Character customization lets you control everything from your soldiers' loadouts to their nationality. The psi operative, on the other hand, uses the alien mind control powers against the Advent, turning firefights into psychological battlegrounds. The ranger's blade makes her a lethal close-quarters force. The grenadier's carrying capacity makes him the pack mule of the group. Then there are the character classes, each with a world of possibilities to consider: the specialist can hack Advent security towers and buff your squad in the field. The squad firefights lay the foundation: there are tactical considerations, from the elevation of the battlefield to the sightlines of the map's structures. XCOM 2's strategy layer imparts the same urgency as the tactical battles on the ground. It's a multilayered experience wherein each level displays nuance, but also contributes to an amorphous, ever-changing whole. In fact, the entirety of XCOM 2 unfolds in original ways each time you play. This dynamism, coupled with the aforementioned stealth mechanics, extend XCOM 2's longevity far past that of Enemy Unknown, in which missions grew boring several campaigns in. You'll defend new rooftops and sneak through different alleyways in each campaign. XCOM 2 also uses procedural map and objective generation to ensure a different mission each time your squad leaves the dropship. Initiating firefights takes just as much consideration as finishing them. This further elevates the idea of guerilla warfare, but also allows for exhilarating ambushes, as you lob grenades into groups, fire machine gun rounds as enemies scatter, and pick off stragglers before they have a chance to react. The Viper is one of several new enemy types.
XCOM 2 implements a new concealment mechanic, in which your soldiers drop into most missions unnoticed, allowing you to sneak past enemies or coordinate attacks on unsuspecting patrols. The mission objectives have changed, but so have the ways we approach them. XCOM 2 ties its narrative and gameplay together in such a way that every mission feels critical, and every shot carries weight. We loot supply trains and intercept communications signals to halt the Advent's plan for human eradication. But these missions are less about repelling the aliens, and more about sabotaging their global operations whenever we can. We're still building an army, researching new technologies, and putting them to use in squad-based strategy missions.
This new script supports numerous tweaks to the XCOM formula, all for the better. We're no longer staunch defenders-we're a desperate guerilla force. As opposed to the soldiers of Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2's rebellion is on the offensive. XCOM 2 places us in command of the human Resistance as they rise up against the Advent, an alien regime that has governed Earth for 20 years. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot'sįollowing in the footsteps of 2012's XCOM: Enemy Unknown, its sequel is a brutal, unforgiving turn-based strategy title played on a strategic world map and isometric battlefields.