XCOM:D is not turn based strategy but you play from perspective of one of the hit-squad leaders.
I think the biggest concern here is that developers stepped away from a traditional concept of XCOM games - turn based strategy and introduced a third person shooter element. So the die-hard fans of the series and the gameplay genre would probably turn away from the game even though I think it would be a mistake and they'd lose on some 10-15 hours of good fun in XCOM universe.
The gameplay in XCOM:D is probably the one thing that will prevent the game to receive high scores because gamers are simply not used to this new way of playing games - third person shooter and applied strategy. To me personally its a new fun way to mix strategy and action. I've played through I think the most story-line at this point and I find it quite engaging and to be honest I like that there is a strategic element to this 3rd person shooter of XCOM game.
If it was simply a shooter I wouldn't like the game as much as I have and it would lose its already thin thread of connection to XCOM universe and previous games.
I think the biggest mistake that developers have done in the game is they've made humans understand what aliens are saying. It makes you lose the atmosphere of mystery and eeriness that surrounded the previous XCOM games. It makes aliens less scary and mysterious and more of an everyday thing. I mean why would they even care to talk to us 'lesser species' if they came to conquer the world?
Would game be more successful if it was made similar to XCOM:Enemy Unknown? Same turn based strategy only in 1960s? I guess it could have made a little bit better score since it would be something that we are already used to in XCOM games, but would it be 'unique' enough to see the difference and create enough interest to buy it considering that new XCOM:EU is coming out soon?
For what it is I like the game. They may have done better work on the research part a bit more involving since as soon as you find any alien technology it immediately becomes available to you without any time spent in laboratory to research the tech and adopt the parts understandable to humans. That makes the game kinda linear. Game feels lacking because of that. Main XCOM details that we like so much are missing, like that same research lab. Would be more fun if scientists in lab created new weapons BASED on alien technology, not just unlock the imprint on the weapons and allow every xcom guy to use those weapons as soon as they drop from the corpses of the aliens without it even being researched in the lab.
So yeah, I am judging and comparing here to the same thing that I think Kevin judged based on and compared to - previous XCOM games.
If you compare XCOM:D to other shooters it actually has more stuff to do than just running around and shooting green aliens thats what other shooters would do with some linear story line. Is XCOM:D a real XCOM game? Well, it sort of is. You do have research lab and you can talk with people there and sometimes even push some buttons but in XCOM:D you are not a main GOD like being controlling the whole xcom organization. You are a leader of 'hit-squad', so you ar sort of in different shoes than in previous games even though you still can control your squad, equip them with weapons and decide what skills they will learn.
I dont believe game is lacking if you just look at it as a shooter. Its actually more fun in comparison to 'straight' shooters because you can command what your squadron is doing how they use their abilities and what weapons they are equipped with as well as what type of squaddies you take with you from assault/engineer/doctor/recon choice. So on one hand you get a shooter with XCOM elements but on the other hand you get an XCOM game with 3rd person shooter gameplay.
I would still recommend this game to XCOM fans. They may not get another turn based strategy but game nevertheless has familiar tools at your disposal. You don't intercept the flying saucers but you do get your own flying saucer at some point to use in one of the campaign's middle chapters. You dont research alien artifacts yourself, but rather keep the enemy at bay and push them away while scientists in the lab to the research for you.
So yeah if you look at this game from the perspective of a leader of one of the XCOM 'hit-squads' then its a fun game. But if you expect it to be another great installment in XCOM turn based games - you may be disappointed.
What I dont like is that music cuts off sometimes, sounds clip here and there and game just feels like a bad PC port to consoles. I'll probably try the game on PC at some later day after I trade in this copy of PS3 game to see how the game plays without hiccups and sound problems.