XCOM 2 Reviews
XCOM 2 succeeds in being the most varied and refined installment in the series. With randomized missions, diverse squad customization options, and a tough as nails enemy AI, XCOM 2 is an amazing game that I will gladly revisit multiple times and I recommend you do too.
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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.
And outstanding sequel to an outstanding game. XCOM 2 is everything an XCOM fan could want and more. If you are a fan of turn-based strategy games, this is THE must own title for 2016. A few performance issues and numerous bugs prevent it from getting the score that it truly deserves.
The only fly in the ointment here are some technical issues to prevent you from fully enjoying the masochism: issues with the game failing to start for some users, quirks with aiming, soldiers warping to different locations when reloading and even some crashes to desktop are the stumbling blocks that have a number of gamers asking when can we expect a patch. In the meantime, I will live with these issues so I can continue having my head kicked in.
A truly remarkable strategy game
We really wanted XCOM 2 to be something amazing, but unfortunately it falls short.
If you liked XCOM: Enemy Unknown, you'll be right at home in XCOM 2. Frankly, Firaxis doesn't seem interested in bringing non-fans along for the ride - the lack of console support and the in-the-deep-end story and gameplay confirm that.
If you're going to pick up XCOM 2 having never touched Enemy Unknown, then beware. It's not the happy-go-lucky strategy experience many games will offer, in fact I'd probably say this is the video game equivalent to S&M. It is brutal. It will raise you to the peak of mental ecstasy before your attempt at humanity's redemption comes crashing down around you in only a few turns, your squad returning to HQ a crippled, shambling mess, if they do indeed return at all. XCOM 2 will make you its bitch. And the best thing about it? It'll make you want to come back for more. And you'll love it.
XCOM has once again proven that it is a powerhouse when it comes to tactical gameplay. Every decision counts and with permadeath is makes every decision even more powerful. Luckily game saving is encouraged, and if you forget to save manually there are copious auto-saves to fall back on. I do question if a sequel was warranted over something that brings freshness into the series, as if you enjoyed Enemy Unknown there's not all that much different added to XCOM 2. But then more of a good thing is good when it's this good, right?
XCOM 2 is a bigger, deeper and more replayable follow-up to the successful 2012 reboot that, despite some technical issues, should provide hours of fun to fans of the series.
It's a brilliant sequel and a masterful game in its own right, and a must buy for fans of the turn-based genre, or fans of games in general.
Overall, XCOM 2 is a flawed sequel. Much like Street Fighter V, we can't help but feel that there's a good game here, it's just that the wrong set of features were prioritised in production. We recommend waiting for it to be fixed before putting down your cash.
It sort of did, but the stress never dissipated.
XCOM 2 isn't so much a game about liberating humanity from its extraterrestrial overlords, but a statement about the kinds of stories our games can tell and allow to be told, even when they aren't especially valued for their narrative.
There's a lot to love in XCOM 2, and hopefully patches and mods will shore up its weakest elements. Even though I think it misses what ought to have been a super easy shot in many ways, it's still among the funnest and most rewarding games I've played in months.
An almost perfect sequel, only spoiled by some frustrating bugs.
[T]hrough it all, XCOM 2 never loses sight of the basic thrills that made its predecessor such a welcome surprise. The feeling of holding the line against seemingly impossible odds, of pulling a mission from the jaws of death with a timely rescue and a wounded comrade on your back, of watching an experienced squad slice its way through pod after pod of once-formidable foes—they're all still here, as satisfying as ever.
A solid followup to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2 delivers on story, action, and tension. It's nonetheless in serious need of optimization to correct glitching and framerate issues.
It's a game that creates moments you'll remember with characters you've created and care about and is quite possibly the best example of its genre to date.
