XCOM 2: Review

Written by: Adam "ManKorn" Korenman, CC2K Video Games Editor

Play Smarter, or Die

Aliens in XCOM: EU tended toward one of two sides. Either they were spastic fraidy-cats, firing off plasma rounds with wanton abandon before scampering away, or they were elite super freaks with god-like aim. In XCOM 2, this isn’t an invasion of the alien zoo. Each creature type has a specific purpose and talent, and they use them often and effectively. 

Sectoids are now man-sized necromancers, flinging mind control about or bringing fallen foes back from the dead. Advent forces are genetically altered humans, and function much in the same way as EXALT forces from EW. Mutons are tanks and bred for war, and they’ll make you pay for each precious health bar. I don’t want to ruin surprises regarding some of the other breeds, but one in particular sticks out. The Faceless. 

On some missions, you will encounter civilians. Sometimes they need to be saved, other times they need to be avoided. But always, they need to be watched. On my first reprisal mission, in which the aliens attack a resistance base, I sent one of my soldiers to evacuate a civilian. When they reached the frightened NPC, a mini-cut-scene started. The civilian exploded into an eight-foot-tall mound of melted flesh and claws. The creature growled and smashed my soldier, killing them in one hit. 

Incidents like this make you play a bit more conservatively then you may have before. Rushing into buildings or around corners can lead you straight into a trap. The aliens are smart, and they will play to their strengths at all times. You are always in enemy territory, and the odds are always stacked against you. Remembering that can be the difference between a successful mission and a failure. 

Aliens also reinforce, and will do so constantly until some tasks are complete. You may be tempted to farm the experience, but it is very easy to get overwhelmed. One missed shot can be the difference between a living soldier and a dead one. So choose carefully.