XCOM: Enemy Unknown sees a true return to form as Firaxis takes over the franchise originally made popular in the 1990s. Rather than further alienate the fanbase, this turn-based strategy game contains elements fans of the original games will undoubtedly appreciate.
GenreReal-Time Strategy
Platforms xbox360
DEVELOPER Firaxis | PUBLISHER Codemasters | RELEASE DATE
XCOM: Enemy Unknown Reviews xbox360
gaming-age.com review
Despite some of the tough love that XCOM: Enemy Unknown dishes out, it’s a game that definitely, absolutely should not be missed. Strategy games on consoles have suffered from some pretty middling, to downright awful attempts at bringing what is long thought a PC only genre to the television screen. But XCOM manages to keep both sides of the fence happy, offering up a full-fledged turn based strategy game that works, and works well, on the Xbox 360 and PS3. If you have the choice of going with the PC version, then by all means do so, but the console version of the game hardly feels hindered in any way. Regardless of your choice, you’ll be in for a treat when you sit down to play XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
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giantbomb.com review
The cleverest part of XCOM: Enemy Unknown is how it bundles up all of its complexities and interdependencies and presents them in a package that, while not easy, is at least easily digested. It’s often overwhelming, but in the best way possible. XCOM gives no quarter to players with the hubris to think they can play Enemy Unknown at a pace other than the one set by Enemy Unknown. This game will test your mettle in a way that will make old fans tingle with a sense of unforgiving nostalgia, and will make clear to newcomers just exactly what XCOM is all about.
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guardian.co.uk review
There’s really only one flaw XCOM has, and that’s the timing of its release. The game arrives as the industry’s heavyweight triple-A titles start jockeying for position in the Christmas retail release window. This is rather a pity, because it would a complete miscarriage of justice if XCOM slipped under the radar. It doesn’t have the brand power of games such as Halo 4, Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 or Assassin’s Creed III, but XCOM deserves to sell as many copies as they do. For those players who can exercise a little patience and restraint, it’s quite simply one of the best games you’ll play all year.
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xbox360achievements.org review
XCOM: Enemy Unknown isn’t just the best strategy game of the year though, it’s quite easily the best strategy game of this generation. Heck, it’s probably the best console strategy game ever conceived. Firaxis Games has managed the almost impossible task of maintaining what made the original so beloved back in the day, doing so while at the same time instilling a new lease of life into the franchise.
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gamerlimit.com review
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is challenging, satisfying, and heartbreaking. It’s also one of the best strategy games this generation, and potentially of all time. If you’re itching for a game that will either last you a long while, or challenge both your mind and your fortitude, this is it.
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videogameszone.de review
No Synopsis Available
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eurogamer.es review
No Synopsis Available
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ausgamers.com review
The result is one giant plate spinning competition. You’ve always got new missions to achieve or research to do, but never enough time or resources to do them all. Instead you’re forced to make the tough decisions, and it’s this element of responsibility that is at the twin green beating hearts of XCOM. As commander of the Earth you simply can’t save all of the people, all of the time. Whether it’s letting China succumb to public panic as you divert resources to cover the American continent, or sending in a rookie to soak up damage on a suicide run so that your veterans don’t die, XCOM will give you a scary appreciation of the harsh realities of being a leader in a time of crisis.
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metro.co.uk review
This proves that you don’t traditional action or lengthy cut scenes to excite or engage you; you just need a good game. Enemy Unknown is not just for fans of the original or those already used to playing strategy games, it’s for everyone that’s ever enjoyed a video game for anything beyond a few minutes’ surface pleasure. We hope it does well, for its sake and for gaming’s.
meristation.com review
No Synopsis Available
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escapistmagazine.com review
The second half of XCOM is the isometric tactical game of ordering your soldiers around the battlefield and dealing with the alien threat directly. The combat is a numbers game of working the percentages in your favor` For instance, hiding behind cover makes you harder to hit, while flanking an opponent increases your chances to score a critical hit. Those mechanics are further complicated by special abilities, how weapons differ from each other and trying to predict ambushes by going on "overwatch," which lets you automatically fire on the next target that moves. Each unit can perform two actions per turn, generally expending one to move from cover to cover and one to shoot. It’s a simple system that still gives you a lot of flexibly to formulate quick plans, like having your assault specialist double move in close to setup a flank next turn while your sniper goes on overwatch to prevent the enemy from leaving their cover. Upgrading to better weapons and armor will allow you to deal and take more damage, while experienced soldiers will unlock further special abilities. The tactically rich nature of the gameplay will have you excited when working through a tricky encounter, but also cursing when the random number generator turns into an alien sympathizer.
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oxm.co.uk review
The AI is sharp enough, but you’ll find it harder to fox fellow Earthlings in multiplayer – a pick-and-mix affair where each player has a certain number of points to allocate on units, abilities and gear from both the alien and human line-ups. This feature feels a little perfunctory, but XCOM doesn’t really need an inventive mode selection to entertain. Thanks to the sheer number of variables in play, the smallest of dust-ups has the potential to erupt into a two-hour disaster movie beyond Michael Bay’s wildest nightmares.
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gamesradar.com review
XCOM: Enemy Unknown elicits feelings of nostalgia you might not even realize you have–but not necessarily for an earlier era of gaming. Researching new equipment and customizing your soldiers is like a trip to the toy store, and bringing them to the battlefield feels like ripping open the packaging and playing with that new, awesome toy for the first time, discovering all it can do and testing its limits. Firaxis has done a remarkable job at adapting the classic gameplay of XCOM in a way that should satiate both fans of the series and those new to the genre, and though it’s capable of being brutally difficult, it doesn’t shy away from rewarding you for your successes. It’s a game that should absolutely be played by anyone interested in a more strategic take on the cliched alien invasion story–so long as you’re not afraid to lose a fight once or twice.
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canadianonlinegamers.com review
At the end of the day I just get this sense that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is one of those sleeper hits in the latter half of 2012. The smooth interface, sharp looking visuals, and surprisingly tense tactical turn-based gameplay are simply a blast. Many “run and gun†gamers will likely have little patience for this title, but all other gamers, especially those looking for a game that offers up a hefty challenge and an experience unlike any other in recent memory, should be aware that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a game that deserves some serious attention.
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cheatcc.com review
Your troops will gain experience and rise through the ranks as they tackle missions. But there’s a caveat to this: Death is permanent. It’s not uncommon to have leveled up a soldier to the cap, only to have him fall in the next battle, forcing you to start over with a new recruit. In fact, it’s wise to shuffle your soldiers around frequently and to not rely on a core group of six fighters. You will lose soldiers over the course of the game, and you’ll have to plan for that.
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