XCOM: Chimera Squad

 PC
User Score
4.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 326 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 96 out of 326
  2. Mixed: 75 out of 326
  3. Negative: 155 out of 326

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  1. ELECTROVAMP
    Apr 27, 2020
    2
    Firaxis developers have sold themselves to politicians, they disgrace the great franchise.
    Firaxis and 2k games are ashamed.
    -1 loyal customer
  2. Cleomer
    Apr 25, 2020
    5
    It's a reasonably fun Xcom game, but the off-game political propaganda is a little too strong to ignore. Yet another game company that is more worried about lecturing us than entertaining us.
  3. SRKNZ
    Apr 27, 2020
    3
    Seems almost everything these days has been whacked with the woke stick. Guess I should not be surprised that games are getting a "make over" too.

    This is diversity loving, inclusive huggie XCom where people have made peace with the mean old aliens and now have coffee and do lunch with them. Its all sooo nice the world has turned pink and a nice lady called "mother" runs the show. If    Seems almost everything these days has been whacked with the woke stick. Guess I should not be surprised that games are getting a "make over" too.

    This is diversity loving, inclusive huggie XCom where people have made peace with the mean old aliens and now have coffee and do lunch with them. Its all sooo nice the world has turned pink and a nice lady called "mother" runs the show.

    If that sounds horrible to you, you are not alone. What I liked about XCom was its cold edge, the sense that this was as much as horror as a sci fi game where you faced off against a menacing unrelenting other. This for me is like taking the creature from Aliens and dressing it in a pink floppy hat whilst sharing a margarita with it.

    Yuck. 3/10.    … Expand
  4. condythug
    Apr 26, 2020
    4
    this release is a big step backwards for the xcom series, after the good last 2 xcom games from firaxis. i am not sure what the game designer was thinking when they created this. the comic strip style presentation of the game is completely odd for an xcom game. xcom is great b'c it has the dark tension and fear of being killed by aliens at any minute. this Chimera Squad has none of thethis release is a big step backwards for the xcom series, after the good last 2 xcom games from firaxis. i am not sure what the game designer was thinking when they created this. the comic strip style presentation of the game is completely odd for an xcom game. xcom is great b'c it has the dark tension and fear of being killed by aliens at any minute. this Chimera Squad has none of the great elements that made xcom good. it tries too hard to be colorful and fun when it is not relevant. in addition, the laughable dialogues make it more of a CCC game than a AAA release. clearly this release belongs to the junk pile and is yet another example of the cash grab methods by a declining Firaxis/2K. gaming companies nowadays seem to have taken the Disney route of taking old classical game titles and juicing them dry by creating rubbish to hoodwink gamers. sure they might succeed this once but people are not stupid and Firaxis is just damaging themselves in the long run with the bad reputation that they getting. is there any wonder why pirating games is still so widely done? B's who the **** is going to pay for such rubbish!?!… Expand
  5. videmon
    Apr 29, 2020
    3
    First I want to say that this game isn't bad, it's a decent game, with working and tested methanics in known universe and is quite lengthy. Now to bad stuff... The game is overly repetitive. It's so bad that after just 4 hours I didn't want to start the game anymore. There are balancing issues, where some of your units are becoming super soldiers. The fact that the maps are now extremelyFirst I want to say that this game isn't bad, it's a decent game, with working and tested methanics in known universe and is quite lengthy. Now to bad stuff... The game is overly repetitive. It's so bad that after just 4 hours I didn't want to start the game anymore. There are balancing issues, where some of your units are becoming super soldiers. The fact that the maps are now extremely smalls, the came lost its tactical aspect and the fights are taking 5-10 minutes. Even with those small maps, the games occasionally having issues in top hardware. Each fight starts the same with the new mechanic, which is interesting few dozen times, however gets annoying afterwards. Attempt and failure of making character driven story (or story in general) For the price they are asking, the game is solid 6 out of 10 (if not the very bad part) Very bad stuff: (also minor spoiler) The game is full of LGBT messages, which has no business in video games and especially in xcom universe. Males are in squad quite weaker, just because. The main "bad guy" is of course white male, with no story nor reasons nor plan. Aliens which were originally genderless, now have **** for some reason?! I am honestly afraid for xcom series and civ, if this is the direction they want to go. Now about the game play: everything shows that this game was originally designed for mobile platform, from small maps and very short encounters. However (I assume it haze something to do with release of gears tactics or the fact that they didn't managed to optimized it for mobile) it was quickly reworked for pc. Which explains also low price and poor optimization. I personally am against rushed projects, since they are usually anti customer.… Expand
  6. Mazisky
    Apr 25, 2020
    2
    A truly disappointment, nothing like previous Xcom games.

    -Really small and repetitive
    -No characters creation
    -Characters can't die
    -No base building
    -All maps of the game are small rooms in sequence.
    -Writing and characters are the worst seen in last 10 years.

    Buy Xcom 2 or Xcom EW, this is basically the mobile version.
  7. bohdanpodlaski
    Apr 26, 2020
    3
    Maybe it's only me but, all the X-Com, UFO games were for me about being a part of my own story. Customizing my character and all the team as my closest friends so I would care about each of them and want to keep them alive.
    When an alien or one of the main characters from Chimera fells down ... I just can't care less.
    That's just subjective opinion but lack of customization killed it    Maybe it's only me but, all the X-Com, UFO games were for me about being a part of my own story. Customizing my character and all the team as my closest friends so I would care about each of them and want to keep them alive.
    When an alien or one of the main characters from Chimera fells down ... I just can't care less.

    That's just subjective opinion but lack of customization killed it for me.
    I hope they will release mod/addon whatever (even without this story mode which I don't care about) where I will be able to play missions as it used to be and make my own personalized team.    … Expand
  8. EmperorProtects
    Apr 25, 2020
    0
    Truly sad. The X-Com franchise has devolved from being the gold standard of science fiction turn-based strategy to a mobile game for simpletons.

    Shallow, boring gameplay. Horrible depressing characters and writing. No customization or strategic depth. Frequent crashes and technical instability. Not sure what they're doing at Firaxis these days, but it seems like they must have fired    Truly sad. The X-Com franchise has devolved from being the gold standard of science fiction turn-based strategy to a mobile game for simpletons.

    Shallow, boring gameplay. Horrible depressing characters and writing. No customization or strategic depth. Frequent crashes and technical instability.

    Not sure what they're doing at Firaxis these days, but it seems like they must have fired everyone with a brain.    … Expand
  9. Citizenpete
    Feb 15, 2021
    2
    I've been playing the Xcom games since the first one in the nineties, but this one just doesn't work for me. It seems like Firaxis/2K is in desperate need of cash, the game collects and sells an extraordinary amount of telemetry data from players/customers. It seems to be unfinished, because all the time the game gets stuck, stutters or even crashes. The design and style are veryI've been playing the Xcom games since the first one in the nineties, but this one just doesn't work for me. It seems like Firaxis/2K is in desperate need of cash, the game collects and sells an extraordinary amount of telemetry data from players/customers. It seems to be unfinished, because all the time the game gets stuck, stutters or even crashes. The design and style are very youth-oriented, artificial and forcedly progressive. The innovations can't inspire for very long and somehow I miss the real Xcom feeling very quickly. It seems like a project of an ambitious modder. Refund. I would have never thought it, but it just doesn't grab me. A great pity. I hope the (real) third one continues the quality of the predecessors.… Expand
  10. Bubber
    Apr 24, 2020
    4
    The gameplay is pretty basic, nothing exciting, but it is a budget game. However the writing and characters are just awful, I can't deal with all these sassy people and woke dialog. Why do they keep doing this in movies and games when it always results in failure?
  11. Lambo442
    Apr 24, 2020
    2
    I was suprised this game was so mediocre, being made by the legendary Firaxis. The first thing that struck me which I found jarring was the dialogue, it's just so corny, with the banter between sqaud mates being really corny, with jokes landing flat. The tutorial was so boring I didn't even bother with the game. Introducing you to a small amount of game mechanics shouldn't be that dull.I was suprised this game was so mediocre, being made by the legendary Firaxis. The first thing that struck me which I found jarring was the dialogue, it's just so corny, with the banter between sqaud mates being really corny, with jokes landing flat. The tutorial was so boring I didn't even bother with the game. Introducing you to a small amount of game mechanics shouldn't be that dull. The 'turn' queue doesn't work for me with this title. It makes battles way too predictable. I can't help thinking this title is just a convenient cash cow that they didn't have to make too much effort on. Surely a new title in the xcom universe should be rivalling or surpassing the last one, not be a step backwards. Refunded this after 20mins and went back to War of the Chosen.… Expand
  12. dontadow
    Apr 24, 2020
    8
    Fun little game and worth the initial price. This is X-com lite, but is that bad when thinking about a game as heavy as x-com is.

    The tone and story change drastically for the better. I'm going to bet that racists and xenophobes are going to hate it , as the party is diverse of humans of various races and aliens and the true goal is to find real bad guys, not just kill everyone who    Fun little game and worth the initial price. This is X-com lite, but is that bad when thinking about a game as heavy as x-com is.

    The tone and story change drastically for the better. I'm going to bet that racists and xenophobes are going to hate it , as the party is diverse of humans of various races and aliens and the true goal is to find real bad guys, not just kill everyone who doesn't look like you. True, in all prevous games of x-com you worked with humans who mutated into aliens, but now we go a step further and we get some layers to that story about how this world would have progressed.

    It was this extra emphasis on a more grounded story that won me over. Games are maturing past the caveman like me kill u cause u different approach and moving to something that requires discerning.    … Expand
  13. VladRadu67
    Apr 24, 2020
    10
    The game is fun. It has however a completly diferent feel from the other Xcom games ,the tension from trying to go around and hunting the enemy is gone.
    The game is more action heavy.
    I expected Xcom Swat , and that is exacly what i got.
  14. TimbKo
    May 2, 2020
    0
    The game itself bring nothing new for the price tag except the movement one by one. And a single player game that can be run without internet.
  15. Losteone
    May 25, 2020
    0
    Bugged mess with outdated graphics, dumb dialog, and I think it's word XCom.
  16. SH1
    May 11, 2020
    0
    Good story but too buggy to buy at this point. This is why I should not buy AAA titles at release. Will it go to consoles? Imho yes eventually after all the bugs have been fixed.
  17. Violett
    May 22, 2020
    3
    Even worse than previous remakes, bleh. Many mechanics got cut. You cant build, you cant sell stuff, research tree got cut - you can research the best armor literally in 2 steps. You can capture aliens, but this gives you nothing but some points. Remember how hard and rewarding it was to capture Eternal guy? Missions are quite the same, there are no "terror" or "alien base" type missions.Even worse than previous remakes, bleh. Many mechanics got cut. You cant build, you cant sell stuff, research tree got cut - you can research the best armor literally in 2 steps. You can capture aliens, but this gives you nothing but some points. Remember how hard and rewarding it was to capture Eternal guy? Missions are quite the same, there are no "terror" or "alien base" type missions. There are some intresting abilities combinations, but other that that all characters looks the same, even blant chitchat between missions cant help it. 3 of 10 at best.… Expand
  18. fallout7050
    Aug 27, 2020
    0
    The game is totally disappointing at first it seems that it can be interesting but there is little that the new mechanics presented before 3 or more Crashes can do caused by the bad idea of ​​putting infinite enemies seriously, who came up with that idea? Not to mention that the Most enemies are generic and they get boring after a while like a continuation of xcom sucks and it shows thatThe game is totally disappointing at first it seems that it can be interesting but there is little that the new mechanics presented before 3 or more Crashes can do caused by the bad idea of ​​putting infinite enemies seriously, who came up with that idea? Not to mention that the Most enemies are generic and they get boring after a while like a continuation of xcom sucks and it shows that they could do something better like what they did with xcom 2 but they did not release an unfinished game and with many errors for me this is the rating the game deserves a 0… Expand
  19. AllNewSuperfake
    May 12, 2020
    4
    It isn't terrible for what it is, but I am tired of seeing franchises streamlined to death. I'm tired of having all the talent that was obviously involved wasted to dumb down yet another experience. But I guess it was either that - designing the game to become boring very fast so that you have an incentive to buy more stuff ("The Sims" has been doing this for more than 20 years) - orIt isn't terrible for what it is, but I am tired of seeing franchises streamlined to death. I'm tired of having all the talent that was obviously involved wasted to dumb down yet another experience. But I guess it was either that - designing the game to become boring very fast so that you have an incentive to buy more stuff ("The Sims" has been doing this for more than 20 years) - or another "Live Service"-game.

    This fittingly named "Chimera" was obviously made by people who don't understand the series.

    What makes it even more disappointing is that "War of the Chosen" did so many things right, and was praised for it - so why run in the opposite direction? Taking out customization and replay value, cutting out strategic options, killing basebuilding and management would be bad enough.

    But doing it so that you can chain me to a sub-par plot, trading player incentive and a personal experience against linear fan-fic-fluff when all that people wanted was more of the same is baffling.    … Expand
  20. Druganov
    May 18, 2020
    3
    The positives:

    + Smooth and solid gameplay, short rounds, you can play this game for half an hour at a time. + For the price, you get a decent deal in gameplay quality. The negatives: - Boring as hell after a few hours. 95% of the missions feel the same, breach here, shoot them, rinse and repeat. except some late faction missions. - "Epic" weapons are a joke, the added    The positives:

    + Smooth and solid gameplay, short rounds, you can play this game for half an hour at a time.

    + For the price, you get a decent deal in gameplay quality.

    The negatives:

    - Boring as hell after a few hours. 95% of the missions feel the same, breach here, shoot them, rinse and repeat. except some late faction missions.

    - "Epic" weapons are a joke, the added bonuses don't even improve the basic dmg, you only get a different skin.

    - Upgrades trough the armory or purchased feel worthless.

    - Personally, i don't like the new time-slot combat order system. takes away a lot of tactical thinking.

    - Painful and too obvious "woke" ideology being displayed, i try not to pay attention to those sort of things and just play a game, but after a while i smelled the stench of positive discrimination (which is still discrimination, only more subversive) oozing out of this game.

    - And my biggest gripe: The whole atmosphere feels childish and cringeworthy, the so-called banter between your X-COM personnel is so horrible that, in a way, i wish that i could grab a shotgun and, with 99% accuracy, unload it on their faces (and probably miss).
    The 3D style is too cartoony, and the 2D "art" work looks like it's been drawn by a toddler in MS paint.

    This is meant to be an X-COM lite with a small price-tag, sure enough, but for me it feels like i'm playing a **** mobile phone game on a PC.
    I hope the developers and publishers realise what a shame this is on the X-COM franchise.

    3/10    … Expand
  21. xxanderr000
    Oct 9, 2021
    0
    This game is just a woke s**t. I have never seen anything as woke as this steaming pile of s**t.
  22. Lamp
    Feb 7, 2021
    6
    Horrible, cheesy, Archer knockoff characters; obfuscated mechanics (like how much dmg does the burning status effect do?); clumsy UI; underdeveloped breach mechanic and base activities like the market. Crashes occasionally (often as the game tries to introduce reinforcements), but autosaves make that only a minor annoyance. Combat is serviceable.

    $10 is a fair price.
  23. AJCk19
    Jun 25, 2022
    5
    This is their 2nd time experimenting, within the newly rebooted series. But I rather just wait for the Xcom 3. Or just replay Xcom and Xcom2 with their associated expansions.

    It was worth trying and I guess they got to test out some new features, but never again will I play this.
  24. Tomle1202
    Jul 31, 2022
    7
    The watered-down XCOM formula still works in Chimera Squad, but it is watered-down nonetheless.
  25. DasDoktoerchen
    Nov 8, 2022
    4
    This game took the old X-com formula and added a few interresting new features. Sadly it also took some of the things I liked about X-com the most. I liked the fact that I could make my soldiers background up just the way I wanted to and had lots of customisation options.
    I appreciate that they tried to create their own characters, but in my opinion most of them are ruther unlikable. I    This game took the old X-com formula and added a few interresting new features. Sadly it also took some of the things I liked about X-com the most. I liked the fact that I could make my soldiers background up just the way I wanted to and had lots of customisation options.
    I appreciate that they tried to create their own characters, but in my opinion most of them are ruther unlikable. I grew from annoyed with them to straight up hating most of them rather fast. Thera are exeptions to that ( I liked claymore and Axiom, and I loved Torque.) but they are outweighed by the characters i disliked and I ended up wishing most of my characters to die.
    The graphics are ok. They aren't groundbreaking but they are nice to look at most of the time. Most enemys designs are good aswell.
    The music is good but nothing I would go out of my way to listen to (unlike X-Com 2).
    I can't judge the quality of the story as I couldn't bring myself to finish this game.

    Tl;dr: I can see X-Com fans and fans of round based stratey games enjoying this game, but its just not for me.    … Expand
  26. Jevgenijus
    Jan 27, 2021
    2
    Buggy as hell. Buggs are so seriuos, that makes it impossible to go thourght the game!!
  27. Bwnez0
    Aug 3, 2020
    5
    Never got around to finishing it and don’t intend to. I’d rather they just didn’t make this and invested more money into an eventual xcom 3 since xcom 2 and its expansion were so incredible. This is a decline in terms of gameplay though it does run quite smoothly compared to previous entries in the series.
  28. Kestranor
    Jan 10, 2021
    9
    I feel like this game does not deserve the hate it gets here. People just cry woke or compare it to an AAA title, then give this game a 0 score just because it features playable aliens or a diverse squad or a different turn system. I have played literally ALL X-COM (and UFO) games in the past, starting from the nineties. I enjoyed the DOS originals, I really enjoy the latest reboot, andI feel like this game does not deserve the hate it gets here. People just cry woke or compare it to an AAA title, then give this game a 0 score just because it features playable aliens or a diverse squad or a different turn system. I have played literally ALL X-COM (and UFO) games in the past, starting from the nineties. I enjoyed the DOS originals, I really enjoy the latest reboot, and played the "After" series and everything in between.
    This game clearly had a different approach in mind, but it was never hidden. All the information is available when people make the purchase, yet it doesn't stop them from **** and moaning that they get something different here. The game delivers exactly what it promises, and for the price, it is a great little tactical game, set within the new X-COM universe. The new turn order is refreshing, as well as the breach system. Agent abilities are varied, and since you can't get them all in one playthrough, there is incentive to replay it using different tactics.
    One of the common points for criticism is it's repetitiveness, which is somewhat valid, however, let's face it. All X-COM games are "repetitive" in nature. There's only so many variants of missions you can play before you've seen it all. However, this game features quick (15-30 mins) in and out encounters, which really makes hopping in and out of it easy. If I played it for 1 month straight, I'd probably be bored. Instead I played it as an off-game for some quick tactical fix, playing through 3-6 missions a day, and it's been fun. It also presents a lighter atmosphere, the characters are enjoyable, the banter is good, there's a lot of lore presented in various forms. Does this make the game woke? Maybe... I usually hate overly forced woke content as well, but I never felt it here. I just enjoyed it for what it is, not comparing it to a full price AAA title, or a full blown x-com game, giving it a chance to show it's vision for a different utopia. I wish more people could do the same.    … Expand
  29. deV14nt
    Apr 30, 2020
    0
    I can't picture a better advertisement for XCOM's new competitor using XCOM's old tried-and-true formula, Gears Tactics. I will be looking to Microsoft Game Studios in the future if Firaxis has lost its way. I don't care for the story and didn't enjoy anything about the game's first 20 minutes. Nothing compelling anywhere. I don't like the breach mechanic. It's basically like...so whatI can't picture a better advertisement for XCOM's new competitor using XCOM's old tried-and-true formula, Gears Tactics. I will be looking to Microsoft Game Studios in the future if Firaxis has lost its way. I don't care for the story and didn't enjoy anything about the game's first 20 minutes. Nothing compelling anywhere. I don't like the breach mechanic. It's basically like...so what are you going to do now that you totally ran out guns blazing and put all of your soldiers in harm's way. Rinse, repeat.… Expand
  30. gerva
    May 8, 2020
    0
    I have no words to describe this disgusting thing. I played All XCOM game from first UFO in 1996...I thought to see the worst in phoenix point..this is worse!
    Seeking for the tension that makes you don't move from chair for hours? Seeking for a tactical game? seeking to be surprised? This game is NOT for you.
    The (very poor) good: 1) Ranged overwatch (finally), but unuseful due to    I have no words to describe this disgusting thing. I played All XCOM game from first UFO in 1996...I thought to see the worst in phoenix point..this is worse!
    Seeking for the tension that makes you don't move from chair for hours? Seeking for a tactical game? seeking to be surprised? This game is NOT for you.

    The (very poor) good:
    1) Ranged overwatch (finally), but unuseful due to absence of tactical freedom
    2) Misc troop is a good idea, but The lack of freedom reduces it to unuseful!

    The bad:
    Why?
    1)Why wasting time to select soldiers to breach where there is only one door?
    2)Why breach in EACH room and reduce tactic to enter, fire,kill and stop?
    3)Why MINIMAL soldier customization?
    4)Why absurd timeline that make you only confusing?
    5)Why so complicated management?
    6)Why those ugly and static cartoons like a 70s comics?

    WHY WASTING MONEY FOR THIS?

    WHY???    … Expand
  31. Vagiclean
    Apr 25, 2020
    1
    Idea of the work of a special unit from the eyes of a 13-year-old girl.
    With absolutely inappropriate jokes and interruptions to ridiculous dialogues.
    It is better that they continue to remain silent professionals than ridiculous bro that by fan play war.
  32. Slapstick83
    Apr 26, 2020
    0
    The gameplay is nice enough with some decent innovations, but the writing is beyond horrible and ruins the rest of the game for me
  33. Babay14
    Apr 30, 2020
    0
    It's not XCOM. The game mechanics is simplified and cropped.
    Characters are flat. Moreover, it's not a game. It's very stupid diversity propaganda.

    Girls are good. White men are bad.

    That's ****
  34. LiseTorvalds
    Apr 30, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 0 for characters, 0 for story, 0 for F-rated illustration, 0 for using X-COM title on this shXX.
    Why, do I have to bear, those disgusting characters? I have plenty other games to play. I don't need to bother with those unpleasant characters.
    Why did they use cartoonish illustration? Why not screenshot of 3D model, like other X-COM series?
    Is X-COM some kind of childish joke? NO.
    And now the story.
    JUST 5 YEARS have past. And now, the invaders are within the invaded's SWAT team.
    What? It's like... Japanese SWAT in 1950 Korean Spec-op of Korean Japan-town. WTH.
    Yeah, yeah, Japanese were mindcontrolled by Tenno, blah-blah-blah, but Japanese were literally wiped out of Korea for some time (not massacred though, just transported to Japan).
    Why don't learn some history, before writing this piece of shXX called 'scenario'?    … Expand
  35. diceee
    Apr 30, 2020
    1
    Imagine you are playing XCOM 2: War of the Chosen. You customize your squad characters as you wish, doing them by your own, gives them names, appearance, clothes and even history, sometimes funny (cruel russian and the disco dancer in the past lieutenant Ivan), sometimes even more serious. And then, you open your eyes and you see XCOM: Chimera Squad, where the most respectful and coolImagine you are playing XCOM 2: War of the Chosen. You customize your squad characters as you wish, doing them by your own, gives them names, appearance, clothes and even history, sometimes funny (cruel russian and the disco dancer in the past lieutenant Ivan), sometimes even more serious. And then, you open your eyes and you see XCOM: Chimera Squad, where the most respectful and cool feature of the game was removed in order to create empty vessels named 'unique characters'. Wtf do I need 'unique characters' (which are really empty) if I could create mine?

    Graphics, style, all of it is so stupid according to the lore of the game. Remember eerie vibe in the XCOM 2: War of the Chosen when you see thousands of killed human bodies in the green vessels which are used by aliens to make dna liquid, remember clearing attacked rebel camps from attacking aliens which are really scary and all these kinds of mystic, horror, alertness.

    XCOM: Chimera Squad ruins all of it and replaces with colorful, funny style, there are not enough only rainbow ponies and unicorns to make this game even more colorful.
    There are more problems in the game (unbalanced characters system, useless training camp and other).
    It's painful to see what they did with XCOM.    … Expand
  36. Ttaman
    Apr 25, 2020
    0
    Steaming heap. An immature regurgitation of the XCOM series, with terrible dialog and lacking, very unlikable characters. Is this game a precursor for video game replacing Sesame St for children?

    I surely hope Firaxis Games does not go down this terrible path that many other companies are activity shoveling at consumers. It's not worth the 10 buck considering the game is running back    Steaming heap. An immature regurgitation of the XCOM series, with terrible dialog and lacking, very unlikable characters. Is this game a precursor for video game replacing Sesame St for children?

    I surely hope Firaxis Games does not go down this terrible path that many other companies are activity shoveling at consumers. It's not worth the 10 buck considering the game is running back processes for companies while collecting data from users: It's malware at best.    … Expand
  37. Krover
    Apr 29, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's really, really boring. There's not a lot of strategic options, so every encounter is pretty much the same routine due to lack of strategic potential. Some characters are so much more rich and interesting than others, really unbalanced.… Expand
  38. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    4
    I do not usually write bad reviews but, I do not understand the change they have made to the game, with that artistic section of cartoons fornite style, this game is easier than its previous ones and does not generate tension in their confrontations since the characters, in principle, you don't lose them forever when they die. The characters are created and configured and there is nothingI do not usually write bad reviews but, I do not understand the change they have made to the game, with that artistic section of cartoons fornite style, this game is easier than its previous ones and does not generate tension in their confrontations since the characters, in principle, you don't lose them forever when they die. The characters are created and configured and there is nothing you can do to modify them. The story is terrible (are aliens now our friends?). In short, it seems that they have simplified and infantilized the game. I do not recommend it.… Expand
  39. apolloncheb
    May 6, 2020
    1
    В игре нет белых оперативников, если вы топите за равноправие, то должны были добавить их. За такое лицемерие - минус вам в карму.
  40. Stalinavgn
    May 5, 2020
    4
    Dont mind me, game is good, but not what we need. I don't sympathize to this new world, to characters. I dont feel tension as in XCOM 2 or Phoenix point. I dont feel any connections between me and characters. Please make new game more like Phoenix point do or Gears tactics, but with all things from XCOM like globe, tension, dispare, Evolution, Base managment. Thats just all this genre needs.
  41. Valen555
    May 6, 2020
    3
    HUGE fan of Xcom 1 & 2. Have no idea why they released this game for PC - it is visible that this is meant to be a mobile game for phones and tablets. Breach mechanic is ok, but gets boring when doing it every mission. The timeline mechanic can be heavily abused - you can give like 3-4 actions to one squad member + the 2-3 actions that he/she already have + the free actions like grenadesHUGE fan of Xcom 1 & 2. Have no idea why they released this game for PC - it is visible that this is meant to be a mobile game for phones and tablets. Breach mechanic is ok, but gets boring when doing it every mission. The timeline mechanic can be heavily abused - you can give like 3-4 actions to one squad member + the 2-3 actions that he/she already have + the free actions like grenades and items. The comic book animations, voice acting, characters could be much, much better. Even don`t want to mention the bugs - needed to activate the console to continue my game. Yes, I know that this game was 10 euros/dollars at launch, but please don`t tell me that this childish, cartoony, colorful thing they call Chimera Squad is the future of Xcom ...… Expand
  42. S-J-Miller
    May 17, 2020
    1
    Pointless. Let's be fair, if you've never played any of the X-Com franchise: 2/10. Otherwise, avoid. Yet again, developers feel the dire need to remove features that worked and present the public with something they don't want. Why do they do this? X-Com 2 was a brilliant game. This effort is not.

    First up, welcome to the early 21st Century, a curious period of human existence where    Pointless. Let's be fair, if you've never played any of the X-Com franchise: 2/10. Otherwise, avoid. Yet again, developers feel the dire need to remove features that worked and present the public with something they don't want. Why do they do this? X-Com 2 was a brilliant game. This effort is not.

    First up, welcome to the early 21st Century, a curious period of human existence where anything that is commercially available is there to cater for about 1% of the population, and anyone who complains is decried as 'hateful' or 'fascist'. Perhaps I am 'literally Hitler', but frankly the po-faced 'diverse' and 'relevanttothe21stcentury' characters turned me off at the first hurdle. Were they there to engage me in strategic combat or to invite me to a vegan Trump-hating protest in Seattle? Ah, no problem, I can just create my own characters that I like... and... then... no I can't. Nope. You HAVE to play the politically correct, diverse, SJW characters that they want you to play. How I was hoping the more likeable enemy would kill them. You don't even have that pleasure.

    All-in-all, this is a highly truncated version of a brilliant franchise for no apparent reason. No base development, no character creation, nobody can die, totally unlikeable self-righteous lefty characters and a dumbed-down version of the excellent strategic combat of X-Com 2.

    Let's hope this is not a portent of the most eagerly anticipated sequel in strategic combat gaming: X-Com 3. If it is then it looks as though you can kiss it goodbye, along with the Fallout series, The Sims, Mount and Blade and Civilisation, to mention but a few.    … Expand
  43. TunaLion
    Jul 15, 2020
    0
    While my expectations for this game was tempered due to the lower price and no real build-up to the release, I was still massively disappointed. I recently finished XCom2 and was looking for another, less stressful "fix", so I started doing some research on what to get next to give me this "hit".

    I wanted to try "Narcos: Rise of the Cartels", but then I started reading about the "game    While my expectations for this game was tempered due to the lower price and no real build-up to the release, I was still massively disappointed. I recently finished XCom2 and was looking for another, less stressful "fix", so I started doing some research on what to get next to give me this "hit".

    I wanted to try "Narcos: Rise of the Cartels", but then I started reading about the "game breaking" decision the developers took in changing up the turns to it being "per soldier" instead of "per squad". Reviewers gave it low scores and based this as one of the main reasons for it, as well as being that a police force should not be using excessive violence - (here I want to note PCGamer as an example for anybody interested, and normally I value their opinions.) I was hence put off of this game by reviews like these and started searching for something else.

    I then noted that XCom: Chimera Squad has been given a good score (72) by them and the and thought what other place could be better than an XCom spin-off from the same developers as XCom to solve my problem.

    I was thus shocked to find that the very selfsame "issues" that Narcos: Rise of the Cartels had been taken apart over, were present here. So this makes me question many things such as why are all but 1 of the Critic Reviews positive for this game, while it was so negative for Narcos? What is the motive?

    Apart from all that, I also read that XCom: Chimera Squad is seen as some sort of "woke" / politically correct game to write the wrongs of the past by its diversity and black female lead. This is a bunch of BS - and no, not because I do not agree with diversity, it is just that it was present in the previous games, but it wasn't forced upon anyone, it was natural as diversity should be. I am sorry if you "woke" generation are not as "woke" enough to see that diversity should be natural.

    Heck, the previous 2 entries in the game was built upon this diversity, randomness and solidarity without anything being forced upon me as this is the way things should be. My recently played through XCom2 squad was full of diverse female squad leaders (I saw 3 of them as my rotational squad leaders, although "leaders" is probably not really a thing in XCom) and they were often my most essential "damage dealers", whereas my male characters were mostly support. And I honestly didn't intend for that, it is just how things turned out - in a natural development of my play though. Just as diversity should be - NATURAL.

    Then there are also the numerous bugs, that is in many ways just shocking and torturous, such as armor being glitched out, CTD issues, below average graphics for a new entry (even for a spin off), etc.

    SO I am giving this game a 0 (yes zero!) for feeling that I was mislead by the reviewers who gave Narcos a bad score for the same issues that were included in Chimera Squad and also for the exact same reason some "woke" users gave it a 10 to essentially balance the overall score out.    … Expand
  44. Mxm0
    May 8, 2020
    2
    Firaxis - who has allowed xcom to be pushed in this stupid direction?! You are one of the only studios that make serious tactical games, why the hell would your long time customer base (played xcom before firaxis 20 odd years and counting) want to see your excellent game model deteriorated to bring in teenagers? What the hell? Do not do this again. XCOM 2 / WoTC was a masterpiece. Get backFiraxis - who has allowed xcom to be pushed in this stupid direction?! You are one of the only studios that make serious tactical games, why the hell would your long time customer base (played xcom before firaxis 20 odd years and counting) want to see your excellent game model deteriorated to bring in teenagers? What the hell? Do not do this again. XCOM 2 / WoTC was a masterpiece. Get back to what you are excellent at, let the kids play fortnite.… Expand
  45. Lithariel
    Apr 27, 2020
    0
    The Premise of Xcom Chimera Squad is a very interesting one. There is a City where Aliens, Humans and anything in between coexist. You control a elite Squad, fighting organizations that try to break the peace. Instead of the Player creating Squad Members there are premade ones.
    Those where the good things for me about it.
    Though i was not annoyed/offended by the sassy nature of allot    The Premise of Xcom Chimera Squad is a very interesting one. There is a City where Aliens, Humans and anything in between coexist. You control a elite Squad, fighting organizations that try to break the peace. Instead of the Player creating Squad Members there are premade ones.
    Those where the good things for me about it.

    Though i was not annoyed/offended by the sassy nature of allot of the banter between the Squad members, i would still have wished for a more mature/professional banter between them. Instead of sjw/wake banter i would have wished for one where you see that those people worked before together, since all you really do when getting a new Squad member is "pull over" a member from your old unit.

    One of the worst things in Xcom Chimera Squad was the way you control the game using a controller. I played Xcom Enemy Unknown where it was fine.

    But here ... when a unit gets it's turn, "move" mode is active automatically. When you push the button for "Action" for some reason the list of available options on the bottom of the screen does not highlight which option you selected at that point in time ... there is a bigger button that shows this below it.
    So how to determine how many times you have to push "right" on your controller if the game not shows you at what spot you are in the list? And/or which options are skipped because unavailable?
    More often then not, i was overshoot the option i wanted to select and the whole control using my controller was very fiddly.
    I would wish for a SIMPLE menu driven experience, where i can select a unit and a menu pops up with the option currently selected being HIGHLIGHTED.
    (Protip, just use Mouse and Keyboard with this one ... it is much less convoluted)

    I really love the Breach Mechanic, especially when there are more then one option to start a mission. But it is sadly under-cooked. When you are breaching there is just so little information for you to see.
    Upon Breaching you take control of the first Unit and then you can shoot one of the Targets in view. What i miss here is that the game shows me which Unit is active right now(helpful if you have to go afk for a moment during the breach).
    Once the Breach is over all your Units search cover ... but instead to give the player the choice where to move what unit(like give them one "move action") the game just lets them run to predetermined positions.

    Sadly each Combat zone is a very small room, with very limited cover opportunities. The thing that annoyed me in this is that while there is cover, most of the time the cover is setup like for the enemy and no matter what you do the enemy can always flank you in one or the other way.

    It gets hilarious if you cover behind a char, and a enemy can still shoot (and hit) your unit while the enemy is behind a car, shooting through a fountain (which is low cover) with fence ... still hitting someone hiding behind a car.
    It seems cover doesn't block line of sight at all.

    The best thing in Xcom Chimera Squad is when an enemy has 1-2 HP and you try to bash it unconscious. For some odd reason even if you first move your Unit into a cover position it ALWAYS runs out of cover, and then does the Bash while out in the open ... and it stays that way ending it's turn. Yeah i know, there is a equipment that makes this unnecessary later, it's still hilarious nonsensical.

    But honestly what i would expect in a Strategy Game that revolves 99% around Shooting and Range Skills ... that Cover actually blocks Line of Sight from the direction it is supposed to cover you from, forcing opposition to Outflank said Cover.

    I would guess people that liked Xcom Enemy Unknown, Xcom Enemy Within and Xcom 2 this will be a far better experience then it was for me.

    I did not enjoy my time with this, but the only other Xcom i played was Enemy Unknown and there i hated that every time you did spot aliens ... they first got a free turn to hop nicely into cover. When i heard that in Xcom 2 allot missions have a turn restriction (time limit) on top of that ... trying to enforce a certain kind of gameplay on to the player i skipped that.    … Expand
  46. psfdek
    Apr 25, 2020
    0
    Bad DLC.
    Это не тянет на игру, зато тычут в лицо феменизмом.
  47. changfong
    May 13, 2020
    3
    incomplete buggy game with short game play :( sadly.
    Would have been nice if they could have more in depth strategy and base building and story and not have such a short half-assed game with truncated short missions .. not to mention taking control away from the players on multiple aspect of the game.
    Like another guy said .. it is like a dumb-down, scaled down, simplistic, mobile    incomplete buggy game with short game play :( sadly.
    Would have been nice if they could have more in depth strategy and base building and story and not have such a short half-assed game with truncated short missions .. not to mention taking control away from the players on multiple aspect of the game.

    Like another guy said .. it is like a dumb-down, scaled down, simplistic, mobile game version.    … Expand
  48. Propel
    Apr 27, 2020
    2
    It's just... i don't know what to say. It's worst game of this series. Just don't spend your money for this sh*et
  49. bumble_bee
    Apr 29, 2020
    0
    A cheap attempt to get out on the road while pushing an Intrusive agenda.
    The dialogues are ridiculous and naive with silly jokes with a transition to pleasantries.
    In a couple of years, the aliens have become people's best friends. The only white man in the world who gets bullied and joked about. I think the game should have been released on mobile phones. This is not ixcom but a    A cheap attempt to get out on the road while pushing an Intrusive agenda.
    The dialogues are ridiculous and naive with silly jokes with a transition to pleasantries.
    In a couple of years, the aliens have become people's best friends.
    The only white man in the world who gets bullied and joked about.
    I think the game should have been released on mobile phones.
    This is not ixcom but a lazy port of Fortnite with colorful bright colors.    … Expand
  50. TomasLacerda
    Apr 27, 2020
    2
    First and foremost, the amount of bugs this game has, it really feels unfinished and unpolished.

    It's really, really boring. There's not a lot of strategic options, so every encounter is pretty much the same routine due to lack of strategic potential. Some characters are so much more rich and interesting than others, really unbalanced. Cover doesn't mean a thing in this game. The    First and foremost, the amount of bugs this game has, it really feels unfinished and unpolished.

    It's really, really boring. There's not a lot of strategic options, so every encounter is pretty much the same routine due to lack of strategic potential. Some characters are so much more rich and interesting than others, really unbalanced.

    Cover doesn't mean a thing in this game.

    The assembly projects are really weird, you just upgrade crappy material instead of getting interesting stuff. It feels they were really lazy.

    The lack of customization is insulting. No character development, at all. Everyone is either black or an alien. Quite the racial balance there.

    Don't buy this game, play XCOM 2: Long War 2 instead.    … Expand
  51. Rubberfacts
    May 4, 2020
    1
    We need to do something about liberals/progressives they are literally destroying all entertainment and turning it into propaganda.

    This is just another in a long list of beloved franchises infiltrated and poisoned by “woke” propagandists who don’t care about gameplay or story, just trying to brainwash you.
  52. Arkess
    Apr 26, 2020
    1
    Looks like a mod for X-Com, not even add-on. Extremely poor design, boring characters, zero narrative. Nothing remains of the seriousness of the original, we play as an analogue of "birds of prey", with the same terrible style and a complete lack of immersion.
  53. Ashmail
    Apr 29, 2020
    3
    “Heroes never die!” I mean seriously, is this a really tactic about war and battle scenes or some childish girl daydreaming story? But even it’s story is boring as hell. Characters remind dull dolls with nearly no personality and backstory, and you can’t even find anyone to personalise yourself with. I have no idea who is this game made for, but I can tell that official reviewers had been“Heroes never die!” I mean seriously, is this a really tactic about war and battle scenes or some childish girl daydreaming story? But even it’s story is boring as hell. Characters remind dull dolls with nearly no personality and backstory, and you can’t even find anyone to personalise yourself with. I have no idea who is this game made for, but I can tell that official reviewers had been paid or threatened to write their extremely positive opinion… Expand
  54. wiski
    Apr 26, 2020
    5
    It feels like a stripped down version of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, which I guess is okay for the price, but my main gripe is that instead of feeling like I'm leading a badass squad of special agents into combat, the voices and writing make me feel like I'm leading a group of smart-ass college kids out to see who can make the best quips.

    The feel of this game is more Saturday morning    It feels like a stripped down version of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, which I guess is okay for the price, but my main gripe is that instead of feeling like I'm leading a badass squad of special agents into combat, the voices and writing make me feel like I'm leading a group of smart-ass college kids out to see who can make the best quips.

    The feel of this game is more Saturday morning cartoon than intense tactical shooter partially because of it. The artwork used for character portraits, dialogue scenes and cutscenes also looks kind of low budget and I think it would have been better to just use the in-game character models, which look much better. The first thing it brought to mind was 'Battleborn' with it's janky looking intro video and artwork, honestly. (just as far as the art style goes)

    For the current sale price of $10 US I guess it's okay if you turn off the voices, but if you're looking for XCOM action similar to XCOM 2 or War of the Chosen, this ain't it.    … Expand
  55. Black_Baorn
    Apr 28, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is perhaps the most disappointing game I've played so far in 2020. Unlike XCOM 2, XCOM: CS actually took away many of the good mechanics such as research, squad size and tech upgrades. While the turnbased mechanics and breech mode bring something fresh to the series, they do not make up for the lackluster and repetitive gameplay. The most upsetting part about the game is the actual story with an ending that does nothing to make the game more interesting. In fact the entire plot of the game could be removed and be replaced with Central eating a sandwich and the game's ending would not be effected by it. Enemies are bland and not fleshed out, the three enemy factions, while hosting a unique enemy variety, do not have much purpose behind them and have no story behind them. The final boss, Atlas/Sovereign, is barely touched upon when you finally encounter him. Atlas not only has no character but he barely has a presence in the story, despite him and his mercenary squad playing a pivotal role in the game.

    TLDR: The game can be fun to play and the new breech mechanics do make the game unique in its own rights. The game's plot/story is lackluster at best and the enemies have no impact. Many fun mechanics from XCOM 2 were taken away. If you got the game for $10 then go ahead and play it. It's not worth more than that.    … Expand
  56. Nahual_Eriol
    Apr 28, 2020
    0
    Another series spoiled by political correctness and contempt for the canons.
  57. iaroha
    Apr 27, 2020
    0
    Low price is not an excuse for a boring and monotonous game with a bad plot, inappropriate visual style, controversial mechanics and bugs. Such a “project” can bring easy money to the developer, but it spoils the entire series. Absolutely not worth the money and time spent.
  58. Hellspeller
    Apr 28, 2020
    3
    Huge fan of XCOM 2; You will be disappointed, or worst, with this "spin-off". Gameplay is extremely repetitive; map are ridiculously small which negate 90% of tactics and strategy you normally have in an Xcom game. Characters are childish and flavorless and if one dies; you lose the game. The small maps makes the game EXTREMELY hard (basically; 1 grenade will always kill 1-2 of yourHuge fan of XCOM 2; You will be disappointed, or worst, with this "spin-off". Gameplay is extremely repetitive; map are ridiculously small which negate 90% of tactics and strategy you normally have in an Xcom game. Characters are childish and flavorless and if one dies; you lose the game. The small maps makes the game EXTREMELY hard (basically; 1 grenade will always kill 1-2 of your characters); even in XCOM standard and since you cannot lose even 1 character; I found myself restarting some encounters 1-2-5 times... So you will savescum A LOT.
    Storywise, I... I dont even know since I couldnt care, nor stand, to listen to the poorly written & acted dialogue.    … Expand
  59. DaveAus
    Apr 25, 2020
    1
    X Com Chimera takes away everything you like about the Xcom franchise and focuses on its weakest parts, the story and linear tactical missions. The writing is very poor and the characters and flat and unlikeable with no option to change them or swap them out for custom characters.
    Some of the mission set ups are interesting and having alien squaddies is alright but mods already did this.    X Com Chimera takes away everything you like about the Xcom franchise and focuses on its weakest parts, the story and linear tactical missions. The writing is very poor and the characters and flat and unlikeable with no option to change them or swap them out for custom characters.
    Some of the mission set ups are interesting and having alien squaddies is alright but mods already did this.
    It was bad enough Xcom 2 retconned the first ending, now our time is wasted with Chimera Squad. This was a cheap low effort cash grab for the company while we all wait for Xcom 3.    … Expand
  60. jormungaund
    May 3, 2020
    2
    Another case where the developers were so busy trying to make sure they checked all of the political boxes, that they forgot to make an interesting and engaging game.

    Game mechanics are a watered down version of XCom 2, and the repetitive breaching mechanic is tedious. I guess it's ok if you're just looking for a quick Xcom fix. Might just be better to save the 10 bucks and replay    Another case where the developers were so busy trying to make sure they checked all of the political boxes, that they forgot to make an interesting and engaging game.

    Game mechanics are a watered down version of XCom 2, and the repetitive breaching mechanic is tedious. I guess it's ok if you're just looking for a quick Xcom fix. Might just be better to save the 10 bucks and replay xcom 2.
    The voice acting and dialogue is amateur at best, and the cartoons look like they were drawn in MS Paint.
    and, of course, as everyone else has pointed out, the politics are so thinly veiled, it's like they're not even trying.

    Super disappointed, Firaxis. Played about an hour before I requested a refund from steam.
    The one thing I will give this is it did open up the interesting possibility of "hero" characters for the next proper xcom game(if there ever is another xcom, after this they likely will have lost a lot of faith)    … Expand
  61. DancingBear
    May 4, 2020
    0
    XCOM SJW-SQUAD
    I am a great fan of XCOM games from the legendary UFO: Enemy Unknown up to the modern XCOM2.
    But this game is fail. They spoiled everything. Soldiers on missions joke and grimace like infantile teenagers, so atmosphere is absolutely broken. The game is not re-playable. Gameplay is boring and repetitive. The franchise deserves a better game. Fans deserve a better game.    XCOM SJW-SQUAD
    I am a great fan of XCOM games from the legendary UFO: Enemy Unknown up to the modern XCOM2.
    But this game is fail. They spoiled everything.
    Soldiers on missions joke and grimace like infantile teenagers, so atmosphere is absolutely broken.
    The game is not re-playable.
    Gameplay is boring and repetitive.
    The franchise deserves a better game.
    Fans deserve a better game.
    The game deserves to be better one.    … Expand
  62. Babutto
    May 11, 2020
    5
    Pros.:
    - all characters are unique with unique abilities;
    - the system of the breach is quite good at the very beginning (something new); - the concept "if you lose a character, you're done". Cons.: - it quickly becomes boring; - the storyline is simple and predictable; - too long to do all the training and research; - breach becomes ridiculous closer to the end; - useless    Pros.:
    - all characters are unique with unique abilities;
    - the system of the breach is quite good at the very beginning (something new);
    - the concept "if you lose a character, you're done".

    Cons.:
    - it quickly becomes boring;
    - the storyline is simple and predictable;
    - too long to do all the training and research;
    - breach becomes ridiculous closer to the end;
    - useless drones.

    I don't understand. When you play the old original X-Com, you try to kill everyone with precision. You may hurt your own squad member. You like the world because you do the research, read about each species, ships, research the new ships and missiles.

    Why couldn't they include more research, real investigations, interrogations here with the proper characteristics and buffs from the characters? Why couldn't they include reinforcement during critical missions? This game seems very underdeveloped.    … Expand
  63. FlyingCavetroll
    May 6, 2020
    5
    I bought the game for 10 bucks. And it's probably worth exactly that.

    Everything feels so extremely low budget. The best things in this game already existed and are ripped from XCOM 2. The good: - The basic tactical gameplay, feels like a miniature version of XCOM 2 - The idea of a diverse police unit in a city with many different species itself was pretty decent. - The breach    I bought the game for 10 bucks. And it's probably worth exactly that.

    Everything feels so extremely low budget. The best things in this game already existed and are ripped from XCOM 2.

    The good:
    - The basic tactical gameplay, feels like a miniature version of XCOM 2

    - The idea of a diverse police unit in a city with many different species itself was pretty decent.

    - The breach mode looks and feels awesome.

    The bad:
    - The character design is just so cringe worthy. The writers tried to make them sound cool but actually made them look like a bunch of useless fools. Seriously, it's like a 10 year old wrote the dialogues. Or in short: the exact **** you would expect from SJWs I was glad that I found a few modded agents to replace the vanilla ones. They looked better, had a better background story and didn't talk. Also the backup robot has more personality than the vanilla characters combined.

    - The story writing is just cheap. It's like they ran out of money halfway in the development. The main villain doesn't get explained at all.

    - The voice acting is on par with the bad writing. Remember the hulking meat mountains that were the mutons in XCOM 2? You would expect them to have a impressive voice right? Here in this game they sound like pre puberty teenagers. I'm not kidding. Same applies to the other aliens.

    - The forced diversity makes everything hard to believe and destroys the immersion. Sure, the aliens were in a way also victims of the elders. But if a average human thinks back at the occupation he would definetly see an alien face. Racism, prejudice and deep rooted hate would be part of everydays life. Instead there is no such thing at all. All aliens are completely integrated in the society with no one even batting an eye. They even lack a own language, culture or at least speech pattern.

    - A severe lack of customization. You can change the main clothing color of your agents and that's it. No different armor parts or looks and even your god damn guns won't change appearance with additional attachments. In XCOM 2 one of the main incentives was the total customization of your soldiers. You could change their looks, nationality, voice, gender and armor. Here you have jack****. They couldn't even just rip the system from the old game.

    - Only 3 game modes. Breach the wall/door and kill/arrest eevryone. Escort/Bust out a VIP. Go in and secure evidence. No real hostage situations where you have to act under a time limit or stealth missions. It gets repetitive really fast.

    - They must have fired many of the programmers. The game runs instable and crashes fairly often. I can't even see the end of the credits since the game crashes before I get there.

    If this game would have a good story but bad game mechanics it would be redeemable with mods. If it had a terrible story but good gameplay then you could fix it with some serious customization of your characters. But this game has neither. It's a repetetive game, with bad writing and no customization options at all. I would give it a 4.5 if Metacriic would allow half points.

    Keep the damn SJWs away from our beloved franchises. Put in more thought in the game and try to fix the biggest technical issues. In it's current state I wouldn't recommend anyone to pay 15 or 20 bucks for this.

    If you are interested in trying it out yourself, then wait until the game is on sale again and until there are more mods available to make the experience somewhat interesting.    … Expand
  64. Sokol0111
    Apr 29, 2020
    2
    OMG Firaxis what are you doing?! I am very afraid for the future XCOM series.
  65. G0LD
    Apr 26, 2020
    2
    Just a bland and cringy version of XCOM. The characters are all extremely unlikeable, the humor is extremely immature for a game meant for 18+ and the story just bad.
    The gameplay is also a downgrade from XCOM 2.
    Just feels like a quick-buck cashgrab overall.
  66. Vasot
    Apr 28, 2020
    3
    FORGET THIS GAME AND BUY GEARS TACTICS INSTEAD that Microsoft strategy game is much better than Xcom Chimera !! This is not XCOM should be renamed to "Alien Nation police" or something like that. Where to start from the stupid cringy dialogues, the cartoony characters (even the aliens talk exactly like humans) all maps are small, if 1 soldier dies you lose the game, you almost do the sameFORGET THIS GAME AND BUY GEARS TACTICS INSTEAD that Microsoft strategy game is much better than Xcom Chimera !! This is not XCOM should be renamed to "Alien Nation police" or something like that. Where to start from the stupid cringy dialogues, the cartoony characters (even the aliens talk exactly like humans) all maps are small, if 1 soldier dies you lose the game, you almost do the same missions over and over again and plenty of weird glitches and bugs. I hope XCOM 3 is not as bad as this...… Expand
  67. Arthur88
    May 18, 2020
    1
    SJW politics are a blight stain on the human race and represent devolution of civilization. I have no idea why Firaxis decided to insert SJW progressivist lunacy into XCOM. The decision is beyond absurd and whoever the skinny, kale-drinking bearded left wing activist in charge of this title at Firaxis is who decided to make this a political game needs to find new work at the BidenSJW politics are a blight stain on the human race and represent devolution of civilization. I have no idea why Firaxis decided to insert SJW progressivist lunacy into XCOM. The decision is beyond absurd and whoever the skinny, kale-drinking bearded left wing activist in charge of this title at Firaxis is who decided to make this a political game needs to find new work at the Biden campaign office and be fired from Firaxis.

    This is a disgrace to XCOM!    … Expand
  68. bancandrei
    May 9, 2021
    5
    I see a lot of people complaining how they changed the feel of the series. I am not an XCOM fan, so for me it is a pretty good tactics game. However it tends to get a bit repetitive. And it has some mobile game mechanics, but none of the UI cleanliness or the addictiveness. The rating would be higher if they went all in, in any direction.
  69. macbodziak
    May 1, 2020
    6
    This is a nice game for fans of XCOM like games, but do not expect it to be the next milestone in the genre.

    PRO: cover fire now covers only a certain sector, which requires you to plan more tactically, and is more realistic. The game features a full length campaign. Considering the low price, it is actually a pretty good deal and I was positively surprised. The new turn system is an    This is a nice game for fans of XCOM like games, but do not expect it to be the next milestone in the genre.

    PRO:
    cover fire now covers only a certain sector, which requires you to plan more tactically, and is more realistic.
    The game features a full length campaign. Considering the low price, it is actually a pretty good deal and I was positively surprised.
    The new turn system is an interesting approach, not better, not worse, but it is something new.

    CONS:
    The game has so many bugs of different magnitude. After a certain point I wasn't sure if something is a feature or a bug, seriously.
    The difficulty curve is not well balanced. In the beginning the game was really a challenge, but once your characters level up, you acquire new gear and learn how to play, the game is just to easy. I have played on hard, and switched latter to impossibly, and yet it was not a real challenge. After a while I just found myself grinding to the end of the game. To be fair, the final fight on impossible difficulty was a challenge, but overall the game was to easy.
    There is no permadeath in this game, so you do not feel the same pressure and and sense of risk when playing. If one of your characters dies, you just have to replay the mission. It defeats the purpose of ironman mode, which I found very rewarding when playing XCOM 2.
    In general i felt like this game is a simplified and shallow version of XCOM 2, you get into the action right away on pretty small maps, there is no strategic placing of your characters, the cover and placement of your soldiers doesn't really play such a role as it did in XCOM. I have also found, that the maps repeat itself, so much for procedural generated levels.    … Expand
  70. EmMortull
    May 17, 2020
    5
    Точная копия XCOM2 в другой обертке.
    Новых механик нет;
    Новых моделей крайне мало. Почти что нет; Нового вооружения нет; Отсутствие приемлемой кастомизации - есть; Старый движок - есть; Баги - есть; Промахи по противнику в упор - есть; Желание 2К срубить денег на достойной франшизе сильно не утруждаясь - есть. Это вполне мог бы быть аддон к XCOM2 после окончания оригинального    Точная копия XCOM2 в другой обертке.
    Новых механик нет;
    Новых моделей крайне мало. Почти что нет;
    Нового вооружения нет;

    Отсутствие приемлемой кастомизации - есть;
    Старый движок - есть;
    Баги - есть;
    Промахи по противнику в упор - есть;
    Желание 2К срубить денег на достойной франшизе сильно не утруждаясь - есть.

    Это вполне мог бы быть аддон к XCOM2 после окончания оригинального сюжета, но 2К захотели срубить денег по быстрому и поэтому втюхивают нам это как полноценную игру. А это оказался тот же XCOM2    … Expand
  71. Erbelonger
    May 21, 2020
    4
    This is not an X-Com game. Period.
    They should have made another game title for this, everything except X-Com, because all the feature that X-Com had were stripped down or distorted to te point you feel like playing a totally different product:
    -NO soldier customization -BAD choice of interface and ingame color -UNINSPIRED story that push you to see the aliens as innocent bystander,    This is not an X-Com game. Period.
    They should have made another game title for this, everything except X-Com, because all the feature that X-Com had were stripped down or distorted to te point you feel like playing a totally different product:
    -NO soldier customization
    -BAD choice of interface and ingame color
    -UNINSPIRED story that push you to see the aliens as innocent bystander, except you kill those same aliens when it come to forward your agenda.
    -REPETITIVE gameplay.
    -APPALLING and uncharismatic character you're forced to play with.

    They say it's a spin-off for a new X-Com serie: i surely won't buy it.
    The say it's a spin    … Expand
  72. Mathiel
    Apr 25, 2020
    8
    If you go into this with the mindset of XCOM 2 or Enemy Unknown/Within you'll be disappointed. If you go into this with the mindset of "Hey more XCOM Lore and a new group of Characters." You will enjoy it. Don't review bomb it because its not XCOM 3 just enjoy it for what it is, experimentation with new mechanics, a bit of lore and a test of interest in the series as a whole, all wrappedIf you go into this with the mindset of XCOM 2 or Enemy Unknown/Within you'll be disappointed. If you go into this with the mindset of "Hey more XCOM Lore and a new group of Characters." You will enjoy it. Don't review bomb it because its not XCOM 3 just enjoy it for what it is, experimentation with new mechanics, a bit of lore and a test of interest in the series as a whole, all wrapped up into a game that definitely meets its modest $20 price tag or even $10 if you get it the first week of Launch.… Expand
  73. LAKIRO
    May 8, 2020
    0
    XCOM Enemy within + XCOM 2 + Arcade of the same type scripted assault on a small room, which can be implemented manually in any other tactics of the game. ****
  74. LordTiger
    Apr 29, 2020
    6
    XCOM:Chimera Squad is a small sequel to XCOM 2 and its just 10$ so don't expect a game like XCOM 2 .
    Gameplay is very rudimentary and simple but its pretty amusing and it can get addicting after a while u play. I know many video games are broken at launch but unfortunately this game was horribly buggy and crashed almost every 30 min so i verified game files and 53 files were missing!!!    XCOM:Chimera Squad is a small sequel to XCOM 2 and its just 10$ so don't expect a game like XCOM 2 .
    Gameplay is very rudimentary and simple but its pretty amusing and it can get addicting after a while u play. I know many video games are broken at launch but unfortunately this game was horribly buggy and crashed almost every 30 min so i verified game files and 53 files were missing!!! anyway it fixed some issues and i finished the game 2 times to unlock all 11 squad Members.    … Expand
  75. MaestroPotato
    Apr 24, 2020
    8
    Very enjoyable spinoff.
    Definitely not as complex and complete as other xcom entries. But worth it as a low priced game.
  76. Carmelorometal
    Apr 28, 2020
    10
    This is a great game! A legit spin-off. Yes, the changes can´t match everyones minds, and the history is not that good, but the game make it up for it with fast mechanical actions, and good team roll. All soldiers are different, with new tactics and skills. It´s new and fresh, a bald move from Firaxis that I support. Yes, is not the new xcom 2, but for it´s price is an excellent choice.
  77. TiffanyStarrxxx
    May 4, 2020
    10
    After reading the reviews on here I realize that a lot of these people think being "woke" is a bad thing. There's diversity in games and that's how it should be. Not every game needs a cis, white, straight, male protagonist/playable character (sorry, not sorry boys) If I can play a white straight guy then you can play a lesbian black woman. The game is fun, but a bit too basic whenAfter reading the reviews on here I realize that a lot of these people think being "woke" is a bad thing. There's diversity in games and that's how it should be. Not every game needs a cis, white, straight, male protagonist/playable character (sorry, not sorry boys) If I can play a white straight guy then you can play a lesbian black woman. The game is fun, but a bit too basic when compared to Xcom 2. The game should be an 8 but I gave the game a 10 to counter balance the WS in here. If you want more action and less strategy it's not a bad game to get lost in.… Expand
  78. flpalves
    Apr 29, 2020
    9
    This is a really fun yet simplified version of XCOM. It's not supposed to be a sequel to War of the Chosen so they took the opportunity to explore different possibilities in gameplay and visuals. Quite frankly, I liked it. Of course it's not as exciting and challenging as the main game but I believe it was worth the effort and it turned out to be a fun and worthwhile game, especiallyThis is a really fun yet simplified version of XCOM. It's not supposed to be a sequel to War of the Chosen so they took the opportunity to explore different possibilities in gameplay and visuals. Quite frankly, I liked it. Of course it's not as exciting and challenging as the main game but I believe it was worth the effort and it turned out to be a fun and worthwhile game, especially considering the lower price. The people complaining about the story and "political propaganda" made me laugh. Are you really that bothered by a storyline in which humans, hybrids and aliens are trying to live together after the war while there are groups that oppose the integration and are trying to fight it? I consider it a very interesting plot to follow, it makes sense and has obvious parallels with the real world. Not only that, I loved being able to play with aliens and hybrids in the squad. The same people complaining about the "political" story are complaining about bad dialogue, as if either Enemy Unknown or War of the Chosen had brilliant Academy Award worthy dialogue. It's a game people, just relax.

    Pros:

    - New possibilities of gameplay within the XCOM world that are worth exploring further;
    - Good story with nice characters. Having aliens on your side too is very fun.
    - Simplified, so it might be a good entry point to people who have never played the series.
    - Excellent soundtrack and character voices.
    - I get that some people hate the comic book visuals but I like it and I think it makes sense considering this is supposed to be a spin off from the main game.

    Cons:

    - Same camera and graphic glitches we've had since Enemy Unknown.
    - The game is a bit short and does not allow you to have enough time to research everything and develop all abilities in every member of the squad. In the end it's not a big deal since some of the tech and researched itens are quite useless.
    - The game crashed without explanation like 3 times during my whole playthrough. Save all the time so you don't lose progress in a crucial mission.    … Expand
  79. greenisgood
    Nov 8, 2020
    6
    TL;DR - Keeping in mind the low production budget of Chimera Squad, at the time I purchased it at 9.99 this title is an adequate experience albeit with a few Majorly confusing design choices. Apparently it is now 19.99 so if you have never played XCOM in your life it's best to skip Chimera Squad and buy the XCOM and XCOM 2 games along with the DLC for both of them which are better firstTL;DR - Keeping in mind the low production budget of Chimera Squad, at the time I purchased it at 9.99 this title is an adequate experience albeit with a few Majorly confusing design choices. Apparently it is now 19.99 so if you have never played XCOM in your life it's best to skip Chimera Squad and buy the XCOM and XCOM 2 games along with the DLC for both of them which are better first experiences of far more intense, engaging and rewarding game-play than Chimera Squad ever manages to be.

    The Good -
    Breach mode was an interesting and fun addition to the new XCOM style of play since 2012; breaching charges, scanners, cease fire options were all fun tactics that remained fresh till the end. My initial reaction to not being able to create my own characters were quickly offset with the characters given for the campaign, there was one of every type which formed a well rounded team for the encounters with additional training options unlocking or upgrading skills.
    Aliens and Humans co-operating is an amazing sci-fi concept brought to the game successfully keeping the overall feel of the setting the game is based in fun bordering on cringe but not crossing the line.
    Unique weapons were a good addition to offset the traditional and annoyingly fun XCOM RNG shot percentages.

    The Bad -
    Many decisions regarding the game mechanics were baffling and downright hurts the experience of Chimera Squad.
    Game balance, mostly useless supply shop, fixed number of agent slots from start to finish, small repetitive maps, directional overwatch, change from team turn based to player turn based and a few more.
    These small things start building up fast considering the short length of the game and by the end they start making the game tedious without that traditional lurking fear of what is around the next corner that the XCOM games successfully incite.
    The experience of the encounters vary wildly from the two extremes of stupidly easy ending within 5 - 8 min or stupidly easy but against an annoying number of enemies that you start getting bored of staying in the same room for 15 min, excluding the gate-keeper fight that literally drove me up the wall in fear, excitement and XCOM RNG rage/fun.
    Strangely another important aspect of Movement was not focused on in this Spinoff since I spent more than 95% of my mission in the same spot after the breach till the end of the encounter, enemy numbers and small maps kept me from wanting to move around to escape from or get to better vantage points.
    The player turn based over the team turn based also really takes out a big chunk of the experience of XCOM since fun little tactics like setting up a kill box, overwatch wipes, chasing a hidden enemy, searching the map for that last a-hole skittering around in the shadows all integral and addictive parts of the missions.

    Overall like I said at the current bargain price it is an alright experience for a Spin-off and gave a little scratch to my XCOM itch but it was unsatisfying and probably makes me crave for the whole experience even more so equivalent of being blue balled after a really good but slightly underwhelming tease.
    XCOM 3 needs to get here soon.    … Expand
  80. DENNNN13
    Jan 23, 2021
    0
    Stupid sh*t of stupid sh*t. I hope they won't use features from this game in xcom 3.
    Dont buy, Dont play. I regret that bought this sh*t.
  81. Hipsnowsis
    May 11, 2020
    9
    You may wish to know before reading this that I hold XCOM 2 in *very* high regard. I am an XCOM fan (at least of the newer games). Mileage may vary.

    This is a new take on the XCOM formula that draws inspiration from what I can only describe as very novel sources. Most notable is the change to turn order and to characters that move the game towards the realm of D&D - a realm, I might    You may wish to know before reading this that I hold XCOM 2 in *very* high regard. I am an XCOM fan (at least of the newer games). Mileage may vary.

    This is a new take on the XCOM formula that draws inspiration from what I can only describe as very novel sources. Most notable is the change to turn order and to characters that move the game towards the realm of D&D - a realm, I might note, that it has always edged close to in subtle ways.

    The game executes this new concept in novel and inventive ways, though I must say, I do miss having my insanely powerful operatives by the endgame, abilities are given to you straight away and don't develop hugely over the course of the game.

    There's a lot to be said about the finer details of the game, none of which is objectively good or bad, it is simply different.

    Whilst the game is certainly not the best in the franchise, it is certainly a refreshing take on the genre, albeit one that feels like it was given to more junior designers whilst the big boys worked on XCOM 3. It's still fun and rewarding and is certainly worth a go during this great drought of main-series XCOM titles (even though the genre seems to be raining games right now with Phoenix Point and Gears: Tactics both being available on the Xbox Game Pass for PC).    … Expand
  82. Omegadragon
    Apr 24, 2020
    9
    A satisfying entry into the Xcom franchise. On the 20 dollar price point, there is lots of content, tense strategy combat, and generally solid design. While there are changes to the formula that I would not like in a mainline Xcom game, they work well in the context of a 20 dollar spin off. Providing a unique, but familiar experience. My only complaint is that the aliens do not soundA satisfying entry into the Xcom franchise. On the 20 dollar price point, there is lots of content, tense strategy combat, and generally solid design. While there are changes to the formula that I would not like in a mainline Xcom game, they work well in the context of a 20 dollar spin off. Providing a unique, but familiar experience. My only complaint is that the aliens do not sound alien. Strange to hear a snake woman who sounds like a normal, if slightly sassy, young adult woman.… Expand
  83. Only1hole
    Apr 29, 2020
    8
    This game is not 100% perfect, but it is a lot of fun, and it doesn't deserve the review bombing it is getting. If you are an XCOM fan, and you don't like Gears of War, this will probably hold you over for a while. It features the XCOM action we have come to love - it even adds a "breach" mechanic, where your crew can break into a level, guns blazing,

    I'd like to address some of the    This game is not 100% perfect, but it is a lot of fun, and it doesn't deserve the review bombing it is getting. If you are an XCOM fan, and you don't like Gears of War, this will probably hold you over for a while. It features the XCOM action we have come to love - it even adds a "breach" mechanic, where your crew can break into a level, guns blazing,

    I'd like to address some of the more common issues people are supposedly having with this game:

    1. The sassy dialog. The dialog is stylized, and clearly written to be consistent with the old school comic book feel of the game. I didn't find it particularly entertaining, but it didn't bother me.

    2. The "woke" dialog. I didn't even notice, and when I went to what I am sure is a source of the review bombing, what I read was really pathetic. If you don't feel personally attacked by Marvel movies, I doubt you'll even know where this complaint came from. Decades after an alien occupation, there are a number of human/alien hybrids. If you find some part of that inappropriate or subversive, you are too fragile for this game, or life.

    3. A lack of depth in team building. This is a fairly merited complaint, in my opinion. Your crew feels more like a group of misfit prodigies in an early 1990s action movie than an army. They can't die, and their base interactions are limited.

    4. The tutorial is boring and remedial. This is not a brand new genre. What on Earth were you expecting?! If you know the game mechanics, turn the tutorial off!

    This game is worth your time if you are an XCOM player. If you only heard about this game because you think there's a multinational conspiracy to breed you out of existence, you should skip this game and spend some time outside. Try to meet someone nice, and enjoy your life.    … Expand
  84. Caste
    Apr 27, 2020
    9
    Excellent game.
    I like the balance between 'base managing' and missions gameplay. I find it slightly faster and easier to digest than other XCOM games (which I also love!).
    The 'Breach mechanics' are interesting and cool in terms of visuals. The rest of the combat is the same style as other XCOM-like turn based games. In terms of negative points, I had a few crashes but as the game    Excellent game.
    I like the balance between 'base managing' and missions gameplay. I find it slightly faster and easier to digest than other XCOM games (which I also love!).
    The 'Breach mechanics' are interesting and cool in terms of visuals. The rest of the combat is the same style as other XCOM-like turn based games.

    In terms of negative points, I had a few crashes but as the game saves between turns, no harm done.

    It's cool, it's cheap and it has a quite decent length, what else do you need? Get it!    … Expand
  85. ExaltedJim
    Apr 28, 2020
    8
    If you take the game for what it is - a cut down streamlined version of XCOM at a great price then it is most enjoyable. I had a blast and recommend it.
  86. Sepherim
    Apr 29, 2020
    9
    XCOM: Chimera Squad no es XCOM 3 ni pretende serlo, si es eso lo que buscas te vas a decepcionar. Chimera es en buena medida un experimento de cambiar algunas mecánicas principales y el estilo de juego. El resultado es que, en vez de defender el planeta de una invasión alienígena a gran escala, en Chimera XCOM ha evolucionado en una especie de unidad de SWAT y por tanto las misiones sonXCOM: Chimera Squad no es XCOM 3 ni pretende serlo, si es eso lo que buscas te vas a decepcionar. Chimera es en buena medida un experimento de cambiar algunas mecánicas principales y el estilo de juego. El resultado es que, en vez de defender el planeta de una invasión alienígena a gran escala, en Chimera XCOM ha evolucionado en una especie de unidad de SWAT y por tanto las misiones son asaltos a lugares con rehenes y cosas así. Esto cambia mucho. Primero, desaparecen las clases de personajes, ahora cada personaje está predefinido y es único, con sus propias habilidades y mejoras. Desaparecen las armas pesadas y los rifles de francotirador para dejar armas apropiadas para los nuevos entornos, que son mucho más cerrados y pequeños. Siendo interiores casitodo, las alturas a veces juegan un papel pero en mucha menor medida. Ya no hay fase de sigilo, en su lugar hay una fase de preparación antes del asalto al siguiente conjunto de habitaciones en cada misión. El manejo de la base y el mapa se han simplificado, aunque siguen siendo muy entretenidos, y lo mismo con el inventario. La escuadra que juegas en combate es más pequeña, contando como mucho con 4 de los miembros de tu XCOM en activo en cada momento en combate (frente a los 6 de XCOM 2). El sistema de turnos ha cambiado, en vez de ser jugador-enemigo-jugador ahora cada unidad tiene su iniciativa como en un juego de rol, haciendo que las acciones de cada bando no necesariamente vayan seguidas. La variedad de enemigos está muy bien, estando todos los de XCOM más o menos, más unos cuantos adicionales con nuevas mecánicas.

    Gráficamente, el juego está bien pero no se puede decir que sea puntero. Pero si tiene un muy buen diseño en general. El sonido tiene un buen nivel también, tanto en voces (al menos en ingles) como en musica y efectos. Y, al menos en mi experiencia, el juego casi no tiene bugs de importancia, solo algunas cosas como retrasos en animaciones y así que no son graves... aunque a veces el sistema de dar órdenes no sea todo lo preciso que debiera.

    El resultado de todo ello es que Chimera Squad sin duda es un muy buen juego, y una adición muy interesante para los fans de este género. Es un giro que cambia mucho de lo que damos por supuesto de XCOM y nos permite explorar otro tipo de tácticas, acciones y desarrollos, lo cual es muy interesante. Y está a un precio tirado desde salida (y además, cosa rarísima pero muy bienvenida, salio con un 50% de descuento!). Un 9.    … Expand
  87. Moromete
    Apr 30, 2020
    8
    Chimera Squad is not a sequel of even XCOM 2.5. This is a small game that aims to offer around 20 hours of interesting tactical engagements with a smaller scope than the core game. The art style and the characters are very different from what fans might expect but the main tactical ideas are still there. The Breach sequences, which can become quickly repetitive, and the limited number ofChimera Squad is not a sequel of even XCOM 2.5. This is a small game that aims to offer around 20 hours of interesting tactical engagements with a smaller scope than the core game. The art style and the characters are very different from what fans might expect but the main tactical ideas are still there. The Breach sequences, which can become quickly repetitive, and the limited number of options offered in battle lead to a more concentrated but also more repetitive experience. I had fun with it playing on Hard and trying as many tactical possibilities as the game offers.… Expand
  88. AlexFili
    May 11, 2020
    9
    I think it's worth stating that this is not XCOM3. If you are expecting base building and a randomly generated set of soldiers where permadeath is a thing and you can get yourself into a game-over situation by failing too many missions... it's not that kind of game. The difficulty options are flexible meaning you can make this as easy or as hard as you like.

    This is more of a tactical    I think it's worth stating that this is not XCOM3. If you are expecting base building and a randomly generated set of soldiers where permadeath is a thing and you can get yourself into a game-over situation by failing too many missions... it's not that kind of game. The difficulty options are flexible meaning you can make this as easy or as hard as you like.

    This is more of a tactical A-Team where you have a squad of 8 soldiers each with a vastly distinctive skillset. You have healer, tank, DPS, melee-orientated, psionic, fast, heavy characters. With certain perks you can lean towards a certain desire and putting the right equipment on a soldier is important.

    Research is important. You gain more Elerium by doing certain missions which gives you the funds to carry down a tech tree. The tech tree starts simple but bigger projects start taking more time but will give you huge benefits upon completition. Intel lets you manage fireteams across the parts of City 31 where they can assist you in reducing the region heat and helping out in various ways. You can get your squad members to take training missions either to boost their skills or remove debuff scars. Side missions are a way for you to send off a surplus squad member to gather money or intel, giving you more ways to get valuable currency when not on a mission.

    The money you gain from raids and from team income is spent on armour, weapon mods and a variety of gadgets. You start with a team of 4 soldiers which grows to 8 in size. You also get android robots that can help out if a team-mate is gravely wounded mid-battle.

    In terms of missions, some are turn-limited while others are defensive missions where you hunker down and defend a point.
    Other missions include VIP/hostage escort, damage control, taking out enemy gang leaders and investigating strange happenings. There are three different factions which have a range of different troops at their disposal. There are human soldiers, alien soldiers, hybrids with enhanced abilities such as psionics and special powers. I tried beating Sacred Coil at first but they are the toughest faction by far. If you play this game, do not go after Sacred Coil at the start of the game.

    When you get to a mission, you decide on what order and entrances your team will 'breach' from. Some squad members can only breach from certain parts of the map and some breaches require specific things such as hacking devices or explosive charges. With the breach itself you guide your 4 squad members to attack specific enemies and specific ways. Some special abilities come into play such as Verge's psionic lift and Torque's poison spit. The only oddball is Zephyr who never uses a gun, so she always rushes in with melee combat (but she is strong).

    Like in XCOM if a squad member goes down you must stabalise that person or you will get a game over screen. You can use a medikit to recover your health or treat a comrade. There are defensive buffs you can do or offensive ones that lower enemy powers such as Verge's mind control. There are certain abilities which will move enemies around or bring enemies closer to you. Instead of a 'your turn' 'their turn' mechanic, there is a battle timeline which indicates who will go first and at what time. It is possible to affect the timeline to push your squad to move faster and the enemies to move slower.

    The graphics in this game are not ground-breaking but they serve the story well. I like the visual novel style character portraits and the artwork relating to each character. The character models are pretty good overall and some of the species in particular the alien sectoids and the viper snakes are modelled very well. Story is more narrative led and is focused around specific characters. The music is good and certainly fits that XCOM vibe that the previous games were so good at. The sound effects are good and generally fit into the sci-fi action style.

    I enjoyed the voice actor performances. The characters don't take themselves too seriously and make snarky comments to each other about what is happening during the battle. For example with Torque's tongue pull ability, she can not only bring enemies closer to her but other player characters too. It's pretty funny to hear her say things like "Hope you took a bath". The other characters will even respond back as well based on what other characters are doing.

    Overall, as a huge fan of tactical turn-based games I really enjoyed playing this. The cool unique cast of characters made me want to play more to get to know more about them and see the squad work in action. The action oriented missions are intense and I want to keep playing more to improve at taking on tougher enemies and also improving my squad management skills. I would recommend it if you've played other games in this series or you just like turn-based games in general.    … Expand
  89. Mandulum
    May 1, 2020
    8
    Favorite Thing: I liked the turn order approach and the ability to use both humans and aliens.
    Least Favorite Thing: It needed some more time in the oven. I've had crashes, broken animations, hovering characters, incompletable missions, and more.

    Date Completed: 2020-05-01
    Playtime: ~ 27h
    Enjoyment: 8/10
    Recommendation: If you liked any of the XCOM games then it's a no-brainer.
  90. MCmetacritic
    Nov 10, 2020
    0
    To say this game is repetitive would be to say this game is repetitive would be to say this game is repetitive would be to say this game is repetitive would be to say this game is repetitive would be to say this game is repetitive would be to say this game is repetitive would be to say this game is repetitive would be . . . a bit of an understatement.
  91. Lotheravanti
    Apr 24, 2020
    8
    t's good XCOM, the story has serious Expanse vibes, which I like. Having said that, I can't help but notice that you only have 2 women on the starting team. The mayor is a woman. Your BOSS is a woman. I can forgive the diversity in this context since it is integral to the story. The overwhelming majority of women in prominent roles surrounded by weak men is what bothers me. It's incrediblyt's good XCOM, the story has serious Expanse vibes, which I like. Having said that, I can't help but notice that you only have 2 women on the starting team. The mayor is a woman. Your BOSS is a woman. I can forgive the diversity in this context since it is integral to the story. The overwhelming majority of women in prominent roles surrounded by weak men is what bothers me. It's incredibly woke, but fortunately it's not complete trash.

    It's kinda like Mario games, you don't play them for the story, though I was expecting a dark and foreboding sequel in XCOM 3 TERROR FROM THE DEEP after the ending in 2.    … Expand
  92. Afanas
    Apr 26, 2020
    8
    This game is fair to you.
    For all seriousness, this game is fundamentally different from two other games in the second-era series. You don't have infinite amounts of at first basic soldiers developing into a death machines? but instead, every unit that you have is gonna take some specific role in the action. Add to it an ability to send those guys in some non-action activity in the    This game is fair to you.
    For all seriousness, this game is fundamentally different from two other games in the second-era series. You don't have infinite amounts of at first basic soldiers developing into a death machines? but instead, every unit that you have is gonna take some specific role in the action. Add to it an ability to send those guys in some non-action activity in the background, and you got yourself not a fully operational agency center commandership simulator, but a small group people management. I think it's really good aspect of this game, as well as new system of districts and task-groups, which is much better in my opinion than telecom-towers system, now that you can chose which one specific global support bonus you need more and which one is less. The thing I didn't enjoy is system of three groups, because you try to stop them separately. I think it would be much better, if global events were not decided by the group that you hunt right now. It would be nice to see some group starting to deal some tough damage to city, and suddenly, on easier difficulty, you can give your people that are good for stopping specific enemies a little bit of relax for fixing their wounds or do some background work, and on harder difficulty, you all of a sudden need a man that all the time were sitting in the background and has no good developed abilities whatsoever. Coming back to the difficulty, I think androids-disabling or auto-disable for harder difficulties maybe good, because loosing a member in a midfight actually replaces him with abilitless dummy, which is somewhat strange, because player should be punished for playing bad.
    In the end, i would like to mention that marketing for this game is fair to you. It is promoted as game about the small city and crimes, with alien agents as new units, and it generally is. I think 2K used this to test out some new systems that they plan to integrate into X-COM 3, and I think it's great experiment with some cool systems and some weird ones. It is not a bad game, really, and even really good for some new experience you have in the seemingly same setting.
    My final scores: strategical - very good, 9 and maybe even 10; global tactics - could be better, but still good, 6; plot and dialogues - super-specifically targeted and weak overall, 4; as a part of X-COM series - awesome, steady 9.
    It's not the best, but it is good. Great work in experimenting audience and mechanics, 2K. If you crave for new experience in this franchise - buy this game. If you want some good strategy - also buy this game. If you want plot and lore development with same mechanics - you probably should skip of refund.    … Expand
  93. spadePerfect
    Apr 26, 2020
    7
    I don't think this game should be judged by changing up the XCOM formular because it is a spin-off.
    Breaking up the formula meaning:
    - No more perma death. A unit dies, you restart the mission. - No custom characters. All units are predetermined and named along with a skill-tree, classes and biographies. - More dynamic turn based gameplay: no longer do you and the enemy take turns    I don't think this game should be judged by changing up the XCOM formular because it is a spin-off.
    Breaking up the formula meaning:
    - No more perma death. A unit dies, you restart the mission.
    - No custom characters. All units are predetermined and named along with a skill-tree, classes and biographies.
    - More dynamic turn based gameplay: no longer do you and the enemy take turns after each other, but all units are assigned to individual spots in an overall timeline.

    These aren't issues for me personally but I can see why people are against these approaches.
    It's happened many times that classic, hardcore franchises have been watered down to appeal to a wider audience and lose some of their most interesting selling points in order to make more money.

    As for Chimera Squad, I think the changes fit the game very well. It is not supposed to be XCOM 3, and it is not full price. At the time of this review the game is still on sale for 9,99 instead of 19,99 on Steam, which is an amazing price, in my opinion.

    Everything in XCOM Chimera Squad is scaled down: smaller maps, shorter missions, smaller squads, less customization, overall less content.
    But not necessarily in a bad way. I really like the new Breach mechanics, giving you a fresh start 2-3 times in missions and giving you unique options to approach the situations. I really hope this feature makes it into special missions in XCOM 3 because it really adds to the "Special Operations" feeling.

    The city map is really confusing at first but you get used to it once you realize you don't really have as many options as you think.
    The units all have different abilities which I find refreshing. I've gotten so used to the classes in XCOM 2 that each unit having multiple unique abilities is really interesting to me.
    In general, playable aliens are great! It feels damn good to finally have your own Viper do a "Doge: grazed". How you like that, alien scum??

    Although I really enjoy the game as a small version of XCOM, I can't believe the games technical state.
    XCOM 2, which is 90% of this games mechanics, assets etc., released in February 2016.
    Yet we still get units looking in random directions, shooting through walls, turns taking minutes to load or not load at all - forcing you to load an older save. The game hard-crashed 2 times in ~12 hours of playtime. Sometimes the timeline is also messed up by unique abilities, not showing the correct turn order etc etc.

    The game is fun and all. But it's a joke we still have to put up with launch issues from a 4 year old game in this newer release.
    If you can't wait for XCOM 3, this is the way to go. But do expect to be annoyed with its bugs and glitches, as sadly with all major XCOM releases in the past years.    … Expand
  94. genocide24
    Apr 30, 2020
    10
    Above-average shooter, but I'm giving it a 10 because of Snake Boobies and handsome Sectoids.
  95. madwolf81
    Apr 26, 2020
    10
    Great game with a cheap price, one of the most enjoyable xcom game, loving it.
  96. Celebsul
    Apr 26, 2020
    10
    A fun, fast-paced take on XCOM. Instead of the creepy dread-filled tone XCOM games usually channel, Chimera Squad provides a focused action heavy romp. You use a squad of interesting, unique characters to bust down doors and blast aliens. It's like the tensest tactical moments of XCOM2 put in a blender and hyper-charged.

    The game also feels much more character driven, as you're    A fun, fast-paced take on XCOM. Instead of the creepy dread-filled tone XCOM games usually channel, Chimera Squad provides a focused action heavy romp. You use a squad of interesting, unique characters to bust down doors and blast aliens. It's like the tensest tactical moments of XCOM2 put in a blender and hyper-charged.

    The game also feels much more character driven, as you're constantly getting more banter between your soldiers and staff. I love seeing this sort of spin-off from the core games, and it has been a really fresh challenge.    … Expand
  97. Sanastusa
    May 9, 2020
    8
    For a game that came out of left field during a epidemic and a sale price of only $10. Holy crap was it solid. I was afraid at the price point it would be a short game but it provides up to 20 hours of gameplay with plenty to do. Firaxis take what was already established in Xcom2 and change the formula for a more "tactical" building combat approach. Where before you traveled the world andFor a game that came out of left field during a epidemic and a sale price of only $10. Holy crap was it solid. I was afraid at the price point it would be a short game but it provides up to 20 hours of gameplay with plenty to do. Firaxis take what was already established in Xcom2 and change the formula for a more "tactical" building combat approach. Where before you traveled the world and fought in big open maps, Chimera Squad is based in the limits of a new established city in the Xcom universe.
    They introduce aliens and hybrid into the ranks for the first time. If that needs explaining then go play the rest of the Xcom series (well worth the time). Also still gives player choice on loadouts and different agents to take on the missions.

    Positives:
    +Different agents, some you don't see in a single play through
    +Great play time for the price point
    +Anarchy meter to add a tightening mechanic making you have to make hard decisions

    Negatives:
    -First faction you fight can be super difficult with a snowball feeling afterwards
    -Ultimate training for some agents was lackluster
    -Never really needed the android function in the game    … Expand
  98. joshbreviews
    May 3, 2020
    9
    I'm surprised there are so many red reviews. This is a good game.

    PROS: + Interesting take on XCOM 's turn system. It is more balanced than team-per-team turns. + Faster and tighter combat - you're thrown straight into fights. No more time-wasting leapfrogging overwatch until you find the next group of enemies. + Although still difficult, it is a simpler and faster experience    I'm surprised there are so many red reviews. This is a good game.

    PROS:
    + Interesting take on XCOM 's turn system. It is more balanced than team-per-team turns.
    + Faster and tighter combat - you're thrown straight into fights. No more time-wasting leapfrogging overwatch until you find the next group of enemies.
    + Although still difficult, it is a simpler and faster experience overall. This is easier to pick up than the traditional modern XCOM.
    + Insane value because of replay value and extremely low price. Very consumer-friendly.

    CONS:
    - Impossible mode is not balanced or play-tested at all.
    - Trash-tier voice acting and script.
    - Extremely jarring experience at first for XCOM veterans.
    - Still too random. Please Firaxis remove damage range for both you and your enemies. Make it a single value to make damage more reliable. It makes the game too random at times.

    Ultimately this is an impressive effort to move the series forward. I would be happy with either an XCOM 3, or an XCOM Chimera Squad 2. Either one would be awesome. Maybe they could even mix the two to create a new breed of XCOM for the next generation. Firaxis did good here. Whatever comes next, I'm excited.    … Expand
  99. Cleaver343
    May 2, 2020
    9
    It’s basically xcom lite and in my opinion nice if you don’t have time for a regular xcom campaign
  100. Likend46
    Apr 26, 2020
    9
    I have never written a review before, but I simply do not understand the many low marks given to this game by others, as I found the game to be quite enjoyable. Personally, I enjoyed the focus on story and characters, while maintaining the familiar tactics gameplay found in XCOM. I also enjoyed the banter and voice acting. For the price of the game you really do get an excellent product.I have never written a review before, but I simply do not understand the many low marks given to this game by others, as I found the game to be quite enjoyable. Personally, I enjoyed the focus on story and characters, while maintaining the familiar tactics gameplay found in XCOM. I also enjoyed the banter and voice acting. For the price of the game you really do get an excellent product. As a huge fan of the XCOM series it was a pleasure to play this game and go back into the expanded lore and tactical gameplay (I am very curious to see what they will come up with in the next XCOM with the context introduced in this game). While customization is rather limited (it is not even close to XCOM WotC) the gameplay itself is quite similar to those who have played that game. All in all, for the price, this game was a treat and I highly recommend it. If you like tactics with a good dose of story and interesting (though pretty straightforward) characters, then this game is for you.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Most Discussed PC Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 74 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 74
  3. Negative: 1 out of 74
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 24, 2020
    80
    A small tactical game that plays well and looks good. If you like XCOM and you don´t have a problem with more stereotypical missions and sometimes a bigger role of RNG, you will probably like it. [Issue#304]
  2. CD-Action
    Jun 25, 2020
    85
    It’s a fantastic, albeit rushed, XCOM for beginners. And a whole lot of freshness in the franchise. [07/2020, p.43]
  3. Riot Pixels
    Jun 22, 2020
    65
    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.
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