Ships Ahoy - XCOM: Enemy Unknown

2K Games announces that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is now available in North America via retail and Steam, and Firaxis' action/strategy will be available internationally on October 12th. Some screenshots and a launch trailer support the release, and a playable demo of the Windows edition was released a couple of weeks ago on Steam (an Xbox 360 demo is likewise available, while a PS3 demo is still in the works). Here's word:

2K Games and Firaxis Games announced today that XCOM®: Enemy Unknown is now available in North America and will be available internationally on October 12, 2012 for Windows PC, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The game already has critics raving, with Game Informer stating that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is “a singular achievement that every gamer deserves to experience” and rating the game 9.5 out of 10, earning “Game of the Month” honors in the November 2012 issue.

“XCOM: Enemy Unknown revives the XCOM franchise, staying true to what fans loved in the original game while evolving and growing the experience to appeal to all gamers,” said Sarah Anderson, senior vice president of marketing for 2K. “Combining intense action and strategy, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is an experience unlike any other on the market, and one that no gamer will want to miss.”

Gamers who pre-ordered XCOM: Enemy Unknown and those who purchase the game for a limited time at launch will receive the launch bonus which includes the Elite Soldier Pack. The Elite Soldier Pack will provide the ultimate tools for soldier customization in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, including:

  • Classic X-COM soldier: Players will instantly receive a new recruit in their barracks inspired by the original X-COM: UFO Defense. The iconic soldier with the blonde, flattop hairstyle will return fully modernized.
  • Soldier Deco packs: Players can customize their soldier with several aesthetic upgrades to armor suits, including the new Hyperion and Reaper soldier armor kits.
  • Complete color customization: A variety of colors and tints for all armor sets in the game allow players complete control to customize their squad’s look.

A special edition of XCOM: Enemy Unknown for Windows PC (MSRP $59.99) will be available at participating retail locations. This special edition will contain a copy of the game for Windows PC and a number of unique XCOM items, including an art book; fold-out poster of the XCOM headquarters; XCOM insignia patch; and a collection of digital bonus assets such as desktop wallpaper, soundtrack and more. A digital version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown can be purchased from participating digital retailers for MSRP $49.99.

View : : :
82.
 
Re: Ships Ahoy - XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Oct 10, 2012, 04:55
82.
Re: Ships Ahoy - XCOM: Enemy Unknown Oct 10, 2012, 04:55
Oct 10, 2012, 04:55
 
InBlack wrote on Oct 10, 2012, 04:05:
Prez wrote on Oct 10, 2012, 02:36:
Creston mentioned this but damn is money hard to come by in the early game. In the original once you had some missions under your belt and you could sell excess alien equipment money wasn't too much of a problem as long as you spent wisely and didn't let any big donor countries withdraw their funding. In XCOM, it seems you are perpetually poor. I'm thinking that China ought to start coughing up the chedda' if they want me to save their Commie butts! I have my scientists and engineers searching the couch cushions in their rec areas for the money I need to build a satellite and uplink station.

Another nitpick - why can't a futuristic badass soldier take a grenade AND a medkit? And a scope for their rifle? The prohibitive loadout limitations are weird, but I guess they are trying to promote you having to make tough choices.

These kinds of prohibitions kind of make sense if you have a squad of 8 or 12 soldiers, for balance reasons obviously. But 4??? Its almost like they forgot to patch it out once they decided to go with the more 'compact' squad sizes.

In any case I caved in and bought the game. Its downloading at home as we speak. Im too much of a fan of the original two games to NOT try this one even if I end up not liking it and Ive read enough reviews to be reasonably sure its a pretty good and fun game, even if they skimped on some things with regards to the original. One thing Ive read very nearly changed my mind though:
*SPOILER in secret text*
There is no Cydonia, no going to Mars in the final mission

All I want to know is, should I start on Classic Ironman, or Normal Ironman?? Opinions?

Four differences I've noticed between Classic and Normal mode:

1. Intervening terrain doesn't matter NEARLY as much in normal mode. I've shot through walls, planters, whatever, and killed stuff with no LOS in the action camera. Bullets flying through the terrain.

2. Most troopers will survive 2 hits in Normal. In Classic, basically it's 1-shot, 1-kill. Keeping your troops alive is fucking psychotic until they level up some.

3. You're given aural directional cues to unrevealed aliens in Normal. No luck in Classic.

4. In normal, sectoids at least will eventually come at you in many missions. In Classic, the goddamn enemies hunker down and wait for you.

Other notes:

* You start with Officer's school if you ditch the f*cking tutorial, which I hated. As soon as you get a troop up to Sargent, you can unlock a 5th squad member for 50 credits (which is highway robbery but whatever).

* I ditched the move & snipe for squad sight and when it works it's the f*cking shit. I set my sniper on overwatch, park her somewhere up on high, and someone on the other side of the map moves and gets shot to hell and back. Never can see them when it's her turn (A bug perhaps?) but overwatch does work.

* Fuck I'm poor. Did I mention fuck I'm poor? I'm given like 200 creds a month, which will make me 4 medkits.

* Individual countries hit full panic mode WAY WAY WAY faster than in the original x-com. By the end of the first month, purely by managing countries by terror level, I had 3 of them max'd out, usually in continents that I couldn't actually deploy a satellite to because it requires like 500 credits to build a satellite station and deploy it.

* I miss random missions. I really do. You only have like 5 missions to go until you hit your first panic mission as part of the script. It's not enough time. I'm starting to wonder if I should even deploy to the fucking event because my squad is so not-ready.

* No economy to speak of. Yeah, there's the grey market, but they don't pay fuck-all for stuff and the guns and shit you do manufacture you can't sell. So item economy is of unbelievable importance. Don't crank out 5 scopes- build one for each sniper. Don't build out a half dozen laser rifles- build one for each troop going into battle. Sometimes a country will let you try to sell stuff to them for a reward, and then if it's worth it you crank out more units. But I am realizing you should never have surplus weapons if you can avoid it.
Date
Subject
Author
4.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
5.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
6.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
8.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
11.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
13.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
14.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
15.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
48.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
49.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
51.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
58.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
17.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
10.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
12.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
16.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
20.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
21.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
45.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
47.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
71.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
74.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
56.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
9.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
2.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
19.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
3.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
23.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
25.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
26.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
27.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
28.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
31.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
29.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
30.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
34.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
35.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
38.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
39.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
41.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
42.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
44.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
50.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
53.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
55.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
59.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
43.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
46.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
54.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
33.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
36.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
37.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
57.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
61.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
65.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
66.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
68.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
70.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
76.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
62.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
64.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
63.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
67.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
69.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
72.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
73.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
77.
Oct 9, 2012Oct 9 2012
78.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
79.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
80.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
81.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
 82.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
         Re: Ships Ahoy - XCOM: Enemy Unknown
83.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
85.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
84.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
86.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
87.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
88.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
89.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
90.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
95.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
97.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
98.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
99.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
91.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
92.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
93.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
94.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
96.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
100.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
101.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
102.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
104.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
105.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
106.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
108.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
107.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
103.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
109.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
110.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
112.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
113.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
111.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
114.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
115.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
116.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
117.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
118.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
119.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
120.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
121.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
122.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
123.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
124.
Oct 10, 2012Oct 10 2012
125.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
128.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
132.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
133.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
134.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
126.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
127.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
129.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
130.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
131.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
135.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
136.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
143.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
144.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
146.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
148.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
149.
Oct 12, 2012Oct 12 2012
150.
Oct 12, 2012Oct 12 2012
137.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
138.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
139.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
140.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
141.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
142.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
145.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
147.
Oct 11, 2012Oct 11 2012
151.
Oct 13, 2012Oct 13 2012
152.
Oct 13, 2012Oct 13 2012
154.
Oct 14, 2012Oct 14 2012
155.
Oct 14, 2012Oct 14 2012
153.
Oct 14, 2012Oct 14 2012