[REVIEW] XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Mat Paget
(PlayStation 3 [REVIEWED], Xbox 360, PC [REVIEWED])

Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe, or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.

Jane Wells was on her way to be a part of the XCOM Project, an organization that’s main goal and focus is protecting Earth from the UFO onslaught that has recently posed itself as a threat. Arriving at the base in Europe, she’s greeted by a handsome, yet gruff man by the name of Rodrigo Marquez. He introduces himself as Colonel, and it’s not long before they set out on a mission together. Months later, they’ve become quite close to each other. Nothing romantic, but they look out for each other as if they had been partners for years. They set out to answer a distress call, but this mission, Rodrigo isn’t coming back. Hurt by her lost, and not paying much attention to her impending promotion, she welcomes a new soldier: Maricruz Marquez, Rodrigo’s daughter.

Paul Walker was a damn good soldier.

If you’re wondering what the hell is going on at this point, let me explain. That last paragraph is just an idea of what the beginning of XCOM: Enemy Unknown was for me. It’s a game that pulled me in so deep, that I started making storylines for each individual soldier. And when one of those soldiers died, I would feel a little devastated. For a game that has very little interaction with the soldiers (other than issuing orders), it’s incredibly easy to get attached to them, especially since you can customize the soldier to be a friend, family member, or even your favourite actor from The Fast and the Furious. It’s such a minuscule part of the game, but that’s kind of what makes this game so great: every single thing in this game–even the small, seemingly meaningless–comes together to be important parts of an absolutely fantastic package.

For those who don’t know, turn-based strategy is what governs this game’s core. Players are given an objective, and control over a squad of soldiers. The objectives don’t vary much–they mostly consist of eliminating all threats, rescuing civilians, defusing bombs, or escorting VIPs–but each level is different. If you load a past save while in a mission, and re-enter the same one, the area can look radically different. And even if you stumble across the same mission in a second playthrough, the enemy’s actions won’t ring familiar. Instead, you might be surprised if you go in thinking you know where each enemy will show up. There are scripted events sprinkled throughout, but the majority of the game will be unique with each playthrough.

The gameplay has a really low learning curve, but will hand you your butt if you’re not paying attention. It can be really daunting to newer players, but thankfully, you can change the difficulty on the fly; changing the difficulty doesn’t punish you like other games by locking away achievements either. It’s built around the player, and promotes nothing but the best experience for each individual. And if you’re more comfortable with a controller, the game handles it just as well, if not better, than it does with a keyboard and mouse — I played through the entirety of the game with an Xbox 360 controller.

Unfortunately, the gameplay does have its downsides. It can sometimes be a little finicky when throwing grenades, as the line that represents where the grenade is going will change almost randomly. Also, with a controller, it’s easy to accidentally put a soldier out in the open when your intentions were to place them behind safe cover. It doesn’t happen often, but it can become a common occurrence if you don’t play with care. Add on a few graphical glitches, a camera that doesn’t always work the way you want it to, and a couple bugs that will force you to reload your save, and you can encounter a few problems along the way. Thankfully, these don’t occur very often, and even when they do, you’ll only be disappointed for a few seconds until you’re back in the midst of battle.

The layers below the turn-based strategic gameplay are many, so I won’t go into every single detail. There’s Mission Control, where you scan for activity and initiate missions; the Research Labs, where you’ll research new technologies and perform autopsies; Engineering, which will allow you to build new facilities and make the equipment from researched technologies; Barracks, where you’ll be able to manage and customize your soldiers; and then the Hangar, which you’ll be able to fill with aircrafts used to shoot down UFOs. There’s also the Situation Room, where players will be able to check the panic levels of twenty different nations, launch satellites, and sell unneeded materials to the Gray Market. Each individual section at home base makes it incredibly easy to spend just as much time there, as you do on the battlefield.

Alien Terror Attack? I don’t think so. Probably just a bunch of rioting hockey fans.

And if you’re like me, and interested in science, then you’ll most likely be pulled even deeper into the universe of XCOM by none other than the science itself. Everything you research in the Labs is explained in a way that it’s like you’re actually discovering new technologies and species. And it doesn’t end there. The entire game is delivered with such care and attention that it feels like it could all be non-fiction and a part of the actual future. It’s endlessly fascinating, and even though you meet life from other areas in space, it leaves you wondering what else might be out there.

If you’re wondering the same thing, but “there” is this game, then you’ll be pleased to know there’s actually a really awesome multiplayer mode. It’s basically the same Humans vs. Aliens idea from the campaign, except your team can be comprised of anything you please; want three soldiers, two Sectoids, and a Muton on your team? Whatever you want, as long as it stays within the points limit. Be it armour, weapon, or item, almost everything takes up points. It’s an ingenious way of balancing the game, and brings that strategic layer from the single player into the online arena. It may not be as loaded with modes as, say, the next Call of Duty game, but what it has is easy to sink multiple hours into in one sitting.

Be prepared to do that with this game a lot, by the way. Sinking hours into this game is not only easy, but it’s always the utmost pleasure. And if you’re the kind of person who likes to jump in for only an hour or so at a time, it’s also great in shorter chunks. Newcomers to strategy should also be able to jump in and have a great time easing their way into the game’s more complicated and difficult systems. Despite its issues, this game rarely has a low point, if at all. Even those who only own consoles will be able to enjoy this game, because while the PC delivers the smoothest, fastest, and best looking experience, the consoles are equipped with one that is equally fun and engaging. Anyone who picks up XCOM: Enemy Unknown will be happy they did so, as it’s undoubtedly an amazing game to spend your time with.