While there were a lot of maps in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, they eventually became stale and predictable in this one you don't really know what to expect each time a mission begins, which certainly adds to the longevity.
One of the biggest improvements brought by XCOM 2 is, in my opinion, the procedural generation of both the maps and the objectives. Character customization options have been considerably enhanced here and with modding, the sky is the limit, but we'll get back to that part in a while. As usual, it's much more of a nuisance when you lose a veteran soldier with many perks in his/her belt. Perma-death for all members of your strike team is still very much in the game. There is a dedicated progress bar for the Avatar Program, which will advance every once in a while you'll have to attack those facilities in order to set the aliens back, otherwise the completion of the Avatar Program will also mark the end of your game. This is a secret project that the aliens will develop in dedicated facilities. I recommend to always counter the aliens' attempts to intercept the Avenger as they can result in a game over screen if successful XCOM 2 also added another such instance with the Avatar Program. Newcomers will have a tough time even on the easiest difficulty, and it's understandable that some have compared XCOM to From Software's Dark Souls in this regard. XCOM 2 doesn't pull any punches in terms of challenges, that's for sure. Every action is a dice roll and you will range from a massive cheer after hitting with less than 50% of chances to colorful curses when you miss with over 85% of chances to hit. The rest of the tactical gameplay is much like you remember from Enemy Unknown/Enemy Within: it's a thrilling experience, capable of making you feel extreme excitement and frustration in the very same mission. This new mechanic fits well with the overarching theme of XCOM 2. If any enemy spots a member of your team, everyone's position will be blown with the exception of Rangers sporting the Phantom perk. This will allow you to position everyone in the best possible way before triggering aggression from hostiles. In the majority of missions, your squad will be deployed on the ground while concealed. But there's more, because the guerrilla style brings another layer of tactics straight into gameplay with concealment. This particular change means that you'll always be on the run, moving on the Avenger mobile base and trying desperately not to be intercepted. As a result, the Commander will have to build a resistance all around the world and fight with guerrilla tactics. There is a significant departure in XCOM 2 once you look closer, though: while the aliens usually played the role of invaders, in this case they have already conquered the Earth. Once again players will become the commander of the XCOM, a secret military organization bound to defend mankind against the aliens. The game is a direct sequel, building upon the strengths of its predecessor while trying to address some of the most common complaints directed to Enemy Unknown.
The turn-based tactics game released in October 2012 proved with its widespread success that there was still a strong demand for this type of product, thus encouraging the development of further entries.Īfter a little over three years, XCOM 2 has been released to the public.
#XCOM ENEMY UNKNOWN BUILD ORDER SERIES#
The legendary strategy series X-COM went dormant for well over 10 years, until Firaxis Games resuscitated it with XCOM: Enemy Unknown.