XCOM: Enemy Within

1. Kai82

   Jan 10, 2021

   10

   A great expansion that makes the base game inferior and is for me the definitive edition of the game. I already rated X-Com Enemy UnknownA great expansion that makes the base game inferior and is for me the definitive edition of the game. I already rated X-Com Enemy Unknown which is included in the expansion. I will first give a summary and then explain what is new / added (Clarification: You can not chose between base game and expansion)
   
   X-Com Enemy Unknown:
   After aliens attack the Earth an alliance of nations founded the X-Com project who should battle the aliens while also investigating the threat. The overall story seems first just like a vehicle to carry the story but at the end you find out the truth behind the alien attack and why they did it in this way. The gameplay mechanics are well interwoven and you have to pay attention. You get founded monthly and must use this budget or sell resource you might need later on the black market. The catch is that only the countries were you have a surveillance satellite above will pay you and there is a system how satisfied the countries are. Any country that gets unsatisfied enough will leave the X-Com project and if to many leave it is game over. This can happen long into the game (Don't worry you have not to please all approx 200 nations around the world. Only 2 to 6 per continent if I remember correctly). Be warned you should speed this up as the aliens know this and will attack multiple countries at once (You can respond to 1 of 3 and must make hard decisions). If you have support of all countries on a continent you get a useful bonus and you get 1 for free at the start when you chose to build your headquarter on that continent. Further you research alien technology and biology to develop better weapons and human technology. This is also crucial for your success as the missions will get harder and harder without. Some new items are just to awesome to negate. Be warned you need scientists, engineers and power (plants) to do so. For this you build facilities in your headquarter at increasingly costs. There is some bonus for adjacent buildings of the same type or building a power plant on a special place. Beware there are also maintenance cost to factor in. I will end this here and continue with the turn based battles. If there is a mission you send out a squad of your soldiers. I will start with the important info that these can permanently die and are lost forever (There is a memorial wall in your base). These soldiers get experience by killing aliens and level up to new ranks (Maybe also a small bit for participation as I have seen level ups without but very rarely). On each rank expect 1 you can chose 1 of 2 new abilities for them. Some are really good and others are situational. I tested a lot and read about it as there were interesting approaches I did not see fitting. You have also a training school were you can unlock upgrades but need a soldier with the required rank. High on the priory list should be the squad size upgrades (You start with 4 and can upgrade to 6). In addition to dying your soldiers can also be injured and are unavailable until they recover. Have a few new recruits participating with veterans to have appropriate replacements in case of injuries. You have 4 classes of soldiers Assault, Heavy, Support and Sniper. Each class is useful and you should have multiple soldiers in each class available. Remark: Sadly it is random what class your rookie gets promoted into. This is one of my main complains. I saved the game near the end of a mission and reloaded until I was satisfied. This is not possible on Ironman mode which is a fitting transition. The game has a great variety of challenges. Normal mode is no breeze, Classic is really challenging and Impossible is named correctly. Ironman is an addition that you have just 1 save file and it will save after each decision / action (no second chances or retries).
   
   Addition from Enemy Within:
   Enemy Within adds Meld which is a substance that can be found in small amounts in battles in storage container that expire after a set number of turns. This changes your gameplay as you must approach faster to get it. Meld gives you access to gene mods and MEC troopers. Gene mods are additional abilities for your soldiers. You can choose 1 of 2 for brain, eyes, skin, chest and legs. These give a lot of advantages. MEC troopers are cybernetic enhanced soldiers. You get a new class of soldier with great durability but be careful your Meld reserves are not unlimited nor can you have gene mods on MEC troopers. Then there is a new human enemy in form of the Exalt organization. These want to use the alien invasion for their own benefits while not being allies of the aliens. You have to fight them too and they will try to sabotage X-Com. There are also new alien enemies, maps, options and missions. I enjoyed the covert operations, an intense recon in Canada and operation progeny. There is another mission that I cant spoil that returned from classic X-Com.
   
   Overall:
   Huge improvements make this an even better game and easy recommendation.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
2. ente2ente

   Jul 28, 2022

   9

   I am playing the game for 8 of weeks now allmost every evening for 2-4 hours, at least 80 hours, and still can't stop. It is great, moreI am playing the game for 8 of weeks now allmost every evening for 2-4 hours, at least 80 hours, and still can't stop. It is great, more addicting than XCOM: Enemy Unknown (from 2012). But, similar to Enemy Unknown 2012, I think that the replay value is pretty low. When the story is done I was so fed up with repetition which after some weeks of playing you see through all the variation they built in.
   So it is much more addicting than the one UFO Enemy Unknown (european name, XCOM Ufo Defense was the us name I think) from 1994, but the replay value of the 1994 version still is higher because of it's much higher complexity.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. Vanpire73

   Mar 6, 2014

   9

   As a turn-based strategy game fan, this was my favorite of all time. I am a little unsettled that I had to shell out $40 for an upgraded,As a turn-based strategy game fan, this was my favorite of all time. I am a little unsettled that I had to shell out $40 for an upgraded, better version of the same game I played last year, but I won't let pricing effect the rating I give. I will, however, take a point away for running into a near miss campaign-ending freeze point during the base invasion. Luckily it wasn't during an iron man run or I wouldn't have been able to devise a plan to work around it. Great game. Now release a patch for the bugs and release any further expansions at expansion prices.… Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
5. allan_treebeard

   Dec 15, 2013

   8

   Enemy within is a refined, improved version of enemy unknown. It adds a number of existing features that improve it whilst still keeping theEnemy within is a refined, improved version of enemy unknown. It adds a number of existing features that improve it whilst still keeping the same core game. It is, however, still buggy as hell. I've lost two save game files to glitches and framerate is terrible in places. Still worth it though.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. sufflaminandus

   May 10, 2019

   8

   What is the formula of successful reboot? Do everything exactly like grandpa did but with enhanced graphics! Well, here we are, ladies andWhat is the formula of successful reboot? Do everything exactly like grandpa did but with enhanced graphics! Well, here we are, ladies and gentlemen, XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Within)!
   
   City A. Comms are down, panic in masses, what the hell is going on there? Brave squad of rookies sent to investigate the insurgence. “What do you have there?”, ask commander. People wrapped in green cocoons? Numerous metal machines of unfamiliar design? “Check that dubious warehouse, soldiers!”. “Everything is clear, commander. Wait! What is it?! Big headed big eyed noseless greenish creature with pistol that shoots green plasma? I thought such things are fantasies of conspiracy theorists!”
   
   Well, you should have known better. The first contact was made, alien invasion has begun. In response to the threat, Council of Nation forms XCOM, Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, and appoints you, player, as its commander. Time to beat some aliens!
   
   But first you need to set up base. Choose any continent you like but mind location bonus, not all world areas are equal. As soon as base is set you will be introduced to three faces you will regularly see throughout all 30 or so hours of gameplay: head of research Dr. Vahlen, engineer boss Dr. Shen and ‘everything-else’ man John Bradford. Those people symbolize main activities that you must do on the strategic level: reverse engineer alien technology, build the results of the research and, finally, use them to smash the scoundrels! For all that underground base is supplied with ‘construction cells’ where you can build various facilities that serves your commander needs: workshops and laboratories supply engineers and scientists, foundry allows to create advanced equipment, satellite uplink expands capacity of satellites.Classic buildings, like psi lab, return too - commitment of new XCOM to the original one is commendable.
   
   Eventually, when you are done giving out orders, you will return to mission control room. Aliens are not dormant and actively assaults various locations of the Earth. Such assaults either directly reported by the countries, requiring your immediate intervention, or can be stifled in root by your aircraft or strike force. Latter though is only possible on areas falling onto your satellite coverage, that’s where uplinks come in handy. The countries you weren’t able to protect will panic, increasing their likelihood of withdrawal of support of XCOM. Eight such cases of withdrawal and the game is effectively over.
   
   Countries that you *do* manage to please though, by stopping abdications or saving terrorized citizens, will reward you with money, workforce or soldiers in addition to decreasing panic. Such rewards and council’s monthly funding are primary source of cash, which is never in abundance. Black market of original game returns too but now you can’t ease your way out by selling alien weapons: they are destroyed automatically into components upon holder’s death.
   
   To be honest, strategic level of new XCOM on normal level is extremely easy and trivial. Everything happens on its own, you only need to assist countries with highest panic and you will be fine. The fact that you need more satellite is only evident in mid game and initial interceptors can fight enemy ships even up to late game! Ship management overall was simplified to a minimum: just upgrade guns in manner of some jRPG.
   
   I guess all creative efforts went into squad design which is totally OK. Your barracks accommodates up seventy soldiers but only up to six can be sent to mission. Soldiers can wear armor, carry two weapons and one usable item. It is the result of all your strategic efforts: the variety of equipment is astounding. You will start with ragged west and bullet guns but end with flying titan suits (oldfaqs, are you here?) and plasma gun. Following MMO tendencies, soldiers are divided into classes (assault, sniper, heavy, support) and have skills. The skill tree is simple but meaningful: ten promotions, eight choices between two skills. Yes, promotions are there - with experience soldiers will gain levels, making you feel like a successful parent. Enemy Within also added possibility of transformation of your chosen officers into giant japanese robots and genetic mutants. Latter is totally useless but former - oh yeah!
   
   The combat itself I describe in three phrases and move one: ‘chance to hit’, ‘cover’, ‘one move-one action’. XCOM highlights are high number of maps, multistoried level design, destructible environment and smart AI (on classic or higher difficulty). Variety of enemies is not that great but everything is balanced. Is it ‘save-load’? I finished game on normal with Iron Mode without breaking the sweat but playing on impossible was impossible.
   
   Brilliant strategically, addictive tactively, XCOM suffers from the same problem as original one: it’s generator of random fights. But this time around I noticed it only at very end.… Expand

   • 0 of 1 users found this helpful
7. rtkiii

   Mar 30, 2015

   6

   I do not think enough changed but I picked it up for $9 so I think I got what it was worth. If you liked Enemy Unknown you will enjoyI do not think enough changed but I picked it up for $9 so I think I got what it was worth. If you liked Enemy Unknown you will enjoy this...if you did not then you probably won't like this one either. Not a bad game but not great. Average.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. quaz

   Jun 4, 2014

   0

   I've never shared my full story about how terrible the bugs are in this game, so here it goes.
   
   I played EU with little issues and enjoyedI've never shared my full story about how terrible the bugs are in this game, so here it goes.
   
   I played EU with little issues and enjoyed it, so figured I'd purchase the "stand alone expansion" and have more fun. I was disappointed when it became clear EW was not a new game but just the same game with a few tweaks, but that's on me for not doing my research.
   
   I played through the same old content to the point where I got to send a soldier on a covert mission. Fun! As I counted down the (game) days to new things besides meld, my base was attacked. Sweet! New! Exciting!
   
   Then the base attack mission wouldn't load. You can see a video of what happens here (not my video, just someone else with the exact same problem): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8hUXCeJMkw
   
   Spent a few hours trouble shooting, then finally found a PLAYER derived solution that involved uninstalling the game and NOT allowing the latest patch to load. After allowing the game to download over night, it worked! Yay new content!
   
   Played a half hour. Got towards the middle of the base defense mission, then the game just sat there making sounds. Infinite alien spawn loop bug. Progress lost. Gave up for the night. Overnight my playstation auto updated. Opened up my save for the game in the base defense mission. Because the auto update had downloaded the newest patch, it would not load again. Uninstalled game. Downloaded game for the third time. Re-installed game for the third time.
   
   Got to around the same place as before, saving frequently. This time the game crashed after an alien movement. Punched babies in frustration. Finished the one mission after two reinstalls and 2 complete crashes.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful

See all 19 User Reviews