Xenonauts 2 is a complete however overly secure tribute to basic X-COM

The issue with saving the world from alien invasion is it may be tough to know what to do subsequent.

Reworking a clandestine international organisation from being clay pigeons for alien sharpshooters into the form of power that may take down extraterrestrial motherships is an expertise that is tough to beat, and each profitable X-COM game has grappled with following up such an alluring premise. Julian Gollop seemed to the ocean for inspiration, leading to 1995’s Terror from the Deep. Firaxis’s XCOM 2, in the meantime, solved the issue with a intelligent little bit of retconning. “Shock sucker, you misplaced!” it yelled within the participant’s bewildered face. “Now you are combating a guerrilla marketing campaign towards a hybrid human-alien dictatorship! How do you want THOSE bananas?”

Each video games have been ingenious methods of constructing a sequel that adopted logically from the primary game, whereas reinvigorating all the idea on the similar time. By comparability, Xenonauts 2’s response is “What should you saved the world once more, however… extra?”

That premise has stood the take a look at of time for a cause, and Xenonauts 2’s variant is each broad in its canvas and wealthy with element. However as I ferried my Nth dropship of grey-suited troopers to their possible demise, I could not assist however really feel just like the novelty had worn a teensy bit skinny.

The 2014 Xenonauts emerged from a need to revive all of the ’90s tactical cruft that Firaxis’ XCOM reboot surgically eliminated. Like its predecessor, Xenonauts 2 scoffs at XCOM’s beginning squad measurement of 4 troopers, stuffing your dropship with 9 sentient blood-bags from the primary mission onward. Overwatch is not a capability you activate, its vary and unfold delineated by an obnoxious blue cone. It is simply one thing that occurs if any unit has ample time factors in reserve, making each step towards your alien foes a heart-stopping gamble. Your troopers have to be straight instructed to show to face enemies and crouch behind cowl, all of which price valuable time factors and can mark the distinction between life and demise.

As somebody who has performed new XCOM however not previous X-COM, I discovered these variations to be difficult at first. And by difficult, I imply fucking infuriating. Did not verify the corners of that barn you simply entered? Effectively, there is a lizard the scale of Dave Bautista hiding behind the wood-chipper, so that you’re lifeless.

Forgot to vary your sniper’s ammo clips while you gave him that snazzy laser rifle? WELL, he is run out of ammo three turns in, and is now about as a lot use as an anal probe.

Don’t have X-ray imaginative and prescient to see by the fog of struggle that obscures each unchecked tile on the map? WELL, you simply obtained shot from throughout a complete dockyard since you could not predict the long run. 

Firaxis was 100% right to take away these things from the reboot. Had I been compelled to grapple with such fiddly squad administration again in 2012, I might have binned it off sooner than a birthday card from Hitler. Nonetheless, as basic X-COM followers will inform you at any given alternative, this additional layer is there for a cause, and the extra I performed, the extra I understood why. 

Ways superior

Sure, shedding a xenonaut since you did not flip them forty-five levels is annoying. However that very same system may help you guard your flanks as you advance by the map, or deftly navigate round an alien’s overwatch, as orientation impacts their means to reply as a lot as yours. Many of the game’s mechanics work like this. An enemy that explodes on demise is harmful to everybody round it, irrespective of what number of limbs or nostrils or pancreases they’ve.

There are some components to the tactical layer that I unambiguously dislike, getting shot from midway throughout the map by an enemy within the black void being one in every of them. However there are equally components that I favor over Firaxis’ design, just like the big selection of fireside modes that the majority weapons have. Considered one of Xenonauts 2’s nice satisfactions is switching out a high-accuracy single shot for a low-accuracy three-round burst and seeing each bullet thud into your goal, shortly earlier than they thud into the bottom.

There are new components to the tactical layer too. The way in which autos are applied into the game has been adjusted. Changing Xenonauts’ cumbersome, manned scout automobile is an automatic weapons platforms that occupies a single tile like your troopers. Simpler to manoeuvre, it is helpful for preliminary recon of a mission space, whereas its missile banks are nice for coping with giant teams of enemies. These platforms are additionally modular, and may be outfitted with new and upgraded weapons identical to your troopers can. They’re large steel bullseyes for the aliens and get destroyed simply, however they’re quite a bit simpler to place again collectively than an individual.

As soon as your Xenonauts have accomplished a mission (or died making an attempt), the game zooms out to the worldwide view of the Geoscape. Right here you analysis new tech, assemble new weapons and gear, handle and develop your base (and construct new ones), and watch the skies for sightings of UFOs and different alien exercise. It’s extremely acquainted, a degree I will elaborate on later. However one factor Xenonauts has to its benefit is selection. Missions are numerous, starting from thwarting abduction and terror occasions to salvaging the wreckage of more and more giant and harmful UFOs. Nearly each new mission sees you dealing with some new menace or making an attempt out new weapons and gear. Aims are neatly breadcrumbed by the game too, even when lots of them are your typical seize a UFO/alien affair.

You at all times wish to see what is going on to occur subsequent, which is as a lot a testomony to XCOM’s enduring premise as it’s Xenonauts’ personal design.

Recognized flying objects

There are two criticisms that I might stage at Xenonauts 2. The primary is unfair however true nonetheless: it lacks the dramatic aptitude seen in Firaxis’ video games. Goldhawk conjures what fireworks it will possibly, and there are suave prospers all through. The music is suitably foreboding, whereas the textual content experiences you obtain for alien autopsies and main story beats are evocative and detailed. I additionally just like the brief summaries of world occasions that seem and fade as time passes on the Geoscape, disappearing journalists, political assassination, huge “lifeless zones” showing within the ocean. It feels suitably eerie and threatening.

However I like XCOM pulpy bombast, and Xenonauts’ extra austere presentation simply would not converse to me in the identical manner. One problem that significantly bugged me was the measly audio results on weapons. Sure, an M16 rifle is virtually prehistoric in comparison with an alien plasma gun, however ripping open a Secton with an M16 ought to nonetheless really feel satisfying. As a substitute, it is like shooting bubbles at a bag of flour. Later weapons are a bit of higher, however not a lot, and none of your xenonauts’ actions have a lot sense of physicality. 

My larger concern is the one which I alluded to firstly—for all Xenonauts does properly, there’s valuable little right here that is new or shocking. Xenonauts’ largest divergence from XCOM is the way it permits you to assume management over the interception of UFOs, directing your fighters from a top-down, radar-like perspective as they dance across the alien craft buying and selling missiles and gatling-gun hearth. However by Goldhawk Interactive’s personal admission, this function is not prepared within the early entry model. It is technically playable, however wants appreciable balancing and refinement, to the purpose where the builders at present encourage you to skip it. 

In the meantime, Goldhawk additionally makes an attempt to boost how acquainted the primary few hours really feel with the addition of the Cleaners, a mysterious human faction working in live performance with the aliens. A lot of the early game revolves round dismantling the Cleaner operation, raiding their places of work to steal their knowledge, assassinating their regional leaders to hinder their operations, and finally assaulting their headquarters. It is a cool concept. The issue is the Cleaners by no means really feel like a lot of a menace. All my encounters with the Cleaners put me on the offensive—at no level did I’ve to answer or defend myself from something the Cleaners did.

The early entry model, launching July 18, offers a largely full marketing campaign expertise, though it turns into visibly much less completed as you progress, with lacking descriptions for sure occasions and aims, and a latter section that at present feels anaemic. Nonetheless, Should you’re completely happy to play XCOM once more, then Xenonauts 2 is a wonderfully acceptable manner to do this.

Shooting down UFOs after which sending susceptible people to safe the crash site is a loop that also works for me, and Xenonauts’ classically minded techniques are as rewarding as they’re ruthless. However I would not have stated no to one thing extra daring, that attempted a bit of more durable to place a brand new spin on an previous adversary.