XCOM: Enemy Within - Commander Edition

Game On's - At A Glance

XCOM: Enemy Within - Commander Edition

(published by 2K Games, developed by Firaxis Games)

platform played - XBOX 360

This game and I have a "personal" past connection.  Well, not this particular XCOM version.  I played the original game on my PC back in '94 for hours, hunting down those pesky little xeno-critters.  Thankfully, not much has changed in the gameplay and I am thankful for that.  I cannot believe that even now I enjoy the turn-based squad tactics after getting used to the quick first-person shooters out there.  Each grueling, patient step keeps you honest when fighting off the alien invasion.  Such a twisted sense of joy from the unknown as you crash through a window to a grocery store or Laundromat.

You are a commander in charge of a team that tracks and hunts down aliens who are invading Earth.  The soldiers are sent out as a team of four with the idea that they act as a squad.  Each mission puts you in a clouded map that the squad will move through with turn-based actions.  You can quickly over-extend your squad and become outnumbered or flanked by the enemy.  As you go, the teams gather bodies and tech to expand the research projects and usable technology, continually giving you a sense of achievement.  For the soldiers, they morph into a particular soldier (heavy, sniper, assault, support...) and earn ranks and medals as the game progresses.  There is enough perk-pleasing variation and random-ish play that no one game will play out like the next.

The hard, and a bit irritating, part is managing the base operations.  It does give you a number of choices and changes the pace but all I can think about is getting to the next mission.  These people just keep bugging the crap out of you about projects and research.  Just get them done already so I can get back to blasting some xenopods.  Also, the countries that are supporting the project end up being a bunch of whiners.  They complain about problems and bump the panic level up at every turn while giving you no chance to chase down any reports.  I'm here and ready... come on guys...

But the more important connection to XCOM came later, when I went to visit my son in NC.  While there, he was playing another PC version of XCOM.  Made me so proud...  I have to imagine that there must be a genetic trait that I must have passed on.  I would say that hunting aliens is in our blood.