XCOM: Enemy Unknown

 PC
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2608 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,075 out of 2608
  2. Mixed: 329 out of 2608
  3. Negative: 204 out of 2608
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  1. apokalipto
    Aug 19, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  2. fishgameing
    Aug 14, 2023
    10
    **** amazing. first saw my dad playing it back in 2013 when i was still a little kid. nine years later, got the complete edition for like 30 or 40 bucks on christmas cause i wanted to see what it was all about. instantly **** hooked. i now have 155 hours and counting on steam and i might never stop. highly recommended for anyone who is even somewhat familiar with tacstrat games

    some    **** amazing. first saw my dad playing it back in 2013 when i was still a little kid. nine years later, got the complete edition for like 30 or 40 bucks on christmas cause i wanted to see what it was all about. instantly **** hooked. i now have 155 hours and counting on steam and i might never stop. highly recommended for anyone who is even somewhat familiar with tacstrat games

    some advice i have for new players:
    - normal mode, ironman. perfect balance of fun and challenge. ironman mode will keep you from ruining the fun for yourself. just take care to avoid softlocks, crashes or process terminations
    - buy the enemy within expansion and slingshot dlc. boot to enemy within. before starting the game, enable Operation Slingshot and Operation Progeny in the advanced settings. they add some very challenging side quest-style missions that provide substantial rewards if completed
    - avoid second wave options for your first playthrough, they make the game much more unpredictable and very different from the standard experience
    - smoke & mirrors, flush, battle scanner, and rapid reaction are the worst perks in each of their respective class training trees and are vastly outclassed by their alternatives. never **** pick them    … Expand
  3. PR9Gaming
    Aug 12, 2023
    10
    There's a reason every new turn-based shooter is called an XCOM game; this game basically hasn't been beat since.
  4. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    8
    Excellent turn based strategy. Tons of fun, good balance of reward and punishment, practical and aesthetic customization is really fun. Tons of fun, worth your time.
  5. Hyperfailure
    Nov 27, 2022
    8
    (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
    ┻━┻ ︵ ヽ(°□°ヽ)

    ┻━┻ ︵ ＼( °□° )／ ︵ ┻━┻

    ┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)

    (ﾉಥ益ಥ）ﾉ ┻━┻

    ┬──┬ ¯_(ツ)

    ┻━┻ ︵ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ︵ ┻━┻

    ┻━┻ ︵ ¯(ツ)/¯ ︵ ┻━┻

    (╯°Д°）╯︵ /(.□ . )

    ʕノ•ᴥ•ʔノ ︵ ┻━┻
  6. Gaming_Bear
    Oct 24, 2022
    10
    An amazing turn based strategy with perfect game play, great story full of twists and turns. I must have played through this game at least 5 times. If you are a fan of scifi and turn based strategy and have not played this you are doing life wrong.
  7. AJCk19
    Oct 5, 2022
    8
    Everything is great, but if you mess up something in early game, and you finally in late game. You just have to start all over, so make sure you plan accordingly or "scum save." Also, I shouldn't be missing a 90% chance shot so often.
  8. aecsuter
    Sep 8, 2022
    9
    It was my favorite game until Xcom 2 was released.
    Basic yet immersive story. You end up creating your own story with your own soldiers and missions.
    A good variety of enemies, maps and mission styles. The base management, research, resources, character evolution part is a separate game and it's wonderful. The graphics are nothing spectacular, but they are round, beautiful, I haven't    It was my favorite game until Xcom 2 was released.
    Basic yet immersive story. You end up creating your own story with your own soldiers and missions.
    A good variety of enemies, maps and mission styles.
    The base management, research, resources, character evolution part is a separate game and it's wonderful.
    The graphics are nothing spectacular, but they are round, beautiful, I haven't had any bugs in my 160 hours of play.
    Above all, the game is extremely fun, whether for those who have never played it, using the lowest difficulties, or for those who want to suffer.
    I highly recommend the game.    … Expand
  9. tontonac
    May 16, 2022
    9
    I prefer this one to the sequel, better pacing and campaign is more stressfull.
  10. AliceGross
    May 6, 2022
    8
    Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо
  11. Woolee
    Sep 29, 2021
    10
    I fell in love with this game when I first started playing it, but then something went horribly wrong. If you only intend on playing the game once or maybe twice then this game is a fantastic gem; a great experience. If you want to play more than that then it has some surprises in store. First of all the UI and controls are ok but they could be so much better on the PC. Every once in a
  12. CheetoPhingers
    Aug 18, 2021
    8
    Fun little game for people that like strategy games on a square grid with a little bit of bit of bean counting. Not without a challenge.
  13. Axilley
    Jul 22, 2021
    9
    good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good
  14. FRIST_008
    Jun 14, 2021
    8
    Это свершилось, оно вышло, и даже не ударило в грязь лицом, это хорошая стратегия, которая продолжает UFO, с которым я познакомился в детстве
  15. Bellarmcsb
    Mar 7, 2021
    10
    The perfect, quintessential strategy game, and a classic favorite of mine. I still play this game every year.
  16. shatarah
    Dec 2, 2020
    10
    greattttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
  17. watrfll
    Oct 19, 2020
    8
    Dynamic chess with plasma rifles and absurd randomness. The game has no analogues, tho.
  18. Nerevarinho
    Jul 4, 2020
    9
    Would reload savegame again.
    ..............................................
  19. Bigmano
    Jun 29, 2020
    10
    It's fantastic and highly tactical. The game runs well and the graphics are good.
  20. DoctorDeath
    Jun 29, 2020
    9
    Great turn-based strategy. Classic story in the new graphics. Interesting gameplay.
  21. ewenr
    Jun 29, 2020
    9
    This was my first XCom game and I loved it immensely. Sure, there are a few annoyances (I hate the base-building) but the character connections and situational gameplay is fantastic.
  22. Wiebe
    Feb 26, 2020
    8
    Amazing game, so many great and different elements coming together.mit gets a bit boring thougn once you become really good at it.
  23. RogueV
    Dec 5, 2019
    10
    Possibly the greatest strategy game of all time. The gameplay is intuitive and an absolute blast to play. It's intense, engaging, and results scale very much with skill. Anybody who likes chess or turn based combat in any form, this game is for you. Even if you have never tried a turn based game and don't have much interest in chess, I still recommend you try out XCOM.

    For anyone who    Possibly the greatest strategy game of all time. The gameplay is intuitive and an absolute blast to play. It's intense, engaging, and results scale very much with skill. Anybody who likes chess or turn based combat in any form, this game is for you. Even if you have never tried a turn based game and don't have much interest in chess, I still recommend you try out XCOM.

    For anyone who has played the Civilization series, this game takes that whole model and applies it to a tactical shooter, and it works brilliantly. There is research that takes a certain amount of days just like Civ, and the tile-based movement system in combat is also very familiar. It works brilliantly in this new setting, perhaps even better than in Civ itself.

    One of my favourite things about this game is how the story is created organically. This is not because of dialogue trees or any effort to make the campaign have branching paths (in fact, the campaign is quite linear). It is because the best parts in this story will be made in gameplay by you, the player. And to me this is the absolute peak of what a video game story can achieve. Your soldiers, who start off as homogenous uninteresting rookies, will quickly win a place in your hearts through their heroic feats and resulting promotions. At any point, you can mess up and a soldier can die, and that's it, they will be gone forever. A soldier who has been with you from the first day the aliens attacked, gone forever all because you were careless and put them in a position where they are exposed. I cannot even describe the anguish it is possible to experience from a moment like that. The emotions and attachment I built with my soldiers in this game surpasses my attachment to basically any other video game story I have experienced. I recommend not reloading old saves when a squad favourite is lost, but to roll with the punches, your experience will be all the richer.

    There's a lot of thought gone into this game to make this game engaging as a whole and to provide proper support for the innovative core gameplay mechanic. The base building aspects are satisfying and the perfect addition to the campaign, making you feel invested in what's to come as well as properly dealing with progression and time. The world map and councils offer impactful decisionmaking to be possible within the constraints of a fixed plot.

    Lastly, I should add that if you are a newcomer to the XCOM series, I recommend you first check out XCOM 2 and then XCOM 2's expansion War of the Chosen. This is because XCOM 2 does everything right in making XCOM even better and there's no reason to not start with the best the series has to offer. War of the Chosen is possibly the greatest video game expansion of all time. Anyone who has tried out XCOM 2 and is wondering whether the original is worth it or dated, look no further. Although the graphics are a bit weaker, the gameplay is equally stellar, and for XCOM 2 fans it is easily worth it for the plot alone.    … Expand
  24. Genek13
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    One of my favorite tactical strategy games.
    Very challenging in all good aspects. Lots to do in campaign which has a good story.
    Every lose of your teammate is painful :)
  25. Cougargames
    Nov 5, 2019
    9
    There is nothing more satisfying with creating the perfect attack againts your aliens opponents one soldier is obove hiding ready to use overwatch while you have 2 sodliers on the ground hiding ready to throe grenades on all the aliens taht stand togheter. This game can get super intersting and is a streategy game that does things right. This is definetly a must buy for everyone.
  26. brendo214
    May 22, 2019
    8
    XCOM Enemy Unknown is surprisingly addictive for a strategy game. The combat is super fun.
  27. CenkAlp
    May 6, 2019
    8
    Hikaye = 8
    Oynanış = 9
    Grafikler = 7
    Sesler =7
    Keyif = 8
    Atmosfer = 8
    Süre = 7
  28. Misza123
    Apr 12, 2019
    8
    X-COM was my first contact with based turn tactical games... and I'm delighted. Addictive gameplay, okay graphic and cool setting. Sure, game has, for me, some issues with RNG and moments when a soldier shoots through wall spoils immerse, but still I really like X-COM. Especially I'm a fan of large amount of customization options (like color of your soldiers armors or giving themX-COM was my first contact with based turn tactical games... and I'm delighted. Addictive gameplay, okay graphic and cool setting. Sure, game has, for me, some issues with RNG and moments when a soldier shoots through wall spoils immerse, but still I really like X-COM. Especially I'm a fan of large amount of customization options (like color of your soldiers armors or giving them nicknames). Game which lands on a shelf "Must Play".… Expand
  29. Ydun79
    Feb 11, 2019
    9
    Very enjoyable well paced game. Doesn't hold your hand all the time, actual mistakes can be made.
  30. jelikey
    Jan 18, 2019
    8
    This game is hard to review, mostly because it is a "re-imagining" of one of my favorite games. The short story is: I like it. I am playing it. So, it gets an 8. Could it have been better? Oh yes. As an X-Com remake, it falls a bit flat. Simplified is a commonly used description, "on rails" is how I'd describe it. It seems that somewhere out there in a secret gaming steering committee, an…
  31. TatsMcGee
    Sep 8, 2018
    9
    When I first played Xcom 2, I instantly fell in love with the game. Then I quickly realized that a lot of people were saying the same thing about Xcom 2. That it’s not as good as the first one. Xcom: Enemy Unkown was a much better game so I knew that I had to give the game a shot.

    Enemy Unkown plays the exact same way as Xcom 2 and that made me very happy. If I could go back and redo    When I first played Xcom 2, I instantly fell in love with the game. Then I quickly realized that a lot of people were saying the same thing about Xcom 2. That it’s not as good as the first one. Xcom: Enemy Unkown was a much better game so I knew that I had to give the game a shot.

    Enemy Unkown plays the exact same way as Xcom 2 and that made me very happy. If I could go back and redo the 2016 Game of the Year then Xcom 2 would have been on it. Regardless Xcom: Enemy Unkown is a turn-based strategy game where you level up units and send them on missions. Its a very stressful game because on top of its difficulty and the random nature of the shots there is also permadeath. What I mean by “random nature of the shots” each shot taken by a unit has a percentage chance of hitting. It could be 62% chance, 83% or 99%. You never know for sure whether the shot is going to connect, I have had shots in 90’s miss but I’ve also had shots in the 20’s hit. That’s what I mean by random nature when you take essentially dice rolls and mix that with permadeath. Stress levels go up.

    The one thing that impressed me above all else is this is a good game. Its extremely well made and since its turn-based the game mechanics don’t feel out of date. It’s also important to note that this game can be played on the Xbox One so you don’t even have to bring out your old Xbox 360 to play it.    … Expand
  32. ave
    May 22, 2018
    8
    Even if I'm an "old gamer", I never had the chance to play the original XCOM. Nonetheless, this reboot entirely satisfied my preference for squad-based tactical turn-based games, like FallOut Tactics did in the past.

    Even in "easy" difficulty, the game is hard and may require a lot of strategy guides and videos to watch in order to grok how the game is supposed to be played, especially    Even if I'm an "old gamer", I never had the chance to play the original XCOM. Nonetheless, this reboot entirely satisfied my preference for squad-based tactical turn-based games, like FallOut Tactics did in the past.

    Even in "easy" difficulty, the game is hard and may require a lot of strategy guides and videos to watch in order to grok how the game is supposed to be played, especially how to deal with visibilty, pod triggering, cover and flanking ; and of course the details of base management.

    Even if I started many (many) campaigns, I actually finished only two, but they were very satisfying (except maybe for the last boss).

    I strongly recommend you to play Enemy Unknown before diving into Enemy Within.    … Expand
  33. Jaffar
    Feb 27, 2018
    8
    Great game with fantastic strategic gameplay in both the field missions and the base management. I recommend playing on at least normal with Ironman mode enabled to maximise the pressure of each mission and make each soldier count. Also the story has some great themes to it and I personally found it really thought provoking, and the voice acting is so bad it's good.
  34. Arquire
    Jan 16, 2018
    10
    This has remained my favourite game since its release putting several hundred hours into it. It is endlessly replayable, with its challenging difficulty settings and ironman mode as well as plenty of mod support.
  35. Horrux
    Oct 29, 2017
    8
    This game is awesome. It is fun, there is a lot of replay value (especially when adding Enemy Within) and it's engaging, but most importantly, it delivers feelings of ACCOMPLISHMENT when you execute a mission well. And real DISAPPOINTMENT when your beloved high ranking soldier dies. With such a potent psychological aspect to it, no wonder I give this game a high rating.

    However, there    This game is awesome. It is fun, there is a lot of replay value (especially when adding Enemy Within) and it's engaging, but most importantly, it delivers feelings of ACCOMPLISHMENT when you execute a mission well. And real DISAPPOINTMENT when your beloved high ranking soldier dies. With such a potent psychological aspect to it, no wonder I give this game a high rating.

    However, there are two significant downs, and I cannot ignore them. First is the price. At nearly $70 for the complete package, 5 years after release, after the sequel and its expansion are released? You would think pretty much ALL the bugs would be gone? NOPE!

    There are many mission-breaking bugs, and if you are playing ironman for a challenge, then you have extra-challenge in the form of bugs that will ruin turns, missions, and entire games.

    Also, the UI hinders good gameplay. In short: it will pan the map automatically, but allows you to click the destination WHILE it is panning. The result is that if your move is near the (invisible) auto-panning trigger zone, you will likely click just when the auto-pan starts, and the game will give you a move to the wrong tile.

    So this game might have been a 10. If at that 5-year price the bugs were almost all fixed, and if the UI worked well enough, I would have given it a 9. So it's an 8.    … Expand
  36. auditbadger
    Jul 30, 2017
    8
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  37. Captain_Chaos
    Apr 17, 2017
    9
    I'd been aware of the XCOM series for some time, but it never interested me until I tried the demo for Enemy Unknown, but even that wasn't enough. It took a love for Darkest Dungeon and a realization that there were a number of turn-based games I'd enjoyed over the years, when I had previously just told people that I don't like them. So I waited for a sale and grabbed the complete pack.I'd been aware of the XCOM series for some time, but it never interested me until I tried the demo for Enemy Unknown, but even that wasn't enough. It took a love for Darkest Dungeon and a realization that there were a number of turn-based games I'd enjoyed over the years, when I had previously just told people that I don't like them. So I waited for a sale and grabbed the complete pack. Coming from DD, XCOM is both more forgiving (especially if you use the Save Scum modifier) and significantly more tactically complex. I had some experience with squad-based tactics from Dawn of War II, though this is on a smaller scale: You are limited to a single squad and control each soldier individually. It also uses small, often single digit numbers for damage and health, something it has in common with DD, combined with visual bar sections, making it very easy at a glance to see where you're at tactically. There are certain tactical shortcomings that I'm told are addressed in the sequel, such as not knowing wether a position you are moving a soldier to will give them a view on potential targets until they get there- but i've also heard its much harder to get a guarenteed hit in the sequel, even if your trooper is pressing a gun to an enemy's face. Ups and downs, I suppose.

    Enemy Unknown has layers of complexity that few other games have, though series veterans will still tell you its "dumbed down." Individual soldiers are highly customizable both in their abilities and appearance, especially if you have all the DLCs. You can name them, give them medals, and arm them with a variety of extra goodies. They start out as pathetic FNGs with the accuracy of the on-screen Stormtroopers of Star Wars, and dont even have a class, which they are assigned the first time they rank up: Assaults, Heavies, Snipers or Supports. These four classes are further split by players into two subclasses based on perk choices, though you may mix and match perks to your liking. However, you CANNOT respec your soldiers: choose perks carefully. With some planning, luck and maybe a few reloaded saves, they become apex examples of what human warriors can do- some of them may even become psychics. Then you can take them beyond that in Enemy Within, granting them genetic enhancements or cybernetic augmentation. XCOM resonated with me very strongly in this regard: Evolution is a powerful weapon indeed. One of my very first recruits from the post-tutorial mission, my first Support, went on to be my Volunteer. These are not just random grunts. They are your disciples. Their stories are yours.

    Combat can go very smoothly or completely sideways, and the difference can be as subtle as the positioning of a single trooper, or which soldier you place on "Overwatch" (Which causes them to fire upon the first enemy that moves within their vison during their turn) You must take into account flanking, elevation, line of sight and variety of other factors. This variety increases as you level your soldiers and their capabilities expand, as do the variety of enemies you face. One of the most useful such capabilities in my experience has been a perk for Snipers called Squadsight, which permits them to fire on any target visibile to another XCOM soldier, so long as they also would have line of sight to that enemy. Properly positioned, this enables the Sniper to hit targets from across the map: as my first Sniper did when he saved the afforementioned Support from a Chryssalid on the now-infamous "Site Recon" mission. When things go right in XCOM, it is immensly satisfying. When they don't... oh boy, do they not.

    XCOM is an incredible, in-depth experience and I enjoyed it from the first mission to the very last. It is easily one of the finest games of this decade. It permits you control of your characters in a manner that would be more common in a traditional RPG, and the random elements become less of a hassle as you progress, as the time and effort you put into your soldiers' development pays off as they become nigh-unstoppable post-human super-warriors that puts EDF's Storm Team to shame and would give Commander Shepard's crew a run for their money. I found myself with the same fondness for them that I had for my heroes in Darkest Dungeon. It is clear that an uncommon degree of care and respect went in to Enemy Unknown's creation, with its purely asthetic "highlight camera" when making a killing shot and its excellent soundtrack. More big-budget releases could benefit from its example, and it can be played as casually or as intensively as one prefers, thanks to its range of difficulties and modifiers. If you enjoy squad tactics games, turn-based RPGs, or strategy games of any kind, I encourage you to try the demo. I understand that it offends the sensibilities of XCOM purists, and as such a person as regards to other series I totally get where they're coming from: but Xenonauts exists, and from what I can tell they should just play that.    … Expand
  38. Ormegasm
    Mar 27, 2017
    10
    Coming back to this game after playing the second one, it is a tighter experience overall and does not need mods to give it a feel of pressure like in XCOM 2.
  39. veedub
    Dec 21, 2016
    10
    Fantastic game.
    Love the turn-based strategy.
    Love the strategically scarce resources -- can't buy the stuff you really want (i.e. what you need to build laser and plasma weapons), and can't harvest enough resources to build out everything you want/need all at once. Makes you feel on edge the entire time, unlike its namesake 1990's predecessor in which you could essentially run a    Fantastic game.
    Love the turn-based strategy.

    Love the strategically scarce resources -- can't buy the stuff you really want (i.e. what you need to build laser and plasma weapons), and can't harvest enough resources to build out everything you want/need all at once. Makes you feel on edge the entire time, unlike its namesake 1990's predecessor in which you could essentially run a money-printing manufacturing operation to buy everything you want.

    Love that it's not possible to handle every alien threat at the same time like you could in the game's predecessor. You make your decisions on how to handle what you can based on trying to manage the world's perception of you and what rewards are being offered. Again, puts you on edge the entire game. No sitting back and feeling comfortable.

    Love the story, learning about the aliens' motivation (hint: it's not the classic "harvest the planet" alien invasion story) which also explains why there's a progression of difficulty.

    Scalable difficulty makes the game more accessible, despite the fact that it can get pretty hard even on Easy mode.

    Love "Iron Man" mode -- makes it so you can't just save at good points and load when things go wrong, you have to live with your decisions. Playing that way, even on Easy the game gets really hard.

    Love the squad customization, rank advancement, abilities and team-building strategies.

    The only thing other than occasional glitches that I don't like about the game is that there aren't enough unique stages. Chances are you'll end up doing a mission on the same stage as one you did previously at some point in the game. The stage design is really good -- dispersion of cover, destructible objects, plenty of ground to cover and search for aliens -- but there aren't enough of them. The original XCOM: UFO Defense didn't have that problem, because stages were procedurally generated. I can imagine that would be possible to do while still maintaining the appearance of good stage design, but they chose not to do that. Makes the game feel stale on the second, third, nth run through it.    … Expand
  40. chilleddragon
    Jul 30, 2016
    9
    My first game in the XCOM franchise and certainly hope it wont be my last. The difficulty can be harsh sometimes or maybe all the time, but that what makes the game better. All in all, a wonderful game.
  41. Skipp3rUA
    Jul 12, 2016
    8
    XCOM: Enemy Unknown and its addons are de facto re-issue the game UFO Defence game 1993 year edition. Established Firaxis Games and published by 2K new game turned out pretty not bad. The basic details and the scenario were simply transferred from the 1993 year game: as the war with the aliens, turn-based tactics, tactical role-playing elements.
    The mission of the player is protection the    XCOM: Enemy Unknown and its addons are de facto re-issue the game UFO Defence game 1993 year edition. Established Firaxis Games and published by 2K new game turned out pretty not bad. The basic details and the scenario were simply transferred from the 1993 year game: as the war with the aliens, turn-based tactics, tactical role-playing elements.
    The mission of the player is protection the planet from alien attacks, their operations on the ground and in the air. For ground operations under player control will be a special detachment. It is replenished by hiring for the money, so long as you have money and you will have recruits. But a large number of detachment on base senselessly because the operation can only use a limited number of soldiers 5 in the original game; 6 in addon Enemy Within. After successful operations soldiers who took part in the operation may be promoted in rank then become available new options and opportunities. The game has 4 classes of soldiers, -heavy infantry, support, assault, sniper and unique class - psionic - a soldier who has psionic abilities. The soldiers of different classes differently armed and have different skills. What classes to use depends on the player and his chosen tactics. Battle goes step by step: the player and the enemy take turns. During the battle each fighter can perform two actions (move / open fire / reload weapon / etc.). To win, the player has to fulfill the mission goal (to clean the area from aliens, rescue civilians or hostage). Enemy are various forms of aliens - their number, skills and capacity increases according to the game passage. To destroy alien aircraft, XCOM need to buy aircrafts, but unlike the recruits its construction takes time.
    The player has a secret base. In a bunker is a research center, engineering department, a command post, a hangar for XCOM aviation, satellite control center, barracks, etc. The player decides which conduct research, what structures build, what type of equipment use for soldiers who will took part in operation. Project XCOM financed by 16 countries. Due to aliens attack, if XCOM ignore countries request of help, country can leave project. If 8 countries leave project - player lose.
    Since the game is turn-based tactics not possible not to pay attention to the entourage of battles in XCOM. The battles with aliens take place throughout the planet and the question remains, why the location is almost indistinguishable from one another. The same cars, houses, people in Beijing, in London, in Cairo, in Lagos. This is pathetic, seems what game was created not a company with over 100 man crew, but several people who raised money on kickstarter.
    Despite some disadvantages, the game still came worthy sequel to the original game of 1993.

    8/10    … Expand
  42. Baluberda
    Jun 22, 2016
    9
    Long content, all customizable, multiple situations to explore and really well done. Cant raech 10 because it gets a bit repetitive after the hours. Go ahead g2a and try is 5 euros or download the demo
  43. Phabtar
    May 22, 2016
    9
    Just finished. Although must admit It took a while for me. Maybe because I didn't follow what I was supposed to do. Heck I build a foundry and uncovered a whole bunch of upgrades and units I could make only towards the end of the game. By then my soldiers were beefed up so I managed. Gotta give it credit because it was kind of addictive. Great ending too.
  44. gracjanski
    Apr 29, 2016
    8
    I didnt play the former XCOM before, so I came into the game without any previous impacts. But I can understand the critics: unfortunately the game was written for consoles and you can see it on 2 things: the graphics is really old, this is how games looked like in 2010, but not 2012 or 2013. In addition the controlling was not good enough for a PC game.
    If we stay in the negative    I didnt play the former XCOM before, so I came into the game without any previous impacts. But I can understand the critics: unfortunately the game was written for consoles and you can see it on 2 things: the graphics is really old, this is how games looked like in 2010, but not 2012 or 2013. In addition the controlling was not good enough for a PC game.
    If we stay in the negative aspects, I can add some more:
    What annoyed me, was the few informations you get to make decisions. As if the programmer didnt want to overinform us stupid gamers...I needed to look a lot in XCOM Wikia to understand, what effects my decisions will have. In addition you need to load often during a mission, because you never know, if your soldier will have vision after changing your position. This game means a lot of fun in the beginning, but after 15 hours, you see through many mechanism and the missions begin to look similar.

    But the game has some very good sides: The gameplay itself is complex and for me motivating. They present you the story very well und you really want to protect the earth because of the aliens.

    Result: A good game, but you need the addon, because it makes the main campaign much better    … Expand
  45. Zahrada
    Feb 24, 2016
    8
    This game is relly good and really fun. It is a bit different animal than the original from 90s'. But it is cool. It requires a brain. It looks good. It plays nicely. The downsides are a bit limited gameplay in comparison to the original and the need to finish the campaign soon. The game starts to get difficult quite fast, so you are pressed to progress fast. I am not so sure I liked that.This game is relly good and really fun. It is a bit different animal than the original from 90s'. But it is cool. It requires a brain. It looks good. It plays nicely. The downsides are a bit limited gameplay in comparison to the original and the need to finish the campaign soon. The game starts to get difficult quite fast, so you are pressed to progress fast. I am not so sure I liked that. Apart from that, very nice gaming experience. Firaxis made an excelent job in honoring the original classic.… Expand
  46. Tomle1202
    Feb 23, 2016
    9
    XCOM: Enemy Unknown starts like how a good strategy game should start, and thankfully, it ends like how a good strategy game should end. Or at least, some parts of it.
  47. anotherplayer
    Jan 8, 2016
    10
    Having played the original UFO, this is like a remake but with much better graphics and gameplay. In my view, this is the best game I have ever played. Really enjoyed the turn-based battle and management aspects of your base.
  48. ComandanteCobra
    Jan 7, 2016
    8
    (English and Italian Review)
    Good strategic game. I played ufo: enemy unknown back in the day and this game is a good successor.
    The fighting system is turn based but is not too deep and runs quite fast. Recomended for anyone not only strategy lovers because the strategy part of the game is not too deep. Nowadays i find it quite cheap for less than 15 Euros or less. Un buon gioco di    (English and Italian Review)
    Good strategic game. I played ufo: enemy unknown back in the day and this game is a good successor.
    The fighting system is turn based but is not too deep and runs quite fast.
    Recomended for anyone not only strategy lovers because the strategy part of the game is not too deep. Nowadays i find it quite cheap for less than 15 Euros or less.

    Un buon gioco di strategia. Ho giocato al vecchio Ufo anni fa e questo capitolo è un degno successore. Il sistema di combattimento è strategico (a turni) ma non troppo complesso...il che permette combattimenti veloci e non appesantisce troppo le partite. Lo raccomando anche a chi non è un patito degli strategici perchè non risulta troppo complesso per i neofiti ma offre comunque soddisfazione a chi mastica pane e giochi a turni. Compratelo: si trova nei negozi ed in rete a prezzi bassi sotto i 15 euro.    … Expand
  49. pokrishka
    Dec 24, 2015
    8
    Solid tactical game with a strong feeling of retro inspired mechanics. Simple but pretty addictive, this game has brought some emotions up that other games of this generation lack ability of.
  50. IQDecIined
    Dec 9, 2015
    9
    This is one of my favorite pc titles in years. Mercilessly difficult on higher settings, especially with the Ironman setting (No save-loading).

    Never played the previouits X-Coms, so this one was a surprise. Easy to get wrapped up in this one. Invariably you'll be faced with difficult choices, you may have to sacrifice a soldier for the team, leave one behind in a hasty retreat, or    This is one of my favorite pc titles in years. Mercilessly difficult on higher settings, especially with the Ironman setting (No save-loading).

    Never played the previouits X-Coms, so this one was a surprise. Easy to get wrapped up in this one. Invariably you'll be faced with difficult choices, you may have to sacrifice a soldier for the team, leave one behind in a hasty retreat, or choose which country to abandon to alien abduction and invasion.

    Can be frustrating. You will learn to hate Thin Men if you don't already.

    Some missed opportunities and bugs but the pluses are too numerous to list and outway the detractors.    … Expand
  51. AnnatarYoung
    Dec 2, 2015
    10
    It has been a great many years since I have been so compelled and drawn in to an IP as deeply as I have been with XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

    A re-imagining of the classic if infamously counter-intuitive XCOM series, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a highly interactive, highly immersive and surprisingly replayable game with hundreds of hours of gameplay to be had. The story is interesting and    It has been a great many years since I have been so compelled and drawn in to an IP as deeply as I have been with XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

    A re-imagining of the classic if infamously counter-intuitive XCOM series, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a highly interactive, highly immersive and surprisingly replayable game with hundreds of hours of gameplay to be had.

    The story is interesting and well-told enough for you to really be drawn in without becoming overbearing or cripplingly long-winded or cryptic.

    Perhaps one of the strangest things about this game though is how strongly you as a player become attached to your troops. Even to the most unimaginative of folks, players can't help but form little backstories and personalities to their characters and care about them as a Commander most likely would.

    The expansion pack also adds a significant amount of content, both in terms of story and in terms of new units and upgrades.

    All in all, this game has done a great job of reviving the dying genre of turn-based strategy and has quickly become not only my favourite game of 2012 but one of my favourite games of all time.

    If you've been curious about the upcoming sequel and wonder if the first game is worth giving a go, I would wholeheartedly shout YES!    … Expand
  52. steddye
    Aug 10, 2015
    8
    Loved this game but:
    enemies do not move until you approach them
    Inventory is gone
    missing some rpg elements
    missions are too similar

    Overall the game is fun and enjoyable
  53. ThePCGamer101
    Jun 24, 2015
    9
    A fantastic game, that puts the strategy from Civilization series and management from any type of tycoon game, put in some aliens and the world to take over and eliminate the world, and you've got a fantastic and hard game, I have been waiting to buy this game and I must say it is the best strategy game I've played, although the game does encounter bugs and glitches which may bother youA fantastic game, that puts the strategy from Civilization series and management from any type of tycoon game, put in some aliens and the world to take over and eliminate the world, and you've got a fantastic and hard game, I have been waiting to buy this game and I must say it is the best strategy game I've played, although the game does encounter bugs and glitches which may bother you while playing, its a good game to play… Expand
  54. ireviewthings1
    May 19, 2015
    8
    A squad-based tactical game that makes the most out of it's quite simple mechanics. Outside of combat you manage the overseeing operation - a nice peace of micro management between combat missions. Combat is basically cover-based, turn-based and probability-based gameplay. Easy to understand mechanics but the AI will challange you with tactics and numbers. The special thing about XCOM isA squad-based tactical game that makes the most out of it's quite simple mechanics. Outside of combat you manage the overseeing operation - a nice peace of micro management between combat missions. Combat is basically cover-based, turn-based and probability-based gameplay. Easy to understand mechanics but the AI will challange you with tactics and numbers. The special thing about XCOM is the way the game promotes a feeling of significance for every single action you take. whether you move a highly trained veteran soldier from cover to cover while enemies take potshots or choosing the next facility to build or research to undertake.
    Graphics are in a somewhat cellshading style and will age well, though lacking any amazement factor. Sounds are solid and underline the "enemy unknown" atmosphere well.    … Expand
  55. Sinatra
    May 19, 2015
    10
    As a fan of the xcom games I was a bit scared, when I read that the game should become "more accessible" to a larger audience. But what a great job the developers did!!! Still has a lot of depth and is a lot of fun to play. One of the best turn-based-strategy games I know.
    But after playing this game twice, unfortunately there is not much replayabillity
  56. daanelf
    May 1, 2015
    10
    I`ve never spend more hours on a game then xcom on my steam library. This game with the long war mod makes for the best game i have ever played. It is unforgiving and at the same time really enjoyable. I love turn based games and this one is one of the best.

    Reviewers who give this game lower then a 7 should spend some more time with it. Or it might just not be for you. I would suggest    I`ve never spend more hours on a game then xcom on my steam library. This game with the long war mod makes for the best game i have ever played. It is unforgiving and at the same time really enjoyable. I love turn based games and this one is one of the best.

    Reviewers who give this game lower then a 7 should spend some more time with it. Or it might just not be for you. I would suggest playing a game that is less demanding and more forgiving.    … Expand
  57. wishanem
    Feb 18, 2015
    9
    If you've never played a turn-based tactics game, this is the one to pick up. The difficulty options allow for anybody from a total amateur to a hardcore expert to have a well-balanced experience. It isn't too short or long either, and has enough randomization that someone who loved it could replay the game and love it all over again.

    The story isn't much to write home about, and the    If you've never played a turn-based tactics game, this is the one to pick up. The difficulty options allow for anybody from a total amateur to a hardcore expert to have a well-balanced experience. It isn't too short or long either, and has enough randomization that someone who loved it could replay the game and love it all over again.

    The story isn't much to write home about, and the characters are little more than sketches, but there's enough game here to please anyway. I also with there had been a bit more variety in the units (both friendly and hostile) as well as the mission types, but I'm sure that the inevitable sequel will have those things.    … Expand
  58. Wazzles
    Feb 5, 2015
    9
    To put it succinctly, PLAY THIS GAME. I came into this game not knowing exactly what to expect, and I was absolutely blown away. this game is incredibly fun and addictive, with excellently nuanced gameplay. If you mess up in this game, it is your fault. The game almost never cheats you out of a victory. I can't say it enough: play it. Play it. PLAY IT.
  59. sanremo
    Dec 5, 2014
    8
    Great game EXCEPT that in making strategically planned moves, the percentage calculator seems waaay off.. do these guys know what 65 or 75% actually means? almost all the time my guys (professionally trained soilders) can't hit the broad side of a barn to save their lives. I consistently see 6 of them miss a target at near point blank range. this happens far too often.. only to see themGreat game EXCEPT that in making strategically planned moves, the percentage calculator seems waaay off.. do these guys know what 65 or 75% actually means? almost all the time my guys (professionally trained soilders) can't hit the broad side of a barn to save their lives. I consistently see 6 of them miss a target at near point blank range. this happens far too often.. only to see them killed because you had expected and planned on the fact that they could hit at least some of the time.. my only gripe about this game, the rest is good… Expand
  60. BioAlchemist
    Nov 24, 2014
    8
    A solid turn based strategy game that i am glad to see/play. Solid customization features. You definitely get attached to your squad so you definitely get upset when they get killed which is how it should be. Not overly complex which some may like and others not, but you can definitely ramp the difficulty up until it is painful.
  61. Klewer
    Nov 17, 2014
    8
    A highly enjoyable and strategically strong game borders on being perfect aside from some annoying glitches and bugs. Fans of the turn based action games will enjoy and those looking for a challenge will love it.
  62. rajdeepslather
    Nov 12, 2014
    9
    This is a brilliant strategy game that no fan of the genre, especially fans of turn based games, should pass up. The easy and normal difficulties make the single player portion of the game new-player friendly, while the classic and impossible difficulties, combined in the Ironman (autosave only) option transform this game into one of the most tactical and challenging experiences everThis is a brilliant strategy game that no fan of the genre, especially fans of turn based games, should pass up. The easy and normal difficulties make the single player portion of the game new-player friendly, while the classic and impossible difficulties, combined in the Ironman (autosave only) option transform this game into one of the most tactical and challenging experiences ever created.

    But i dont like that they dont support mods very well and force you to play the game their way    … Expand
  63. Mosstromo
    Nov 9, 2014
    9
    Review of the "Elite Edition" (MacOSX)
    Turn-based strategy games are something of an outcast class in the present game developing environment. No publisher seems keen on investing in these. Firaxis, with their well known pedigree of impecable and all-consuming strategical games, changed the "Outcast" part for "Outclass" in this wonderful modernization of the future (of a past game).
    THE    Review of the "Elite Edition" (MacOSX)
    Turn-based strategy games are something of an outcast class in the present game developing environment. No publisher seems keen on investing in these. Firaxis, with their well known pedigree of impecable and all-consuming strategical games, changed the "Outcast" part for "Outclass" in this wonderful modernization of the future (of a past game).
    THE GOODNESS GALORE
    They managed 3 things I think vital: There is no need to be a fan or have played XCOM to like this game; if you are an XCOM fan you will recognize and understand the changes made to this game; and they adapted TBS to be a heart-thumping bonanza of action kickasserie! (without sacrificing any of the methodical rhythm needed and cherished by fans of the genre, such as myself).
    All-around graphics are of a very high calibre. Detailed environments and creature models bring the world to life, ample customization make your troops feel unique in a way even more profound I have found on some (pseudo) RPG games, a well set tone and story development more than submerge you totally integrate you with the plight of a world facing a patently undefeatable enemy, unless you organize your meager initial resources (men and women, tech, money and time) to mount the best counterattack Earth are capable of, and give humanity at least a fighting chance.
    The game has been streamlined in the right places, such as merging facilities, limiting the size of your team to a 6-man squad more than the sometimes unwhieldy 20-unit troops, but vital aspects such as difficulty, strategy requirements and complex interactions between your resources are still gratifyingly intricate.
    Replayability is enormous, with 4 different levels of difficulty and the discenrning-masochist prefered choice: Iron Man. Which means you have nothing but the game's AutoSave to finish the campaign, therefore every choice you take is uncheangeable, so the stakes get so high they're airplane hazards.
    Best thing about the Mac version? The game is a stand-alone unit, so no need for any Steam nonsense (although you will get all the usual iTunes or AppShop foolishness if you buy the app or iOS version.)
    The game is fortunatelly very stable, so don't worry too much about crashes or glitches since there are only a few, but, as with any game, it's not free of issues...
    THE NAUGHTY BITS
    The environments will get "samey" on further playthroughs since maps will be re-used. There are no attacks on the XCOM base, which would have given Enemy Unknown such a thrilling level of added desperation to your already fragile situation. Some clipping will take place generating cheap deads on your team (or on aliens too for that matter, devaluing your efforts a bit) when they get detected, thus shot, through roofs or sturdy walls, which is not a big deal on most cases except on "Iron Man" where you depend so highly on not screwing up. The aircombat is primitive and uninvolving, and would've benefited the experience (and maybe the story) if it included more than basically just wishing your pilots well by clicking one button at a certain moment.
    CONCLUSION
    But these grievances have no real impact on wheather you should buy or not this game. You MUST. Earth and the TBS market demands it that you do... to give them a chance to survive.    … Expand
  64. Amiga1200
    Nov 7, 2014
    10
    The first time I tried this game I couldn't understand the way the combat worked and that was because I looked at the game the same way I looked at the classic. My second attempt was much better as I finally grasped what was going on. The game is very good and climatic. The combat system is somewhat simplified in comparison with the classic but it came out as an advantage. What I dislikedThe first time I tried this game I couldn't understand the way the combat worked and that was because I looked at the game the same way I looked at the classic. My second attempt was much better as I finally grasped what was going on. The game is very good and climatic. The combat system is somewhat simplified in comparison with the classic but it came out as an advantage. What I disliked in the classic was looking for the last alien that hid somewhere on the map. Here you do not have to do that. Game progression is fantastic. Besides random maps you got fixed missions, which makes game more attractive - you did not have this choise in classic. You can make your soldiers to become cyborgs or enchance them biologically. Each soldiers class is needed and this is a great improvement over the classic title where you could get ultimate killers good at everything. Here you got soldiers that can be achieved only at their profession, which is sensible attitutude. Graphics and animations are quite pretty. I beat the game and I feel like coming back once again to this title to play the campgain once more. I hope they will make another title in the franchise. I am really looking forward to it.… Expand
  65. RingK
    Oct 28, 2014
    9
    Fantastic game, good combat system. good successor to the 1993 title (which in my opinion is a 10), even with his small flaws, totally worth playing!!!
  66. smilzoboboz
    Oct 28, 2014
    8
    Old school evil aliens invade the earth and you are the commander of an elite team that should be able to defy that menace. Fortunately the game doesn't take it too seriously and is therefore enjoyable even if it features "evil alien invaders".

    The plot was surprisingly varied, considering we're talking about evil alien invaders, but it actually just need to support the turn-based    Old school evil aliens invade the earth and you are the commander of an elite team that should be able to defy that menace. Fortunately the game doesn't take it too seriously and is therefore enjoyable even if it features "evil alien invaders".

    The plot was surprisingly varied, considering we're talking about evil alien invaders, but it actually just need to support the turn-based in-field combat mechanics change throughout the progress of the game.
    It was the first time I approached turn based combat games (and the only turn based strategy game I ever played before XCOM: Enemy Unknown was Sid Meyer's Civilization V) but I found XCOM: Enemy Unknown gameplay system pretty straightforward and enjoyable.

    Game graphic is nice, I wouldn't have changed anything on that part, music instead sounds often repetitive even if it matches the atmosphere.

    Now, the cons.
    Percentage system is not totally random but randomly predetermined: if you miss a hit, no matter how many times you reload a savegame and/or change actions before that very hit, it will miss (even with 98% hit chance).
    The movement system gets you hard time with ramps/levels/obstructions.
    Finally, this game has a few bugs, one above all it may happen that the game still runs without any visual issue or crash BUT no matter what button you press, you can't do anything and you need to force quit the game (happened 1 to 3 times per finished game).

    To recap, if this game was made for PC in the first place a lot of things would have been better, but it is clearly adapted to consoles limited controls (gamepads != mouses) and then ported to PC.
    The good thing is that, controls aside, the game has a lot of customizable options and since it uses the unreal engine it's pretty solid.
    Also, the game runs on linux, I'd say it runs really good on linux and I can only praise that.

    If you enjoy turn based strategy combat games this game is for you, if you don't give it a try anyway, I really enjoyed it as my first time turn-based combat game.    … Expand
  67. Notonlytheend
    Oct 25, 2014
    9
    Turn based squad strategy at it's finest. The only complaint is that the story is a little week. Other than that, there's enjoyable progression, challenge for any level of familiarity, and huge replay-ability.
  68. DGDrocks7
    Oct 18, 2014
    10
    I have never played the original XCOM games, I just downloaded the demo, not knowing that the XCOM series existed. I got so addicted to the demo, I replayed it several times. Then I got the full game for Christmas. This game defines fun. The story may seem shallow, but guess what, that why you must create your own story. I mean, you can customize your own soldiers, even their names. TryI have never played the original XCOM games, I just downloaded the demo, not knowing that the XCOM series existed. I got so addicted to the demo, I replayed it several times. Then I got the full game for Christmas. This game defines fun. The story may seem shallow, but guess what, that why you must create your own story. I mean, you can customize your own soldiers, even their names. Try naming them after your loved ones, and you'll get attached to them. That's the thing about XCOM, it doesn't trivialize death; it even has a memorial for your lost soldiers. Haven't played multiplayer, but singleplayer alone justifies the price tag. There are some lags here and there but they're minor. Come on, buy it NOW.… Expand
  69. Jochokilla
    Oct 15, 2014
    10
    Incredible game, I have spent at least 120 hours playing this, people saying it´s "dumbed down" Its because they have not even tried it in impossible with iron man mode enabled, buy this game, I asure you wont regret it.
  70. Dozmo
    Oct 14, 2014
    8
    Great. Interesting characters - who you genuinely care about, because they can die at any time. Varied skills - which can really shake up the field of play. A variety of classes - which really do play differently. Lots of tactical options to consider and with the expansions/DLC, even more. I'm not typically a TBS player, but even I found this to be a great game. The only caveats are thatGreat. Interesting characters - who you genuinely care about, because they can die at any time. Varied skills - which can really shake up the field of play. A variety of classes - which really do play differently. Lots of tactical options to consider and with the expansions/DLC, even more. I'm not typically a TBS player, but even I found this to be a great game. The only caveats are that the action can be a little slow at times (e.g: chasing down the last few aliens on a map), and the base-building part of the game seemed underdeveloped (at least, without the DLC).… Expand
  71. 2clicks
    Sep 28, 2014
    9
    Great game. The tactics are quite simple and make for streamlined gameplay. Its not bad for it, the range of maps is quite good. The solider nationalities and editing give you a connection with them, if you play on ironman you feel gutted if a favourite dies.

    The ironman mode is really good one bad mission can cause a lot of problems. I would like to see more mission types although    Great game. The tactics are quite simple and make for streamlined gameplay. Its not bad for it, the range of maps is quite good. The solider nationalities and editing give you a connection with them, if you play on ironman you feel gutted if a favourite dies.

    The ironman mode is really good one bad mission can cause a lot of problems.

    I would like to see more mission types although the missions themselves seem to be quite different with each play through.

    Would recommend however if you are looking for in depth combat you may be disappointed.    … Expand
  72. Overtake
    Aug 18, 2014
    9
    This new XCom can proudly bear it ancestor name. While it isn't the old XCom game in new dressing, it keeps the essence of the old title.

    It is simpler in many aspects, like you don't have to care for munition -- making it or using it, only issue is to reload the guns in battle, but the munition supply is infinite, which has an impact on tactics, since you can shoot all the time, even    This new XCom can proudly bear it ancestor name. While it isn't the old XCom game in new dressing, it keeps the essence of the old title.

    It is simpler in many aspects, like you don't have to care for munition -- making it or using it, only issue is to reload the guns in battle, but the munition supply is infinite, which has an impact on tactics, since you can shoot all the time, even when % is very low. And its fun to kill an alien with a 10% chance! Also, you don't choose the kind of equipment a soldier will use. After the first graduation each soldier will go automatically to Sniper, Assault, Support or Heavy, and from them on can only use weapons for his or her class. But this isn't a problem, its cheap to get new soldiers and you can choose which ones to take on the missions (use the Clear button on the mission rooster to change them) (Also, its good to have many soldiers and train them all. It can be important along the game).

    One little point I disliked is that soldiers can hold just a weapon, a side weapon, armor and one extra item, like grenades, medikits or any other of the later developed items. It seems to me that some items, like a Scope or a Helmet, should be used besides these ones, but no, you have to give up on grenades/ medikits to have these ones.

    One funny aspect is Engineering can build anything instantly (provided you have money and materials for it). Also, you can't sell equipment. All you can sell are alien items you get on battle -- and this isn't really a good idea, you will need them to build items with alien tech.

    Another thing that for me doesn't look great is how hard it is to get all satellites in the air (if you loose a country, you cant recover it back later, so at first its all efforts to put satellites everywhere), and how easy is to have money after that is done. This side of the game is very intense at first but too easy after the satellites. You research all that is to research really quick, I didn't even build any Laboratory (playing on Normal), just built two Workshops to have enough Engineers to built the satellites. It would be more interesting if you could make some super special hard mission to recover a lost country later...

    Because of these small points I don't give the game a 10.

    On the plus side, graphics and sounds are phenomenal. Really great. Sceneries are also great, even if a little more variations would be good. On old XCom games we could end walking around the scenery looking for that last alien to kill, but this wont happen here, sceneries aren't very big (it would be great to have some variation in size, it would be more interesting), and there is an interesting hearing cue to tell you where the aliens are. Animations are also great. The way camera changes when a soldier or alien shoots is great (and sometimes when a soldier moves), adds a lot to the game.

    Interface is also great. I had a little trouble to understand how to use mouse wheel (to raise/lower levels of view), but after I got it right, everything with interface was easy and fun. One little issue: at the end of a turn, we could have a button to put all the remaining soldiers on Overwatch, instead of going one by one. Also, after a mission start, you cant choose the sequence the orders are given to soldiers (when clicking the button to go from soldier to soldier, or Shift key). It could be like you manually choose the order the first time and the game could remember the sequence and repeat it instead of using its own sequence all the time. This makes we jump from a side of the scenery to the other with each soldier instead of solving movement for all that are together. This using the Shift key to change soldiers. Of course you can click on the next soldier too (the cue that you are on the correct point to click is very good, its hard to do it wrong).

    After a while playing the game, you can turn on Ironman. On Ironman you can't save the game while in a mission, making things much, much harder. (Of course you can always return to a saved game before the start of that mission that went very badly, but don't do so, its cheating (: )

    The tactical aspect of the game is very well thought. At first there's no difference what kind of weapon you use, but after the game progress it is essential to have the correct ones (before each mission, game tells you what kind of aliens you should find in the mission). Or, you can solve the problem without the right ones, but its much more difficult. Also the tactical positioning is essential. On missions where the UFO landed (opposed to crashed down), you can't approach it heads on, there will be a ton of aliens shooting at your soldiers at the same time. So you have to find other ways to approach... (here a bigger scenery could be more fun. But it is already very interesting the way it is!).

    All in all, a very recommended game and one I will play for a long time. Already crossed the 200 hours on it!    … Expand
  73. anggadaz
    Aug 8, 2014
    9
    This game is turn based game, but you must try it. The graphic game is great. The storyline is very good. This game has psychic power that can use for weapon, control enenmy, etc.
  74. Sir_Red
    Aug 1, 2014
    9
    Utterly immersing and satisfying. If you like first person shooters as well as turn based grand strategy games (think total war series) then this merges the two in a perfect way. As a newbe to the xcom series, I have been left very impressed.
  75. rodericrinehart
    Jul 22, 2014
    10
    I would put this game in the pantheon of strategy games, without question. SCORE: 97/100.

    I loved this game from start to finish and everything about the tactical gameplay is amazing and engaging. There are a great variety of classes (with upgrade paths, ranks, and different equipment) and enemies, diverse maps, good base technology and items, and just a complete package that is fun and    I would put this game in the pantheon of strategy games, without question. SCORE: 97/100.

    I loved this game from start to finish and everything about the tactical gameplay is amazing and engaging. There are a great variety of classes (with upgrade paths, ranks, and different equipment) and enemies, diverse maps, good base technology and items, and just a complete package that is fun and replayable.

    This is a game that you will play again, and you will be glad you did.    … Expand
  76. TitaniumDragon
    Jul 22, 2014
    10
    All in all, the game is very strong; the combat works well, the macro-level stuff keeps you sucked in, and there is a fairly decent variety in enemies. The game will keep you entertained for 20-30 hours.

    That being said, it could be a little bit better; the aliens aren't quite smart and aggressive enough, and eventually, once you get things under control, it can get a little bit dry    All in all, the game is very strong; the combat works well, the macro-level stuff keeps you sucked in, and there is a fairly decent variety in enemies. The game will keep you entertained for 20-30 hours.

    That being said, it could be a little bit better; the aliens aren't quite smart and aggressive enough, and eventually, once you get things under control, it can get a little bit dry towards the end.

    Still, on the whole, it is an enjoyable experience and well worth the time and money to beat it once.    … Expand
  77. zBedlam
    Jul 9, 2014
    9
    Excellent game.

    Hard decisions to make, punishes bad moves, makes you feel accomplished when you succeed. Game has high replay value due to randomization and various settings/mods.

    Only reason its not a flat out 10/10 is minor annoyances. Such as if the last man with medkit gets wounded and some odd camera bugs.
  78. Derythor
    Jul 2, 2014
    9
    This game is fantastic. It's ALMOST to the 1993 version in terms of greatness, in my opinion. It falls just short with the base customization and the way the difficulty really tapers off. However, this game is a great reboot to the series, and an excellent stepping stone for Jake Solomon and his team to bring the XCOM franchise into a new light and, hopefully, continue refining the gameThis game is fantastic. It's ALMOST to the 1993 version in terms of greatness, in my opinion. It falls just short with the base customization and the way the difficulty really tapers off. However, this game is a great reboot to the series, and an excellent stepping stone for Jake Solomon and his team to bring the XCOM franchise into a new light and, hopefully, continue refining the game to make his XCOM run last longer than Julian Gollop's unfortunate luck with the series.… Expand
  79. Andonia
    Jun 30, 2014
    9
    While this game is a lot less complicated than UFO Defense, this is still a very challenging and fun strategy game. If you ARE one of those idiots that are so die-hard to the franchise that you think that anything new is automatically bad, I will point you to Xenonauts, a fan-made remake of the UFO defense.
    .......
    Are they gone? Good. Now let me just say this is a MUST for any    While this game is a lot less complicated than UFO Defense, this is still a very challenging and fun strategy game. If you ARE one of those idiots that are so die-hard to the franchise that you think that anything new is automatically bad, I will point you to Xenonauts, a fan-made remake of the UFO defense.
    .......
    Are they gone?
    Good.

    Now let me just say this is a MUST for any strategy game fan. If you haven't already bought this, turn off your computer,do yourself a favor and run to the nearest retailer to pick up this masterpiece. It is THE BEST strategy game I've played in a while. While the story is admittedly not that great, (You don't even find out why the aliens are here) the game-play makes up for it. With tense fights that will have you biting at your fingernails, interesting research trees to discover new technologies and use them for the against the aliens, and an amazing new "ant-farm" look for the XCOM base that makes building facilities a breeze, this game is definitively worth the 60 dollar asking price, not to mention it has decreased down to about 30 dollars now. I was going to give this a 10 to negate the effect of all the CoD idiots and "hardcore gamers", but that wouldn't be right, would it? Opinions are still opinions, even if they are wrong. 9/10    … Expand
  80. RazvanClaudiu
    Jun 25, 2014
    10
    If you judge this by how well it is made, it is a complete ten. I've played the entire XCOM series except Terror From the Deep and the UFO Aftermath spinoff. This is the best XCOM game I've ever seen. Yes, it is simplified and streamlined but in a good way.

    However, this game follows the World of Warcraft formula. There is no real end in mind. The game has an ending but you level up to    If you judge this by how well it is made, it is a complete ten. I've played the entire XCOM series except Terror From the Deep and the UFO Aftermath spinoff. This is the best XCOM game I've ever seen. Yes, it is simplified and streamlined but in a good way.

    However, this game follows the World of Warcraft formula. There is no real end in mind. The game has an ending but you level up to level up to get better gear to level up to level up. This creates addiction. The first time I've played it, I've did it for six hours straight and then deleted the game. I've installed it a second time and played eight hours in a day.

    Since then I gave up on it. If you have a lot of time on your hands, it is worth it. It has enough variety to keep you surprised, the level up system is extremely addicting and the story is very good. It combines a techno-military-thriller feel with hunting aliens. Even if the graphics are not that realistic (by design), it has a very strong military vibe to it.

    I wish I had the 50 - 100 hours to finish it (with Enemy Within). However, the second time I've woke up at 02:00 AM in my bed, with my girlfriend sleeping still playing this game, I've realized I've gone too far and deleted it right away.

    As a bonus though, it works great on integrated graphics. Since it is turn base you don't need big FPS but even on an Intel HD 4000 I can play it on low with decent graphics. If you tweak the ini file a bit, you'll gain 15 - 30 FPS right of the bat.

    So it is hard not to give this a 10 / 10 but since there is no end in mind to it, I won't play it. It follows the same formula as Call of Duty, as World of Warcraft, as Civilization 5. And it works. If only this game was released 10 years ago when I had the time for it.

    One last thing, the action is not that hard.

    As long as you equip your soldiers with the right weapons (or better yet, the MEC suits in the expansion which are way overpowered in the early stages) and place them in cover, that's about the entire strategy you are going to get.

    I could place my sniper high or throw a flashbang or ruin their cover with a rocket but why do so?

    It is enough to place three MEC suits in front, three people in cover, preferably the support class that can fire twice after the upgrade and press "1" and "space" for every single one of them. It works for a large section of the game.

    If you follow the instructions, capture the aliens, do the right research, it is hard not to overpower every alien you meet.    … Expand
  81. whatever523
    Jun 23, 2014
    9
    XCOM is a great game. It does have a few annoying flaws however: Every time you mess up, which will probably happen every now and then, you can't access the menus during the enemies' turn. That means you have to watch 1-2 minutes of your team dying or restart the game, instead of being able to reload instantly.
    Same problem with your soldiers' class: It's randomly chosen after the first    XCOM is a great game. It does have a few annoying flaws however: Every time you mess up, which will probably happen every now and then, you can't access the menus during the enemies' turn. That means you have to watch 1-2 minutes of your team dying or restart the game, instead of being able to reload instantly.
    Same problem with your soldiers' class: It's randomly chosen after the first level up instead of letting you pick it. There are ways to get the class you want, but it's still a stupid design decision.
    I get what they're trying to do with these things, but let people play however the hell they want, damn it.

    Except for these things, it's a great strategy game.    … Expand
  82. Tibster
    Jun 18, 2014
    10
    Loved the game. Just had to write a review to say i gave it a 10 because 2 many ppl give it 0 cus they have no clue about anything. For real its 9 in my eyes. Go play!
  83. synergy_inc
    Jun 11, 2014
    9
    I have always been a huge fan of Firaxis Games. I love the Civilization games and was very interested to try XCOM: Enemy Unknown, to see how a new spin on turn-based strategy might play out. I was pleasantly surprised. The game is very fun and very addictive. It's also challenging and forces you to try different strategies to finally win.

    It's not without it's faults, however. The    I have always been a huge fan of Firaxis Games. I love the Civilization games and was very interested to try XCOM: Enemy Unknown, to see how a new spin on turn-based strategy might play out. I was pleasantly surprised. The game is very fun and very addictive. It's also challenging and forces you to try different strategies to finally win.

    It's not without it's faults, however. The game has some pretty bad line of sight issues and the AI can sometimes seem glitchy. However, these issues are not constant and overall don't detract from the fun and addictive gameplay. I also wish the XCOM base progression wasn't as repetitive and mundane. It's still fun, but gets a little old toward the end of the game.

    All in all, I have many more praises than complaints and I highly recommend this game for anyone, let alone those gamers that love turn-based strategy!    … Expand
  84. carlosgtardon
    Jun 10, 2014
    8
    Pese al pavor que tenía porque lo hubieran hecho mal, es un digno sucesor del juego original (que es uno de mis favoritos). Han tenido que simplificar algunas mecánicas y parte de la gestión pero sigue teniendo ese regusto a batalla épica a la desesperada que te generaba el primero. Vale la pena comprarlo aunque es una lástima que el multi no te dejen jugar en cooperativo contra los aliens.
  85. DeusXCom
    Jun 7, 2014
    9
    Amazing game. I was a bit worried if it will live up to the fame of the cult classic form 94 or if it will be entertaining enough in this day and age, but this was a 40hours long ride full of fun for me. Engaging tactical battles, politics, research, HQ building, DeusEx style music and atmosphere, great story, some surprising voice actors I've recognized like the scientist from LOST'sAmazing game. I was a bit worried if it will live up to the fame of the cult classic form 94 or if it will be entertaining enough in this day and age, but this was a 40hours long ride full of fun for me. Engaging tactical battles, politics, research, HQ building, DeusEx style music and atmosphere, great story, some surprising voice actors I've recognized like the scientist from LOST's orientation videos, Im completely satisfied here. Yes, it has been a bit simplified compared to the original, but that's understandable and it doesn't ruin the experience. My only complain is the lack of customization for your squad since building your dream squad is the main fun here, at least for me, the final battle also left kinda weak impression as I have headshotted the final boss in one turn, but other than that, this is an awesome reboot of the X-COM classic. 9/10… Expand
  86. Aeryx
    Jun 1, 2014
    9
    This is a game that doesn't care to be balanced. It only cares to be great, awesome and to give you the most nerve-wracking hardcore experience ever! On Classic difficulty, this game is all-fury and no balance and it is awesome! You will scream and bite your nails as your troops get slaughtered, your interceptors shot down and countries It doesn't care about casual gamers and it doesn'tThis is a game that doesn't care to be balanced. It only cares to be great, awesome and to give you the most nerve-wracking hardcore experience ever! On Classic difficulty, this game is all-fury and no balance and it is awesome! You will scream and bite your nails as your troops get slaughtered, your interceptors shot down and countries It doesn't care about casual gamers and it doesn't care to be fair. If you don't have the balls to play then go back to your casual games! I can't wait to buy the expansion! My only regret is that I didn't buy this game earlier!… Expand
  87. ingreenblue
    May 1, 2014
    10
    Turn based strategy at its finest with a variety of gameplay options. Play it on ironman where every decision matters. Nothing beats the moment when your favorite Sniper (named after yourself, of course) is down to one health bar, low on ammo, Thin Men dropping in from everywhere, and your Support Class Girl sits on the other end of the map. Be sure to get the excellent Enemy Within as well.
  88. ericcoutinho
    Mar 8, 2014
    9
    X-COM: Enemy Unknown is high quality.
    It was a long time since i had a game with more than 50 hours of playing in a week.
    Since i never play the X-COM classics before, i'm not the one who gonna spit on that game because of some lack of fidelity from the original series, which seems to be what people was most criticizing about. Even the story is good, although is not the focus, and    X-COM: Enemy Unknown is high quality.
    It was a long time since i had a game with more than 50 hours of playing in a week.

    Since i never play the X-COM classics before, i'm not the one who gonna spit on that game because of some lack of fidelity from the original series, which seems to be what people was most criticizing about.

    Even the story is good, although is not the focus, and it's not so well explored. You'll have to manage resources, research alien materials, train and customize your soldiers, capture aliens alive to study them, build facilities, weapons, gadgets, robots, all kind of features to help you to deal with an unknown alien menace.

    The biggest part of this game is at turn-based strategy battles, with a third person point of view on shooting enemies or doing another actions.

    I got some minor bugs, mostly concerned the camera movement, which can be very annoying some times, but nothing truly deal breaker.    … Expand
  89. Will3700
    Feb 14, 2014
    10
    I love this game, every character you make gets you attached to them, i already have completed it, and its just... BEYOND amazing! I love all the different alien types and i would not be playing it if it weren't for a youtuber!
  90. zecik
    Feb 14, 2014
    9
    I never played old xcom, but it don't regret that. This game has some bugs like shooting through walls, weird angles of shooting, very rare freeze after animations, but overall game is fantastic :) On the higher levels with second wave options game i really hard and requiring. Maybe there's not many options as it old xcom had, but in my opinion there's a lot of things and research to obtain :)
  91. gyrate
    Feb 8, 2014
    9
    I've put 32 hours into this now and I'm still enjoying it. I have not made it through the game and I've restarted several times after learning from my mistakes. So I feel it puts up a good challenge. The graphics are solid, the atmosphere is pretty nice, and the music is as well. There are a few things that bother me such as when it cuts to my soldier shooting and it's giving me a strangeI've put 32 hours into this now and I'm still enjoying it. I have not made it through the game and I've restarted several times after learning from my mistakes. So I feel it puts up a good challenge. The graphics are solid, the atmosphere is pretty nice, and the music is as well. There are a few things that bother me such as when it cuts to my soldier shooting and it's giving me a strange camera angle. It is also rather slow during those scenes at times I'm thinking just shoot didn't I tell him to attack what's going on? Then he shoots finally. It also occasionally crashes for so no apparent reason. It could use another coat of polish but other than that it's a great game.… Expand
  92. gwkleong
    Jan 29, 2014
    8
    I am an XCOM fan and I find this is an awesome reboot of the series. Unfortunately the story is a bit short. The Slingshot DLC requires a replay of the game once installed hence for those fans out there, make sure you purchase this DLC upfront else you will need to spend another 40 odd hours to replay the whole lot!!!

    I am looking forward with Enemy Within DLC but for the price of USD    I am an XCOM fan and I find this is an awesome reboot of the series. Unfortunately the story is a bit short. The Slingshot DLC requires a replay of the game once installed hence for those fans out there, make sure you purchase this DLC upfront else you will need to spend another 40 odd hours to replay the whole lot!!!

    I am looking forward with Enemy Within DLC but for the price of USD 39 on just an expansion....I'll wait for a good deal    … Expand
  93. Frost_
    Jan 23, 2014
    10
    I personally didn't like strategy games until i played Xcom:Enemy Unknown.With updated graphic and a nice gameplay.even though it's not a 100% remake of the UFO:EU,It's still fantastic.With improve combat system and tactical system.
  94. Aeruja
    Jan 17, 2014
    8
    This is my first XCOM game, and it is a solid game.

    Apparently, according to many fans of the previous one, this XCOM game is less creepier and overall less complex and streamlined. To be honest, despite being simplified, I was still quite challenged by Classic and Impossible modes. Perhaps due to the rather stringent starting conditions that you were given, and the huge tactical    This is my first XCOM game, and it is a solid game.

    Apparently, according to many fans of the previous one, this XCOM game is less creepier and overall less complex and streamlined.

    To be honest, despite being simplified, I was still quite challenged by Classic and Impossible modes. Perhaps due to the rather stringent starting conditions that you were given, and the huge tactical advantage the enemy possessed.

    Under those reviews, they talked about inventory management affecting movement and reload speeds, manual lighting, and targettable cover, all of which sounds pretty interesting without a doubt, some of which even made me feel like I was missing out on.

    However, that doesn't necessarily make this a poor game, certainly not 0, even if you were trying to downvote..which isn't necessary at all, the good reviews themselves aren't all 10s anyways. And an 8 feels pretty justified in my books.

    This is a great turn-based game. Graphics are decent, too.
    The story is short, and is somewhat linear, as with its game progression.
    Since the achievements are based on replayability, the storyline is kinda overlooked.
    The game progression however, feels constrained. Especially on the harder levels where every level pretty much fights the same if you want your team to come out in one piece.
    Now if there were a bit more leeway in the characters themselves, a few more special moves in the higher tier skills to compensate their weaknesses a bit more, that would make the gameplay much more flexible and enjoyable.

    Other than that, it's a fun solid game. Well worth the christmas sale.    … Expand
  95. Slate
    Jan 12, 2014
    9
    A solid game, great graphics and sound. Good ui and easy to learn, good story and interesting. I'm not a RTS player but this game hits the mark and well. The only complaint I have was a minor glitch where the enemies shots would go through walls and objects and hit you, other than that its a great game.
  96. Gamec0re
    Jan 8, 2014
    10
    Just finished my first play through of this game and I have to say it was well worth the money. I picked it up for 10 dollars during the Steam Xmas sale and after finishing it, I would say it's worth full price. If you like turn based tactical games then buy this game. You get to build your force as you like, recruiting your troops, upgrading them through combat and upgrading theirJust finished my first play through of this game and I have to say it was well worth the money. I picked it up for 10 dollars during the Steam Xmas sale and after finishing it, I would say it's worth full price. If you like turn based tactical games then buy this game. You get to build your force as you like, recruiting your troops, upgrading them through combat and upgrading their weapons and armor through research/capturing/killing the enemies. I found the game play on the challenging side, but I enjoy that in turn based tactical games.… Expand
  97. DablosScropio
    Jan 8, 2014
    9
    I haven't really played the old XCOM and I'll sound like a fan boy, but I'll keep this review short. This game is very fun and some what frustrating but is only because I was losing when I played on hard mode and getting my butt handed to me. All I can say is if you like RST games or military (REAL) simulation either way, and if you want to get away from the Call Duty generation or the FPSI haven't really played the old XCOM and I'll sound like a fan boy, but I'll keep this review short. This game is very fun and some what frustrating but is only because I was losing when I played on hard mode and getting my butt handed to me. All I can say is if you like RST games or military (REAL) simulation either way, and if you want to get away from the Call Duty generation or the FPS games this is the game for you.… Expand
  98. Warlord8
    Dec 23, 2013
    9
    This game is an excellent product. A good reboot and remake of the original XCOM videogame. This is what we needed to play again against the Alien invaders. It is immersive, difficult and well balanced. Definitely a must have both for nostalgists and for strategy gamers alike
  99. tenmuter
    Dec 16, 2013
    8
    I really enjoyed XCOM. The gameplay is fun and addicting and you always have the option to load a previous save if you troops start dying and you are afraid of losing someone important or losing the mission. I did find that the equipping soldier loadout aspect of the game quite annoying however. I really wish the developers had integrated a button or function that would remove all specialI really enjoyed XCOM. The gameplay is fun and addicting and you always have the option to load a previous save if you troops start dying and you are afraid of losing someone important or losing the mission. I did find that the equipping soldier loadout aspect of the game quite annoying however. I really wish the developers had integrated a button or function that would remove all special armor and weapons from the soliders rather than have me spend 15 minutes looking through every soldier to find my 6th ghost armour for the squad.… Expand
  100. Serenth
    Dec 1, 2013
    10
    I LOVE THIS GAME.
    I've never played any of the predecessors prior to XCOM Enemy Unknown and this game straight injected addiction into my ready and open veins.
    After I downloaded and started playing..... I.... could.....not.....get off of it. If you like tactical turn based strategy. THIS GAME IS A MUST!!! Only thing I didn't like about it... was there is no auto save feature....    I LOVE THIS GAME.
    I've never played any of the predecessors prior to XCOM Enemy Unknown and this game straight injected addiction into my ready and open veins.
    After I downloaded and started playing..... I.... could.....not.....get off of it.

    If you like tactical turn based strategy. THIS GAME IS A MUST!!!

    Only thing I didn't like about it... was there is no auto save feature.... so pro tip: SAVE OFTEN.
    it'll prevent headaches lol

    GREAT GAME    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best PC Game of 2012
11
#11 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
8
#8 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 57 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 57
  3. Negative: 0 out of 57
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 6, 2013
    88
    Is it better than the original? No. One can’t imagine X-Com 2012 being an all-time-classic and people still playing with it, months from now (let alone, years). Is it a ‘true’ X-Com game, however? Definitely. Remorseless geeks are in for shivers and swoons when they meet their beloved foes: mind-controlling sectoids, zombifying Chrysalids, Cyberdisks, Ethereals… [December 2012]
  2. Armchair Empire
    Dec 18, 2012
    95
    XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a worthy tribute to its progenitor and hopefully the start of something brand new for players who've been dying to get a good squad-based strategy game that lets them not only think, but feel as well.
    Read full review
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Nov 14, 2012
    90
    Amazing tactical complexity, satisfying strategic depth; slightly dodgy ending, but your own stories are more important anyway. A modern classic.
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