Xcom 2

@Papageno Sorry, I don’t have that controller. Research tells me no, not fixed yet.

@Guap

FYI for those playing on the XBone: This game is not compatible with the ability to pause and come back or switchh to another app. I’ve tried and every time I’ve come back it’s locked up.

Does console release mean that PC version now supports controller?

Doesn’t look like it.

Correct. The only officially supported controller is the Steam Controller.

So after having played dozens of missions and what feels like about half the campaign, I have to sadly, and with broken heart admit I don’t like this one.

The changes to the meta game, resource allocation, staffing and strategy part are awesome. The changes to the combat mechanics themselves are awesome. I love the new Ranger class. Enemy renforcemwnts are cool and add a lot. And the random maps? Superb! I think this team did the best random maps that have ever been done, anywhere. All that is great.

The timed missions are not great. I’ve gone back and forth trying to see what they were going for, trying to understand. In theory it makes the battles more streamlined and gives them an edge and adds tension. In theory.

In reality, when you are actually playing the game, the fact that every mission is timed sucks. Especially ones where you have to go rescue someone or extract something or really, anything like that. Anything that has an objective and is not a straight up fight, which is almost every mission type. What it does is turn X-COM into a puzzle game. Now puzzle games can be fun, but I bought this as an X-COM game. You can’t come up with any strategy whatsoever when you have zero room to maneuver, outflank or avoid patrols. You simple don’t have any time. You must rush quickly and blindly forward and fight the same way every mission. It robs all the fun out of the game for me. It also makes me a huge save baby because if you make a small mistake early on (say taking one extra turn to clear a squad) you ruin the entire mission. So whereas before I played on ironman all the time and lived with it if I lost troops, I can’t do that anymore. I have to constantly reload and replay missions because of a bad deign choice. It’s aggravating and defeating and repetitive. And finally ai have decided it’s dumb and I hate it. It makes XCOM not fun anymore.

So I’ll be shelving this one and never buying another game from that studio (was it Firaxis again?) until I am sure they are back on track. They gave us a really good strategy layer this time and completely fucked up the tactical part.

I’m rather bummed because not only did I waste $60 and not only was I excited when first playing, I even recommended it to several people. I don’t feel like I can recommend it anymore, it’s just too lame and not XCOM anymore. Do not recommend to anyone, full stop.

Boo.

There is a mod that either eliminates the time limits or makes them longer, so you can play without really worrying about them if you enjoy the rest of the game.

There is also a mod that makes it so the countdown doesn’t start until you are discovered, which almost always makes a lot more sense. Why would they start locking down their sever if they haven’t even detected you after all.

x100 for me, I feel exactly the same way.

Those make perfect sense, and improve the design of the original developers.

Those on XBOX? :)

This is the first time I’ve heard a really good argument for PC over console gaming. And also a really good argument for mods.

But it still makes me annoyed at the original design choices. And I haven’t gamed on PC in years because I lost access to my steam account. So at this point I’m probably done with PC gaming forever.

First mod I ever installed was the one to extend the timer. Never failed a mission due to running out of time. Some close ones, but that added to the enjoyment.

Thirded. Only reason I beat the game was because a bunch of us were competing to see who could be L/I first.

Link for that one?

I still have to start the game! But when I will do it, that mod sounds like a must.

Are you on Steam? The name of the mod is True Concealment. By default that mod lowers the time limit, but doesn’t start the timer until you are revealed. I’m sure it’s adjustable, though.

Edit: it looks like the developer has issued a new version with the default time limits. This might be a bit easy.

Without mods, there is the ‘Lightning Strike’ Guerrilla Tactics School thing which gives you added mobility the first couple turns. With that I never found time to be an issue. The real key is that you just have to be really aggressive with your early movement. Honestly, I like the timer because otherwise it takes me a hell of a lot longer to finish maps because I have a hard time resisting crawling across the maps.

A lot of the fun melee abilities and stuff don’t really shine until you’re playing more aggressively and they can be super satisfying.

The clock represents the sort of thing Civ 6 is in desparate need of: a realistic solution to AI. Firaxis just doesn’t have it in them to design crafty AI. Forcing the user to play sub-optimally obviates the issue to some extent.

I think a lot of it was due to some crazed belief that playing slowly and with sound tactics was somehow a bad thing. As if there was some reason why you needed to rush forward like there was an alien behind you in every level.

At least the timers weren’t quite as dumb as meld in the last game.

Maybe they should have put other things to discourage super defensive tactics (more grenades for aliens? small but steady alien reinforcements coming every x turns?) instead of just slapping a timer.

Or just let people play the game the way they want to play it.