UFO:ET is a remake of the original X-COM game, but updated and with a few changes and new ideas mixed in
Frankly I was disapointed with Gamespot's reviewer. Had I payed much attention to it, I would never have bought the game, and would have missed out on a lot! To save a lot, if you've played the original game, you'll know what to expect. It does sound from his comments that the reviewer does not like turn based strategy games so why he reviewed it I have no idea!
The game is played in real time on the globe, which involves sending your fighters out to shoot down UFO's, but the actual squad based tactical combat is turn based, as was the original series, where you hunt down the aliens and capture their equipment.
Once captured, you research what you retrieved and develop your own equipment and weapons to counter the aliens attacks and manufacture it via laboratories and workshops. I won't go into more detail because it spoils the game
It is a game that requires time to play. Tactical battles require you to move each soldier in your squad, one at a time around a map shrouded in the usual "fog of war" and larger battle can take a fair while when there's lots of soldiers on both sides, but that's the whole point I find :)
The music can be rather irritating, some of the tactical music on lower volume seems to whine, so I have switched it off. Sound effects in general are about on par with this sort of game, nothing stunning but they do the job (and no annoying "yes sir!" every time you click on them either) Graphically it's nice enough. You won't need an Nvidia 8800 graphics card to run it, but since when have people who play these sort of games every wanted that! :)
To wrap up, if you liked the original X-COM - UFO Defence, or you enjoy playing strategy turn based squad level combat games such as Silent Storm, Jagged Alliance etc, then chances are you'll enjoy playing UFO:ET :)