XCOM 2 Beginner's Guide

In XCOM 2, everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. But that's part of the fun. In Firaxis Games' turn-based strategy sequel, you're constantly learning new ways to attack, defend, and use your soldiers' many abilities. There are layers of approach, and each scenario demands its own solution.

And since 2012's XCOM: Enemy Unknown and its expansion, Enemy Within, a lot has changed. Both in terms of overarching strategy and small-scale tactics, XCOM 2 is a different beast entirely. Series newcomers have a lot to learn, but so do XCOM veterans who may be entrenched in old habits, dated as they are on these strange new battlefields. This survival guide doesn't encompass everything you'll need to know, but it should lay the foundation for a few successful missions before your first inevitable failure.

Begin on Rookie Difficulty

XCOM 2's default difficulty is called "Veteran." But even if you're a seasoned XCOM player it may be worth downgrading for at least one campaign. Playing on a lower difficulty will teach you the intricacies of ambushing enemies, researching the right technologies, moving your Avenger base across the globe, and responding to new enemy types as the campaign unfolds. The basic XCOM structure is still intact here, but the sequel's many changes are daunting, and worth exploring before you increase the difficulty.

Master Ambushes and Concealment

Of the major changes in XCOM 2, the most prominent is its focus on guerilla warfare. This means you drop into many missions under cover of stealth. Not only does this help you explore alternate routes around unaware enemies, but it also allows for deadly ambushes. Set up your soldiers as close as possible to alien patrol squads, initiate the attack with your most powerful character, and eliminate any stragglers. Placing several squad members in defensive overwatch will help you deal damage before the aliens reach cover, and also finish the patrol before another arrives.

Dash Only When Absolutely Necessary

As was the case in Enemy Unknown, each of your soldiers has two actions per turn, barring any late-game upgrades. By dashing, you can cover long distances during firefights. However, this is rarely the ideal thing to do--even under concealment, you may stumble onto an enemy patrol, hindering your plans for the rest of the mission. Instead, use one movement action at a time. When you're sure the coast is clear, then use your second action to cover the remainder of the distance. This helps you avoid surprises as you set up ambushes, proceed toward the mission objective, and scope out the map before firefights start.

Know Your Soldiers

XCOM 2 shares some similar soldier classes with Enemy Unknown. The sequel's Sharpshooter, for instance, is akin to the Sniper from its predecessor, complete with long range and high damage. The new variant, however, has improved pistol abilities and long-range options as well. XCOM introduces new abilities to learn for existing soldier archetypes as they rise through the ranks: the Ranger grants more close-range options than its Assault successor; the Grenadier can destroy cover and suppress enemies in different ways than Enemy Unknown's Heavy soldier; and of course, there's the Psi Operative, XCOM 2's completely new class. Using this super soldier's mind control powers and telekinetic abilities can turn the tide of late-game firefights. Experimenting with each class's various possibilities is paramount in the grand scheme of your campaign.

Know Your Enemy

Much like it introduces revamped humans into the fold, so too does XCOM 2 deliver new aliens, complete with skillsets of their own. Learning these abilities is an important part of XCOM 2 as well. There's the Viper, whose Bind power can render a human soldier useless until her squadmates save her. There's the Berserker, whose ample health and brutal melee assaults make it a close-quarters nightmare. Then there's the Archon, complete with its Blazing Pinions attack that can rain down on several humans at once. Over the course of your campaign--or several campaigns--focus on learning each alien's attacks and habits. XCOM 2's AI is, by and large, exceptional, and will take advantage of each enemy's powers given the chance. Make sure you learn the best tactics to counter each role the aliens present you with.

Don't Neglect Your Rookies

The human Resistance is only as strong as its weakest soldier, and there are few things more detrimental to a campaign than a shallow roster. So make sure each soldier sees action. Bring rookies on as many missions as possible, with support from Captains and Lieutenants, complete with high-level abilities and better gear, to support the mission if things go south. Giving your new recruits kills will grant them experience, and go toward making them important cogs in your alien-fighting machine. When late-game missions roll around, having several squads' worth of veteran fighters to choose from will make you more of a threat to the alien regime.

Know When to Bail

Considering the previous tip, this should go without saying: your soldiers are your most important weapon. So if it's clear your mission is heading toward failure, don't be afraid to extract your squad--or what's left of it--in the interest of saving important leaders and promising recruits. Most missions allow for this, by letting you throw a flare to call in your dropship. Yes, failing the mission may give the aliens a temporary advantage. But it's nothing compared to the time it takes to train new replacements as your best fighters' faces adorn your base's memorial wall.

Focus on Expansion

Although most of this survival guide details what you can do on the ground, XCOM 2's strategy layer is important as well. As you guide your airborne Avenger base across oceans and continents, make sure you focus on expansion. Contact other rebel cells. Set up radio relays. Research communications upgrades. The supplies you'll gain from your monthly income will keep increasing, funding the purchases of new technologies, better gear, and more powerful weapons. Furthermore, global expansion will give you faster access to enemy facilities, the destruction of which is detrimental to the aliens' overarching plans.

Take Your Time

This may sound counterintuitive, considering the many timed missions and global threats you'll encounter in XCOM 2--but don't rush anything. This is a turn-based game. That means you can cycle through your available soldiers and abilities each turn, planning out not just the location, but the order of your attacks as well. There's rarely one way to accomplish a mission, and always several layers to consider with each decision you make. Using each soldier's various abilities, researching the right technologies, and attacking the right location at any given time could mean the difference between starting over and moving forward. You'll fail often--the best you can do is learn from your mistakes.

In the end, XCOM 2 is a complex game with numerous possibilities to consider. The learning curve is steep, but also part of the fun, as you make mistakes, change your habits, and hopefully find success. This guide should send you on your way to smoother missions and more refined strategies.