Xcom Enemy Unknown

[Puckett]

I picked this up as part of Best Buy's B2G1 sale and it's hard for me to recommend it at a $60 price point, even though I'm enjoying it, because I'm not sure how much of a market there is for a turn-based tactical squad game with an isometric perspective now. Then there's the graphics, which aren't cartoony enough to be stylized (see Borderlands or Team Fortress 2), but aren't good enough to be photo-realistic (i.e. they just kinda look cheap).

I'm enjoying it, but unless you like older tactics games, I'd suggest avoiding it. Feel free to ask questions if you like (and if you remember the older Xcom games, go easy on me as it's been something like 15 years since I played them and I don't feel comfortable drawing comparisons).

 

[ajacks13]

imma pass on dis one... tanks Kirby...


By the way, Wes Mantooth calls you Kirby Puckett.... its best that you not ask

 

[xIx EDGE xIx]

When you say tactical turn based do you mean Final Fantasy style or RTS style?

 

[Omoplata]

It's a Final Fantasy or Shining Force style RTS, Edge. I am really on the fence about getting it. It looks awesome and got amazing reviews, but I will probably rent it first. What turned me off the most was a game play video with the developers. Any time something that didnt make sense would happen they would just say, "That's XCOM" I was like no that's stupid. For example, multiple and frequent misses on targets with 90% hit chances. In a game where characters die and don't come back, that is unacceptable.

 

[xIx EDGE xIx]

Yeah that doesn't sound too good...it's been a while since I played a turn-based game so I would be open to a new one if it was done right, but this sounds like it was slapped together in six months to make a quick penny.

 

[Puckett]

To me, RTS has always meant real-time strategy, like Starcraft. Turn-based means you can walk away from the game for 12 hours, come back, and it will be exactly where you left it. (Also, Final Fantasy, to me, is not a strategy or tactics game -it's a JRPG - nor is it precisely turn-based or RTS ... FFXIII, for example, simply slowed time down while a player issued commands - it did not stop it.)

Here's the bigger problem I have with the game - it doesn't look great. The graphics, frankly, are kinda crap. They are neither sufficiently stylized to be intentional (i.e. Borderlands, Team Fortess 2, etc.), nor are they photo-realistic, nor is the game inexpensive enough to excuse it (Earth Defense Force is a good example of a game with subpar graphics that also had an initial retail price of $40).

That said, I'm not seeing the issues you're seeing with consistent misses on 90% shots - usually, a 90% shot for my sniper is a guaranteed kill after factoring in critical hits.

Still, unless you're a turn-based strategy game fan and have been dying to play one on a console, I'd suggest avoiding it.

 

[slaychandim]

i was under the impression this game was gonna be some kind of fps

 

[Omoplata]

i was under the impression this game was gonna be some kind of fps

There is an XCOM coming out next year that will be a FPS. Confused yet?

 

[Puckett]

There is an XCOM coming out next year that will be a FPS. Confused yet?

I'd be more interested in a squad-based Xcom RPG I like the base advances and research and manufacturing aspects, and I like the tactics part, but it's 2012 and this title simply doesn't look like it.

 

[Omoplata]

I'd be more interested in a squad-based Xcom RPG I like the base advances and research and manufacturing aspects, and I like the tactics part, but it's 2012 and this title simply doesn't look like it.

I agree. Not sure if you guys ever played Area 51 back in the day, but if the FPS version of Xcom is anything like that then it is full of win in my book.