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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Myriad84
    Oct 21, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First and foremost, I have to say that all around, this is a pretty solid game. Visually, it is stunning, as the makers have owned up to their claims by seamlessly combining the game play with a cinematic twinge. The actual game play on missions themselves is pretty straightforward, with quite a bit of room for custom play styles; whether you're more of a massive armor, heavy guns, run and gun style player or a sleek, stealthy tactician, either way works. The ability to completely customize your soldiers is a nice function as well. From their skills, right down to their names and how they look, it helps add some more investment for the player. Top it off with being able to completely customize each soldier's gear, and it's like Christmas every time you get something new! Being able to build your base however way you'd like is another nice touch. Maybe more research, more engineering, or however you wish to lead your group. Couple that with having to balance keeping the world powers happy and not letting them drop off the radar, literally and figuratively, helps break up the game play throughout the experience. With all that being said, the game still left me with a more-ish taste. It had a lot of different options, but never quite enough of any single one. Like the old proverb which really seems to encompass the game, "Jack of all trades, master of none". Early on it is exciting, but quickly you find yourself seeing the extent of what you can do. There may be umpteen different items to research, but only one style of each. It just felt like there could have been more customization, more research, more expansion, much more mission variety, and so forth. Still, regardless, as I said before, it is still a pretty solid game. To be completely honest, I would have been way more pleased to pay $30, maybe $40, for the game as I believe that is what it's worth. Still though, I don't regret it at all and if you're a fan of strategy games (maybe not a diehard XCOM fan), this is still well worth it, especially if you get it on sale or at a lower price!… Expand
  2. 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
  3. giskard
    Oct 15, 2012
    8
    Don't you hate first day of release 10 scores, I mean how can they ever be accurate. Anyway, this is a very good squad based tactical shooter, but that is all it is. All the other xcom features are gone or simplified to the point they no longer matter. The base is just 5 menus, the whole Ant Farm Idea is just eye candy, very pretty eye candy but you never have to use it and even if you do,Don't you hate first day of release 10 scores, I mean how can they ever be accurate. Anyway, this is a very good squad based tactical shooter, but that is all it is. All the other xcom features are gone or simplified to the point they no longer matter. The base is just 5 menus, the whole Ant Farm Idea is just eye candy, very pretty eye candy but you never have to use it and even if you do, only the main ops section does anything. They gave up aliens invading your base for a pretty backdrop. UFOs are rare, which is strange for a game about UFOs because shooting them down in large numbers was kind of the whole point of these games. There is only 1 Alien base in the entire game, aliens do not establish bases in areas you failed to defend, you just get this one base and this is part of the main plot anyway. EG part of the story and not at all random in anyway. Cover in battles is so messed up you can be hit through solid walls without the wall being damaged or have zero percent chance of hitting an alien that is stood right next to you. Despite this, the battles are still very good. Aliens do not move around, they spawn when triggered, either by the player walking through invisible triggers that makes them suddenly appear, or by dropping out of the sky like magic or by just popping in to existence in front of your very eyes. Not very convincing. Again, despite this, the battles are still very good. You can play game without any fighters are all, some of my fighters have never been used or only used once after over 20 hours of game play. Unlike the original game where you had a lot of UFOs to shoot down and needed those fighters, that is just not the case here. Most of the time your dealing with UFO landings, but you never see the UFO fly to the spot and land, it just happens. Terror attacks on cities, abductions and a host of other missions make up the core squad based game play, this is what makes the game worth an 8 score on its own. Worth buying just for this if you like Squad based combat. As for the title making it sound like a UFO Enemy Unknown game, that is just a way to sell a Squad based game to an audience that may not have brought it if it was called ET Invasion or something. It may look like an UFO game but its not, there is no RPG elements in this worth speaking off, no strategy worth talking about. Just Squad based tactics, 1 out of the 3 elements that made the original game a classic is all that is left.

    My advice to those considering buying is this, if your looking for a Warhammer 40k style table top battle system for the PC then this game rates an 8 out of 10 and you will love it. But if your buying this game because you want a modern UFO Enemy Unknown (UFO Defence in the USA), dont bother, your wasting your money. I am going to score this game based on its squad gameplay and give it an 8, if I was to score it based on what it should have been as a UFO clone, it would only have gotten a 4. So if you want UFO Enemy Unknown DO NOT BUY THIS GAME, but if you like squad combat and thats all you care about, you will love this.    … Expand
  4. Dethstar
    Oct 17, 2012
    8
    One of the most anticipated games of the year for me so I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Followed the developer videos and ads and liked the additions to the game and gladly, this feels like a true successor to the original. and here it comes.... However, this game includes some of the irritations of the first game. You carefully surround an enemy position and 3 or 4 of yourOne of the most anticipated games of the year for me so I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Followed the developer videos and ads and liked the additions to the game and gladly, this feels like a true successor to the original. and here it comes.... However, this game includes some of the irritations of the first game. You carefully surround an enemy position and 3 or 4 of your squad have a 91% hit chance (or thereabouts), gleefully you click fire on one squaddie after another only to miss all round. With 91% hit chance? This problem does not seem to happen with the aliens who can happily kill their way through your entire squad. My problem is not that this happens, but that you get a hit chance which seems to be bugged or quite meaningless as this happens time and again. On top of this boy is this buggy. I have to control alt delete out at least once a session because a squad guys control becomes locked and will not respond. Perhaps once ever 2/3 hours. Another irritation is that sometimes you want to do something and try and click an option to do it. Your guy will path a completely different way. So it becomes a move save sort of a deal and writes off the ironman option I was keen to try. Dying to bad choices is one thing. To buggy controls is another.

    But, for all that, this is a true successor to a classic original and worth persevering with. I very much like the "ant farm" base building and view in particular. The game does feel a bit linear at times and is in danger of being dumbed down. With tactical options for the player reduced and alien abilities that are frankly ridiculous at times. For instance, certain alien types have the right combination of movement and ability to be able whipe out entire squads with no recourse for the player. Unfortunately, sometimes they do and you just reload. Annoying as you have no recourse but they rarely seem to realise what they can do relying on massive accuracy and throwing you a bone with the odd blunder which feels like game developers showing the player a bit of charity.

    I would like some more DLC to expand the potential and unlock some longevity in terms of making it feel even less linear but if the balancing I mention and the bugs are sorted out this is a classic that holds true to the spirit of the original while building on the concept in the right way. I was also expecting more strategic options from the base making it feel a bit more like a global campaign was taking place but this doesn't seem to be there and I am quite far in. Overall I am a tiny bit disappointed but not hugely so. I am expecting the bugs will be patched out which will help a lot and hope for future DLC to unlock more strategic options. This has the makings of a classic that people will be buying for many years to come, its just not quite there yet.    … Expand
  5. los_majklos
    Oct 28, 2012
    8
    Its very good and addictive game, if you play at normal difficulty. If you thinking of trying classic, then dont. Its kind of impossible difficulty even for XCOM veterans. The game contains numerous bugs and spoilers, lets hope they get repaired soon. Worst is when you are in larger alien ship - the graphical engine constantly shows you other levels than you need to view. That isIts very good and addictive game, if you play at normal difficulty. If you thinking of trying classic, then dont. Its kind of impossible difficulty even for XCOM veterans. The game contains numerous bugs and spoilers, lets hope they get repaired soon. Worst is when you are in larger alien ship - the graphical engine constantly shows you other levels than you need to view. That is embarassing. Id also prefer more diversity, the original XCOM has the element of surprise and randomness, which this XCOM lacks at the geoscape level.… Expand
  6. McFinnegan
    Oct 13, 2012
    8
    Let me just start out by saying this game had me hooked. I lost track of time, and before I knew it, 6 hours had passed, and I was starving. This game was incredibly addictive and fun. The sense of urgency was there, along with the frantic drive to decide which research project will save more of your troops, and a new dependency on choosing which countries to help, and which ones you haveLet me just start out by saying this game had me hooked. I lost track of time, and before I knew it, 6 hours had passed, and I was starving. This game was incredibly addictive and fun. The sense of urgency was there, along with the frantic drive to decide which research project will save more of your troops, and a new dependency on choosing which countries to help, and which ones you have to let go. I loved the dependence on tactical positioning, with cover and height advantages, to get the most out of your troops, and the leveling system of the squad was excellent. Singleplayer is excellent.

    Now for what I didn't like as much. Multiplayer was weak at best. A fun distraction, but don't count on it being worth the purchase price. Singleplayer does have flaws as well. Not to get into spoiler territory, but I thought they could have done more work on the ending (more on the cinematic part/wrapping it up, as it ends rather abruptly IMO. Also, the enemies could have been more dynamic on the map. While they revealed themselves a good number of times, and that ruined my day on multiple occasions (when I was already fighting 2 cyberdisks, a pack of crysallids shows up), or I revealed a group of aliens while outflanking the group I was fighting, most of the time, it was a game of cat and mouse, with me being the cat. Not to say this wasn't like the original, but I just expected the aliens to be more dynamic, given the 18 year gap. This could be in part due to the small squad sizes, which, at the beginning is prohibitive, but by the time you have 6 colonels with plasma, 6 is all you really need.

    Compared to the original, this game weeds out a lot of the tediousness of the first, while maintaining the strategic pleasure of the first. The only thing I would add would be the ability to pick up the equipment of your fallen soldiers, as I found it annoying when my soldier carrying the item I needed kicked the bucket, leaving me without it. Multiple bases in the original were mainly to expand your interceptor coverage, as my main base could have housed all the necessary buildings for building and researching what I needed (along with psionics and all that jazz). Considering that, limited to one base with interceptor bases wasn't a bad thing IMO. The exclusion of time units similarly was not a problem, as the 2 action system actually makes your individual actions far more important. In the original, you could go into a room, see it's full of enemies, take a shot, and then run back out again. Also, stopping your unit when you saw an enemy was a crutch. The new game succeeds it's predecessor in that regard, by making each action a crucial choice.

    Overall, this game exceeds the original, which is to be expected of a game that comes out 18 years later. Multiplayer is fun, but not a reason to buy the game. Picking up dead soldiers equipment should certainly be added, but it was not a game breaker. More dynamic enemies would be appreciated, rather than knowing you're going to stumble upon enemies in this area, with little deviation (there was times they took me by surprise, but not many).    … Expand
  7. rant
    Oct 15, 2012
    8
    A fun game that might have been a classic if it was a little deeper in the tactical combat and if the base command segments got some extra development time. Despite this, it's still a great, well-made--but light-- version of the original. There are noticeable though mostly trivial bugs and the UI is a little rough, but it still creates that "just one more turn" feeling. Definitely worthA fun game that might have been a classic if it was a little deeper in the tactical combat and if the base command segments got some extra development time. Despite this, it's still a great, well-made--but light-- version of the original. There are noticeable though mostly trivial bugs and the UI is a little rough, but it still creates that "just one more turn" feeling. Definitely worth playing, but it probably won't be a game you think about 5 years from now.… Expand
  8. Dreiraben
    Nov 19, 2013
    8
    I must say this X-Com remake is WAY better than i expected. Sure it has been "dumbed down" compared to the classics, but it still feels authentic. the graphics are decent, the camera in the vanilla game is a little bugged and clunky (but can easily be optimized with some mods). The campagin itself is brilliant, addictive and fun, one thing that bothers me personally is the fact, that youI must say this X-Com remake is WAY better than i expected. Sure it has been "dumbed down" compared to the classics, but it still feels authentic. the graphics are decent, the camera in the vanilla game is a little bugged and clunky (but can easily be optimized with some mods). The campagin itself is brilliant, addictive and fun, one thing that bothers me personally is the fact, that you can only have one base and one Skyranger which makes keeping all the states happy, a pain in the arse. Another big minus ist the Multiplayer. It really lacks feature like an option to play together with a player against AI which a) shouldn't be that hard to include in a turned based game and b) would improve the playability and replayability of the game imense. But despite those minor issues, it's one of the best turnedbased strategy games since ages.… Expand
  9. Ozimandeus
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    Its a Good Game.. but over hyped.. its turn based squad strategy which is always fun, but I think this will lack long term appeal. Also the Gfx are a little lack lustre
  10. AlienSpaceBats
    Jan 3, 2013
    8
    Vintage fun, I'm thinking, but it is rather streamlined in comparison to its predecessors. I remember UFO: Enemy Unknown rather fondly. Still, it's very enjoyable to play, and kept me playing; "I'll do one more mission" then ... "where'd the last three hours go?" It has some things wrong with it; the camera tends to spaz out at times, and the grenade throwing mechanic seems to work likeVintage fun, I'm thinking, but it is rather streamlined in comparison to its predecessors. I remember UFO: Enemy Unknown rather fondly. Still, it's very enjoyable to play, and kept me playing; "I'll do one more mission" then ... "where'd the last three hours go?" It has some things wrong with it; the camera tends to spaz out at times, and the grenade throwing mechanic seems to work like it's attached to an elastic band ... and the combat options are terrifically limited, but this stuff didn't impede my enjoyment of the game, the more difficult game modes are ridiculous though and I refuse to play them. Tactics completely goes out the window and everything is boiled down to a dice roll, essentially, which makes all your tactics redundant, irrelevant and makes the game seem a bit stupid and unfair in the process.… Expand
  11. akalla21
    Jan 15, 2013
    8
    I truly get a kick out of all the old-school X-COM snobs blasting this game for not being more true to the original. Its not supposed to be the original. There are certainly problems with the game. Sure, you don't get to use nearly as many troops in a mission as the original, and depending on the difficulty you choose, it's not nearly as hard. I found myself wondering why I couldn'tI truly get a kick out of all the old-school X-COM snobs blasting this game for not being more true to the original. Its not supposed to be the original. There are certainly problems with the game. Sure, you don't get to use nearly as many troops in a mission as the original, and depending on the difficulty you choose, it's not nearly as hard. I found myself wondering why I couldn't sell old weapons and equipment I was no longer using, and it bothered me that the troops from different nations all speak American English. But these are just quibbles. It is still a good game. It is a shame when people judge it through the rose-tinted glasses of youth. The old X-COM is difficult to play now, in terms of interface, graphics, and overall difficulty. This new interpretation of the game is streamlined, yes, but not necessarily in a bad way. Also if one finds this game too easy, I challenge you to take on the Ironman setting with the newly activated 2nd Wave options enabled, preferably on Classic or Impossible. There is no need to 'defend the honor' of the original X-COM; this is not that game. This XCOM is its own game, and quite a good one at that.… Expand
  12. Dexyt
    Oct 16, 2012
    8
    A good game that could be an outstanding one if it wasn't for the numerous bugs, the shoddy user interface and an unfinished feel. Despite these the game gets the important things right: the atmosphere is great, the choices are tough and the tactical combat satisfying.
  13. AlphaRebel
    Oct 17, 2012
    8
    So here is a flawed gem.
    In so many ways true to the "spirit of the original" there *has* been dumbing down to streamline the gameplay (partly to cut down on 40 mins turns on the tactical map and massive complex infrastructure on the geoscape but clearly this has mostly been to fit the game on consoles) Gone are the big teams as sky ranger now only fits 6 (4 at start of the game) however    So here is a flawed gem.
    In so many ways true to the "spirit of the original" there *has* been dumbing down to streamline the gameplay (partly to cut down on 40 mins turns on the tactical map and massive complex infrastructure on the geoscape but clearly this has mostly been to fit the game on consoles) Gone are the big teams as sky ranger now only fits 6 (4 at start of the game) however the shiv tank is one slot now not 4, gone are having multiple bases worldwide although there are hangers for interceptors on each continent but only 1 skyranger at main base. Most of the soldiers stats are gone and AP's have been reduced to 2 (move and shoot, move and move or big move, there are some exceptions with the skill unlocks) And most of the toys have been locked into a soldier "class" speaking of which, the troops now are not general purpose grunts that have stats on every weapon type they are given classes early on which locks them into a weapon type (again less stats to worry about) and the inventory is locked in pre mission so if one of your guy drops (say your sniper) then no one else can pick up the sniper rifle.

    And then there are the bugs.... OH so many bugs, this game could have done with at least a couple of months of QA and bug squashing. There's bugs with nearly every aspect of the game, some are just cosmetic amusements like xbox control highlights showing up on base GUI when you are running in mouse only mode, some impact gameplay such as making it difficult to accurately select the right tile to order a soldier to inside a UFO with multiple levels (they have a tendency to jump over the wall I want them to hide about and stand in the open on the other side on the lower level) and the UFO roofs tend to come in and obscure stuff forcing a camera rotate to see what you are doing and then there are bugs that can break the game outright such as the first time I played multiplayer my mate started to chat to me in my turn and then I killed one of his guys and his chat box broke stopping him from doing ANYTHING thus ending what was turning out to be a great little match, oh dear.

    So why the high score? - Well the truth is the game is actually REALLY REALLY GOOD FUN!
    Yep, sure this game kind of makes the hardcore xcom fan in me rage a little that AP's are gone, the tactical was previously a "frightening foray into the unknown" and is now a chest high wall cover simulator (like playing a turn based gears of war) which sort of reduces it to a move here and cover creeping ambush style where as in the first xcom you would end up with a cluster**** of grunts all over the place trying to stay alive. So why is it so great? Difficult to pin down really, I mean on the technical side pacing is better, there is now genuine interaction with the environment (guys jump over walls, lean out around corners etc) and oddly enough the class based squad thing actually works (having spent so long with a mixed class team game like TF2 etc) and surprisingly enough although the inventory and multi role sides are gone out of the tactical side of the game it's actually LESS frustrating to play then the first (not sure at this point if that's just the 30 something me who is approaching it then the teenage me of the first game) as you get down to working with guys skills and abilities you have in the field.

    You don't spend so long micromanaging your base(s) and the geoscape which was once the nerve centre of the game where you moved it round to select bases ufo's and missions is now a "click here for next event" button, that said there's still a robust tech tree to research, the usual autopsies and interrogations are present and correct and you still have to balance your finances between costs, expansion and getting new toys for your guys.
    Base building is quite interesting with adjacency bonuses forcing you to plan your base layout instead of just plonking anything anywhere and you have quite a lot of choice even if it's just a single base. Overall I can see where the die hard fans of the original game might be a little upset the changes that have been made make the game much more accessible to a larger demographic and by and large it actually pays off.
    I'm a real fan of the original but I for one am not disappointed in the game (apart from the bugs which I hope get patched out) - those that want to retread the original game with fancy graphics are served with the open source UFO AI game (also built on the unreal engine) which is also a great game and the contrasts are interesting to see as that game in a lot of ways is truer to the original XCOM then this is.    … Expand
  14. Mudget
    Oct 17, 2012
    8
    Please consider my rating an 8.5 (I'm a big fan of the idea of adding .5's to this system, and am still a bit confused how an overall user score of 8.1 can come about with everyone forced to give x.0 ratings. But that's neither here nor there.)

    XCom: Enemy Unknown is a truly addicting gaming experience. Luckily (?) for this experience at least, I had not thoroughly played the original    Please consider my rating an 8.5 (I'm a big fan of the idea of adding .5's to this system, and am still a bit confused how an overall user score of 8.1 can come about with everyone forced to give x.0 ratings. But that's neither here nor there.)

    XCom: Enemy Unknown is a truly addicting gaming experience. Luckily (?) for this experience at least, I had not thoroughly played the original XCom back in the early 90's, so the lore of the game was new to me. Most of the negative reviews I've read are from people contrasting this game to the original. The game isn't without it's faults. There are some unusual bugs that pop up from time-to-time. A few have been very nearly game-killers (the inability to go through a door when the level has only one door you need to get your soldiers through, etc.) - but with so many firefight options (including later abilities to psionically control enemies) you can even get through the buggy levels. The other major negative I'd like to point out is the tedium that sets in after so many battles. One of the first things I'd like to see developed are new, more creative maps, because you do start seeing the same maps repeat over and over. While the levels are semi-random (you never really know where enemies or objectives are going to be located), the game play for any level is just the same. Locate the objective (usually a UFO to infiltrate, pedestrians to save, etc.), strategically place your soldiers in the most tactical positions, hunker down and shoot. What really makes this game for me is the building phase of the game. You are tasked with building facilities which allow you to construct new and varied weapons, armor, aircraft, satellites, and so forth. Your soldiers are constantly gaining experience with each fight, and although their skill trees aren't large (would love to see expansion here, too), it is ridiculously satisfying to level your crew up. With the ability to name and outfit them to your choosing, you really do feel like the CEO of a fighting machine. As such, you also become very invested with your troops, and when one drops in combat, it can be an emotional experience, because there are no reincarnations here. If a soldier dies, he dies for good. With that everlurking fear, how you strategically place troops on the battlefield becomes that much more important. You really do want to keep them alive. Watching a soldier fall who you've spent 20+ missions building up and training is excruciating, and can leave a serious hole in your roster. But crunch all you want, you'll build more! The graphics are really quite superb, I'm most impressed with the HQ build screen, a cut-away view of your facilities that is bustling with activity.

    Even as I became a bit bored with the gameplay, I just couldn't quit, and still haven't, the game is definitely replayable thanks to a lot of random factors built-in. It's been a while since I'd purchased a game that became a MUST play after a day of work. And it's been a while since I've been so enchanted by the way a game works that I'm already hungering for additional content. If you can play this without thinking "Oh, this is dumbed-down version of the original", then you're in for a real treat. Buy this game, it's one of the good ones.    … Expand
  15. OneVoice
    Mar 18, 2013
    8
    This an excellent (and thoroughly addictive) game. The turn based strategy of the missions was great fun, and although there is some room for improvement in several areas, I still had a great time with this game. I do think the game could be improved with AI that was a bit more intelligent (enemies never seem to be very smart about where they choose to position themselves), with betterThis an excellent (and thoroughly addictive) game. The turn based strategy of the missions was great fun, and although there is some room for improvement in several areas, I still had a great time with this game. I do think the game could be improved with AI that was a bit more intelligent (enemies never seem to be very smart about where they choose to position themselves), with better character development of your soldiers (they're shallow, no personality traits, thus I have no real connection with them at all), and with a bit more variety of stuff you can do back at base (starts to get repetitive just doing the same few things in between missions). I also think that while the story-line is pretty good, there's room for some stronger storytelling elements to be brought into the mix. It's an immersive game as-is, but if the story was a bit deeper, it would add to the overall atmosphere/feeling the game brings. I have never played the original X-COM (though I think I'll have to try it), so my review here has no elements of comparison to that, but are just based on this game standing alone.… Expand
  16. mymyst
    Oct 14, 2012
    8
    As a fan of turnbased games I really appreciate this game. A very solid game overall. After all I just think that they wasted a lot of potential in this game, in terms of character progression, different level styles and tactical possibilities.
  17. ChoicestGames
    Jul 14, 2013
    8
    While there have been quite a few changes made to the original game UFO: Enemy Unknown (besides the obvious such as graphics and audio) they aren't so severe as to distance the game from its core mechanics which involves building a base, intercepting UFOs, training up your team and turning alien technology against them. Veterans of the series should still find this game fun and theWhile there have been quite a few changes made to the original game UFO: Enemy Unknown (besides the obvious such as graphics and audio) they aren't so severe as to distance the game from its core mechanics which involves building a base, intercepting UFOs, training up your team and turning alien technology against them. Veterans of the series should still find this game fun and the streamlined gameplay will attract younger strategy gamers to the turn-based tactics genre.… Expand
  18. Nichtswisser
    Dec 23, 2012
    8
    Very solid game. A little to simplified compared to the original for true greatness, yet still a good game and fun to play. It does a lot of things right and the tactical combat can be a blast at times. Recommended for anyone interested in those kind of games. One of only a few non-indie games these year worth buying.
  19. yiffy99
    Nov 3, 2013
    8
    I thoroughly enjoyed this game and it is by far one of the best turn-based strategy game I have played. Playing on classic ironman is tense and challenging. However there is a couples of things that puts me off from giving it a higher than 8:

    1: Aliens 'teleporting' bugs, only got it once in a playthrough but it wiped my party as a sectoid, 5 chrysallids, 2 muton elites and 4 heavy    I thoroughly enjoyed this game and it is by far one of the best turn-based strategy game I have played. Playing on classic ironman is tense and challenging. However there is a couples of things that puts me off from giving it a higher than 8:

    1: Aliens 'teleporting' bugs, only got it once in a playthrough but it wiped my party as a sectoid, 5 chrysallids, 2 muton elites and 4 heavy floaters and 2 sectoid commanders were all dumped on me at spawn.

    2. At higher difficulties one has to play very conservatively to not trigger additional spawns, which does get old after a while.    … Expand
  20. aznassassin
    Oct 20, 2012
    8
    A disregard in providing an adequate tutorial meant the learning curve for this game esp in base management requires many hours of trial-and-error. The combat phases are the highlights whereas the base management are a hassle and really not very approachable. The plot is almost non-existent with generic NPCs, poor voice-acting and characters that you dont really want to relate to - they'reA disregard in providing an adequate tutorial meant the learning curve for this game esp in base management requires many hours of trial-and-error. The combat phases are the highlights whereas the base management are a hassle and really not very approachable. The plot is almost non-existent with generic NPCs, poor voice-acting and characters that you dont really want to relate to - they're boring, lack character and dont really do well to drive the so-called 'story' along. There are also technical hitches such as movement square elevation selection issues as well as camera angle bugs and a lot of weird glitches abound. Played for around 20 hours before repetition and a lack of long term appeal sinked in. Get Dishonored instead. As an avid RTS/Strategy gamer, I say wait for this game to hit the bargain bin. Oh and did I mention they've dumbed the game down for consoles as well as made the UI more tailored towards consoles, abandoning PC UIs? Worth a try but not really a game that you'll play ever again.… Expand
  21. Spearminty
    Nov 24, 2012
    8
    Before I judge this game on how well of a remake it is, I consider that it is an entirely new game, years from the original. In the same fashion that the Fallout series was adopted into mainstream play with Fallout 3, this continuation of the XCOM series pulls a similar trick. XCOM: Enemy Unknown features excellent gameplay and a pretty neat storyline. The risk/reward of each action isBefore I judge this game on how well of a remake it is, I consider that it is an entirely new game, years from the original. In the same fashion that the Fallout series was adopted into mainstream play with Fallout 3, this continuation of the XCOM series pulls a similar trick. XCOM: Enemy Unknown features excellent gameplay and a pretty neat storyline. The risk/reward of each action is clearly defined and once you have the formula figured out its mostly grinding missions until game completion. Multiplayer is not a feature worth going out of your way for, with the same mechanic as single player in action, however it is still a mechanic worth grabbing a friend or two to enjoy with. The gameplay I give a high score for it is fun, exciting, and held my attention for hours. The PC controls are the biggest negative, with UI reacting poorly to mouse inputs and many options requiring two clicks to register. Menus are sticky and don't update quick enough. The character models are a bit goofy and many visual bugs in solider models and squad customization aggravate me a lot. Despite the visual hitches, the gameplay is solid and stable. One poor gameplay decision can domino a mission quickly out of control, giving this game a tense edge and making every level a risk and a thrill. I give this game an 8, with high overall quality at a price I can appreciate, but losing points for many visual and interface bugs.… Expand
  22. Rolento
    Nov 25, 2012
    8
    I don't regret having chosen this purchase over Dishonored. A loyal remake nowadays is always a surprise. Well, actually it's not exactly a remake: the combat is "simplified", but the strategy required to play doesn't decrease THAT much from the original. It still does, though. There's a few bugs that definitely need fixing, such as unnecessarily long enemy turns, having to backtrackI don't regret having chosen this purchase over Dishonored. A loyal remake nowadays is always a surprise. Well, actually it's not exactly a remake: the combat is "simplified", but the strategy required to play doesn't decrease THAT much from the original. It still does, though. There's a few bugs that definitely need fixing, such as unnecessarily long enemy turns, having to backtrack during the final mission, and customization of the characters having a hard time to keep up with your scrolling through the soldiers. I think this new combat is very good, but allows for some stupidities that will make you feel everything but guilty for loading a previous save. A smaller team but with a class system is a very good reinterpretation of the game, but this probably comes from someone who's not that good at hard difficulties and that used a very limited amount of soliders in the original game. The class system, along with the nice addition of soldier customization, will make you think twice before treating your soldiers as expendables, and this makes for much more strategy than meets the eye. Despite my comparative review, I advice to not look for the old features and you will be able to enjoy a super cool game, really. That said, I don't like how the geoscape is handled, placing your base where you wanted was a minor yet fun thing, and you do nearly nothing when intercepting an UFO. The base is also a bit confusing at first, and the early promises of the game of seeing your base at work just like an "ant farm" let me down a little, all you see is poorly rendered characters doing the same things over and over, kind of a waste of CPU.… Expand
  23. themipper
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    The game is fun, but don't expect a true XCOM remake. If you are searching for an worthy remake take a look at xenonauts. The strategic possibilities were reduced to make the gameplay faster and more action based. For me the action based combat is working great and results in an satisfying gameplay experience. I would love to see an addon that brings back some of the options that theThe game is fun, but don't expect a true XCOM remake. If you are searching for an worthy remake take a look at xenonauts. The strategic possibilities were reduced to make the gameplay faster and more action based. For me the action based combat is working great and results in an satisfying gameplay experience. I would love to see an addon that brings back some of the options that the original game had. Like: multiple bases, base defense, picking up and using items during combat, different landscapes (desert, tundra, city, farm, ...), non-linear random levels and more items to research and produce. What annoyed me a little were the alien AI. The aliens start acting when you see them, they don't start moving before that.

    In overall the game is fun to play and good for everyone who thought that the rounds in the original game were taking too long.    … Expand
  24. dkaizer
    Oct 23, 2012
    8
    After more than a decade of waiting, I must say that XCOM: Enemy Unknown managed to satisfy my palate. The graphics and art style look good and the gameplay although simplified, still made it fun. Especially liked the ability to customize your soldier right down to the nicknames. The armour, weapons and the way your soldier(s) moved made them look really badass!
    On the downside, the    After more than a decade of waiting, I must say that XCOM: Enemy Unknown managed to satisfy my palate. The graphics and art style look good and the gameplay although simplified, still made it fun. Especially liked the ability to customize your soldier right down to the nicknames. The armour, weapons and the way your soldier(s) moved made them look really badass!
    On the downside, the lackluster storyline and no aliens attacking your base brought this game down a notch. After the final cutscene, all I could do was go " That's it...?" I sincerely think the storyline and ending could have been better. Overall a good game, worth playing and worth every penny.    … Expand
  25. ArMoRofGOD
    Nov 25, 2012
    8
    Terrific game. I am not a turn based guy at all but this game is the only one I not only can stand playing but actually enjoy. A lot of variety in levels and enemies and every single encounter felt fresh and unpredictable. It is a great game to show off your strategic side. A breath of fresh air in a era of FPS.
  26. Fritzworth
    Jan 6, 2013
    8
    Never played the 1990s XCOM, so I didn't have any particular expectations for the game. Bottom line: I enjoy it. I much prefer turn-based strategy over RTS, the game plays well, and it has a fair amount of repeatability. I find myself getting attached to certain characters throughout a game and feel a certain guilty sense of relief when it's the rookie who gets killed on a mission ratherNever played the 1990s XCOM, so I didn't have any particular expectations for the game. Bottom line: I enjoy it. I much prefer turn-based strategy over RTS, the game plays well, and it has a fair amount of repeatability. I find myself getting attached to certain characters throughout a game and feel a certain guilty sense of relief when it's the rookie who gets killed on a mission rather than one of my more experienced characters. That said, the game does have some problems, the most notable being the instability of the user interface -- not in the 'crashing' sense, but in the sense of suddenly moving just as you click the mouse to move a squad member or launch a rocket/grenade. In fact, when it comes to throwing/targeting items, the UI is prone to wild swings, and it takes a very gentle touch with the mouse at times to get it to land where you want. Related is the problem of ensuring that you're going to place you think you're moving; given the 3-D nature of the game, it is easy to end up exposed instead of sheltered, or right in the midst of the aliens instead of up above them. Since there's no "undo last movement/action" (understandably), an entire mission can get derailed by a single mouse click. Minor quibbles include having settings that don't seem to match the mission (e.g., going to urban France and having all the signage in Chinese, or finding yourself in what appears to be a temperate Northern Hemisphere forest deep in the Nigerian interior). I'd frankly like to see more variety in the mission settings (desert, jungle, seashore, island). The entire game plays through fairly quickly, which for me is an advantage; I can start up a game and see it through to the end without committing myself for days. The key lesson is don't rush in, because nothing will kill off a character or blow up a mission faster than getting out ahead of your cover (both physical and firepower). Recommended.… Expand
  27. StaticSpine
    Nov 25, 2012
    8
    The fair rating for this game is 8,5 (9 is too much, so I give 8). I didn't play the original UFO, so this is my first time trying these series. I liked the micromanagement of the base and the planet, I'd say that in some way it's even more interesting than the missions. The main negative thing is the bugs of aiming/chance-to-hit: you can miss point-blank or the enemy can crit you fromThe fair rating for this game is 8,5 (9 is too much, so I give 8). I didn't play the original UFO, so this is my first time trying these series. I liked the micromanagement of the base and the planet, I'd say that in some way it's even more interesting than the missions. The main negative thing is the bugs of aiming/chance-to-hit: you can miss point-blank or the enemy can crit you from afar and vice versa. Also I had Sectopod standing in the square where the door was ans my soldiers couldn't unlock that door. The other thing I wanted to mention is the messed up ending. But in total the game is enjoyable and fun to play.… Expand
  28. 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.
  29. Tacoss23
    Oct 10, 2012
    8
    This is a really, really good game. However, it's not X-COM UFO Defense or Terror from the Deep with updated graphics, physics and interface, which is what a lot of fans were hoping for. I grew up playing X-Com, Civilization, Command&Conquer, etc etc, all those good classic games. I've been getting one disappointment after another with today's developers trying to give their "spin" of theThis is a really, really good game. However, it's not X-COM UFO Defense or Terror from the Deep with updated graphics, physics and interface, which is what a lot of fans were hoping for. I grew up playing X-Com, Civilization, Command&Conquer, etc etc, all those good classic games. I've been getting one disappointment after another with today's developers trying to give their "spin" of the classics, my latest gripes were Civilization 5 and Diablo 3. That being said, this is NOT one of those cases. This is actually a really good succesor of the franchise, the moment you open your mind and realize that not EVERYTHING has to be the exact same as the older games. Most of the bad reviews and complains are coming from die-hard fans of the franchise (I'm one of those), that wen't into rampaging rage the moment they didn't find the very exact game in the very exact layout, literally. This game has 80% of the original X-COMs, they took some stuff out, added some others, and overall made a great game. Look, I agree, I'd love to have loadouts, inventory and the extra basic movements with action points, like crouch, kneel, etc. I'd also like to have the similar Geo-escape, the Auto vs Aimed shots, the destruction of ground, and other smaller features they left out. However, not having these things DO NOT make this game a bad successor of the X-COM franchises. It definitely does NOT merit the "0 scores" fans are giving it. You have to be objective in this case, it's not the exact same game, it's not what probably you were expecting, but it's not a bad game at all. Considering the other X-COM disasters, and today's games, this one is a standout tittle. They amped up the action, gave it nice graphics, the new base layout/design is actually a better idea graphically and logically than the original games, the individual progress of your soldiers through abilities and classes is a very VERY good implementation, and overall they did achieve the "grim feeling" of the original games. Music could've been better, but still gives you that scary feeling like the older games, not as much tough. The parts of the game that I didn't like were the handholding to the point of annoyance of the starting missions, the cheese cut scenes and attempt of background story could've been left out, the lack of randomization of maps/landing zones and the feeling of a linear progression. Conclusion: This is a great game, a decent successor of the X-COM series, but it's NOT the exact same game as the old ones. There were several features left out that could've made the game even better, but there are also couple of really good additions. Overall is a modern age X-COM, it does deserve a good rating and you'd truly enjoy it if you get in your head the fact that this is a new game, not a X-COM UFO Defense with modern graphics, it's in fact a new game. There are some bugs here and there, nothing horrible; the game is not "dumbed down" as many are saying, it doesn't have the same level of difficulty as the classics, it's true, but the features left out from the original games DOES NOT grant it the tittle of "dumbed down". Please take with a grain of salt the "0 scores", those are really not objective reviews, they were wrote in anger by fans of the older series that would give ANYTHING a "0" just because it's not the exact same game or maybe just to say "I used to play the older games and nothing will be the same".… Expand
  30. Jintoss
    Oct 26, 2012
    8
    I'll admit that I'm new to the X-Com series, but this is clearly a gem of a game. Your squad members WILL die, and you WILL get attached to the members of your first playthrough (the nicknames are a brilliant touch). Best avoid Ironman (no savegame reloading) until your second playthrough (the one where you try to perfect everything), and you will have a very good time saving the worldI'll admit that I'm new to the X-Com series, but this is clearly a gem of a game. Your squad members WILL die, and you WILL get attached to the members of your first playthrough (the nicknames are a brilliant touch). Best avoid Ironman (no savegame reloading) until your second playthrough (the one where you try to perfect everything), and you will have a very good time saving the world from a superior alien threat - on a budget of course.… Expand
Page:

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.
See all critic reviews »