Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Amazing"

I played the original back when it came out and found that game enjoyable, and when I fired this up I was nothing short of satisfied. I have found the game play extremely rewarding, from building your base to the actual engagements. It's just damn good fun.

If I had to force myself to think of a flaw, it would be the story line, while sufficient and even engaging at times, doesn't convey the sense of fear that aliens are invading the planet. Rather, from what I've seen so far the story treats the alien invasion more like a mystery that should be uncovered instead of the end of times.

Building a team, selecting their abilities and load outs, and deploying them into the fields is very well done and flows together perfectly. The abilities you choose have dramatic effect on the outcome of your battles. When a key team member is wounded and recovering at your base will make you feel like you are missing a close friend. Thankfully, I have not lost one of them yet, and I'm dreading the moment when it happens. I've lost a couple of scrubs, and it's easy to have a guy get taken down in a single shot so careful planning is paramount.