Successful redo of an old favorite
User Rating: 8.5 | XCOM: Enemy Unknown PC
There are several things that I like and hate about the new X-com when compared to the original, but overall it was a good update. Some of the negatives are smaller squads, no alien attacks on your base(less mission types), your units are harder to kill making it easy late game, and when you get psi abilities you only play a couple of missions with it, and your units are too easy to be mind controlled. I also dont like how you walk up to 3 aliens and they disperse. They should move around the map and when you find them, they dont get to move. Undiscovered aliens tend to stay put and not help others under attack. The game also feels dumbed down/simplified, however, some would say stream lined and removes some of the required management of multiple bases, bigger squads, inventory, etc. There is also only 1 transport and 1 alien fighter you can build unlike the original. Instead of building a new transport you buy an "upgrade" to allow more units...Tanks are also kind of lame in this one as they take up 1 soldier spot instead of 4 in the original. Some improvements are smaller squads making for shorter battles, more personal connection, and not having to reload every turn because 1/20 troupes die. I like the leveling up too! Graphics, camera angles during attack/movement, enough variety in missions and levels that I played 20 hours in 2 days and didnt feel that it was the same battle (although not "random", there are plenty of alien ship types that having varying damage to them in different fixed map locations), All ammo is automatically restocked at no cost and you infinite on missions. It was an annoying part of the old game to stock 20 soldiers after every mission. There are a large variety of alien types using a variety of abilities like grenades, guns, psi abilities, and flying that require some change of tactics. They needed to have so missile and sniper troupes though and maybe some weapon variety on the aliens. Later on they also get upgraded making them slightly different, however, the main change is just increased health to keep up with the damage output your troupes do. Research not only requires certain prerequisites, but number of scientists and materials, which can be annoying early on. By the end of the game I had 140 scientists but you need like 40 for best tech, however, late game it becomes that materials which are the limiting factors. The cost of making items it huge, however, due to smaller squads and the once built you have it forever makes up for this cost. Camera angle messes up during some attacks and movements, but it isnt a big thing. What is annoying is trying to move troupes to certain locations due to the camera. Walls are made invisible so you can see into buildings and works most of the time. Sometimes you want to take the cover next to a door and you cant see that the wall next to the door was blown out so now you are standing in the middle and easily shot. Other times certain floor cells do not like to be selected b/c in the same location your mouse is in, there are other available cells at different elevations...When fighting inside, your troupe is selected and the camera goes to a higher elevation so the rough is in the way so every troupe you have to zoom in...Original X-com didnt have this issue as you simply selected which level you wanted (1, 2, 3) and nothing else would show although this makes the camera not flow as well and the levels not look as good, so it is a compromise.
