For all the old-school X-COM fans out there...

[Cowabungaa]

I know a lot of you are pissed about the upcoming FPS wearing the X-COM brand. But there is yet hope my friends! You see, while 2K is working on that game, they're letting Firaxis work on this:

Now this looks more like it, doesn't it? I haven't played the original that much yet, but this looks like it really carries the spirit of that game.

Now I wonder, why aren't more games like this getting released? I mean, this is getting released on the PS3 and 360 as well, proving that plenty of depth is possible in a console game, something most of us already knew of course. But what is the cause of games like that not being made any more then?

 

[Savagezion]

Yeah, I am pretty excited for this. X-Com fans have been saying for a while that remaking X-Com would pull in a lot of money. Let's hope gamers will back up their words and support it. It looks pretty solid though, so, no worries.

If you want something to hold you over, play the Civ 4 Beyond the Sword scenario "AfterWorld". (~2-4 hours of play)

EDIT: Just watched the video, hot damn that DOES look sexy. I will definitely be picking this up. Firaxis is good probably the best turn based strategy centric company out there.

 

[Windcaler]

I see one major thing that Im unhappy with. No female soldiers (so far as we know). That annoys me quite a lot and while Ill give a pass to Golden hawk and their upcoming X-Com like game Xenonaughts Im doing only because theyre an indie company. Firaxas doesnt get the same pass since they do have the resources to put female soldiers into the game.

That said, I like the addition of new cover mechanics between low and high cover but I think they're lacking concealment.

I like the anthill approach to base building but it seems to me they could have done the anthill approach with different levels able to be customized. For example I might put an entryway and the hangers on the first level but below that I might want my research facilities (including an alien prison) at the bottom level. The armory, storage rooms, and living quarters can be between them.

Personally Im looking forward to Xenonaughts more then I am this but thats more because Ive played Xenonaughts alpha and its pretty solid for a spiritual successor to X-Com. I cant say the same for this but I hope it'll be a big success.

 

[Savagezion]

I see one major thing that Im unhappy with. No female soldiers (so far as we know). That annoys me quite a lot and while Ill give a pass to Golden hawk and their upcoming X-Com like game Xenonaughts Im doing only because theyre an indie company. Firaxas doesnt get the same pass since they do have the resources to put female soldiers into the game.

Skip to 0:57 as they are coming off the jet.

3:07-3:11 you can see a female soldier blow the head off an alien in gameplay.

Also at 2:20-2:26 you can see a silhouette of a figure that may be something like the concealment you are talking about.

 

[WoW Killer]

I'm interested. No doubt I'll buy it of course, but it's a long the lines of "I wonder if this works" rather than "OMFG BEST GAME EVAR". The base building bit in particular seems cool. The cover mechanic sounds nice in theory but I'll have to try it to see. Turn base mechanics can be cruel on designers; if they don't balance it just right you'll get easy unbeatable tactics that they didn't think of.

I really hope it's a big success though. I mean a lot of people were up in arms about the *other* Xcom and demanding a proper sequel, which is the only reason this game was made. If it doesn't sell, the producers are likely to say "fuck the fans" and go by their own whims in future, which would be a really bad thing. I like to think the customer is always right, but I imagine some gamers will spend too much on ME3 DLC and horse armour to buy a cheap flick like this.

 

[Windcaler]

I see one major thing that Im unhappy with. No female soldiers (so far as we know). That annoys me quite a lot and while Ill give a pass to Golden hawk and their upcoming X-Com like game Xenonaughts Im doing only because theyre an indie company. Firaxas doesnt get the same pass since they do have the resources to put female soldiers into the game.

Skip to 0:57 as they are coming off the jet.

3:07-3:11 you can see a female soldier blow the head off an alien in gameplay.

Also at 2:20-2:26 you can see a silhouette of a figure that may be something like the concealment you are talking about.

I missed that. Ok complaint withdrawn. When I saw most of the soldiers were overly fat space marine types ala Gears of war I got pretty worried that it would be like most current games and forgo female models

 

[octafish]

I see one major thing that Im unhappy with. No female soldiers (so far as we know). That annoys me quite a lot and while Ill give a pass to Golden hawk and their upcoming X-Com like game Xenonaughts Im doing only because theyre an indie company. Firaxas doesnt get the same pass since they do have the resources to put female soldiers into the game.

Skip to 0:57 as they are coming off the jet.

3:07-3:11 you can see a female soldier blow the head off an alien in gameplay.

Also at 2:20-2:26 you can see a silhouette of a figure that may be something like the concealment you are talking about.

I missed that. Ok complaint withdrawn. When I saw most of the soldiers were overly fat space marine types ala Gears of war I got pretty worried that it would be like most current games and forgo female models

The bulky soldiers were a design choice to go cartoony like the old X-COM. Its all on their website.

Because like or not, this art style doesn't look good anymore:

Naah, that still looks great.

Anyway the only problem I have so far is the four soldier limit, I'm sure that can be expanded later in the game but it is the early game that requires a Imperial Guard/Zerg rush mentality, unless they are watering it down. It does however have permadeath for all soldiers so thank goodness for that.

 

[Casey Bowen]

There are games I am interested coming out this year. ME3 (yeah, I know it's out today, but I wanna finish ME2 first). Borderlands 2. Lollipop Chainsaw. Yadda yadda yadda. There is honestly only one that I am really EXCITED for-- Xcom Enemy Unknown.

When 2k announced that they were making an Xcom game I was interested until I saw that it was an FPS that to me really didn't resemble *anything* from my beloved Xcom UFO Defense. Not only was it not a strategy game, but the designs just didn't do anything for me. I have been fairly vocal any time it came up about how I thought it a mockery of Xcom.

Then a couple of months ago -- the rug was pulled out from under me in the best way possible. Firaxis announces that they are making a strategy Xcom. Sure, I was excited but wary. I've been hugely disappointed in everything after the original (well, maybe Terror From the Deep is passable -- but still a lesser incarnation). I read the GI article, I've scoured the web, and every new tidbit just gets me more and more interested in this game.

Sure, some things will have changed. It isn't just an HD coating on the original game (which I would also be fine with), but it is a new incarnation of one of my top 10 games of all time. I think it looks good (and I don't just mean graphically). I think they're really putting the effort into bringing the feel of Xcom back.

I hope to Heaven that it is so. I am counting on them. It is Firaxis so I don't think my faith is misplaced. Please be worth it!

 

[daveman247]

Looks good. Interested. Also interested in seeing how the FPS version turns out. Its good to have both! ^_^

Wouldnt it be funny if majority of fans went "meh" and passed it by after all this? no. No it would not be.

 

[Windcaler]

Looks good. Interested. Also interested in seeing how the FPS version turns out. Its good to have both! ^_^

Wouldnt it be funny if majority of fans went "meh" and passed it by after all this? no. No it would not be.

Even if they did theres still the indie developed Xenonaughts coming out which is as close to a spiritual successor to X-Com as any game could be.

Back on topic, another thing that concerns me is there seems to be no vehicles. In the original enemy unknown we could get all kinds of tanks, even in the laser and plasma variety but I didnt see any in the game. Seems to me that mobile cover and weapons platform under your control would be a great tactical tool for the player.

 

[Casey Bowen]

Back on topic, another thing that concerns me is there seems to be no vehicles. In the original enemy unknown we could get all kinds of tanks, even in the laser and plasma variety but I didnt see any in the game. Seems to me that mobile cover and weapons platform under your control would be a great tactical tool for the player.

Ahh, but there will be "heavy weapons platforms" that you'll be able to research and take out on missions.

 

[daveman247]

Even if they did theres still the indie developed Xenonaughts coming out which is as close to a spiritual successor to X-Com as any game could be.

I dont see what that has to do with my point but ok. ^_^

My point being that the only reason this game is being made is because of fans wanting it. If the fans then didnt buy it, well, that'll be the last time a company contemplates listening to the fans :/

Also: Thanks for alerting me to this other game, will keep my eye on it.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I've heard a lot of people claim this isn't a very big year for gaming. I'm actually worried I won't have time to play all the great stuff coming out.

X-Com remake
Civ Expansion
Crusader Kings 2
Guild Wars 2
Secret World
Mass Effect 3
Diablo 3
Warlock: Master of the Arcane
Bioshock Infinite

It just goes on and on.

Too much...toooooo much games....

 

[Worgen]

Well after this announcement and gameplay vid I can no longer hate on 2k for the xcom fps game, this one just looks so damn good, I just hope the pc version doesn't get shat out. It sounds like they know what they are doing, I mean they are fireaxis, they exist because of pc gamers.

 

[PBMcNair]

I think I'm really going to miss the basic rifle from the original. I loved the look of my squad picking off sectoids with 1 shot.(When they actually hit something)
They seem to lay a lot harder on the trigger in the new one. Although I did see a command for suppression during the vid, so that might explain that.

 

[Weaver]

I got a few things to say
1) Slowpoke.jpg

Seriously, there's been more than one official news story about this on pretty much every single gaming website I can think of. Even on this very website.

2) The removal of time units is pretty lame. However, the skill system and Descent: Journeys in the Dark style move/attack system (I'm convinced they "borrowed" it wholesale, as it's identical) sounds like it should add a certain amount of depth.

3) In thier official interview the amount of times they say "Simplify" and "Cinematic" concerns me a great deal.

4) 4 soldier limit is absolute bullshit. If this can't be upgraded I honestly don't think this is the game for me.

5) I'm happy we get the huge, wacky alien variety.

6) I don't like that they pretend no x-com game before this had cover. THEY ALL HAD COVER. Just because a green or yellow shield didn't appear above my character doesn't mean cover didn't exist in the game. This is like saying no FPS had cover before the snap to cover mechanics were invented. I can crouch behind a box myself, you don't have to do it for me.

7) The base looks cool, I approve of their new take on the base.

8) Here it comes. The consoles.
I don't hate on consoles, I own roughly 11 of them. But for the love of God, please don't fuck up the PC UI. I emplore you Firaxis, please give us a useable UI designed for mouse and keyboard. If I have to press

to select a squadie on the PC I'm going to soil my carpet with the tears of my weeping, broken soul.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

2) The removal of time units is pretty lame. However, the skill system and Descent: Journeys in the Dark style move/attack system (I'm convinced they "borrowed" it wholesale, as it's idential) sounds like it should add a certain amount of depth.

4) 4 soldier limit is absolute bullshit. If this can't be upgraded I honestly don't think this is the game for me.

8) Here it comes. The consoles.
I don't hate on consoles, I own roughly 11 of them. But for the love of God, please don't fuck up the PC UI. I emplore you Firaxis, please give us a useable UI designed for mouse and keyboard. If I have to press

to select a squadie on the PC I'm going to soil my carpet with the tears of my weeping, broken soul.

They've said repeatedly they're not porting the UI, they're making a native PC UI for the game. We'll see. I'm hopeful. They have a good track record, so I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

As for squad limit, I seem to recall reading "6". Seems low to me too, but we'll see.

The time unit thing...I had a similar reaction, but they explained pretty coherently the issue with time units and why they decided to move away from them. I'd like to see it in action before I weigh in further.

I'm optimistic. Even a streamlined X-Com is 1000% better than that FPS abomination. Or no X-Com at all. Between this and Xenonauts and Dead State...I'm just so excited. If only the JA reboot hadn't been made of solid suck, what a year this would be.

 

[Weaver]

2) The removal of time units is pretty lame. However, the skill system and Descent: Journeys in the Dark style move/attack system (I'm convinced they "borrowed" it wholesale, as it's idential) sounds like it should add a certain amount of depth.

4) 4 soldier limit is absolute bullshit. If this can't be upgraded I honestly don't think this is the game for me.

8) Here it comes. The consoles.
I don't hate on consoles, I own roughly 11 of them. But for the love of God, please don't fuck up the PC UI. I emplore you Firaxis, please give us a useable UI designed for mouse and keyboard. If I have to press

to select a squadie on the PC I'm going to soil my carpet with the tears of my weeping, broken soul.

They've said repeatedly they're not porting the UI, they're making a native PC UI for the game. We'll see. I'm hopeful. They have a good track record, so I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

As for squad limit, I seem to recall reading "6". Seems low to me too, but we'll see.

The time unit thing...I had a similar reaction, but they explained pretty coherently the issue with time units and why they decided to move away from them. I'd like to see it in action before I weigh in further.

I'm optimistic. Even a streamlined X-Com is 1000% better than that FPS abomination. Or no X-Com at all. Between this and Xenonauts and Dead State...I'm just so excited. If only the JA reboot hadn't been made of solid suck, what a year this would be.

Excellent news about the UI. I feel like I can generally trust Firaxis when they make a statement. Plus, as you said, they have a really strong PC track record.

a 6 soldier limit is a bit better, but still kinda low. I agree that we probably don't really need the 14 the original skyrangers had (I think it was 14) as I found that to be more than I really needed, but it's not bad to have the option of more guys to help clear those damn terror missions faster.