XCOM 2 Reviews

XCOM 2 is ranked in the 96th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Feb 8, 2016

XCOM 2 is otherwise a follow-up that does everything right by offering the best extraterrestrial skirmishes since Independence Day, coupled with genuine tactical depth that doesn't come at the expense of accessibility. It's the Empire Strikes Back of strategy sequels.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 6, 2016

XCOM 2's PS4 port is hobbled by some turgid technical issues, but it's a testament to how magnificent a game it is that it still rises above them. Outstanding, brutally challenging and endlessly enjoyable, XCOM 2 is a legitimate triumph.

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Justin Celani
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Oct 6, 2016

XCOM 2 is a fantastic experience, and one that retains all the elements that the original release on consoles brought while adding more. The setting for the story is fun, the idea of moving the mobile base around the world is interesting, and I had a grin almost the entire time I was playing the game. Head to head multiplayer is there also for those bored once the campaign is done, but the meat of the experience is the single player for me.

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GameMAG
Azzy
Top Critic
6 / 10
Feb 6, 2017

XCOM 2 on PS4 and Xbox One is a great tactical game with interesting mechanics and deep atmosphere that can drag you for many hours of gameplay. Unfortunately, the constant struggle with glitches and bugs spoils the final impression. It's also surprising that the developers have not released an update that would have fixed the most critical errors. If Firaxis manages to deal with all problems, you can easily add a couple of scores.

Review in Russian | Read full review

8.8 / 10.0
Oct 14, 2016

If you can take punishment as well as you can dish it out, then XCOM 2 strikes the right balance. Its tactics are hardlined, its urgency is persistent, and it will wear you down even as it builds you up. A beautiful, brutal beast of a tactics game. But do what you can to clean up these graphical and gameplay hitches, Firaxis; this game deserves it.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 5, 2016

XCOM 2 checks many of the right boxes for a worthwhile sequel. The improved turn-based strategy gameplay and base management are the true highlights of the sequel. The game's random nature and urge for trying new strategies will keep players coming back. The game stumbles, however, at making the series accessible to a larger audience. The overwhelming difficulty is frustrating. That may be appreciated by series fans, but doesn't welcome newcomers.

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8.8 / 10.0
Oct 5, 2016

Technicalities aside, XCOM 2 is an amazing game, a great strategy game, and we strongly recommend you to try it out.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Generación Xbox
Hector Nieto Carretero
Top Critic
4 / 5.0
Dec 6, 2016

Xcom 2 is a strategy game that will give you hours and hours of entertaining with an excellent gameplay. It also has bad points like some visual bugs and the loading times are long.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Oct 3, 2016

XCOM 2 has received a solid port here, albeit one with some bugs. Those who can't play on PC will still have a good time, but there's really no reason to pick it up if you already have a solid gaming rig.

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Feb 12, 2016

Technical issues aside, XCOM 2 stands as an outstanding sequel to an already amazing strategy game.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 12, 2016

XCOM 2 is not without flaws and shortcomings, but it has enough quality substance to overcome most of its problems.

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5 / 5.0
Feb 8, 2016

While XCOM 2 is definitely not for the faint of heart, people that do not give it a chance will be missing out one of the best strategy games of all time. The combat is unparalleled in its engagement.

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Feb 9, 2016

It's a testament to the quality of XCOM 2 that despite performance hiccups on a mid-range PC I have been unable to put it down. It's at once radically different and reassuringly familiar, improving what needed to be improved and refining what needed to be refined without losing the core appeal of the series. XCOM has once again proven itself to be the strategy king.

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ACG
Top Critic
Buy
Feb 5, 2016
XCOM 2 Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Deep Sale, Never Touch?" video thumbnail
PCGamesN
Top Critic
9 / 10
Dec 15, 2015

XCOM 2 encourages a holistic kind of thinking that was never really necessary in its predecessor.

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Feb 1, 2016

XCOM 2 has everything you could want in a sequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown

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9 / 10.0
Feb 2, 2016

XCOM 2 manages to raise the stakes and challenge of its predecessor without ever becoming too frustrating. Defeat will be frequent and death even more so, but victory is all the more sweet for it. In short, it's bigger, better, broader, and even more brutal!

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9 / 10.0
Feb 1, 2016

XCOM 2 is a big success that delivers in just about every way you could ask for. Fans of the franchise or the strategy genre in general will love it.

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8.9 / 10.0
Oct 18, 2016

XCOM 2 manages to improve a formula that had almost nothing wrong with it to begin with, adding a sense of urgency to the already unpredictable nature of its turn-based combat. It's a rewarding experience, if not sometimes cruelly unfair.

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4.5 / 5.0
Feb 15, 2016

XCOM 2 doubles down on the trademark gameplay of the franchise while adding some new elements to help keep things fresh. A challenging jaunt, the game is at its best when testing players' limits and layering the feeling of dread and hopelessness from fighting a superior foe. The random nature of the game can feel unfairly difficult at times and an assortment of bugs and niggles keep XCOM 2 from achieving perfection. For lovers of strategy gaming, however, the game is an excellent representation of the genre.

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