Xenonauts

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 196 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 140 out of 196
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 196
  3. Negative: 24 out of 196

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  1. iseeall
    Nov 22, 2014
    7
    This remake of XCom is the closest one to the original, yet it still changes some things, and the changes are a mix of good and bad.

    The good: - music is excellent - excellent writing! Also, the descriptions are very logical (e.g. why invasion starts with small UFOs, why laser weapons have similar types like the ballistic ones and many other). - controls are much easier (especially    This remake of XCom is the closest one to the original, yet it still changes some things, and the changes are a mix of good and bad.

    The good:

    - music is excellent
    - excellent writing! Also, the descriptions are very logical (e.g. why invasion starts with small UFOs, why laser weapons have similar types like the ballistic ones and many other).
    - controls are much easier (especially compared to "instant scrolling" you get when playing XCom: UFO Defense, which was a DOS game, on fast modern computers - where you'd have to exit to battlefield map overview to move camera)
    - 2D air combat where you can sometimes win by manually controlling the planes even if the enemy ships were stronger and would win on autoresolve)
    - you can airstrike crash sites for smaller cash reward if your chopper is too far away
    - can see the line your shot will fly along and percentages about what things may block it!
    - shield which is a must for earlier missions.
    - graphics of the xenopedia
    - more types of terrain objects which provide partial cover (which works like it should, e.g. if you are right behind a tree, you will shoot thru it easily while it will block shots of the enemy).
    - can open/close doors without walking thru them

    The so-so things:

    - many small details where streamlined, e.g. inventory management, selling of loot, equipping interceptors, upgrades of weapons. Storage room has unlimited capacity, basic ballistic weapons cost nothing etc. They wanted to free the player from the "tedious micromanagement". Apparently, micromanaging was part of the fun.
    - the Earth is flat. It's maybe easier this way, but the 3D globe of the original with more realistic radar coverage felt better.
    - graphics of the battlefield, of the GUI, the soldiers. It feels like graphics in the 2D client of Ultima Online or something. It's still an improvement over the original, but after 23 years?!
    - almost all tactical maps are mazes, overfilled with things, which looks unrealistic and also makes sniper rifles almost useless - but well, it also helps to make more useful the weapons with shorter range
    - the game keeps the system of time units (action point) and "reflexes"/return shots just like in the original. I know some people like the old XCom system a lot but I much more prefer the JA2 system, for example, where turn-based mode only starts when solders of opposing teams see each other. This makes for much more fluent gameplay, and also a fairer one (cuz in XCom you are punished for moving forward because you always have fewer action points left than camping enemies). Besides, in JA 2 you could do anything during a turn interrupt (e.g. move away) while in XCom your solders would usually do 1 or 2 useless snap shots.
    - just like in the original, randomness of hits/misses in battle, combined with overpowered enemy shots in the beginning of the game results in a feeling that it's too much a game of luck than tactics and at some point you notice that you reload every time your soldier is killed, especially if it's your first playthru and the death was due to a rule/glich/feature you didn't know/expect.

    The bad:

    - most terrain objects now have a lot more hitpoints, so it takes much longer to destroy them, which results in very static battlefields. No more shooting wild with laser rifles or throwing grenades just to clear the view (even Alien grenades don't destroy walls, wtf!). The fact that terrain is now almost indestructible takes away a whole (interesting) piece of gameplay.
    - some interesting weapons missing (grenades with motion sensor? fire grenades/rockets? do you recall that fire actually was a light source in night missions in the original?)
    - night missions are now dull. Aliens can see in the dark, and at the same time you have an endless supply of light flares. Which means now you move even slower and throw endless light flares on every step. This doesn't make the game more interesting. In the original at least it was fun when you ran out or light flares and had to pick up those you had thrown already and throw them again.
    - throwing range of grenades is significantly shorter now, making grenades of very limited use. Oh and now grenades destroy ALL loot and the corpse itself! In the original the grenades would leave the corpse and the loot first, but more grenade explosions would wipe out the corpse first, then the loot.
    - smoke system is a joke, as well as fire system. In the original, smoke would slowly make soldiers unconscious, also there was a lot more smoke from every grenade and every fire. Fire used to spread.
    - aliens don't attack your base (haven't seen it?)
    - AI seems to always know where your soldiers are (so flanking or coming from behind is useless)
    - all soldiers have the same models which makes them feel anonymous
    - no frontal/rear/side armor, just armor
    - ufos always the same (in the original the hull could have holes, even in the roof, depending on the type of rockets you downed it with).    … Expand
  2. sherbz
    Jul 30, 2016
    7
    This is a pretty decent effort at a turn based squad tactics game. It is highly faithful to the original XCOM barring the alien types. It is also a well polished and deep tactical game. If you liked the original in the 90s, then you should like this.

    There are a few drawbacks however. The first is the lack of variety in the aliens. You basically only have 4 species and they do not    This is a pretty decent effort at a turn based squad tactics game. It is highly faithful to the original XCOM barring the alien types. It is also a well polished and deep tactical game. If you liked the original in the 90s, then you should like this.

    There are a few drawbacks however. The first is the lack of variety in the aliens. You basically only have 4 species and they do not do much to differentiate themselves. This needs to be addressed in the sequel. The second is the sound, which is a bit of a weird criticism to level at a game, but its just bad (IMO). The weapons sound terrible apart from the ballistic weapons, the music could be better, and the aliens also sound a bit weird. I would also like to see more interactivity with the environment.

    For purists this may be better than the new XCOM, but for me XCOM is far superior in almost every single way. that said, this is a decent title that has absorbed hours and hours from me, so for that i would still recommend it as worth a purchase if you have some more spare time to devote to saving the planet.    … Expand
  3. PowerGamer
    Nov 16, 2014
    7
    My review is for the last patched official version.
    Not the "Xenonauts Community Edition".
    This game was real fun for a while. It's obviously a variation of the original "X-COM" game which I did play back in the day. Although to me this game is better then last years official X-COM remake, I didn't like that one. If you like strategy and build games you will probably like this    My review is for the last patched official version.
    Not the "Xenonauts Community Edition".

    This game was real fun for a while.
    It's obviously a variation of the original "X-COM" game which I did play back in the day.
    Although to me this game is better then last years official X-COM remake, I didn't like that one.

    If you like strategy and build games you will probably like this game and it will be worth game time.

    It was real fun for a while until I hit a point in the game after several hours of play.
    I restarted several times, but still in the one longest game I played I hit a difficultly level that made it
    hard, or otherwise just too tedious to continue playing.

    I'd say even the original X-COM was blast to play for a while..until doing the same types of battles over and over again got to tedious and then it was time to stop.

    Besides the tedium of slowly stepping out the battles, the game just doesn't scale very well.
    It's leveling - skilling - upgrading - growing up is hammered out as it probably could be.
    You will see if you made mistakes in upgrading where you are running out of money and, or,
    you didn't capture key technology in time then you will be behind and unable to fight the latest UFO craft (the level based on the date?), etc.

    An engrossing blast for a while until you hit the wall of tedium and difficulty..    … Expand
  4. procyon4
    Dec 12, 2014
    7
    As a long time X-COM fan, in fact since the release of the DOS Enemy Unknown, I was looking forward to this remake. What a disappointment! I must say that it looks great and the combat management and base management are true to the original (With certain minor omissions that I consider irrelevant).
    Combat is very though even at normal difficulty setting. Your opponents are faster, more    As a long time X-COM fan, in fact since the release of the DOS Enemy Unknown, I was looking forward to this remake. What a disappointment! I must say that it looks great and the combat management and base management are true to the original (With certain minor omissions that I consider irrelevant).
    Combat is very though even at normal difficulty setting. Your opponents are faster, more accurate and much better equipped than the best of your squad. However, since it's possible to save the game whenever you wish, it evens up the chances as far as I'm concerned. Where it breaks totally for me, it's
    the very short time you have before funding is cut and countries turn against you. It makes the game totally unfair and kills any feeling of accomplishment you may have. Events are happening outside your zone of control and without any possibility for you to intervene. Click on it, double click on it,
    right click on it but you'll never be able to make it a target for your fighters or send a squad to investigate. Nevertheless, you are penalized. This is made even worse because, regardless of where you put your base to start, the AI will automatically move the action outside of your action zone. Again, it's
    possible to try to mitigate this by saving often , reloading and hoping to get a better dice roll but it's a totally useless aggravation that brings nothing to the game. In the end though it's NOT a steam game, no DRM and the price on GoG is very acceptable. So, if you're a X-COM unconditional get it and hope
    for an update to better balance the odds on the world map.    … Expand
  5. Tedious
    Aug 23, 2019
    9
    Make sure you play the community edition as it is a much fuller experience than the base Xenonauts. If you enjoy the game then you can also get your hands on "X-division" which is an enormous (free) mod that more than doubles the scope of the game (and is a serious challenge).

    A reasonable number of the more negative reviews relate to things which have since been improved such as clunky    Make sure you play the community edition as it is a much fuller experience than the base Xenonauts. If you enjoy the game then you can also get your hands on "X-division" which is an enormous (free) mod that more than doubles the scope of the game (and is a serious challenge).

    A reasonable number of the more negative reviews relate to things which have since been improved such as clunky controls, balance and excessive difficulty. That said, this is still a difficult game and if you don't want to continually save scum you'll have to consider every move.    … Expand
  6. TheIstrix
    Sep 10, 2014
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was really excited for this, and what a disappointment. Xenonauts, under it's own weight is an dull game and if you spent any time at all in the 90s pulse pounding while wondering where that last Muton is, or pulling your hair out when your best unit gets mind controlled by the Sectoid Commander then this game is going to make you want to put your fist through your screen and scream for a refund.

    First the graphics and sounds are just plain bland. Yes, they're higher resolution than the original X-Com, but they completely lack any sense of style or charm. It's like someone just downloaded a generic pack of game assets. Honestly I'd rather look at the old SVGA pixels than the drab unremarkable screens they give you to play. The ufopedia (or what ever they call their version) was actually done really nicely. They should have got that guy to do the whole game. You get a little poof on an explosion, and odd sounds on gun shots. These fall way below what you got in the 90s, let alone the new remakes.

    Second, the gameplay is an atrocity. I lobbed a grenade clear a thin brick wall (luckily it was within the pathetic throw radius) and when it exploded.. no damage to the wall. What? It was supposed to be one of those advanced alien explosive grenades! Half the time your units can hardly move and fire their weapon in the same turn. I get challenge, but come on. The air combat was interesting maybe three times, but you'll find yourself just auto-completing past that. The interface just doesn't feel comfortable I got the feeling quite often of unease from not being able to perform simple commands.

    Lastly nothing in the game made me remotely interested in my soldiers. In the original and the Enemy Unknown remake they managed to get you interested in their survival, to care about your team. I can't think of how many times I thought "nice shot so-and-so" or "noooo! not the sarge!". In Xenonauts they just failed to capture that element that makes you care if your people live or die, and from there any desire to keep playing.

    They did manage a few interesting additions. The air combat could be interesting with some tweeks, and I thought it was kind of cool to get notified that the locals brought down a ufo. It was interesting to touch down on a farm crash site and see Farmer John out there with his shotgun gunning down the buggers. Ultimately though, I agree with a few other reviews that this just felt like an early alpha. Slap some paint on this, tune up the engine, and fix the speakers and you might just have a playable game to market to fanboys and new audiences alike. As it stands now, however, charging money for this game is a travesty.    … Expand
  7. Knightpt
    Jul 14, 2014
    8
    It's definately the best classic x-com game remake. I don't realy consider FIraxis X-com as a true classical x-COM remake, that one is more of a completely new game with just the story of the classic. Xenonauts on the other hand tries to update classical old x-com UFO unknown to better graphics, always stay faithfull to the feeling and vibe of it's roots and even tries to add something ofIt's definately the best classic x-com game remake. I don't realy consider FIraxis X-com as a true classical x-COM remake, that one is more of a completely new game with just the story of the classic. Xenonauts on the other hand tries to update classical old x-com UFO unknown to better graphics, always stay faithfull to the feeling and vibe of it's roots and even tries to add something of its own to grow on the classical game.

    The developers realy had a lot of attention to keep the old vibe and never get too radical in changes, i understand that and i realy apreciate people realy respecting one of the best strategies game ever made, that many many companies tried to reproduce but always failed to recreate the feeling.

    Xenonauts can capture some of the initial x-com vibe, i'm very please with that. I don't give more of a score because the balance doesn't feel right sometimes. People keep losing countries to the aliens in times you can't even build a radar detection there, i believe the developers wanted to give us a feeling of urgency, but it feels realy fake like if a country will go dark in 2 months if you just don't go there and kill stuff... feels unnatural. The game does a good job of keeping random stuff happening in the world you can't control or do anything but losing a country very fast like they are sitting ducks just doesn't feel right.

    Other than that, the random maps are repetitive. There is a comunity mod you can download to add more variety but feels... cheap from the developers not doing that aswell.

    So basicaly two strong negative points, but realy gets you the feeling of nostalgia from x-com and a bunch of other good stuff in the strategy genre, totaly worth the price and feel the love (and respect / admiration) the devs had with x-com - A true homage.

    Recomended.    … Expand
  8. Mercent
    Mar 28, 2014
    10
    Prepare for lots of hair pulling and table banging. The odds are against you but when one of your men dies, more likely than not, it is your fault for being careless and not planning ahead; one must learn and adapt in order to survive in this game. A thinking man's game.
  9. humanbait76
    Sep 9, 2014
    0
    I haven't written a review on Metacritic before, but I signed up as I feel it necessary to warn gamers that Xenonauts is perhaps one of the worst games I've played this year. As someone who was in college when the original XCOM was released back in the 1990's and who can remember playing it on 486's in my dorm room, I can tell you that this game isn't even a close approximation of theI haven't written a review on Metacritic before, but I signed up as I feel it necessary to warn gamers that Xenonauts is perhaps one of the worst games I've played this year. As someone who was in college when the original XCOM was released back in the 1990's and who can remember playing it on 486's in my dorm room, I can tell you that this game isn't even a close approximation of the original XCOM or any of its successors. The graphics are amateur, the interface is clunky and unappealing, and the gameplay is horrid. If you are looking for a game of this genre to play, go purchase the original XCOM on steam or get jagged alliance 2. Those are perhaps the 2 treasures that defined this genre and Xenonauts isn't worth your time or money.… Expand
  10. Zakuman
    Jun 3, 2014
    9
    The game is very fun and true to the spirit of the original xcom :) I love both this and firaxis's Xcom, but where firaxis made an action film, with cutscenes etc. This one is more serious and difficult, fending of the alien invasion feels much more desperate an effort. Thumbs up, from me :)
  11. seirak
    Jun 15, 2015
    0
    Don't be cheated. This game looks like classical turn-based strategy game but it's not.
    I strongly recommend you do not play this.
    Aerial combat? You had better let it auto-combat. manually combat is boring, no funny. Ground combat? You will be recognized that Aliens knows all about your troops. Who is weakest, Who is injured and their sight is farther. They can shoot your men at the    Don't be cheated. This game looks like classical turn-based strategy game but it's not.
    I strongly recommend you do not play this.

    Aerial combat? You had better let it auto-combat. manually combat is boring, no funny.
    Ground combat? You will be recognized that Aliens knows all about your troops. Who is weakest, Who is injured and their sight is farther. They can shoot your men at the place where your troops can't shoot or see, so they shoot the wall to damage your soldier behind it. What the hell? Sometimes, their shots ignore obstacles!
    Yes, aiming system of this game is much inferior than JA2, old Xcom series.

    Psionics. This exists for fxxking you. You have no way to defend it, but caesan, praetor use psionic attack without finding or seeing your soldiers. When your turn ends, Psionic spamming begin and your veteran go mad and your troops become shattered. Only bravery is for defeding psionics, but you cannot improve it sufficiently by normal playing.

    Remember this. Save scumming is the only way to clear this game even if you are veteran gamer.

    1. This game designed to fxxk players - aliens know all of you.
    2. Poor aiming system
    3. You have no way to defend Psionic attack. It'll crush you.
    4. It is absolutely inferior than old games like Xcom3 apocalypse, Jagged alliance2

    You wanna play this??? Grants that you have several extra mouses.    … Expand
  12. deskrit
    Feb 7, 2017
    2
    A legitimately bad game masquerading as a decent XCOM remake. Man, I had a review in my head about this game but as I sit here getting ready to write it all down i just find myself drained of energy thinking about this game. Its basically everything you loved about XCOM but distilled down and made tedious, clunky (not that the original XCOM wasnt a bit clunky even in its day)andA legitimately bad game masquerading as a decent XCOM remake. Man, I had a review in my head about this game but as I sit here getting ready to write it all down i just find myself drained of energy thinking about this game. Its basically everything you loved about XCOM but distilled down and made tedious, clunky (not that the original XCOM wasnt a bit clunky even in its day)and artificially difficult. I have heard it described as a puzzle game more than a strategy/tactics game and I feel that is very true. Instead of planning out battles and strategy, you are simply guessing which research is the "right" one or which broken combat mechanic you need to exploit for the next battle.

    But none of that really matters. The ONLY thing that actually exists in this game is the AWFUL, unspeakably bad air-combat minigame. The ENTIRE game is dependent on it. And its awful. Just so bad, unfun, stupid, broken, and repetitive. Note I didnt say hard, because its not. Its dog simple because its so easily manipulated for victories that its pointless. Except its the most important thing, because ALL of your "reputation" with other nations is based on how long and how many UFO's you allow to roam their airspace, and the game is idiotically unforgiving. You let a few get by, and you lose the campaign. But you wont know it for awhile, its only a little while later that you realize your rep dropped so much from those 2 UFO's that you missed that your funding level dropped to the point that you can no longer continue. The nations of earth do not care that you stopped 90 + UFO's in one month, and killed hundreds of alien soldiers on the ground. They only care that you let 2 slip through and a fishing trawler was strafed costing the lives of 2 fishermen. NO MORE FUNDING FOR YOU.

    The air-combat very much encapsulates the entire game: artificial difficulty pretending to be challenge and depth that completely falls apart as soon as you put a modicum of effort into it. All you need to win any air battle is one plane to bait, and other planes to shoot, and thats LITERALLY IT. The types of planes change, but ultimately dont matter. And as mentioned above, the entire game is built around this. You will very quickly learn this and have so much money that it trivializes the game. And..YOU HAVE TO DO THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER, OFTEN 100+ TIMES A MONTH (the games time measurement). You will have 5 or 6 ufos appear, click intercept, click the planes, click the UFO and do this 6 times. Then press time acceleration and have to fight 6 tedious air battles that all play out EXACTLY the same, and i mean that. EXACTLY. Also, the air battles have Atari graphics, and thats not an exaggeration either.

    The types of aliens you fight on the ground change. You get better weapons, but they are 100% graphical and have 0 effect on combat. You have beautiful artwork on the ground maps, but none of it matters. It is there to obfuscate and create the illusion of depth and tactics. The ground battles are almost exactly like the air battles except the terrain is procedurally generated and the computer cheats profusely to the point that its actually pretty enjoyable to just watch them break line of sight, shoot through walls, move the equivalent of 100- 200 movement points a turn (your soldiers typically have 40-60), dodge multiple 95+% hit chance shots, ignore AOE damage from grenades and rockets, and just generally do everything a game like this should never, ever do.

    I want to go deeper into the ground combat but im getting near to the character limit on this website and im just about out of energy. Just to say, that if you willfully lobotomize your good sense, you can get some challenge out of the ground combat. It looks wonderful, and can be highly amusing, but this involves ignoring the terrible AI and purposefully ignoring the handful of things that break the game.The problem is that if you dont use them, you will just die to the bad fundamental design.

    Amuse yourself for a second here, just trust me.Go to google or whatever search engine. Search xenonauts strategy. Specifically search Terror Mission strategy or Base Assault. Those are 2 of the most difficult mission types. Now, just read what people say on forums. Here, let me help you:

    "Just load up your guys with explosives"
    "Give everyone a rocket launcher"
    "You havent been using rocket launchers and C4?"
    "Didnt you bring enough rockets?"
    "Did you forget to switch out all gear for rockets and C4 on some new soldiers?"
    "Just load your men down with C4 and rockets until the inventory is full, drop all that stuff at your starting point and come back and get more rockets and C4 when your guys run out"
    "Just start shooting rockets into the fog of war when the map starts, if you can see terrain shoot at it."
    "Oh the civillian casualties, yeah dont worry it says you have to save them but the game doesnt track it, just shoot rockets everywhere"

    Thats xenonauts    … Expand
  13. riley794
    Jun 20, 2015
    4
    It's like if Xcom: Enemy Unknown but without a story and with 20 year old graphics. Maybe if X:EU wasn't made this game would be worth picking up but all this game made me want to do is reinstall X:EU. It's weird because I love Wasteland 2 because I loved Fallout 1 and 2. However, Fallout 3 went way off into left field which is why I like Wasteland 2 so much. However, this game isIt's like if Xcom: Enemy Unknown but without a story and with 20 year old graphics. Maybe if X:EU wasn't made this game would be worth picking up but all this game made me want to do is reinstall X:EU. It's weird because I love Wasteland 2 because I loved Fallout 1 and 2. However, Fallout 3 went way off into left field which is why I like Wasteland 2 so much. However, this game is just an original XCom ripoff that pales in comparison to X:EU.
    And yes I have been drinking why do you ask?    … Expand
  14. Sghignifiss
    Jun 16, 2014
    10
    Here we are, finally writing the proper review for this game. I've decided to wait for the final version before writing anything about it because despite the long time it took to be finished, it really deserves to be evaluated in its final shape.

    First thing first, I must say there are lots of x-com remakes out there. Since I'm one of the few lucky players that have played (and loved,    Here we are, finally writing the proper review for this game. I've decided to wait for the final version before writing anything about it because despite the long time it took to be finished, it really deserves to be evaluated in its final shape.

    First thing first, I must say there are lots of x-com remakes out there. Since I'm one of the few lucky players that have played (and loved, despite I was just a kid) the original series the time it was released, it is well-known that all later remakes never really succeed to reach the quality (or even the game type) of the original. X-Com: Enemy Unknown and its successors were a very complex but still very engaging type of game. None of the later versions was as deep as the old ones, and this is plain truth.

    Xenonauts is just another remake, but this time it is the right one. It is clear that the developers have vastly played the old series and have absorbed the real nature of it. Everything here is in place and working, something (aka aerial fights, just to tell one) is even better than the original, if it could be possible!

    Now that I'm grown up and I understand what tactics mean, playing this game make me desire to come back in time and play the old series the way I'm playing Xenonauts now. It's really a lot of fun. My love to the old series is even bigger now, thanks to Xenonauts and its incredible fidelity to the original game.

    The game itself is really well done, in mostly every aspect. It does give you the right sensation of alien invasion, it is really hard to manage every ufo in sight and succeed. Aerial fights are often quite difficult but entertaining (only con: waiting time during retreat). Ground combat is simply great, the AI is sufficiently smart to even surprise you, sometimes, and that's really appreciated for a game like this. Base management is quite intricate due to a menu system I really do not love that much, but it is still playable without great difficulty.

    For me is a plain 10/10 also considering it is and indie game. Absolute try for every fan of the old series.    … Expand
  15. br54
    Jul 13, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Xenonauts is the spiritual successor to UFO: Enemy Unknown, also known as X-Com: UFO Defense. Sadly I've never experienced UFO Defense. But after playing Xenonauts I get a pretty good sense on what kind of game UFO Defense was.

    When I first went into Xenonauts I was skeptical about what I was in for. Something like turned base strategic combat was very different to the traditional RTS play style. It took some time to get use to but in the end I found that it was easy to comprehend and easy to learn for newcomers such as myself.

    The game's graphics might drive people away because they're "dated" or "unpolished". But I feel like the art style works great. The style looks retro and it fits with the game. It's not overwhelming my computer with triple A 3d graphics and its a nice throwback to the older era of games.

    The game's soundtrack is fantastic! It makes me feel very immersive. It gets me pumped to take down a UFO during the Air combat minigame and gives me a sense of hoplessness during night missions. And the SFX being done by Tapio Liukkonen, the guy who did the SFX in Amnesia the dark decent, is a plus in my book.

    One of my favorite things of the game is the setting. The game is set during cold war 1979. Everything is very low tech and at the beginning you feel overwhelmed by the Alien invaders using Plasma weaponry while you're still running around with simple ballistic rifles. But as time goes on and you gather Alien technology you get to see the world advance from people using things like old Apple Macintosh to fully functional Holographic computers! From your simple Ballistic weapons to Laser, Plasma, and soon MAG. And even robotic arms for the handicap! And even the creation of the Internet! (Or the Internetwork as the game calls it) You get to see the world unfold around you as your technology moves fast and you create better and better equipment.

    As you research things the game will give you an explanation on what the item you just researched is. All this is set in the little archive known as the Xenopedia. It's where all the documented alien life forms UFO's technology weapons etc. go. I spent hours in the Xenopedia reading as much as I could, learning about the Alien's and why they came to Earth.

    With all the positives aside there are still some downsides on the game. It's obvious the game isn't complete even though it's officially released. There are many bugs and glitches that need to be ironed out but Goldhawk interactive is working hard to fix them all. The game has no in-game tutorial. It took me awhile to learn the games controls that could have been summed up in a small tutorial. (There is a game manual but it's something I didn't look for.) There is a lot of cool unused content in the game that would have been very fun to use in the game. Another problem is the Alien powers. Some aliens get things like mind control and can make your teammates start killing each other. This is a thing I desperately hate. There's no way to defend against it. It's based on the bravery of the soldier and I have no idea how it works. Hopefully they add something to counter Alien Mind control. But for now I go into the game files and simply disable Mind control.

    Probably my biggest letdown was the final mission.

    (Spoiler below!) Skip the next paragraph to avoid any spoilers about the game!

    The final mission is hard and makes you rush but it's not that satisfying. I would have loved to see a long ass mission that would take a long time to complete. In the last mission you're infiltrating the alien Dreadnaught and you're suppose to kill the leader of the alien invasion. But it's just one big hallway guarded by tons of aliens. It doesn't seem like a dreadnaught and feels very rushed for a last mission. I expected something large and intimidating like the alien bases you have to infiltrate and destroy around the world. Though this can probably be fixed by the lovely map editor. :)

    (Spoiler ends)

    Xenonauts is a fantastic game. It gives me the experience I missed out on with UFO defense. It's very in depth and makes me work for the things I need. I love the micromanaging and constant tension that your best soldier might die around the next corner. It's a game that I couldn't recommend enough to anyone who loved the original X-com.    … Expand
  16. Homiccus
    Nov 27, 2013
    9
    This. This is not one of those fancy-shmancy streamlined games with pixel shading lollipop graphics and stunning 'oh-my-word' audio FX... This is something completely different. A fan service for all 'old timers' perhaps?
    It's still in beta, the updates are rolled out on regular basis, but what's there already is all honey and no tar. This title has the look and feel of the 1994 classic,    This. This is not one of those fancy-shmancy streamlined games with pixel shading lollipop graphics and stunning 'oh-my-word' audio FX... This is something completely different. A fan service for all 'old timers' perhaps?
    It's still in beta, the updates are rolled out on regular basis, but what's there already is all honey and no tar. This title has the look and feel of the 1994 classic, but with clean UI and comfortable, adequate graphics.
    Any veteran of old UFO will feel right at home the features and gameplay is nearly identical but with enough differences to pique your interest from the very beginning. The atmosphere is not lacking, there is a sense of loneliness and hopelessness throughout and, although you know very well what awaits, there is no telling what shape will it take. The difficulty is at least challenging, you can do your best on geoscape and on the ground but you'll still be watching your diminishing money supply and mounting casualties.
    Make no mistake this game is from previous era in terms of technology, but if you love it it really loves you back!    … Expand
  17. SigilFey
    Mar 15, 2015
    10
    This is the original 1993 XCOM: UFO Defense (UFO: Enemy Unknown) remade for modern day systems! Being a die-hard XCOM fan, I can assure anyone that has any doubts that we finally have it. Every single mechanic from the original game is here. The title is religiously devoted to the original formula.

    If anything, the developers have IMPROVED on the original. A much better interface.    This is the original 1993 XCOM: UFO Defense (UFO: Enemy Unknown) remade for modern day systems! Being a die-hard XCOM fan, I can assure anyone that has any doubts that we finally have it. Every single mechanic from the original game is here. The title is religiously devoted to the original formula.

    If anything, the developers have IMPROVED on the original. A much better interface. An overall darker, more gritty feel to the universe. The dogfighting minigame is just awesome. Graphics are polished and do well more than simply "get the job done". If you are someone who has ever been curious about why the original game was so successful -- or if you are brand new to the whole XCOM arena -- don't hesitate for a second to pick this up!

    Can't recommend this enough! What an accomplishment!    … Expand
  18. dkurjery
    Jul 16, 2014
    9
    Matching what the developers are advertising for this game, it is a good re-imaging of old classic UFO series game in a different time era.

    The only cons of this game is the engine itself, which is quite crappy and in fact only suits for casual game. Most of the game's issues arise from the engine, like unexpected long loading time, creating random dummy files under system root, or    Matching what the developers are advertising for this game, it is a good re-imaging of old classic UFO series game in a different time era.

    The only cons of this game is the engine itself, which is quite crappy and in fact only suits for casual game.

    Most of the game's issues arise from the engine, like unexpected long loading time, creating random dummy files under system root, or some occasional stability issues.    … Expand
  19. blazicekj
    Oct 21, 2015
    5
    Xenonauts is a fun game, in many respects I like it better than the new XCOM games as it focuses on what's important a lot more.

    BUT, it's simply put a prototype. Marketing a game for OS X when all you have is a badly done Wine port full of game breaking bugs is not OK. At this point, as far as I can tell, the development is dead. Looking at the forums and all the reported problems for    Xenonauts is a fun game, in many respects I like it better than the new XCOM games as it focuses on what's important a lot more.

    BUT, it's simply put a prototype. Marketing a game for OS X when all you have is a badly done Wine port full of game breaking bugs is not OK. At this point, as far as I can tell, the development is dead. Looking at the forums and all the reported problems for the mac version of the game you can see that the developers response is basically "Yeah, tough luck, sorry bout that". I get that they don't have finances to pursue this further and it would be fine if they only marketed a polished Windows game. If a Windows game doesn't work in Wine, then the user only has himself to blame for buying it. This way it's just a scam.

    All in all, it's probably great if you're on Windows, otherwise stay away from it.    … Expand
  20. Koblihozrout
    Jun 23, 2014
    6
    Unfinished & unpolished.

    Artwork and graphics are obviously dated, but that’s not the problem. The problem is lack of animations, explosions, objects, scenery, art etc., it feels like hollow early alpha or demo. Turn based combat suffers same problems, you can only do four things, move, shoot, reload, duck. No abilities, no running, suppressing fire etc.. Grenades don’t have delay,    Unfinished & unpolished.

    Artwork and graphics are obviously dated, but that’s not the problem. The problem is lack of animations, explosions, objects, scenery, art etc., it feels like hollow early alpha or demo.

    Turn based combat suffers same problems, you can only do four things, move, shoot, reload, duck. No abilities, no running, suppressing fire etc.. Grenades don’t have delay, they don’t bounce, and you can only throw them over small fence, but not a wooden wall, or into the window… Watching endless running animations begins to annoy the player sooner or later, and there is no option to speed it up.
    Squad development is virtually non-existent, you don’t level up your soldiers, only their basic stats (like accuracy, strength etc.,) grow a little after each mission, again no perks, or abilities to choose from.

    Base development and research are again extremely simplified. The game becomes grinding cycle of intercepting UFO’s, lunching ground operation (if you still care…) and waiting for final mission. Overall it’s not terrible game, but feels rushed, and leaves the gameplay overall lacking. 60/100.    … Expand
  21. Chromium
    Jan 1, 2014
    10
    Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. It's hard to imagine a remake of X-COM that doesn't get something wrong after all, there have been plenty of remakes and sequels, and none of them have quite captured the feel of the original X-COM. And yet here we are, with Xenonauts, a 'reimagining' of X-COM for the modern age which gets everything right from the get-go.

    It all starts with the first    Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. It's hard to imagine a remake of X-COM that doesn't get something wrong after all, there have been plenty of remakes and sequels, and none of them have quite captured the feel of the original X-COM. And yet here we are, with Xenonauts, a 'reimagining' of X-COM for the modern age which gets everything right from the get-go.

    It all starts with the first thing you'll notice: the look and feel. This game's design drips polish: the artwork is fantastic, the music tense and atmospheric, the menus and on-screen controls gorgeous and easy-to-use. This is how X-COM would have looked if it were made yesterday instead of in the 90s, with beautiful high-res textures and realistic, polished designs for everything from guns to aircraft.

    Other than a few fundamental differences, this is the real-deal X-COM: Multiple bases, multiple teams, research, manufacturing, terror missions, crash sites, landings, hapless civilians running around in tactical maps, more alien types than you can shake a stick at. This game lacks nothing the original offered, and expands significantly on its predecessor: new air combat mechanics, for instance, allow you to take command of your interceptors and engage enemy UFOs in a real-time-tactics minigame, significantly enhancing the fun-factor of shootdowns.

    If you've always felt let down by X-COM sequels, remakes and spinoffs UFO Extraterrestrials, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, et. al. then give Xenonauts a try. It took almost 20 years, but finally, someone got it right again.    … Expand
  22. Shagrost
    Jun 1, 2013
    10
    it's like a dip into childhood and again play the most favorite game of my life, but someone carefully considered all your children's comments about balance or logic of situations.
    And happiness, I again experienced almost the same feeling that once experienced from the original. I did not think that would ever happen again. Thanks to the developer. Clean the chakras, not otherwise.
  23. cleavland
    Jul 13, 2014
    0
    This is a truly awful game. After reading some of the reviews on here, I thought that it might not be that bad and in fact might be a good alternative to XCOM Enemy Unknown, but that is very incorrect.
    Cover system does not work
    Every turn is separated by a loading screen which displays only 1 image. Economy at a preschool level Extraordinarily Clunky UI A PDF for a tutorial Hidden    This is a truly awful game. After reading some of the reviews on here, I thought that it might not be that bad and in fact might be a good alternative to XCOM Enemy Unknown, but that is very incorrect.
    Cover system does not work
    Every turn is separated by a loading screen which displays only 1 image.
    Economy at a preschool level
    Extraordinarily Clunky UI
    A PDF for a tutorial
    Hidden enemy movement when INSIDE YOUR FIELD OF VIEW
    Graphics from Pokemon gold
    They should pay you to play this game (save your money!)
    Others...    … Expand
  24. sh4dow
    Sep 24, 2014
    10
    Having just finished this game for the second time (this time on "insane"), I can finally and confidently write this review. Does the game have its flaws? Occasional bugs and a somewhat broken endgame mission? Yes. But compared to the overwhelming rest of the game, it's nothing. It's also nothing because this is the ONLY game (I'm aware of) that delivers an updated UFO experience thatHaving just finished this game for the second time (this time on "insane"), I can finally and confidently write this review. Does the game have its flaws? Occasional bugs and a somewhat broken endgame mission? Yes. But compared to the overwhelming rest of the game, it's nothing. It's also nothing because this is the ONLY game (I'm aware of) that delivers an updated UFO experience that still stays very close to the original. ALL official X-COM sequels (except "Terror from the Deep" of course) are pathetic in comparison. THIS is the game UFO I have been waiting for for about 15 years (played "X-COM 1 & 2" a little late)! I generally have not played something this satisfying in a long while.… Expand
  25. Haba
    Jun 30, 2014
    9
    After twenty years, there is finally a game that comes close to the magic of the original X-Com. Xenonauts is built around a diamond-hard core vision and doesn't compromise. The developer's vision was to take the best parts of X-Com and transfer them to the modern age, no more and no less. Some welcome additions have come and some exploitable mechanics have gone.

    This is the one UFO    After twenty years, there is finally a game that comes close to the magic of the original X-Com. Xenonauts is built around a diamond-hard core vision and doesn't compromise. The developer's vision was to take the best parts of X-Com and transfer them to the modern age, no more and no less. Some welcome additions have come and some exploitable mechanics have gone.

    This is the one UFO game that resonates most soundly with me. And the game studio's open minded attitude toward modding gives great hope for future "editions" of Xenonauts.    … Expand
  26. BooBoo71
    Jun 30, 2014
    10
    Amazing old school style game definitely the second coming of Xcom , very challenging, frustrating and exciting game with an amazing mod community that is making a great game even better. 10 out of 10 for me!!
  27. Jetteseraph
    Jun 2, 2013
    9
    A great redux of an old classic. Everything you loved about the original X-com is here, with some improved mechanics and re-imagined. The beta overall is quite good, with some balance issues that need to be resolved. Even so, game is wholly playable, fun and quite a challenge, even on normal.
  28. Sigma77
    Jul 14, 2013
    9
    Before I even get into it I'm just going to flat out tell you that $20 for the pre-order plus beta access is totally worth it. This title isn't even out yet I know and I never; ever do this but I felt compelled to post here.

    I must say this is like someone took my favorite strategy game from my freshman year of high school and added so many great new features and layers to the gameplay.    Before I even get into it I'm just going to flat out tell you that $20 for the pre-order plus beta access is totally worth it. This title isn't even out yet I know and I never; ever do this but I felt compelled to post here.

    I must say this is like someone took my favorite strategy game from my freshman year of high school and added so many great new features and layers to the gameplay. I've been playing the beta over the last month and the amount of updates is really great, I'm excited and I look forward to the final product.    … Expand
  29. juanval
    Jun 24, 2014
    9
    This game is a masterpiece. At first you see the graphics and the game doesn't seem attractive, but the gameplay is perfect, in my opinion is better than the original xcom.

    There are 3 very strong points: 1 combat, with an interesting AI (it's easy to suffer casualties), 2 base management, and 3, wolrd map strategy, much deeper and funnier than the original XCOM. The problem I see is    This game is a masterpiece. At first you see the graphics and the game doesn't seem attractive, but the gameplay is perfect, in my opinion is better than the original xcom.

    There are 3 very strong points: 1 combat, with an interesting AI (it's easy to suffer casualties), 2 base management, and 3, wolrd map strategy, much deeper and funnier than the original XCOM.

    The problem I see is that an entire campaign lasts too much hours. Graphics can be obsolete but for me is not a problem. This game is pure gameplay and graphics are not important. I enjoyed more this game than Firaxis Xcom (nice graphics but limited gameplay).

    All original XCOM fans should play this game. Congrats to the developers and we must be happy to enjoy another gem from the kickstarter initiave.    … Expand
  30. joggy
    Jun 18, 2014
    6
    I'm big fan of x-com series. Played all x-com games, even when they strayed from turn based combat into real time with pause.
    Then came new XCOM, enemy unknown, and I was delighted with it. Yes, its not the same game as original x-com, but its close enough. That being said, the only fair thing is to compare xenonauts with newest x-com.
    Right from the start, who came up with the idea of    I'm big fan of x-com series. Played all x-com games, even when they strayed from turn based combat into real time with pause.
    Then came new XCOM, enemy unknown, and I was delighted with it. Yes, its not the same game as original x-com, but its close enough. That being said, the only fair thing is to compare xenonauts with newest x-com.
    Right from the start, who came up with the idea of naming this game xenonauts? I only recently stumbled upon it by chance, name and logo suggested to me that its another tower defense crap.

    Graphics: OK, this is "indie" game, I get it, I didn't expect to be stunned, and I wasn't. Graphic is good enough, animations less so, and the overall feel is better then original x-com, but nowhere near the new x-com.
    Sound: well, sound is bad, almost as bad as original x-com. Maybe that was the idea, to make game as close as they could to original game. Nothing to add here.
    Interface: whole interface looks very similar to original game, and that is a good thing to me. Sure, I like honeycomb view of the base and other stuff from the new x-com, but this is much much closer to the "old school" style that I personally like. If you played old x-com, you will be right at home here.
    Gameplay: Now, this game is set into cold war era and I think this is the coolest thing to change from the old game. All praise for that. Another change (sorta) is tactical view of the dogfights between aircrafts. Very cool, feels like cold war tactical screen, and overall much better then new x-com. Another good thing is that you can opt to airstrike the crashed UFO, so that means that you can neutralize the threat without spending time on missions which only waste your time. Thumbs up. Multiple bases, base assaults and takebacks are in, and I like that too. I personally also like the old action points system, so I would give another plus here for xenonauts, against new x-com.
    And now the ugly part... price is 23 euros!!!!! Against new x-com which is 20!!!!! And that's where many of these indie games fail to deliver. C'mon people, don't put a price which is half a price of mainstream game if your budget is 100 times smaller..... really.
    All in all, I gave this game a 6. Again, as I said in other of my indie reviews, add +2 if money is no issue for you, +1 if graphic is irrelevant to you, +1 if you couldn't care less of the sound and finally +1 if you are hardcore fan of the old school x-com.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Best PC Game of 2011
82
#82 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
51
#51 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Jan 21, 2015
    84
    If you wish to dethrone the Eternal Emperor of computer gaming, you can't have gaping holes in your armor, and thanks to the repeating and completely flat terrains as well as some balancing issues, that's precisely what Xenonauts has. However, in many other ways this is the best UFO-game thus far and thanks to modability and an active community, we just might be witnessing the birth of a legend. [Jan 2015]
  2. CD-Action
    Oct 22, 2014
    70
    A worthy tribute to UFO: Enemy Unknown/X-COM: UFO Defense, but far from perfect. If you feel that your inner hard core gamer is not dead yet, give it a try and have fun. [Sept 2014, p.64]
  3. Riot Pixels
    Aug 27, 2014
    70
    Retro looks can only get you so far, and in the case of Xenonauts, the longer you play it, the more annoying things you discover. A primitive leveling up system (there are no classes or special abilities), contrived combat mechanics, a moth-eaten 2D engine that doesn’t know how to rotate or zoom. In the end, the strategic part becomes much more interesting than tactical battles.
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