The Bureau: XCOM Declassified - Hangar 6 R&D

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified - Hangar 6 R&D
N/A
Metacritic
56
Steam
36.212
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$2.49
Release date
19 November 2013
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
56 (103 votes)

In the days leading up to the events of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, Agent Nico DaSilva volunteers for a series of dangerous secret experiments to identify and treat a terrifying new pathogen. Maximize your combat skills and push your team to its limits to protect a friend from his own hallucinated terrors.

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The Bureau: XCOM Declassified - Hangar 6 R&D system requirements

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows Vista Service Pack 2 32-bit
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 DUO 2.4 GHz / AMD Athlon X2 2.7 GHz
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: DirectX9 Compatible ATI Radeon HD 3870 / NVIDIA 8800 GT
  • Storage: 12 MB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
  • Additional Notes: Incompatible with Intel HD 3000 Integrated Graphics
Updated
App type
Steam APP ID
66002
Fullgame appid
65930
Platforms
Windows PC
Mac
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Yossarian the Assyrian
Yossarian the …

Hangar 6 is a pretty straightforward prequel to The Bureau's main storyline. Playing as XCOM agent Nico DeSilva, you're tasked with uncovering the source of the "sleepwalker" illness through elaborate tests meant to recreate memories from an infected agent. This results in you and your squad going up against hallucinatory versions of the Outsiders in movie set-like environments, culminating in some absolutely wild final battles as you and other XCOM members realize the alien nature of the threat you're facing.

Hangar 6 is a fairly streamlined experience. All agents start out at level 3 when recruited. The hub is now a small office within the Hangar complex instead of the maze-like XCOM headquarters of the main game. You find backpack schematics in the office between missions instead of doing Dispatch Missions to unlock them. In fact, there are no Dispatch Missions, Minor Operations, or Investigations! You just complete main missions to advance the plot to its conclusion.

There aren't any new enemies to face in this campaign, aside from the hazier-looking Outsider designs. The only new weapon is the AK-47, which is a useful sidegrade to the M14. On the bright side, Nico has his own skill tree and abilities that stand out, even if some options are just copied over from Carter's abilities in the main campaign. Ally dialogue is also just taken from the base game, even when it doesn't make sense for them to know what a Muton or a Sectoid are.

Hangar 6 will probably take you 3 hours to beat, give or take. Its plot actually has some decent twists, even if it isn't as spectacular as the main game's story. It's a shame that there isn't much in the way of new content, barring Nico's skill tree and the AK-47.

It's a fairly fun DLC, but I would only recommend it on sale. I'm not sure if it's worth 5 USD by itself, unless you loved the main game and really want some more Bureau content. Consider grabbing it at 25% off or 50% off if you had a decent time with The Bureau or if you want to delve into more of the game's smoky, conspiracy-fueled atmosphere.

Fallout 2102
Fallout 2102

The game had a lot of promise, but it fell short in so many areas. It's clear that the developers could have done so much more with the game, but for some reason, they didn't. The story was lackluster, the gameplay was mediocre at best, and the graphics were nothing to write home about. It's really disappointing, because this could have been a great game.

Valik
Valik

You'll get through this content pretty quickly, which is the only saving grace.
It's like adding more content to your walking simulator: dry, uninteresting, and only delaying the inevitable end for no conclusive gain.

Save your time and effort.

AOLetsGo
AOLetsGo

This review is for the Hangar 6 R&D DLC only and assumes familiarity with the main game. I would not recommend this DLC because a) it's glitchy and b) it doesn't add much. Unless you're interested in the achievements, I'd skip it.

In this DLC, you play Bureau agent Nico DaSilva just before the events of the main game. Dr. Heinrich is studying a sleepwalker, and needs your help to sort of break into the sleeper's mind by playing out scenarios in a large hangar that is dressed up to look like a drive-in movie theater. If that sounds weird, well, yeah, it is.

The DLC plays out as 11 horde mode missions in the hangar. That's it. You quickly level up DaSilva and his squaddies between missions. The only new combat element is DaSilva's explosives, which are pretty powerful. You also chat with Herr Heinrich and get a little back story. It takes a few hours.

First problem: there is a nearly game-breaking graphical glitch that causes everything to hang for five or six seconds every few minutes, even if the main game played just fine. Apparently this problem is quite common. Basically a deal-killer right there.

Second problem: the thing makes no sense at all. Like, if aliens invade in the DLC, how is it a surprise that they invade at Groom Range later? And, by the way, since you collect a bunch of backpacks and weapons, why aren't those available at the start of the main game? As DaSilva himself once says, "This is ridiculous."

That's it.

Obi-Fran Kenobi
Obi-Fran Kenobi

A bunch of dumb levels with waves of enemies. Play it if you liked the combat system of the base game, otherwise you can skip it.

Atratzu
Atratzu

-Quick Review-
The Bureau: XCOM Hanger 6 R&D is DLC for The Bureau where you play as Nico Dasilva before the events in the original game transpired, like most DLC; it simply keeps you playing the same game for a little more time, and gives a tiny bit more of a story to the original game.
-Detailed breakdown review-
Story: Welcome Nico Dasilva, your assistance is needed in curing sleep walkers and learning of the new foe which we know nothing about. You spend the whole DLC is "Hanger 6" where there has been a type of simulation set up to let you fight through to people's consciousness to save them. As would be expected there isn't much to say about the DLC, you can beat the story in a couple hours.

Game Play: The game feels like a shorter version of the regular story, you level up, and select various abilities to upgrade, you get different types of weapons, you have different agents that can be customized to various degree's. The combat is the same where you don't "pause time" you slow time down and give commands to your fellow agents and use special attacks from Dasilva.

Achievements: You only gain a handful of achievements with this DLC, unfortunately you cannot get 100% achievements completed on The Buraeu: XCOM without this DLC. The good news about the achievements is I barely remember them, so that means they're mediocre at best. (nothing overly challenging) I also remember getting all the achievements on one play through.

Price: The Buraeu: XCOM Hangar 6 R&D DLC is priced at $4.99, as always, I suggest waiting for the game to go on sale before purchasing, this DLC commonly goes on 75% off sales in the winter and summer steam sales.

Conclusion: When it comes down to it, most DLC you can take it or leave it, it's the same with The Buraeu: Xcom Hangar 6 R&D, if you really couldn't get enough of the original game, you'll definitely enjoy squeezing out more time with this DLC. But if you are expecting a long story, or something on par with the original game, you will be sorely disappointed.
Again to recap - Story: Somewhat interesting, but very short. Game Play: Unchanged from the original game, aside from playing as Desilva. Achievements: Required for 100% easy to get. Price: Overpriced, unless on sale.

------Edits and updates------
Edit/Update December 30, 2014:
Here's the URL to see my review for The Bureau: XCOM Declassified

tahluche
tahluche

Pretty good and ties the story together, but my god so many plotholes.

MasterZohan
MasterZohan

This is my first review of any game or DLC, so go with me here, Hangar 6 R&D in my opinion was the perfect intro/tutorial for this game, it was fun and had a interesting storyline, yes it did get tedious after awhile but then again has anyone ever really said I LOVED THE TUTORIAL. Having never played before and buying the game and all its DLC on sale, it was the first thing i played of the game since i like to play games ion a chronological order. But i do have to say its not really worth the $5 if you have the chance of buying it on sale by all means i would say to buy it, but if your a veteran of this game, there's really no real point to buying this DLC, unless you want more content from the game.

wany1981
wany1981

Actually a complete stand alone game that happened before the main game. Not really much story or event involved just.. Start.. click some button.. kill some alien.. then mission over.. repeat..

It's about 9 min each level on easy and 15 min each level on commander. A little harder then normal game because you just get way too many muton to play with in nearly all the waves.

Also the ability of the bomb you can use is very powerful and useful. That kinda balance out the difficulty of this DLC.

minigiin
minigiin

mediocre add-on with barely anything new added to the game, besides the AK and the microwave gun. Maps are ported from the main game but with different textures.

Linaeum
Linaeum

Hangar 6 R&D adds a new, prologue campaign to the main campaign in The Bureau. I really liked this campaign because it helped to explain some of the points that William Carter’s campaign didn’t cover. There are also several achievements for the Bureau that you can only get if you buy the DLC. Finally, there are several campaign-based achievements from the first game that are much easier to get by playing this campaign (finish a campaign without losing any soldiers, etc.)

Pros:

New campaign with a new leading character
Easier to complete achievements.
Interesting new maps
Slightly different play-style (Gamplay is a little more polished)

Cons:

Short (3-5 hours of gameplay)

To conclude, this DLC is probably too short to recommend for $4.99, but if you can get it on sale (I got mine for $1.24 during the 2015 Monster Summer Sale) it's definitely worth the price.

TRR Vegeto247
TRR Vegeto247

This DLC is worth the buy. Yeah, it may be short but you get to play an interesting character with a cool abilitiy; it plays into the story of the core game; and it's just challenging and fun. It's worth it when it comes to DLC.

Lets Go Brandon! FJB
Lets Go Brandon! FJB

This particular DLC, is VERY poorly optimized... The main game runs like butter, but this has terrible lag issues.. Gets hung up Often while in combat, for full seconds at a time! If you dont believe me, watch this dlc in play on youtube..

xXWilDXx
xXWilDXx

;; Hangar 6 : R&D DLC Review ;;

This DLC is a prequel to the main story. It adds couple of missions and you play as agent DeSilva with a new ability.

Why I recommend this DLC :
1) Time - It will keep you busy for another 6-10 hours.
2) Story - You will like this DLC if you liked the main story.
3) Challenge - It is challenging and has boss fights.

Notes
-This DLC is the best out of the three.
-It is repetetive and has no difference than the other missions in main game.

* Skip it.
** Not Recommended.
*** Give It A Try.

**** Recommended On Sale.

****** Recommended On Full Price.

fathamburger
fathamburger

It isn't bad and much better than the Codebreakers DLC which is a ripoff for anything more than $1. This is at least a full mini campaign and acts as a post game challenge after you've beaten the main game. Difficulty wise it's definitely designed for those that have cleared the game already and are looking for a bit extra or new content as a reason to play again. It's also neat in that it forces you to use the human weapons if you largely skipped over them in the main campaign and gives you a nice challenge doing so

There's enough content here where I could recommend it for as much as $5

Sgt-Hartman
Sgt-Hartman

This is pure bullshit. As a first evaluation, consider this as a warning. The DLC itself is just a succession of arena in a warehouse, with common aliens from the original game and various weapons to deal with it, i don't even recall if there was differents kinds of weapons. The character you're playing with was definitly exploitable but you have to deal with a forgettable person with no background and a storyline that isn't a storyline, just a pretext to make you spend 4.49€ or same thing in dollars for one of the most stodgy DLC ever.

Garter Snake
Garter Snake

I wish the bugs would be fixed, but aside from that, this game is so goddamned immersive, like, it actually makes you feel like you're there, giving commands to your team as you fight together to survive against the overwhelming odds. This game has felt more immersive to me than even the newer, first-person games, which I find to be an achievement on its own, being in third-person.
Very fun, extremely challenging, and I wish they'd make a remake.

Halo
Halo

At first this DLC seems to be a terrible mistake, but just like with the main game if you persevere it is actually good fun.

The disappointment is that it is basically an arena shooter, set in hangers built to replicate areas such as a drive in, large house and grounds and missile silo.

Enter, fight waves of aliens, move on.

Which initially seems rather dull coupled with the continuing failure of the bots to keep themselves out of trouble.

It takes them a couple of levels to get strong enough to survive but as in the main game they still need saving on a regular basis.

There is the back story of what happens before Groom Range, although it is a bit sparse.

What is fun and saves it is the intense combat that is as fun here as in the main game.

You are outnumbered and you need to manage the power ups to stand a chance of beating it.

One to buy definitely on sale and look to use the achievements to dictate your gameplay objectives.

I did this and will play a second run through at some point to get the rest.

I had no bugs or graphical glitches but I was unable to remap the keys which was very strange and struggled through with WASD instead of the cursor keys I normally use.

JaegerBane
JaegerBane

Eh.

I really don't get what this is supposed to be.

It's ironic that the base game styled itself as a prequel to XCOM:EU, but broke the XCOM canon and deviated quite a way off in an effort to tell its own story, as this DLC does exactly that. It conflicts with the story and kind of spoils a bit of the plot, while leaving tons of questions unanswered. Definitely do not play this before the base campaign.

It's basically a collection of arenas that completely maul the base game's XP mechanic and progression, you play Agent DaSilva (the suave senior agent you meet at the start of The Bureau) in a prequel campaign (taking place while Carter was on his way to Groom Range) when the Bureau (apparently) didn't know anything about the outsider threat.

Except, thanks to nonsensical plot line about psychic connections and magic gas, they do, but they think they're just hallucinations. And while you start with human gear, for some reason DaSilva ends up grabbing loads of alien guns that you don't gain until much later on in the Bureau. DaSilva himself also gets a bunch of random abilities that don't make sense with the plot (he gets a few psychic abilities Carter gets plus bombs... no explanation given).

I'd be lying if I said I understood wtf was going on but suffice to say, it focuses on the action, rather than the story. And while the action isn't bad per se, it literally doesn't do anything the base game didn't do better. There's no new enemies (although the hallucination versions get glowing eyes, OMGZ0RZ) but you do get a nifty AK47 and a Star Trek Phaser-style experimental Microwave Gun - I kind of wish they were in the base game, as they fill niches that I didn't realise were there. All the arenas are enclosed areas, there's no Minor or Major operations like in the base game and you only level up when clearing each one. It took me about 3 hours to go through.

Honestly, there is far better DLC out there than this. I'd only buy it on a sale and as part of some collection deal with the base game.

gammerboy489601
gammerboy489601

Welp, I like this DLC, cause I like to go in to action more then talking part. And it comes with a AK-47 which is powerful in this DLC. The pros is, get into action more then talking and can use Nico as your main protagonist, which is a very cool character with explosives. The cons is, very short DLC, I buy like RM3.00 (almost like few cents in America) which is ok I think. I thot theres more other weapon, at least 3 or 4 weapons, and more intresting alien to fight but is just same as the main campaign. Anyway, hope there is more DLC coming in or a new game from 2K games. (especially a new bioshock story LOL~~)

KingWeir
KingWeir

Its just filler, its just an arena mode, it adds nothing to the game and the whole idea of it is stupid.

SPOILER!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's baciscally a hanger (or warehouse) decorated to look like the outdoors where you fight hallucinations of aliens from the mind of a sleepwalker, who's strapped into a chair in another room. Don't ask me how that makes any sense as I have no idea myself.

what the dog doin tho?
what the dog d…

Its pretty good to grind some achievements without playing the entire campaign. However, the Just a Man achievement didn't unlock for me despite fulfilling the requirements.

Overall, it was pretty good if you like the character of DeSilva and it adds a bit of lore, as well as depth to the lore. This takes a few hours to complete and it was an overall 5/10 in my book. If you like the main game get this on sale, otherwise don't bother. Upside is that its the most worth DLC for this game, As a closing note, this is not really up to par with modern DLC standards so a thumbs down from me.

UnitedPackageSmashers
UnitedPackageS…

On sale for $1.24 this DLC is worth adding to your collection, it really adds a lot of content. It's a prequel to the game and sets the stage to how things got started. You get to play as a character who's only AI in the main game version, and he has different sets of skills you can aquire and play with. There are also a couple new weapons that are really fun. Some of the achievements are only accesible via this DLC so if you gotta collect em all this is a requirement.

archimedez
archimedez

I paid one euro for it and the money still feels a bit wasted.
The story and set design were pretty annoying and in the final mission my char could not finish the game.

C_O
C_O

Short 3 hrs gameplay and it is repetitive. This DLC tries to tell the event right before the invasion started or what triggered the invasion. We can see more Nico in action before he turned into sleepwalker in the main game. However, the story (the sleepwalker cure) and technology (2 new human weapons and all the Alien weapons, as well as all the backpacks, are not available at the start of the main game) does not connect to the main game at all. Defiantly not worth CDN$5.49. Grab it when it is on sale if you want to get 100% achievement. The achievements are all easy to get. The three hidden achievements are just DLC mission progress achievement, no need to do anything specific.

Kdosda Hegen
Kdosda Hegen

It is quite good prequel, even have great twist near the end. A bit unfair I would say, there are some scenarios there enemies spawn from both front and behind. 2-3 hours of gameplay. Recommended on sale.

lehuan5062
lehuan5062

You should get this one when it's on sale

Kodiak-Rush
Kodiak-Rush

An arena DLC that does little to nothing for the game except add to the monotony.

baudsp
baudsp

It's what I enjoyed about the base game, but without the parts I didn't enjoy much: it's mostly combat, with some writing, prepare your team and repeat. Also having access to powerful weapons and quick character progression is cool.

The maps are more open than the ones in the base game, more like MP maps in their structure. It allows wider movement than the usual arenas. The drive-in theater was a cool idea.

There's no exploration, which I found uninteresting in the base game and very little discussionq, even if the story told there is interesting.

Of course if one can't stand the combat of that game, they won't enjoy this DLC.

Regarding the length, it's 3.5 hours long, maybe more on higher difficulties (I played on the second easiest).
(Also I'm a little sad that I bought it like 5 days before it went on a 75% sale. Ah well, it's disposable income anyway)

Veloz
Veloz

I tried playing it for first time and in commander because i finished the main game veteran first playthrough.
I must say that this is tough than main story

no alien weapons even the microwave gun is not that good damage just rapid fire and more aim than machine pistol.

you need to move around and deal with 2 mutons and 2 sectoids with only base weapons.

More tactics is needed here

Mecha-Sol
Mecha-Sol

In this DLC for The Bureau: XCOM Declassified you play as Agent DaSilva. Set before the start of the main game, you basically do what you did in the main game. Kick some alien butt. It is fairly short, but if you liked the main game, you going to like this. Due to it being a bit short, I would wait for a sale.

Adymn
Adymn

THERE'S AN AK47 boi, you know what to do, its one tap time.
and thanks to DaSilva and Dr. Heinrich, they both make THE BUREAU: XCOM DECLASSIFIED exist.

lol

DancefloorDale
DancefloorDale

Unlike the other reviewers here, I actually played and finished the main campaign as well as the Hanger 6 R&D DLC. This DLC isn't a prequel or prologue to the main campaign, but a piece of the story that runs parallel to the main campaign. It shows you where Agent Nico DaSilva was and what he was doing when he "disappears" from the office for a bit. In the main campaign, if you care to read the notes and listen to the audio logs, you'll discover that Agent DaSilva is actually a great character that isn't around too long in the campaign.

More to the point, this DLC takes place in an enclosed airplane hanger which is basically a movie set in an attempt to recreate memories from a particular agent's mind in order to try to break him from his mentally comatose state by disrupting the source of his trauma. However, the source of his trauma doesn't want this particular agent awakened from his state, and creates mental apparitions in the form of the full spectrum of extraterrestrial enemies available in the main campaign.

This DLC can be completed in about six hours and offers weapons and backpacks that aren't available in the main campaign. However, those same weapons and backpacks don't transfer over to the main campaign or anything. More than likely, they were specifically made to help you survive the waves of enemies present in this DLC.

Honestly, this DLC doesn't offer anything significant inside or outside of the main game, but it does offer a bit of supplemental story and new stuff to play with. I recommend getting it because it's usually dirt cheap when it's on sale and just why not?

ranodmthought
ranodmthought

It's a two-hour campaign composed of a couple of horde mode levels, with repeated maps. It's the same enemies and mediocre gameplay as the main game with only 1 new ability added to one character. You'll play along with the exact same squad classes as the base game. The story is kind of a prequel to the main game, but in addition to being really weird and uninteresting, it also doesn't make any sense story-wise, as in this prequel the aliens attack, yet later in the main game they act as if they have no idea what the aliens are.

It's not very good and unless you maybe want achievement completion of the base game, there's no point to getting this.

eduard0
eduard0

Oh boy, what can i say. This is hard to beat. You have pauses as you meet the requirement to move on, but yet, when the enemy comes, it comes in waves in levels i would say as hard. You on constant move and thinking on the go, just to survive, let alone beat the levels.

Conker
Conker

Is playable, it's even downright entertaining if you can get it to run right and you enjoy this game as a whole.
Doesn't really add to the story of the game at all, in fact it detracts from it because it makes no good goddam sense.
If it's a test why are the holograms deadly? If they are deadly why is it such a big deal when the aliens ACTUALLY invade? IF they invaded much earlier like this DLC suggests, how does the story in the main game even exist?
Seriously, unless you really want to play alien shooting gallery for a couple hours, you aren't missing anything at all.

kome360
kome360

It's the main game, but with the sloppy story and boring intermission segments replaced with sheer horde mode. Good for testing out the combat system.

Echo not the dolphin
Echo not the dolphin

Meh. It is nothing really interesting, just got more money for the Devs, like majority of DLCs i've bought.

Sunabouzu
Sunabouzu

The only good thing here is AK-47. Otherwise, this is the usual DLC where the content is boring and straightforward. I still don't understand why such things are sold, because if it were free among the mods, then I would think several times before downloading.

AceSteffan
AceSteffan

In this DLC you get to play as DaSilva in a short story before the main game. It's pretty much an arena you have to keep fighting in a hope you find a cure to the sleepwalkers. I personally find tedious to have to do the same thing over and over again.

BaleroPrime
BaleroPrime

Played just to play it, not worth the time or money. Play the base game, if you happen to enjoy it, then buy this, more of the same bad story and play.

fydennis
fydennis

DO NOT buy this dlc!
Basically just one map over and over and over. Repetitive and boring. No new weapons or game mechanics, and the story is not interesting at all.

D3ATHKeeper
D3ATHKeeper

Only reason to buy this DLC is for the achievements.

Steel7701
Steel7701

This is a DLC that focus on agent DaSilva trying to find a cure for the Sleepwalker infection, and end at the same time as Gloom Range is attacked at the start of the main game.

While this DLC does add some playtime, it does not feel that worth it. The missions consist of hordes of enemies attacking you before a brief reprieve with some story and the ability to change gear and squad mates before a new round of enemies come at you. This gets quite repetitive and a bit boring. You also don’t get to keep the things you unlock if you start with this before the main game, which feels really bad. In addition, there is also an effect when you are performing missions that are very disruptive and makes it harder to see the enemies.

I also discovered a bug when playing that feels really bad. When you unlock the first alien weaponry the sniper class is stuck with the normal sniper, while the commando class gets both its normal upgrade and the sniper that is meant for the sniper class. The sniper class then does not get a weapon upgrade before the next round of alien weaponry becomes unlocked, which leaves that class severely underpowered when the enemies is starting to get harder to beat.

If you absolutely need to have this, get it while it is on sale since it is not worth full price.