XCOM: Enemy Unknown updates the classic alien-hunting turn-based strategy game with new updated graphics and a whole new approach to the dusty old genre
It's been awhile since we've seen a high profile turn-based strategy game. The last major release was 2010's Civilization V developed by Firaxis, also responsible for XCOM: Enemy Unknown.The game has you in the role of a commander. You're in charge of a top secret project known as XCOM.It serves as humanity's deterrent against a spate of alien attacks and abductions terrorising the world.
Not only would you be responsible for managing a squad of troops on the ground as they lay waste to gruesome creatures, you're alsoaccountable for ensuring that you have access to the latest tech and resources. This is because you'll soon find out that you have to kit out base with new additions from satellites to power plants all in an attempt to quell the invasion.
The dual focus of managing your headquarters and on gorund war efforts make for interesting gameplay. Between deploying your soldiers in war zones you'll spend time interacting with different teams such as engineering and research, both equally important. Any alien corpses or weapons brought back can be looked at by scientists and the resulting breakthroughs like new armour can be made by engineers.
Unlike other games, it's mandatory to continuously upgarde you base and your soldiers if you have any chance of winning. Slip up in your research or lose too many men or women in battle and you can end up restarting the game from the outset. The game is a strict taskmaster but once you understand how it works, which you will quite fast thanks to the brilliant tutorial, it becomes a fair and extremely fun game to play. You'll soon realise that any errors made have been self-inflicted rather than the AI being an absolute bully. This makes each successful battle on-ground and each research project all the more satisfying.
While the gameplay is elegant the same extends to the menu design. XCOM bucks the trend of most strategy games that for some reason, love to inundate you with menus and statistics.
Here the user interface is minimal. functional and presents all you need to know in a concise fashion, making it a breeze to comprehend even if you've never played a strategy game before. To sum it up,
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is an addictive game that hooks you in almost instantaneously. Before you know it you've spent more time in front of your TV or monitor playing it than you have spent in front of any of the myraid screens in your life. Recommended if you're a fan of strategy games and even more so if you're not.
It's been awhile since we've seen a high profile turn-based strategy game. The last major release was 2010's Civilization V developed by Firaxis, also responsible for XCOM: Enemy Unknown.The game has you in the role of a commander. You're in charge of a top secret project known as XCOM.It serves as humanity's deterrent against a spate of alien attacks and abductions terrorising the world.
The dual focus of managing your headquarters and on gorund war efforts make for interesting gameplay. Between deploying your soldiers in war zones you'll spend time interacting with different teams such as engineering and research, both equally important. Any alien corpses or weapons brought back can be looked at by scientists and the resulting breakthroughs like new armour can be made by engineers.
While the gameplay is elegant the same extends to the menu design. XCOM bucks the trend of most strategy games that for some reason, love to inundate you with menus and statistics.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is an addictive game that hooks you in almost instantaneously. Before you know it you've spent more time in front of your TV or monitor playing it than you have spent in front of any of the myraid screens in your life. Recommended if you're a fan of strategy games and even more so if you're not.
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