I always loved the game on the PC, but the PS3 version really gives it a cool twist. I have finished the campaign twice and the second time i added the flank bonus critical, which makes it real tough, but also from a strategic point of view more fair. Also loved the "guided missile" if you find your fusion reactor, didn't know of this research after the second campaign. I really hope this game will also be released on PS-vita, would be one of my favorite games then.… Expand

A tense game of personal stake and challenge as it ramps up, with a wonderful aesthetic and a care unseen in so many reboots. A game undoubtably worth the money.

Superb game. This has been easily the best strategy game I've played on a console in years. I can absolutely understand the varied user reviews as when I started first I thought it was good but not great until a friend of mine straightened me out. You absolutely have to play this game in ironman mode and ideally on Xcom difficulty. This makes you consider your choices carfeully, Every cent you spend every turn you take is the difference between success and an ass kicking. If you play on an easier setting or have the luxury of reloading the game then the tension and the thoughtfullness is taken out of the game.
My main bug bear is the presentation, I'm not an Unreal engine fan anyways but this game can be rough around the edges. Occasionally the animations will have you guy shoot through walls which in this day and age is dissapointing hence the 1 point drop. Camera control is generally spot on but there are occasions where you can't quite tell if an enemy is within your grenade area of effect or not. Also my international crack team all have the same american accent and limtied set of vocals. None of these affect the gameplay experience but I couldn't give a game 10 without that attention to detail. Online too is relatively enjoyable (unexpectedly) There could be better effort placed on ranking systems or soem level of progression to keep it interesting and more competitive but the existing system where you have the same selection choices as your opponent based on a points spending system means at least games are always fair match ups.… Expand

I waited until the price dropped before I bought this game, you see I am usually disappointed by games that get so much praise and media hype (anything CoD, or God of War) because the games are usually just rehashed clones or just plain suck. I was pleasantly surprised by Xcom:enemy unknown, I played for four straight hours the first time I sat down with it and I've been hooked since. I don't know or care if it maintains the legacy of its predecessors but its fun and challenging. I don't like the in-game menu setup, I find it clunky, I don't like the cinematics or the dialog but I love the actual battles, strategy and planning are a must. You won't simply blast your way through these enemies. There are many choices to make but honestly they don't make much difference in the outcome, but you'll get so caught up in the game that you won't care. I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoyed Halo:wars or any RTS game.… Expand

I'v played this everyday since release. And I'm not kidding here when I say that this game has easily the biggest fatal flaw of any game ever. When percentages are wrong. The game is wrong. The manager of the game says it's to "keep things interesting. But if you hand me the wrong numbers. then you are wrong. All the time. I was gonna give this a ten (seriously) but a f;aw this big almost makes this game deserve a passing score. You killed, and wasted your time, developers.… Expand

If you like deep, tactic games, it's a must have.
The game have nice graphics with a nice atmosphere but the gameplay, missions, choices and possibilities that the game offers are the really enjoyable gem of this game.
Tons of hours, replay value and quality in every aspect of this great game.

Fire Axis have done a great job of bringing this classic pc series upto date and on to consoles. A turn based stratedgy game. Console versions usually suffer due too the lack of pc mouse point and click but Fire Axis have done a great job of mapping the controls to the dual-shock pad every command is easily found even when in the heat of battle. Commands are not hidden behind unecessary menus. Xcom enemy uknown is easy to pick up and hard to put down. A highly challenging stratedgy game were the games Ai will constantly work tooo beat you and suceed a lot. As you learn each enemy you will begin to progress. Difficulty is chosen by the player normal is the best starter option. Even players of the original will struggle with diving straight into classic mode. To research all the available technology trees will take many hours of play it can take well over 20hours to complete dependending on how you play. I have reached 40hours and have yet too complete it but my squad is fully upgraded with lazer guns and mind controll psi tech i researched from the aliens. squads and breeds of alien classes are many and varied each bringing there own challenges to the game. You must defend the earth from alien attack and must not lose 8 countries to the aliens or the over seeing council will terminate the x-com op. While trying to find the aliens main base and there leader. There is also a dlc story add on that adds a mission timer and new squad type. And a seperate dlc for character armor customisation. Over-all a must buy for stratedgy fans and a great introduction to stratedgy games for new players.… Expand

When I first saw a preview for the new (now scrapped) installment of the XCOM franchise, I saw a Mass Effect clone set somewhere around the 1950s-70s. Then "Real Fans" of the early XCOM games got their hands on the franchise and gave it a good old modern re-editing; at least to the best of their ability. Now I never played the earlier games (hell I'm not even finished with this game by the time I write this review), so I won't compare this game with past installments. THE PROS: 1)a sci-fi turn based strategy game that will truly test players gaming skills where the challenge level will not deteriorate as your squad mates level up or get equipped with better weapons/armor/items but the enemy AI; even the missions themselves, will feel like they're actually leveling up along with you and have strategies lined up to make your mission to safe the Earth and repel the invading aliens a long, hard-fought war. Players will gain a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction for completing each mission, plus if players want a greater challenge, players can turn off the loading function for past saved/auto-saved files for added intrigue. 2) The management of your HQ/Main Base isn't as in-dept as say a Command & Conquer or Civilization, but it's simple and enjoyable enough for any players to get into and quickly understand what action should be first taken before depleting your income or before dispatching your team to their next mission. so it may be simple, but it will force the player to plan ahead and prepare for any scenario. This may be minor, but it shows the quality of strategy in this game however minor
3) The franchises biggest draw, in having the player feel emotionally connected/invested/attached to their squad members whom they themselves created and customized and leveled up through out the whole game from your first mission; where he/she is the last surviving team member and in the end just barely manage to draw out enough strength to kill the last enemy unit standing to give you that "Mission Accomplished" ending. All the way through many more missions, establishing themselves as your go to guy/gal, to their final mission where in his/her last stand of infiltrating an enemy ship got shot down by enemy fire while leading the vanguard of the XCOM team to the final chamber of the ship and having his/her name added onto the Hall of Fallen Soldiers (a memorial for all your forever dead creations of squad members). 4) Use of alien tech for human advantage is available. The CONS: (first three will be more nip-picking than actually cons): 1) the story line isn't anything special but it's still enjoyable; aliens invade earth, earth assembles a special team to repel aliens, the team defeats big boss, the end. What I don't understand is, if the aliens are such a major threat and the major countries are in need of assistant, why would the game designers have the countries lose all trust in the XCOM Project and leave to fend for themselves when their threat level/meter goes beyond red, when they have no means to defend themselves and is already being slaughtered by the aliens when they know they will just either be annihilated or enslaved. Couldn't the game designers just have them simply be overrun by the enemy and the base just lost connection with that country, I just don't like the human logic in this story. 2) The characters are forgettable, generic, and uninteresting (that soldier guy who informs you of any Intel during missions, the ?European? female scientist, and the ?Asian? engineer), evening their design and voice-overs. However the many different aliens and their autopsy reports/minor background infos are somewhat interesting, but still generic for my taste of aliens. 3) The character customization is really lackluster for your squad mates to say the lease; different people from different nations and ethic backgrounds but no personality in their voice-overs (american male voice 1, 2, .... and american female voice 1, 2, ...), generic hair styles plus three DLC masks of questionable design; ?Halo?. Generic and bad facial hair designs where different color palettes just won't cut it. 4) Only 4 members to start out with than up to the max of 6 after in game purchase of 2 extra slots? Couldn't there be more in a team since the EARTH IS UNDER FIRE AND IN THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION?!
5) Lack of manual aiming of main and secondary firearms but can aim with grenades and a "one shot only" rocket?! With no option to bring more rocket ammo?!?! In fact, only two item slots for each to carry? 6) And what's with the aiming in the later half of this game, my sniper misses on a 90% but my support hits with a 48%, while enemies BEHIND A WALL can hit my guys from a far with a 23% - 51%?! (oh come on my guy was fully covered too).
7) Not to mention the lack of control over the choice of character classes, it's randomize… Expand

I am a huge xcom fan. I have played every game from UFO defense to Apocalypse. This Xcom is good however poor design decisions knock it down from being truly fantastic.

Great game. Xcom is a really good combination of strategy and action, and each mission is incredibly tense. And when you lose a soldier you have nurtured to Colonel you will be devastated! Slightly too easy once you have built all the satellites though.

BY FAR, one of the best games of 2012. I picked this up when I bought Assassins Creed 3 and Dishonored and saved it for last (mostly because I was more interested in the other ones). WHAT A SURPRISE... I cannot begin to describe HOW ADDICTIVE this game actually is... it has that "civilization addiction", when you keep saying to yourself: "just one more turn; just one more turn; just one more turn"; and when you notice, it's 3 AM. I just can't put it down... think of it as Final Fantasy Tactics meets Front Mission meets Civilization (sort of) plus guns, lots of guns. You manage a base, a squad and customize everything, from facilities, to weapons, to even the soldiers names, nicknames and armor color. And everything under a very cool "alien invasion" atmosphere. Must not be missed... a hidden gem.… Expand

I confess I'm an XCOM fan. I love how they've managed to replicate the rich tactical and strategic challenge that the first XCOMs offered. The graphics are pretty good but most importantly, the gameplay is not easy and requires that you think twice before doing pretty much anything.

So happy to see a strategy game like XCOM to be on consoles too, they're usually just for PC only, you know, for the PC master race. It's an incredibly organic game: if you **** up, that's your own fault, not the games. Your tactics and strategies will effect your outcome. Also, winning isn't inevitable, you can put 20 hours in to it and lose to the aliens. The turn-based combat is very engaging, and the base management makes you feel like an actual commander. It's all very absorbing, and it's rather cheap now, so definitely pick it up when you can.… Expand

THis was my first time playing xcom, and I have to tell you guys, it was a surprise how awesome it was! Infact I picked it up on black Friday for 25 bucks just to settle my gaming taste buds while I awaited a big release, however it turned out to be way better then I expected. The sound is a check! the graphics are a check! the replay value is a check! the story is a check!what more could u guys ask for?… Expand

Tons and tons of fun. I spent around 40 hours just playing through the game once. The tactical combat system works surprisingly on the PS3. There are a few things that hold the game back, like lag, frequent loading times, and some bugs. Overall though, these minor flaws don't detract from the game, but they do get annoying.

I highly recommend getting this game, starting it up and selecting Classic Ironman difficulty and never looking back. In a sense, this is one of my minor quibbles with the game--so many people start it on Normal, find it too easy, and then make foolish remarks about how this is "dumbed down". I played the original Xcom and beat it. A great game, but it was also from the age when everything was fresh, and so it was easy to overlook the tedious micromanaging, the cheap tactic of using dozens of rookies as cannon fodder to flush out the aliens, boring bug hunts for that last alien holed up at the other end of the map, and the fact that once your campaign got over the initial difficulty your squad became so overpowered it became boring. This game eliminates most of the drudgery but retains all the tactical goodness that is just as deep as the original or Jagged Alliance but without the need to keep a calculator handy to add up time units. I found myself doing as much fussing about the ramifications of every single action in this game as I have in other games. This game's length is just about right. You can stall the final mission if you want and enjoy battles where your 6-man squad rolls over the aliens without much fuss (even in Classic Ironman), but getting to the end game shows up at the right time and isn't a chore. It's been a long time since I've been this excited about a game.… Expand

If you're a fan of the original, you'll (maybe) be let down --it's pretty different. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan on innovation, but the changes here are quirky (and suspicious...). It plays like some kinda browser-based flash version of x-com. It's clear the changes were necessary just to get the IP made. Since, obviously no one wanted to play the original (well, I did) --it's tedious and methodical. So this modern snazzy version is the new bastard child. Normal setting is piss easy (sooo easy). So you gotta play on classic (hard), then you might feel that nostalgia slipping away. It's hard to describe. If your a fan of the original, rent it. You'll see what I mean. But, If your born in the 90's and never heard of x-com until now, then enjoy!… Expand

For old hardcore fans of the original x-com this is a must have. Excellent concept, execution, storyline and gameplay. Congrats to Firaxis. I highly recommend for every fan of a good tactical game.

Almost 20 years have passed till it's spiritual predecessor. In this age XCOM: EU has to deal with modern expectations, from fans and publishers. Mostly it succeeds. It's much more accessible and looks great, but at the cost of depth. The potential is there (with DLC) to reach Everest heights of 12/10 ratings, but currently (based on the lenght of time I had fun playing the game) it's "only" a 10/10.… Expand

I have to give this a 7 because there is not much there to justify $60 in my opinion. This would be a 9 as a PSN download for $20. Repetitive as it may be, the victories are rewarding and I always want to see what is coming next.

I rarely review games, only when i'm so impressed or overwhelmed. This is the case here with xcom.
I am new to the series, but THIS WAS A HUG SMACK ON THE FACE.

this game could easily have gotten a ten, it goes down as one of the best, most addictive games i have played since warcraft frozen throne. It lacks polish and graphical prowess. Apart from that this game is an incredible title . the gameplay (micromanaging ) is perfect in every way… Expand

Definitely a contender for game of the year. When I heard they were making XCOM for the newest generation of consoles, I suspected it'd either be a graphical facelift to the same old game, as game companies have done so often this generation, or they'd release a seriously dumbed-down slap-dash product counting on nostalgia for the IP to sell copies. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when XCOM turned out to be a deep, well-crafted successor to the original. This game streamlined the clunkiness of the original's interface without losing any of the charm or depth. The only knock I have against it is the lack of customizability for your squad. You can change hair and other things, but all 8 voices sound almost exactly the same--a small quibble, I know, and not one that keeps me from wholeheartedly endorsing this game.… Expand

This game is good at giving the illusion of choice but in reality your choices are fairly limited or don't really matter. If you don't buy satellites and uplinks straight away you will start to lose nations and it will be game over. Also most items you research and develop often don't ever have much use like SHIV's which I tried to use once but just seemed pointless. Overall I enjoyed playing through the campaign but the game just feels like it's missing a layer or two of depths in certain areas.… Expand

i was loving this game for about an hour, then i was so disgusted that i bought this atrocious game i almost commited suicide. if you love gaming, then stay far away from this game as possible!

Just finished XCOM: EU and I have to say it is one of my leading contenders for GOTY! Compelling gameplay, eerie sound effects and good graphics make it hard to put down once you start on one of the many missions to save the earth from an invading alien force. Staying true to the original series, XCOM gives players the rare feeling (in video games) that every decision and action has immediate and far reaching consequences. Where every turn can quickly end your trooper's life (and they're not coming back!), you can't help agonizing and second guessing if your next move will send your soldier into a rain of alien plasma shots. This decision making also extends into the 'strategic' portion of base building / country protection of XCOM and you're faced with some hard choices of which country you'll be assisting or which technology to spend resources on - but all this goes into making XCOM the unique game it is - Where your choices actually matter!!! ...Sure, it might be a 'simplified' version compared to the original PC games, but IMO, the developers made the right cuts to in order to make it a more streamlined experience allowing the everyday gamer to easily jump in. In closing, Firaxis has provided gamers a truly remarkable experience in 2012.… Expand

So, XCOM... I never played the original UFO: Enemy Unknown on the PC, so I went into the demo with feelings of skepticism, not believing if the acclaim was deserved or not. However, I finished the demo with one feeling: that I needed to get this game. And, when I did start playing, there was no feeling of regret, and I knew the $90 I had spent on it was spent well. I easily put about 20 hours into the game without feeling like it was pointlessly long. The game offered a real challenge, and for the first time in my life I actually felt terrified of playing any more of a game. The choices to be made in this game have astounding after-effects. For example, you may save the United Kingdom from an abduction instead of Brazil, and Brazil will no longer fund you. And I found myself in one paticular situation when my only Colonel was pinned down with only two health, and a Muton Beserker standing next to him, also with two health. I had a rookie with a grenade. If I were to throw the grenade, I would kill the Muton and my best soldier in the entire game, but there would be a chance of survival. However, if I didn't throw the grenade, my Colonel would most likely die anyway and the surviving team members would need to retreat and evacuate (if they weren't killed by the aliens surrounding them in the act). It's those kind of choices that make XCOM: Enemy Unknown such a great joy to play. It's the sense that your only chance of survival relies on strategy, hunches, weighty decisions and big sacrifices. And, through my twenty plus hours of play (so far), I have spent so much time planning my missions down to the most minute of details, customizing my soldiers to make them immediately recognizable as the core members of my team. Just tuning to the game to fit your liking to the finest of details is a joy within itself. A great part of the game is the choices involved. Sometimes, for example, you will need to risk the lives of everyone on your team to fulfill an objective of the council that fund the XCOM program. You will sometimes need to sacrifice five of your six soldiers to rescue a politician with some pull in the program. Sometimes, though, you'll need to pull your good, effective soldiers out of a dangerous mission, because you know that you will lose them during the mission, and instead put six rookies up to the job of, well, surviving. I would be prepared to say that this is not only a turn-based strategy game, but it is a survival horror game because of the terror that the game evokes as you try and keep your soldiers alive, and risk the lives of them, and send them to certain death, in order to defend the world from an alien invasion that slowly but surely engulfs the entire world. You will find yourself defending against abductions across the world, and destroying UFOs spotted above major cities, engaging in a rather easy combat with the UFO in one of XCOM's many fighter jets. XCOM: Enemy Unknown may just be the my Game of the Year, but at the moment this amazing title is dismissed, as it is the most addicting game I have come across in years, and I am sure I will be playing it, trying to get better, for years to come. This game is truly brilliant and deserves all the praise and critical acclaim it gets from the critics.… Expand

Console gaming needs more titles like this! I bought XCOM the same day as Dishonored and will be playing it long after that game (as well as many other fall releases). This game is a breath of fresh air that is in the same league as Valkyria Chronicles.

Demasiado corto,pocas investigaciones en comparacion con el apocalipsis, muy pero que muy corto, mala planificacion de los recursos tanto el dinero como los objetos, todos los objetos cuando matas a un alien se rompes por lo que solo se pueden o crear, que sale carisimos o cuando capturas a un alien (dificil de siempre).

La impresion es que van a sacar DLC por un tuvo para ampliarlo.

El componente tactico esta bien , pero los alien tienen una punteria y sacan criticos constantemente mientras que tu a pesar de ganar la mision siempre acabas echo polvo y monton de dias en la enfermeria.

Le falta bastante para ajustarlo bien.… Expand