Bureau of Contacts

About

"Bureau of Contacts" is a ghost-hunting game where a neural network controls the ghost's behavior and tactics based on the player's actions and words. The game features cursed locations, different types of ghosts and traps, and the possibility of betrayal by other agents. Communication with the ghost has no limits, so players should be mindful of what they say as the ghost understands context and reacts accordingly. Explore, strategize, and survive with friends or solo in this unique horror experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 402 reviews

gameplay24 positive mentions

stability28 negative mentions

The game features a unique AI system that allows ghosts to react to player actions and dialogue, creating a more immersive experience.
The graphics and atmosphere are visually stunning, contributing to a creepy and engaging environment.
The game has potential for growth, with developers actively listening to player feedback and promising future updates and content.

The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes and confusing mechanics.
There is a lack of content, with only one large map available, making gameplay feel repetitive and tedious.
The evidence collection system is overly complicated, leading to frustration as players struggle to identify ghost types and gather necessary information.

gameplay
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
64%
9%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique mechanics and atmosphere, while others criticize the clunky execution and lack of polish. Many find the evidence-gathering process engaging, but the absence of a hiding mechanic and performance issues detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the game offers intriguing concepts and a compelling storyline, it requires further refinement to enhance player enjoyment.
- “The game offers deep gameplay, an interesting plot, and a great atmosphere.”
- “With a compelling storyline and varied game mechanics, 'Contact Bureau' forces you to think strategically and plan your actions carefully.”
- “Unique mechanics that I have not seen before in ghost hunting games are pretty intuitive and easy to master; at the same time, they make you think carefully—if you make a single mistake, you can end up paying with the run.”
- “The entity gives you zero time to gather evidence; it's very fast and there is no hiding mechanic (that I am aware of, but I could be missing it).”
- “While the horror atmosphere is undeniably potent, the gameplay itself can be clunky at times.”
- “Everything within it in terms of gameplay is so half-baked and unfinished to the point of being ridiculous.”
graphics
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
38%
5%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and atmospheric design, significantly enhancing the horror experience. Players appreciate the high level of graphical complexity and unique art style, although some have noted performance issues, such as frame rate drops on higher settings. Overall, the graphics are considered one of the game's greatest strengths, contributing to an immersive and engaging gameplay experience.
- “Stunning graphics and unforgettable screamers made me really nervous :)”
- “Thanks to its unique art style and rich atmosphere, Contact Bureau immerses you in a fascinating world of intrigue and mystery.”
- “Very fun in-depth ghost hunting simulator with the most realistic graphics I've seen in the genre.”
- “I had to turn down the graphics to low, and even with my 4070 ti, the average fps outside was 34 and inside was 60, dropping to the 40s at times.”
- “From an aesthetic point of view, most of the game is wonderful, but some of the icons are confusing.”
- “The awesome graphics, but I'm not yet able to try the game fully. I will update the comment after the stream.”
atmosphere
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
25%
8%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its creepiness, mysticism, and immersive qualities, enhanced by impressive graphics and unique art style. Players appreciate the suspenseful environment, although some find the gameplay mechanics frustrating and clunky at times. Overall, the game successfully creates a haunting experience that appeals to fans of the ghost hunting genre, despite some criticisms regarding the effectiveness of the AI and evidence-gathering elements.
- “The game offers deep gameplay, an interesting plot, and a great atmosphere.”
- “Thanks to its unique art style and rich atmosphere, Contact Bureau immerses you in a fascinating world of intrigue and mystery.”
- “The game is very atmospheric, suitable for people who like to be constantly in suspense; you will have to constantly look around.”
- “It's a pity that the atmosphere of the game itself is not as exciting as we would like.”
- “While the horror atmosphere is undeniably potent, the gameplay itself can be clunky at times.”
- “After playing a couple matches there wasn't a jump factor really but the atmosphere does still stay creepy.”
story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
53%
8%
The game's story is a mix of intriguing detective elements and a captivating narrative, where players act as agents investigating mysterious events. However, the execution is marred by unclear plot points and tedious exorcism mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the atmosphere and character interactions, others find the story's pacing and clarity lacking, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- “The game offers a fascinating story with detective elements, in which players take on the role of an agent working for a bureau that collects and analyzes information about mysterious events and characters.”
- “"Contact Bureau" is an exciting adventure game that will amaze you with its amazing storyline and addictive gameplay.”
- “With a compelling storyline and varied game mechanics, Contact Bureau forces you to think strategically and plan your actions carefully.”
- “Exorcisms are just tedious rather than fun and not to mention insanely anti-climactic. 'Exorcism passed', the end goal, is just the ghost stating through a needlessly long sentence how it's upset you're attempting to exorcise them. I had to test it in the tutorial just to make sure that was actually the exorcism passing... it indeed was considered you completing the mission, but the ghost still hunts and acts normal despite being 'exorcised'.”
- “The plot is unclear and the ghosts are not scary but cute.”
- “In the first mission, I found myself within 10 minutes saying 'WTF?'”
stability
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The game currently suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, crashes, and glitches that can detract from the overall experience. While some players acknowledge these problems as typical for an early access title, they express hope for improvements in future updates. Overall, those seeking a polished experience may want to wait until the game is more refined.
- “If you want to only play games that are bug-free and complete, give this game a little more time in the oven before you check back.”
- “Very buggy and prone to crashing.”
- “From game crashes to the AI spirit box freaking out to the ghost simply leaving the house on its own, I could probably list over 69 glitches which can kill the experience for a lot of players.”
- “Really buggy, doors won't open all the time, have to use push to talk which is just not fun for a horror game, and missing information on how to use things like the spirit box.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates, choppy gameplay, and even motion sickness due to poor textures and field of view. Many reviewers believe that with substantial optimization improvements, the game could reach its full potential, but currently, it feels rough and unfinished, particularly in terms of gameplay fluidity and ghost detection mechanics. Overall, while some players experience decent frame rates, the frequent freezes and memory leaks detract from the overall experience.
- “Fix the optimization, and this game could be amazing!”
- “Performance is absolutely terrible with insanely low FOV and textures that cause motion sickness (even for people that don't typically get motion sickness like myself).”
- “However, it's plagued by performance issues that cause choppy gameplay over time, likely due to a memory leak.”
- “The game has potential but needs major optimization.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted to be light-hearted and entertaining, providing a comedic experience rather than horror. Players appreciate the interactive element where characters can respond to jokes, although their reactions may vary. Overall, it is considered a worthwhile addition to a collection, especially when on sale.
- “Of course it's not horror, but it's funny! At a discount, it is definitely worth adding to your collection.”
- “You can even have them respond to jokes, although they may not find you funny.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The monetization model of the game is well-received, as there are no microtransactions, allowing players to use infinite spirit requests for free. Reviewers appreciate the developers' commitment to player satisfaction and their focus on the game's integrity rather than profit.
- “For people coming from Insym's stream: there are no microtransactions! You can use infinite spirit requests for free.”
- “I personally choose to support devs who listen to their players and actually care about the well-being of their game outside of a cash grab.”
- “First for people coming from insyms stream: there is no microtransactions :) you can use infinite spirit requests for free.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of exorcisms to be tedious and anti-climactic, with the completion of an exorcism resulting in a long, unsatisfying dialogue from the ghost rather than a meaningful resolution. Despite being labeled as "exorcised," the ghosts continue to behave normally, diminishing the sense of accomplishment.
- “Exorcisms are just tedious rather than fun and not to mention insanely anti-climactic. The end goal, 'exorcism passed', is just the ghost stating through a needlessly long sentence how it's upset you're attempting to exorcise them. I had to test it in the tutorial just to make sure that was actually the exorcism passing. It indeed was considered you completing the mission, yet the ghost still hunts and acts like normal despite being 'exorcised'.”
- “The grinding involved in exorcisms feels more like a chore than an engaging gameplay experience. Completing an exorcism results in a long-winded explanation from the ghost, which detracts from the excitement and makes the whole process feel anti-climactic.”
- “After going through the motions of exorcising a ghost, I was left feeling unsatisfied. The repetitive nature of the tasks and the lack of meaningful change in the ghost's behavior make the grinding aspect of this game frustrating.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The music in the game is consistently praised as awesome, highlighting its strong impact on the overall experience.
- “Awesome music”
- “Awesome music”
- “Awesome music”