact with any remaining personnel and investigate the incident.