Popular iOS Title XCOM Gets Sequel For Mac: The Bureau - XCOM Declassified

Can't get enough of XCOM: Enemy Unknown? Then you may be interested to hear that a sequel game, The Bureau - XCOM Declassified, recently launched in the Mac App Store - though prospective users should be warned that the gaming style is somewhat different to the popular iOS title. In particular, The Bureau is a third-person shooter that borrows elements of XCOM: Enemy Unknown's strategic gameplay, but doesn't offer a direct replica. The game itself first reached consoles (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) and PC back in August, and reviews were generally positive. Here's a description of the new game, as included in The Bureau's release notes:

The year is 1962. JFK is President and the Cold War has the nation gripped by fear – but a far more powerful and insidious enemy than communism is threatening America. Known only to a select few, a top-secret government unit called The Bureau begins investigating and concealing a series of mysterious attacks by an otherworldly enemy. As special agent William Carter, call the shots, pull the trigger and lead your squad in a gripping third-person tactical shooter set within a high-stakes, covert war to defend humanity. The Bureau’s mission is clear – survive, adapt and overcome the enemy threat to protect the citizens from the truth.

Of course, as with all high performance Mac App Store games, there are a bunch of minimum requirements users will need to satisfy. Here they are:

• OS: Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.7.5 or higher
• Processor: Intel Core i series processor
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Hard Drive: 15 GB free
• Video Memory: 512MB
• Video Card: AMD HD4870 / NVIDIA 8800GT or better*
• Input: Keyboard and 3 button Mouse or Logitech Dual Analog Stick Gamepad

Do note, however, that "recommended requirements" include OS X 10.9, 1,024MB of video memory, and an AMD HD5870 / Nvidia 650M video card (or better). You've been warned. If your Mac computer isn't up to scratch, remember XCOM: Enemy Unknown offers a console-level gaming experience for Apple's iDevices. Furthermore, as a Thanksgiving treat, the application can be downloaded at a discounted price for just $9.99 (that's 50 percent off). Here's what we said about XCOM: Enemy Unknown in our original review:

XCOM is a great game whichever platform you play it on, but the fact that it performs so well on iOS is hugely impressive. This app certainly isn’t for casual gamers, so if you prefer quick bursts of fun in your spare time, you have no reason to download it. For anyone who wants a deeper gaming experience on iOS, or just wants to see what modern console games can do on a mobile platform, I’d happily recommend this app.

The Bureau - XCOM Declassified can be downloaded in the Mac App Store for $34.99, while XCOM: Enemy Unknown for iOS can be downloaded for just $9.99. Below, we've included a handful of screenshots taken from the former app, along with a trailer video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx8l2vVWULU

If you can't see the above video, please click this link.

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