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    XCOM: Enemy Unknown

    Game » consists of 19 releases. Released Oct 09, 2012

    The classic tactical turn-based combat returns in this modern re-imagining of X-COM: UFO Defense.

    Short summary describing this game.

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    5 (19)
    4 (9)
    3 (1)
    2 (0)
    1 (0)
    4.6 stars

    Average score of 29 user reviews

    This is not your dad's X-COM 1

    There isn't a doubt in my mind that Jake Solomon and the other folks at Firaxis responsible for this gorgeous, engaging game have a deep respect for the original X-COM (or UFO, as it was known where I grew up). Considering their pedigree, I wasn't surprised to find the new XCOM a well polished, well thought out game that makes the right concessions to bring in new players and pays proper tribute to the core ideals of X-COM. The notion of Firaxis failing in this task was almost absurd to me, and ...

    8 out of 8 found this review helpful.

    A Successful Resurrection Chained Down by It's Own Apathy 4

    I am of the mindset that the XCOM first person shooter that was proposed two years ago was not a bad idea. Breathing life into a franchise that’s been long dead is tough, often foolhardy effort made in order to capitalize on some lost nostalgia of a very small portion of gamers. That being said, I understood the blowback that 2K received when the news hit, understood the clamoring for something more traditional, understood why pause needed to be taken and an announcement made to cool the flames ...

    8 out of 9 found this review helpful.

    A modern classic in the making 0

    There’s a moment in a South Park episode where one of the characters, shortly after having been dumped by his girlfriend, muses that he couldn’t feel so sad now if he hadn’t felt something really great before. His sadness, he concludes, is a kind of “beautiful sadness” because of that. If there is anything which can sum up XCOM: Enemy Unknown in a nutshell, it’s that same feeling of incredible highs, made all the sweeter by the bitter sense of defeat.Enemy Unknown is, as anyone reading this prob...

    5 out of 6 found this review helpful.

    A thoroughly enjoyable, hard-as-hell tactical experience. 0

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown is damn hard, and it knows it.It is unforgiving, relentless and constantly ready to crush your hopes and dreams in a single, fell swoop. A poor tactical choice will take that battle-hardened veteran soldier and introduce him to the business end of an alien rifle, squandering hours of gameplay with a single button press. It is at times infuriating, and will frequently have players reaching for the “reload” button. At the same time, it never delineates into becoming unfair, and...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Strategy Game of the Year 0

    Well I'm only saying that because its the only one I've played besides replaying Halo Wars in anticipation for Halo 4. I'm sure if I did actually play any others this one would still win.I played on Normal and it was a great albeit easy experience. The game is fun on so many levels, and I want NEED a sequel to this fantastic game. Everything changed from the original X-Com works. Six squad members? Keeps the action focused. Two moves instead of turn units? Less math, and maybe even a little more...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    A flogging willingly endured 0

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a turn-based strategy game developed by Firaxis. Brutally challenging and immensely satisfying, XCOM grabs a hold of you and never lets go. It’s packed to the brim with interesting content, always testing your willpower and ability to make consequential decisions. The game juxtaposes a resource managing strategy component with a turn-based combat game that combine to create a robust, demanding experience. Constantly faced with critical decisions, XCOM will have you balanc...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Outstanding Strategy Game 0

    Speaking as somebody without much nostalgia for the original title, I have grown to love X-Com: Enemy Unknown the more I have played. The game is exceptionally deep. You always have something new to research and create. You always have some crisis to deal with at all times. There is a lack of dead time and the feeling of barely staying on top of all problems is your constant companion.You have several jobs for your soldiers to pursue and different builds for those specific builds. A squad heavy...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    The return of the Alien Ghostbusters that delivers. 2

    Platforms:360, PS3, PCRelease (US):Oct. 9, 2012I vividly remember the time when I found out about the X-Com series and how fascinated I was with the idea of a game where you run a company that was essentially Ghostbusters with aliens. Although after playing it, I couldn’t get myself to like the original game. I felt disappointed that I was unable to actually like the game despite my fascination of the general concept. A few years down the line Firaxis, the developers of the Civilization franchis...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Great game to anyone who is a fan of the genre 0

    "So imagine this: turned base strategy game where you fight aliens with a squad of marines. There are no respawns, when your character dies, he's gone forever. But, you can upgrade your guys with alien technology that you get from dead enemies and then make awesome laser weapons and make your guys sick!” This was the way my brother ecstatically explained the game Xcom: Enemy Unknown to me.At the time I hadn't heard anything about this game, but my brother held in a very high regard for its stra...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Turn based Extacy 0

    Having only dabbled with the original XCOM, my exposure to this genre of game was probably concentrated in Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel. Suffice to say that this game surpasses that, and in fact most games I played this year. The campaign is lengthy, the missions brutal, but you will have a great time!...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Fun Game Held Back by Technical Glitches and Poor Progression 0

    At the end of the day, I can absolutely say I had fun playing this game. It reminded me a lot of the Front Mission series, of which Front Mission 4 is one of the best, yet underappreciated games in this genre. The battle systems, the class systems, the blend of macro/micro gameplay are all well done. I absolutely loved training my soldiers, watching them move through the ranks (and getting call signs) and watching what they can do in battle. It's like getting to live the GI Joe battle you a...

    1 out of 2 found this review helpful.

    Almost too good 0

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown was a game I was giving little consideration to until I saw the guys raving about how much they loved it. Originally suspicious, as I thought they may simply have been driven by strong nostalgia, I decided if I saw it cheap I would buy it. That's exactly what happened.I picked it up for 29 euro and I must say what a bargain. One of my favourite games that I simply can't get enough of. Despite the lack of a strong narrative, the way the game is set up lends itself extremely we...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown 0

    I personally never played the original XCOM, so all I knew heading into Enemy Unknown was that whatever I was in for, was going to be pretty hard, and there would be aliens. I was not let down in either category, the aliens have a very X-Files little gray men feel that contrasts the super-military styling of the XCOM troopers rather nicely. There isn't much of a story in Enemy Unknown, but the premise is strong enough to serve its purpose. Aliens have invaded, and you are the commander of a mult...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    Patience is Key 0

    I downloaded a package of XCOM games during a Steam sale a few years back on a friend’s recommendation. He was adamant I would love the game, based on my enjoyment of another game he had introduced me to; Final Fantasy Tactics. However, I have difficulty going back to older games these days and I didn’t make it that far. Like Fallout before it, I needed an update of a classic PC series to understand the hype. Enter XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a superb turn-based strategy game by Firaxis.To point out, I...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    XCOMM Enemy Unknown Review 0

    Developer: Firaxis Games (Known For: Civilization IV, Sid Meiers Pirates)Publisher: 2K Games (Known For: Borderlands 2, Bioshock)XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a game that will attract as many as it drives away. It’s difficult and very often brutally unforgiving. Missions going according to plan can be turned on their head in a matter of seconds, leaving a squad decimated and severely underprepared moving forward. XCOM is unique in today’s modern market in that it gives the impression that it is activel...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    Turn-based strategy at its finest 0

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a remake of the 1994 game UFO: Enemy Unknown. The game starts you off with 4 soldiers and you have to lead the soldiers into positions to kill aliens. The combat is tough to get down at first but easy once you get a good strategy going. Also outside of combat is really complex. You have to balance a budget, buy facilities, buy items for combat, do research on things found in combat, and many other things. Soldiers will rank up and get new classes which lets you pick certai...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    A game about taking risks 0

    On the strategy layer the player manages the base building, research, soldiers and much more. There are a lot of things to keep track of and the game does a wonderful job by presenting the base in an ingenious “ant-farm” view. The complexity of the base and amount of things to manage increase each simulated month and the player is forced to make hard decisions what to prioritize. The game excellently builds up tension leading to a great finale.Core of the game is the tactical layer. ...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    XCOM: Enemy Unkown makes itself a known great game! 0

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a turn based strategy game where you are trying to defend the Earth from aliens. It offers an interesting premise with an addictive gameplay system similar to games like chess, along with making difficult decisions of which countries to protect or making the decision to use your limited resources to make a gun versus building a new aircraft to protect the Earth from invaders. Not only are the risks high, the rewards of nailing a low percentage headshot or surviving a terro...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    Five Ways That Firaxis Built a Better XCOM 0

    Remakes are always tricky, but Firaxis beat the odds to deliver a phenomenal game with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Even those who have never touched an XCOM game before should give it a chance.Remakes and reboots are a dicey business. Whether you're painstakingly modernizing a beloved classic for the next generation (see: Black Mesa) or engaging in slash-and-burn nostalgia farming to score a quick buck (see: TMNT Turtles in Time: Re-Shelled for XBLA), it's always a delicate balancing act. On one hand, ...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    We.....are not alone 0

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a remake of the original 1994 XCOM: UFO Defense (also known as XCOM: Enemy Unknown). Tossed out by Firaxis, the makers of the Civilization games, the game already looked promising when I was poking around my local Game Stop. Of course, I would be lying if I said I bought this game on day one. Let me set the scene here: While the world is playing happy slaps with each other, a much bigger threat comes from the stars, aliens my friend, aliens. I'm not talking the “phone home...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    Fun, but with irritating facets 0

    I enjoyed this quite a bit, but it definitely has its share of problems. First and foremost, it does a pretty bad job of teaching you how to play it. In fact, it seems to hold your hand and walk you through a playstyle that will inevitably require a mid-game restart and fails to even acknowledge the satellite coverage system which is by far the most important tool for keeping the game over state away and is the only way to increase your funding.There's an odd feeling that the game can't decide w...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    Loved it the first time I played it, now I love it more! 0

    I was a huge fan of the original and when I heard they were making this in 2012 my biggest fear was that it would be too different than the original. And it was very different but after a few missions I absolutely loved it. Fast forward 3 years and I am attempting to do a second playthrough with the Enemy Within DLC and the LongWar mod. For those familiar with the difficulty level of the original "X-COM: UFO Defence" (absolutely punishing) LongWar is the answer to all the haters that complained ...

    1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

    An amazing and engaging strategy game 0

    I hate XCOM. It beat the crap out of me repeatedly. Every time I would do even the slightest of mistakes, it would punish me immediately and in the worst way possible. It taught me how to play it by screwing up over and over again until I got it right. And that it also why I absolutely love this game. XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a turn-based strategy game and I love it. I love how the combat works and how cinematic and action-y it feels while still totally being tactical. I love spending hours in my ...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    Xcom is damn hard. 0

    This game is hands down the most fun I've had in a strategy game ever. Turn-based, yet gives the illusion of action that is a real nail-biter. Planning your research is everything, and everything takes time and money to make. Time may be your worst enemy, but there are some ways around this such as continent perks and getting more scientists and engineers on your team. Eventually you will start having your squads wiped out, which is really hell since your leveled up soldiers become very importan...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    OPERATION BURNING SUNSET 0

    [JOURNAL ENTRY. APRIL 5.]I decided to write down my stories, in case they become the last ones told.My squad was taking a breather after a tough firefight when a giant green behemoth charged through the burnt out husk of a Japanese office building and battered the front door into splinters. I’d never seen this alien before. Several of my soldiers were completely unprepared for another engagement- their magazines down to their last bullets and vitals were starting to wane. They had been scattered...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    A grandiose remaking of an amazing classic! 0

    I remember being introduced to the series on a High School friend's original Playstation (as in, PS1 or PSX). While the atmosphere seemed a little darker then, the overall experience is still there. I enjoyed both the original and this greatly called-for remake.I'll hit on a few points.I would list the gameplay that improved on from the original, but let's face it, 18 years after the original game's 1st release, and you'd have to expect everything to be improved on. And it was.I'll hit on a few ...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    A GAME ABOUT TURNS 0

    Approximately 80% of XCOM: Enemy Unknown are these adjectives:INTENSEVISCERALHORRIFYINGWHITE-KNUCKLEASS-CLENCHINGTENSION-FILLED TENSEHANDS-COVERING-ANXIOUS-GASPS INSANEPRAY-TO-THE-RANDOM-NUMBER-GENERATOR-DIETY DESPERATEAnd there's another 20% and that's fun, but let's talk about the 80% first.GRRR TAKE COVER POP SOME MOLESXCOM is, with little to no reservation, a terrific and hugely important accomplishment in video game design. It is turn-based combat that is almost consistently breakneck and n...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    A love song to all things strategy and control. 0

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown (XEU) is a game that makes you feel incredibly in control. Nearly immediately into the game you are making big decisions, not just the movements and actions of your squad, but base location, satellite building/deployment, power needs, balancing a budget, meeting the needs of 16 nations, building an air force, training and equipping a squad of up to 99 soldiers.... its an incredible sensation that I wouldn't trade for anything.XEU is very much two games in one, a squad turn ba...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

    IT'S XCOM BABY! 0

    When the news of a XCOM remake, a FPS no less, reached the gamer-verse, there was a collective gasp of shock, followed by much gnashing of teeth and hand wringing. IS NOTHING SACRED?? Another beloved and vaunted franchise of PC game franchise fallen by the wayside where C&C and Ultima went, and molested by grubby console interests and God forbid, XBOX controllers, surely brought a tear to any self-respecting aficionado (elitists) of the franchise.Then slightly more encouraging news of Firaxi...

    0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

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