Battle of the strategy games, Gears vs Xcom.

[Worgen]

Ok, so it looks like we have 2 rather big strategy games coming out soon. Gears Tactics (A series not known for tactics) and Xcom Chimera Squad (a series not known for good action).



Both are looking pretty good, I didn't expect Gears to manage to have a compleling looking strategy/tactics whatever game, but it it seems neat. However, its hard to argue with the best friends super squad of Xcom, especially since all of us wanted playable snakewomen.


Although it seems like the most interesting thing might be the prices. Gears Tactics is a full priced $60 aaa type game, but Xcom Chimera Squad is pricing itself at a budget price of $20, with an early discount of 50% on top of that, which kind of makes me wonder about how much game there is there or if that is just a way to try and stick it to Gears Tactics.

 

[Neuromancer]

I did not need to see that image.

I will take a more focused Xcom experience. Breach mode also looks fun. Given that it's cheap and promises a lengthy enough campaign I am interested in trying it out

Don't care about Gears though. That's just not a franchise I ever cared about getting into.

 

[SupahEwok]

I did not need to see that image.

It edited out a worse one.

I didn't need to see either of them.

 

[Elfgore]

I had zero idea on that X-Com game. Going by the still from the video, I was expecting a cartoon thing like that one Dead Island game. It's nice to know it's got graphics like X-Com 2. If I had to pick one, I'd pick it. I enjoy the setting of Gears, but not enough to spend sixty dollars.

 

[Worgen]

I did not need to see that image.

Yes you did.

It edited out a worse one.

It did? Where would I find that? After some searching around all I found is that someone has a fetish for the xcom snakewomen wrapping around ridiculously beefy guys who have big nipples.

 

[BrawlMan]

I did not need to see that image.

Oh please, I've seen much worse than that.
I'm getting neither game. I don't have an Xbox one, nor a powerful PC. And I never really grew up on XCOM. I might have played it a friends once, but that's about it. I already know about the newer ones, and my brother's played both of them. He might be interested in this one. The odds are he doesn't know about it.

 

[Neuromancer]

Yes you did.

I very explicitly stated I did not.

Oh please, I've seen much worse than that.

As have I. But I don't need to be constantly reminded why I drink every night.

 

[Fat Hippo]

I played some of Gears 1 and it was an alright time. I guess what it has in common with XCOM is...a love of hugging walls? I have no particular interest in the setting, but if it's good, eh I guess I'd play it.

I can see myself being moderately into this XCOM 2 spin-off. I've never really liked the strategy layer of nu-XCOM so a game that focuses on just the battles, from what I can tell, and tells a more focused story? Sure, why not.

 

[Worgen]

I very explicitly stated I did not.

As have I. But I don't need to be constantly reminded why I drink every night.

That's just the weakness draining out of your body.

 

[Latif]

No, what we truly need in X-com is aliens adopting the moral philosophy and religion of earth so they finally realise that biologically engineered snake women with mammaries are temporary but Allah is eternal.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Honestly? Don't care about either (not a Gears fan, and X-Com-likes have never stoked much interest in me).

Strategy release I'm waiting for is Total War: Warhammer III (well, just the announcement would get me moist for now(!)).

 

[Bernzz]

Huh. The Gears one doesn't look half bad. Never woulda thought they'd delve into tactics.

I've played a lot of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and a decent amount of XCOM 2 (never did go back for that DLC), so I'll keep an eye on both.

 

[Aiddon]

I'll go for XCOM because the idea of Alien Nation but as a turn-based strategy game is baller

 

[gorfias]

That Gears looks pretty interesting! I got to play me some Xcom that I already have. Damn AADD. And Total War: Warhammer 1 which I have! Dang
SckizoBoy is already for III!

 

[Phoenixmgs]

I'm really digging the new XCOM game from that embedded video there (1st I've seen of it). It seems to streamline and fix quite a bit of what I didn't care for in 1st game (of the new games). It seems like the whole base management stuff is scaled back quite a bit, I never really cared for that aspect of the game, I just wanted to do the encounters honestly. And, there was really only the one strategy in the 1st game (slowly moving through the levels to not reveal enemies unless you're first soldier did) that the 2nd game tried to fix with timers. I never played the 2nd game as it seemed too same-y of an experience to me. The whole breach thing looks to give you a decent choice of strategy while getting you straight to the action without putzing around the level. I like how the turn order alternates vs just good guys go all at once then bad guys all at once. And, aliens being part of the team should give more variety to the gameplay and strats.

What's the chances Gears has the variety and is as honed a strategy game that this new XCOM game looks to be? The trailer did only show very little actual gameplay but there's not much to get to excited about, maybe it has bigger and more interesting boss battles.

 

[Worgen]

I'm really digging the new XCOM game from that embedded video there (1st I've seen of it). It seems to streamline and fix quite a bit of what I didn't care for in 1st game (of the new games). It seems like the whole base management stuff is scaled back quite a bit, I never really cared for that aspect of the game, I just wanted to do the encounters honestly. And, there was really only the one strategy in the 1st game (slowly moving through the levels to not reveal enemies unless you're first soldier did) that the 2nd game tried to fix with timers. I never played the 2nd game as it seemed too same-y of an experience to me. The whole breach thing looks to give you a decent choice of strategy while getting you straight to the action without putzing around the level. I like how the turn order alternates vs just good guys go all at once then bad guys all at once. And, aliens being part of the team should give more variety to the gameplay and strats.

What's the chances Gears has the variety and is as honed a strategy game that this new XCOM game looks to be? The trailer did only show very little actual gameplay but there's not much to get to excited about, maybe it has bigger and more interesting boss battles.

Theres actually a 20 min gameplay vid that really goes over how Gears Tactics works and its looking pretty good, like, for instances they really managed to work executions in since they don't take an action and they give the rest of your team back an action. It seems like they are trying to make a strat game that really rewards being aggressive and not just doing overwatch.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

Theres actually a 20 min gameplay vid that really goes over how Gears Tactics works and its looking pretty good, like, for instances they really managed to work executions in since they don't take an action and they give the rest of your team back an action. It seems like they are trying to make a strat game that really rewards being aggressive and not just doing overwatch.

It looks pretty standard XCOM fare overall with minor tweaks; I doubt the overwatch tweak and non-grid movement is gonna change gameplay much. It looks like all the characters will be soldiers obviously so you're gonna have your standard skills we've seen before. The only interesting aspect is the executions that give back action points and it will be interesting to see how the boss battles are done. It didn't help that the guy playing was pretty bad. The new XCOM looks more interesting to me; come on, that pic and all, how can you not be more interested in XCOM

 

[Worgen]

It looks pretty standard XCOM fare overall with minor tweaks; I doubt the overwatch tweak and non-grid movement is gonna change gameplay much. It looks like all the characters will be soldiers obviously so you're gonna have your standard skills we've seen before. The only interesting aspect is the executions that give back action points and it will be interesting to see how the boss battles are done. It didn't help that the guy playing was pretty bad. The new XCOM looks more interesting to me; come on, that pic and all, how can you not be more interested in XCOM

Well, I have a long love affair with Xcom and a just as long love affair with not beating Xcom games. When I say long, I'm talking about reading about it in a magazine over and over and reading the manual over and over till we could upgrade the computer enough to play the first xcom, but the only one I've actually gotten around to beating was the Xcom remake the next closest was Xcom Apocalypse and the only reason I didn't beat that was because my save file got corrupted when I was invading the alien dimension. So, I'm a bit hesitant that this will become another Xcom game that I get, enjoy then just never actually win. Gears has the same possibility but it is something new that sounds like it might have a take that is a bit more my play style. Although since you finally get a snakewoman on your side and its only $10 bucks, its I'll almost certainly end up getting Xcom Chimera.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

Well, I have a long love affair with Xcom and a just as long love affair with not beating Xcom games. When I say long, I'm talking about reading about it in a magazine over and over and reading the manual over and over till we could upgrade the computer enough to play the first xcom, but the only one I've actually gotten around to beating was the Xcom remake the next closest was Xcom Apocalypse and the only reason I didn't beat that was because my save file got corrupted when I was invading the alien dimension. So, I'm a bit hesitant that this will become another Xcom game that I get, enjoy then just never actually win. Gears has the same possibility but it is something new that sounds like it might have a take that is a bit more my play style. Although since you finally get a snakewoman on your side and its only $10 bucks, its I'll almost certainly end up getting Xcom Chimera.

I'm not too big a fan of XCOM, I liked Enemy Unknown well enough but it's maybe like 7/10 good to me. I have no idea why I bought the expansion to it, Enemy Within, as it makes you replay through most of the game to get to the new stuff and I did like one mission or two as was done with it. I guess because it was on sale pretty cheap or something. I didn't even think too much about getting XCOM 2, it looked like more of the same slightly tweaked, and I really don't care about the base building aspect. The XCOM style gameplay isn't THAT strategic, it's really the same basic combat system as like most pen and paper RPGs (move action + standard action) but with much of the outside-the-box thinking removed. This new XCOM really seems to have streamlined the whole experience much better with probably more "fun" skills, snake lady and all.

 

[The Eupho Guy]

I'm probably going to get both at some stage. I'm not really into Gears of War (I played GoW 1 PC and that's it), but the 20 minute video posted before looks very promising. The problem I'm having is that its $100 Australian on Steam, which is a bit much for me. I think I'll wait for a sale on that before jumping in.

Chimera Squad looks like it will be an interesting change up on the XCOM formula and I can't wait to give it a go.