XCOM 2 Reviews
One of last generation's best sci-fi games returns to consoles and continues apace, changing very little but adding a lot to the mix.
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.
XCOM 2 is more tense and thrilling than a turn-based strategy has any right to be. There are some great additions to the original gameplay, but the port to console is an imperfect one.
XCOM 2 is an improvement on its predecessor in every way and the vast majority of those improvements have been applied so intelligently that they risk making Enemy Unknown obsolete. That game was a smart remake of a classic. XCOM 2 is a classic in its own right and as good a sequel as I can remember.
Hella hard strategy game outdoes its predecessor with deeper strategy, procedural maps, and a more progressive campaign
Overlooking XCOM 2's few problems is easy in the face of its overwhelmingly solid experience. Console players who had been eyeing this title since its release in February shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
Firaxis continues its excellent work on the XCOM franchise with XCOM 2, a game that improves upon all the elements of its predecessor and delivers a phenomenal strategic experience.
It is rare when the sequel surpasses its predecessor, but XCOM 2 does it with style and verve. Unlike grenades in Enemy Unknown, everything in XCOM 2 matters. Choices have purpose, lives are no longer trivial. Maps no longer repeat, and neither do outcomes. XCOM 2 is punishing, but that just makes success taste that much sweeter.
A truly remarkable strategy game
A brilliant concept coupled with smart design choices results in a hugely rewarding game that over-delivers in almost every area
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.
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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.
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.
XCOM 2 improves on its predecessor in almost every way, and proudly stands as one of the most deeply satisfying action-strategy games currently available.
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.
XCOM 2 successfully straddles the line between being familiar and being new. A few design choices will divide people, and there are bugs and issues that will need patching or modding, but for the most part it's a sterling return to the gruelling decision-making of its predecessor.
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.
XCOM 2 does everything Enemy Unknown did and improved on it with more variations as well as some very interesting game mechanics. Anyone who enjoyed the first game has no reason not to pick this one up. It has a few performance issues here and here, but it is still a challenging yet rewarding game that made me have every emotion from joyous to devastated. One of the early game of the year contenders for me, and a fine game any strategy fan should own.