XCOM 2 | Review | Gaming @ The Digital Fix

It's time to take back the planet in this turn based shooter on PS4, XBox One and PC from Firaxis Games. Does this sequel live up to the hype or suffer 2nd album syndrome?

[Angeljuice]

This game is awesome. Really hard and challenging, a great sequel.

The reviewer makes a couple of mistakes though. The original XCom was released in 1994. There were two games released on the PS1 (both of which had procedurally generated missions), so the procedural element is not new.

Most of the changes are for the better, but a couple of things are missing (shooting down UFO's with all the weapons and aircraft you have developed), but these are generally covered by the fact that the aliens have a very different relationship to the humans in this scenario I.e. benevolent (seeming) rulers as opposed to alien infiltrators.

A great strategy game that deserves a lot of respect. It is pretty cheap to buy too (in the UK at least). I picked it up a week or two after launch for £30. Bargain.

[ThePope]

Its funny I've just started playing the game and have been playing it like XCOM: EU where you can have a single squad the whole game. Not this game you will lose lots of people. I've struggled to wrap my head around that. There are only 2 other things that bug me; first over watch is pitiful. I have had several instance where I put 5 of 6 members of my team on OW (2 snipers) and ALL of them missed. And how many times the game will send wave after wave of enemies over only a few turns. I've literally had 12 enemies to deal with at one time.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Agree with @Angeljuice its a great game and a really good port to console. @ThePope XCOM2 seems like it was designed specifically with the notion of trying to hold up and overwatch as a tactic is a losing tactic. As you noted you will lose people... a ton of them in fact. Dual snipers is not necessarily a good tactic in the game, I found the specialists with combat hacking ability to be the most valuable asset personally.

One important note to add, as you lose people on the battlefield if the opportunity presents itself you can pick up and carry those down soldiers out of the zone when you evac. This is critical if those particular soldiers had upgraded equipment as you will keep their stuff if you evac their body.otherwise you will lose any special equipment they had on them.

[ThePope]

@Dlacy

Thanks for the advice! I've really enjoyed the specialists too. The ranger as well. So even if it says John J died in the lower right corner I can take them with me and save them?

I dont always OW but sometimes I try and lure the enemy in and use OW as an ambush. I just need them to not miss 5 times in a row.

[Angeljuice]

@ThePope

You can get overwhelmed by aliens at times, but I think that adds to the atmosphere.
If you bring back your dead soldiers, you will get their equipment back, but they will remain dead.

You can always load the previous turn when a soldier dies (although the loading times make this impractical).