'XCOM: Enemy Unknown' details on what Firaxis is changing and updating

With Firaxis now at the helm of the X-COM game franchise, we know that the storied developer has the chops to take on one of the great PC strategy games of all time. The developers have been sure to mention that while the game will stay true to its roots, it is a reimaging and not a remake. So what are some of the tweaks and changes that we’ll see when XCOM: Enemy Unknown hits the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC this fall? Details came out in the February issue of Game Informer.

STRATEGIC VIEW

Just like in the original, the strategic layer is robust with the ability to choose when and where to send soldiers out on missions. There are 16 countries funding the XCOM operation and while some provide more money, others provide more resources. It’s up to the player to determine how best to deploy their available resources and keep them all happy.

Research is still critical as well as you develop new weapons and equipment to take on the alien threat. You may get the benefits of some research randomly though. One example is where Japan already had a laser rifle in development.

BASES

One of the first things that jumped out to us with the first screenshots was the change in the view of the base. It now takes a side “ant farm” view instead of a top-down view. You can still upgrade and expand your base but you only get one for Enemy Unknown. Instead, you can purchase/build extra radar coverage and hangars for Interceptors across the world.

MISSIONS

Missions and encounters are randomly generated meaning that every play-through of the game will be different. There are some story-based missions that are not randomly generated though and will include in-game cinematics of some kind.

The terrain for these missions is procedurally generated and feature destructible environments. Additionally, enemy spawns are random as well.

SOLDIERS

Soldiers are recruited as rookies to start out but they can earn experience in missions and level up to become specific classes. These classes can be furthered customized with specific abilities. For example, you can turn a rookie into a Sniper and then add abilities like Squad Sight so that he can shoot at anything that another squadmate can see and SnapShot so that he can shooter after moving (Snipers can either move or shoot in a turn to begin with but not both). Another class example is the Gunner who has the ability to lay down suppressing fire.

You can equip your soldiers with different guns and customizations.

COMBAT

Unlike the previous games, XCOM: Enemy Unknown does not use action points to determine what each soldier can do per turn. Firaxis is streamlining this to essentially two action items per turn – Move-Shoot, Move-Move, Aim-Shoot, etc. However, reloading your weapons

The Fog of War does make a return with soldiers only seeing a limited area before venturing forth. Overwatch also returns so that soldiers who haven’t used up all their actions in a turn can fire on aliens when they enter the soldier’s line of sight.

In the original X-COM games, you had to click a button to make your soldier kneel down behind cover. In Enemy Unknown, the soldier will kneel automatically without being told. This is one of the many little ways Firaxis is streamling the game’s mechanics.

Soldiers can still panic when their morale gets too low but not to the point of wiping out your squad. The goal is to keep the game challenging while taking out some of the “unfair” things like getting plasma bombed right out of the Skyranger.

VEHICLES

As mentioned above, the Skyranger returns along with Interceptors for the strategic view of the game. You can also research new vehicles to take the place of a Soldier for the tactical battles. Vehicles won’t gain any experience but provide lots of firepower. Using tanks for cover was a common tactic originally but there’s a new “Heavy Armed Mobile Combat Platform” called the SHIV that will serve as an anchor point for your assaults against the aliens.

ALIENS

The Sectoids, Mutons and Cyberdiscs are all confirmed with the Psionics probable as well. Each has their own special abilities. For example, the aliens in the “Men in Black” suits that have been shown in screenshots are called “Thin Men” and can leap long distances.

Via: Game Informer, 2K Games Forums