So tell me about XCOM: Enemy Unknown...

Smallells

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So I've seen numerous threads about you guys talking about XCOM. It seems you like it quite a bit! As a general rule anyway...

What I want know is; is it approachable for someone who is fairly new to strategy games?

I don't know how good I'd be - chances are I'm quite rubbish at them. But, in your opinion, would I stand any chance in enjoying it? Or does it really require some strategy game experience?

Am I saying that right? Strategy game? Is that how you say it?
 

Pink Gregory

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It's really more of a tactics game, in that the 'strategy' employed is more immediate; long-time fans were soured to it by the extreme reduction of the strategic side of the game, I personally didn't mind so much, the tactical game is nice n' tight.

It's a wonderfully approachable game, provided you play on normal difficulty first.

It's considerably more approachable than the original, anyway; though many would say that it's cut down too much.


Also, you can't stun Chryssalids. That means nothing now, but it will do. It will do.
 

Paragon Fury

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Jan 23, 2009
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On Normal and below, its an enjoyable if slightly easy tactical TBS game. Setting is good and fun.

However on Classic and higher, the game turns on full BS mode (like many Fireaxis games do, particularly Civ) and basically throws strategy and tactics out the window in favor of and RNG deciding your fate and having to deal with the game randomly punishing you for no reason.

If you get it on PC though there are quite a few mod that take away the AI's ability tot cheat on higher difficulties instead leaving you on equal ground with an enemy who has better numbers and is smarter, rather than BS like a permant +% chance to hit AND crit.
 

tippy2k2

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Have you ever played any of the following:

Valkyria Chronicles (especially this one since it's probably the closest to XCOM in my examples)
Fire Emblem
Final Fantasy Tactics

If you stated yes to any of these and you greatly enjoyed them, you should be fine with XCOM. I had never played a XCOM game before and it quickly became my Game of the Year 2012. Keep in mind, if you do go with the game, there is a very good chance that your first play-through will kick your ass. My ass was thoroughly kicked but if you pay attention and move slowly in the game, you should be good.

If you've never played a game like this, the game does a decent job of teaching you how to play these types of games. You've also always got your Escapist buddies here to help if needed! :)

For more tips if you do choose to play, see Tippy2k2's sob story here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.398372-XCOM-tips-and-my-sob-story-Converted-to-a-mild-Lets-Play]! However, I would recommend going in blind at least once if you can for it made my experience much more enjoyable.
 

Weaver

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Apr 28, 2008
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I liked the game, but it has some really annoying design decisions that kept me from liking it as much as the original x-com games.
 

Saviordd1

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wombat_of_war said:
chrysalids.. i wake in a cold sweat eat night because of them and the screams of my fallen little pixel truppen.

build a base. juggle keeping countries happy, keep your troops in cover, sell the stuff you dont need
Sell the stuff you don't need?

Hah you have to sell the stuff you DO need so you can buy stuff you need a LITTLE more.

OT: It's a really good game, a bit buggy and more casual friendly than the original but its a good way to get into the genre.
 

Luca72

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If you start the game on Normal you'll have no problem figuring it out. There are a few tricks to maintaining your economy and keeping the world from plunging into panic mode, but once you get those down you'll pretty much know how to play the "strategic" game each time.

Like people said, the bulk of the game is more about the combat scenarios. If you start the game on Classic, you WILL lose a few soldiers because you didn't understand exactly how sightlines work, or some enemies got the jump on you. But after just a few battles you should be able to get the gist of how to play it.

It's really a pretty simple game to pick up and learn the basic "language" of the gameplay, but after that there's really quite a bit of depth to the combat.

One other thing - that fallen soldier memorial? That thing is gonna fill up. Fast.
 

BloatedGuppy

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Smallells said:
So I've seen numerous threads about you guys talking about XCOM. It seems you like it quite a bit! As a general rule anyway...

What I want know is; is it approachable for someone who is fairly new to strategy games?

I don't know how good I'd be - chances are I'm quite rubbish at them. But, in your opinion, would I stand any chance in enjoying it? Or does it really require some strategy game experience?

Am I saying that right? Strategy game? Is that how you say it?
Approachable to a newcomer? Yes. Especially on Normal, which is very forgiving. Once you have a firm grasp of the mechanics, I'd elevate the game to Ironman and/or Classic, which is how the game is best enjoyed. XCOM is at its best when your plans are on the knife's edge of disaster.

I think the odds are good you'd enjoy. Be warned it's still a little buggy.

Do not listen to poor losers who believe "The RNG is out to get them". They do not understand what "random" means, nor do they understand the concept of risk management.
 

Sniper Team 4

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Do NOT, for the love of all things holy, play it on the higher difficulties the first time through. You will hate the game and never want to play it again.

I was able to get into and the last tactics game I played was Final Fantasy Tactics back when it was out on the PlayStation. The game gives you a decent challenge but nothing too hard as long and you manage stuff decently. Plus, once you start leveling characters and getting armor, it's possible to break the game and become unstoppable--which is what the game will do to you if you start out on Impossible. Give it a shot, but stay away from the higher difficulties until you've decided whether you're really into it.
 

The Madman

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Dec 7, 2007
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Started a second playthrough just recently... it didn't end well.

It's more than a little frustrating to me that months after the games release and even after they've begun selling DLC for the game, I'm still encountering a major game-breaking bug which hasn't been resolved.

That said it's worth playing for sure, just be sure to play on an easier difficulty for your first game. You should be alright and it's a good introduction to the genre I tend to think, personal frustrations aside.
 

Danceofmasks

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This game is hella fun, but it has so much bullshit in it that stops it from being amazing.
The top of my list is the "free move" aliens get on first encounter.

Sure, it might be there for balance issues, else you'd just wipe out squads of aliens before they get to move, but it's otherwise dumb.
Especially when you can deliberately force the aliens to move in a certain manner (by revealing yourself from a different position) in order to do exactly that.

That kind of bs, combined with the RNG crap, makes impossible ironman hella frustrating.
This is from someone who had a >90% win rate on impossible in Terror from the Deep.
 

Terrible Opinions

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The fact that you have never played an Xcom before is arguably to your benefit. I lost a lot of soldiers early on because I was stuck in a UFO Defense mindset. Play it on normal first and consider going to classic afterwards. Impossible is certainly doable, but kinda lame, in my opinion.
 

MercurySteam

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As far as game design goes, Firaxis did a superb job both with the base building and the turned based strategy aspects. Start on lower difficulties and work your way up if you fin it easy. Make sur you build lasers and armour by the time you start the alien bunker mission then work on plasma when possible and research and build the advanced alien craft ASAP.
 

Headdrivehardscrew

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Pink Gregory said:
It's really more of a tactics game, in that the 'strategy' employed is more immediate; long-time fans were soured to it by the extreme reduction of the strategic side of the game, I personally didn't mind so much, the tactical game is nice n' tight.

It's a wonderfully approachable game, provided you play on normal difficulty first.

It's considerably more approachable than the original, anyway; though many would say that it's cut down too much.


Also, you can't stun Chryssalids. That means nothing now, but it will do. It will do.
This sums it up nicely.

I think it's a rather good job well done at reviving the IP. I still want to hope and believe there will be a proper resurrection of the original game along the way. While the game gets difficult at Classic and Iron Man, it still stays but a partial reincarnation of some of the bits and pieces I/we loved back in the days. That game was brutal, but so very rewarding.

The Chryssalids - Hmmm. That's the one major bucket of change (not plain omission) I really don't like. Why change their design so much? Why change their mechanics so much? Yes, the new Chryssalids pissed me off, even before I found out that you cannot stun them. My bet on this one is that they just couldn't figure it out before release and called it a feature.

The original Chryssalids were bipedal terror units with crab-like claws. The new ones are... like something out of them Star Wars prequels. They don't make sense.
 

Kilo24

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I played it on Classic first, but I played through most of the original game beforehand.

It's quite a good game, although it does have the flaws some people were going over (a lot of RNG screwiness especially at the beginning of the game, some weird line-of-sight issues coupled with no way to test the LOS of a position without moving there, an occasionally screwy interface, and the aliens being alerted via "monster closets"). I still prefer it to the original. I've heard Normal is generally pretty easy and forgiving; I'd see it as a good intro to tactical games.

Even if you do want to, I'd advise against turning on Ironman. If you want to play it like that, then make it a self-imposed challenge: I just lost an Ironman game right after the alien base mission yesterday when the game would invariably hang up post-victory. I seriously doubt I'll attempt another.
 

scorptatious

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Th3Ch33s3Cak3 said:
Be prepared to make sacrifices to the RNG. Praise it. Embrace it. For if you are not one with the RNG, you will die.
ALL HAIL THE HOLY RNG.

HAIL!

OT: It can be pretty tough in some spots. ESPECIALLY when you're playing on Iron Man mode, which gives you no opportunities to reload previous saves. If you fuck up and make a mistake, you have to live with it.

Other than that, so long as you don't be reckless with the movement of your units and you focus on upgrading weapons and armor as soon as possible (ignoring the "priority" research options and story missions until you are good and ready for them) You should be fine.

Oh, and when choosing which country to help out when there are multiple abductions, always prioritize the engineer reward over everything else. UNLESS another country is about to go into full panic and you don't have a spare satellite to calm them down by the end of the month.
 

Erttheking

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Beat the game at least once before you give ironman mode a try, for the love of god
 

tehroc

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Classic Ironman is doable on a lucky first run, though bugs can make this frustrating (like aliens shooting through walls on terror missions). It just a shift towards build nothing but satellites and satellite accessories until you got the most coverage. It's not exactly fun in the early game when you can't really spend money on anything else. Xbox hard drive died just as I was going on the alien base mission. Haven't had the heart to test my luck again, and playing it on normal would feel weak.
 

bossfight1

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The game is outstanding; they made an amazing interface for the controller, guiding your squad to specific points on the map is a breeze. Making a custom super-soldier, capable of saving the day multiple times, is a blast. SEEING that same super-soldier get horribly murdered, on the other hand, is one of those moments that makes you go...

...and then promptly reload your last save and make a smarter move. NO REGRETS.