Zero Punctuation: XCOM: Enemy Unknown

[The Critic]

The one real complaint I have is that nations won't rejoin you again if you are doing well. It makes it pointless to keep playing after a couple of nations have left already, plus it's always possible to make a spectacular comeback. It would be great if countries leaving the project can get conquered and you can reconquer them. Might make the game more like Civilization though, which some don't want.

Hey, at least it's not as bad as the original, where some nations would go so far as to sign Non-Aggression Pacts with the little grey bastards.

In all seriousness, the reason nations don't rejoin you if you're doing good is because they've instead decided to focus all their efforts on maintaining security at home rather than gambling and giving away crucial resources to an organization that may more may not defend them when they need help. Pretty much the national equivalent of going "Every man for himself!"

 

[triggrhappy94]

I want this game so bad now, but I still don't have the money

 

[RoyalSorceress]

Did anyone else smile as wide as I did when he referenced Octodad?

I did, that game is hilarious.
I wonder if Yahtzee would do a mini review of Octodad, maybe with a few more small games.

 

[kburns10]

Remember: the save button is your friend...

One... more... turn...

This is something I need to start remembering more often! I love the game despite it's frustrations. It's such a fun game!

 

[LordLundar]

The four panel sketch at the end was hilarious!

And remarkably accurate, though I would imagine that adds to the humour.

 

[Razorback0z]

Well Im feeling pretty good right now. I got home from work thinking "hmm do I just jump back into Xcom and keep going"(Just built the Hyperwave relay and wondering what it does)or do I watch Yahtzee first and probably end up questioning why I like this game after he disects it to its last ugly atom.

But YAY!

Yahtzee basically sums up everything I have enjoyed about it so far and also puts in perspective the few "issues" with it, none of which detract from the game to a point that it makes any real difference.

Xcom EU is a worthy successor to a game that set the bar so high it still regualry appears in the top 5 or 10 PC games of all time. While this one probably wont be in the top 5 or 10 games of all time in 20 years, its still more than worth playing and has so far given me over 50 hours of play which is more than about the last 5 games Ive played put together. Hooray!

Having said all that...

Im going to play.

 

[Kingjackl]

Was planning on getting this game tomorrow. Glad to see a recommendation from Yahtzee. Also, I really hope that comment at the end implies he's doing another Let's Play. If so, yaaaaaaay!

Also, what's with all the shots at Commander Shepard lately Yahtzee? I mean apart from the lack of delegation, the tendency toward adultery, the indiscriminate murders, racism and potential for genocide, he's a perfectly lovely man.

 

[Darth_Payn]

Seriously. Fuck the RNG in this game.
I have to study Chaos Theory and I'm calling bullshit on it.
Statistically, there is a chance to miss five 70%+ shots in a row. But when it happens to me on EVERY OTHER MISSION, I'm inclined to think that it's just dicking me in the ear.

Were you savescumming between turns by any chance? Because the rng generates a big ol' string of numbers at the start of the mission and just uses them sequentially. Therefore, if you try the same shot 5 times by reloading, the outcome will always be the same. ames like fire emblem do this as well, if I remember right.

So savescumming, bad? I thought it would be funny to think of yourself as the guy who was given command of XCOM because he has the Dagger of Time or something. That should make up for the screwed-upness of letting random probability decide the outcome of battle. Wasn't that the problem Yahtzee had with Fallout 3 (an otherwise fantastic game)?

 

[Bindal]

The one real complaint I have is that nations won't rejoin you again if you are doing well. It makes it pointless to keep playing after a couple of nations have left already, plus it's always possible to make a spectacular comeback. It would be great if countries leaving the project can get conquered and you can reconquer them. Might make the game more like Civilization though, which some don't want.

Actually, they just withdraw their support to focus on their own people. They don't get conquered.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

The one real complaint I have is that nations won't rejoin you again if you are doing well. It makes it pointless to keep playing after a couple of nations have left already, plus it's always possible to make a spectacular comeback. It would be great if countries leaving the project can get conquered and you can reconquer them. Might make the game more like Civilization though, which some don't want.

Actually, they just withdraw their support to focus on their own people. They don't get conquered.

I didn't say they did. But I think the game suggests they do - when a country withdraws its support you see a swarming tornado-like thing on the map over that country. I don't see why that would appear simply because of an administrative shift.

 

[zoggop]

Yahtzee Croshaw, Freudian

 

[Tallim]

Did anyone else smile as wide as I did when he referenced Octodad?

I did, that game is hilarious.
I wonder if Yahtzee would do a mini review of Octodad, maybe with a few more small games.

You know they are doing a sequel due next year

http://www.octodadgame.com/dadliest-catch/

 

[Zombie_Moogle]

Did anyone else smile as wide as I did when he referenced Octodad?

I did, that game is hilarious.
I wonder if Yahtzee would do a mini review of Octodad, maybe with a few more small games.

A refreshing change from the XBLA mash-up reviews. Perhaps a Steam Greenlight review

 

[SweetShark]

Now I need to draw the alien types Yahtzee posted in this video, hehehehehe.

Also I am very glad to see him liked this game as I do ^^

 

[The Critic]

The one real complaint I have is that nations won't rejoin you again if you are doing well. It makes it pointless to keep playing after a couple of nations have left already, plus it's always possible to make a spectacular comeback. It would be great if countries leaving the project can get conquered and you can reconquer them. Might make the game more like Civilization though, which some don't want.

Actually, they just withdraw their support to focus on their own people. They don't get conquered.

I didn't say they did. But I think the game suggests they do - when a country withdraws its support you see a swarming tornado-like thing on the map over that country. I don't see why that would appear simply because of an administrative shift.

The swirling vortex thing, I'm pretty sure, is to show that they've gone so far as to deny you radar coverage over their country. At least, that's what I took it to mean.

 

[Ham Blitz]

Man, now waiting to get this game is going to be even harder. Every source I have heard from says it is awesome.
Also, on a side note, the face of the soldier around the 0:35 area was hilarious. I had to go back and watch that part of the review again.

 

[Setrus]

I kinda lost patience with it and kept save scumming individual turns, but maybe I was going about it the wrong way.

Ohhhh...don't do that, in fact, set it to "ironman", no need to amp the difficulty, just the fact that you can't save without immediately ending the game will make it so more tense and rewarding when you play. No backtracking, no quickloading, your soldier ran into a Muton elite on overwatch? Well sorry, he's goo now, live with it. :-D

It means you have to plan for contingiencies, bring in the odd rookie to train him up, plan your finances and buildings more carefully, because once you're commited there's no turning back.

Man, when I finished that game with a critical hit with the last character with action points left while in a bad position for another turn...I was so DAMN happy. :-D

 

[DarkhoIlow]

Wow,I'm really glad you like this one as much as I did Yahtzee.

The whole thing had me laughing in spades,especially the outro with "missing in Xcom" was brilliant.

 

[Storm Dragon]

That might have been his most glowing endorsement to date.

No, that award goes to Portal. He had no criticisms for that game whatsoever.

 

[Bindal]

That might have been his most glowing endorsement to date.

No, that award goes to Portal. He had no criticisms for that game whatsoever.

Well, except the fanbase.