XCOM: Chimera Squad

Ever wish XCOM 2 had a love child with Dungeons & Dragons? No? Well XCOM: Chimera Squad is here, anyway.

Smaller, shorter, more straightforward. Chimera Squad builds on the brilliant foundations laid by XCOM 2 but fails to completely replicate its magic, let down by an awful camera, many bugs and several strange design decisions.

Chimera Squad is a fun, bite-size spin-off of the XCOM series that scales down the scope and stakes. The strategy game is more accessible than its mainline predecessors, but its streamlined nature brings with it a few limitations.

The only real problem is that it feels like a stopgap between XCOM 2 and whatever XCOM 3 might be. It neither tarnishes the XCOM name nor does it do anything revolutionary. It also has the poor luck of coming out around the time as the stellar Gears Tactics which is this game's top competition for the attention of strategy fans, which probably isn't going to help its sales. If you like the XCOM series and fancy the chance to take command of a snake soldier, then XCOM: Chimera Squad will still scratch that tactical, cover-shooting itch.

XCOM: Chimera Squad is a good surprise with some interesting good news mechanics.However, it gives the impression of a quick release for stand up Gears Tactics.

XCOM: Chimera Squad does enough to keep fans of franchise entertained while they wait for XCOM 3, but niggling bugs and unforgiving time management elements will put off newbies to the genre.

XCOM: Chimera Squad is a brave adventure into new territory. Featuring a more interesting narrative design, some much-needed changes to combat, and a cast of interesting characters, all of these things would lead to a brilliant game if it weren’t for the myriad of bugs, crashes, and usual XCOM tiring randomness. It’s an absolute must-buy for fans of the genre, especially at its current price, but a bit more time in development wouldn’t have hurt.

We will also have Gears Tactics, and Streets of Rage next week and I’ll try to get those to you as soon as I receive the scores from my writers.

Chimera Squad is XCOM, despite the colorful shell and slightly less permanent mechanics. The turn-based structure changes for the better with the introduction of individual turns and smaller maps, leading to less overwatch shuffling around maps. However, it loses steam when it comes to mission variety and it literally fails at one of its core areas by way of bugs. Does this stop me from recommending this game, especially at its seemingly budget price point? No, not really. But I can tell you that I am going to wait for a few updates before diving back in, to see which team members I missed and whether or not I can actually hit that 90% shot this time.

At the end of the test, I had the impression that Firaxis wanted to quickly publish something to stand up to Microsoft's Gears Tactics. In my opinion, it didn't really work.

XCOM: Chimera Squad retains much of what makes XCOM such a special tactics series, in the process adding in some genuine improvements to its already excellent formula. But these improvements are undermined by some strange art choices, as well as a general reluctance to maximize some of its bolder changes. All in all, an interesting experiment, but one that still has a ways to go before reaching its full potential.

XCOM: Chimera Squad plays with some interesting new ideas, but doesn't bring them together into a particularly graceful whole.

Chimera Squad is a kind of XCOM-in-a-box: lighter, simpler, cheaper, and less interesting. Good if you are looking for some quick tactical fun, especially at this price point, but inferior to War of the Chosen in almost every way.

I do not regret the time I spent playing Chimera Squad, but it’s a definite downgrade compared to the excellent XCOM 2: War of the Chosen.

We suspect Chimera Squad might not be to the taste of genre purists, having sacrificed perhaps a little too much of the player's control over strategic outcomes in favour of reactive encounters. In some ways, it's XCOM for those who prefer action games - a hybrid that isn't afraid to ruffle some feathers, even if the resulting beast loses a little of its identity. [Issue#346, p.94]