I just watched a 40 minute video of someone trying out the new version, and I’m really liking what I see. $20 seems like a ridiculously low price for this, I’m going to be all over it once I get some more Steam credit.
I’d second this. This game is really a mile up from where it started a year ago. The multilevel maps. the destructible terrain. New stuff that fits the old theme and old stuff that feels updated with current features. This is one game I’m really exited to finish (just played 10 hours - like the ballistic shield so far), and that my custom merc of me starts out as a seargent
Can’t wait to see people doing AAR of this like the old xcoms.
About fucking time.
Although based on forum responses, it’s not cooked yet. Lots of “known issues”.
This game’s development did not start a year ago.
LOL, no it started faaar earlier than that. I first played it a year ago. Sorry should have been more clear
Glad this got noticed! And RPS have a bit on the recent v1.0 (but still not really ready just yet) release:
So not much different from major publisher releases. Hopefully one of you guys will let the rest of us know when it’s ready to be bought.
Wrong thread? (but yeah i’m waiting for the info on their main site to say v1.0 is ready, where they currently have the ‘latest milestone’ info)
I’ve put about ten hours into the release version, not having played any of the others. I’m playing on Veteran based on the difficulty screen’s suggestions… and it’s tough. Considerably harder than the original X-Com, in my opinion.
For the most part I like their interface and their decisions about what to streamline (interesting to contrast that with XCOM… in some areas Xenonauts simplifies things even further). The graphics are attractive, but lack the charm of the old sprites. The music is pretty weak, unfortunately. The music did so much to establish atmosphere in both X-Com and XCOM.
But… the difficulty. Enemies regularly take 4-5 shots to kill, but usually kill your troops in one hit even with upgraded armor. X-Com’s lethality was much more equal-opportunity, even in the beginning. The UFO layouts are horrible, and the new cover system means that the aliens lurking inside have a massive advantage. It’s extremely difficult to avoid heavy casualties. One of the enemy types (I guess they’re equivalent to Snakemen) that appears from the start of the game sees right through smoke grenades, which feels like a terrible decision. That’s one of the very few tools you have to try and tip the scales.
Interception is a lot more in-depth, and (wait for it) a lot more difficult. By the second month you’re facing UFOs that can’t be taken down by two starter interceptors. Building new interceptor types comes much earlier, and weapon upgrades are almost incidental. I don’t love the new interception battles, and usually auto-resolve them.
So far it’s a mixed bag. I like it less than the original X-Com or Firaxis’ XCOM. I’ll have to see how it feels on Normal difficulty.
That’s about it then. Wrap it up.
I’ve only played for about 2 hours and can confirm that enemy accuracy and damage in the start is total bullshit. My soldiers regularly get oneshot from up to 30 tiles away, regardless of difficulty.
How many difficulty levels are there?
Perhaps the first patch will include difficulty levels that range from Hardcore to People Who Liked Enemy Unknown.
Enemies regularly take 4-5 shots to kill, but usually kill your troops in one hit even with upgraded armor.
The UFO layouts are horrible
One of the enemy types … that appears from the start of the game sees right through smoke grenades
By the second month you’re facing UFOs that can’t be taken down by two starter interceptors
My soldiers regularly get oneshot from up to 30 tiles away, regardless of difficulty
This game has been my white whale ever since I dropped that $25+ whatever on it over two years ago. Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale… but I ain’t givin’ up the spear.
I just installed the game from Desura. There are four difficulty levels.
Very first impresions are… it needs a few revisions more, it isn’t friendly to new players.
Why you can’t click on each section of your base? I’m a veteran, and I don’t know what is each thing here
Why aren’t there tooltips explaining what’s the function of each construction?
I don’t know for example what is the garage for.
And why is the Xenopedia almost empty? It has two entries about weapons, one about aliens, one about armor, 2 about planes and 3 about weapons planes.
Nothing about the base inner workings, nothing about the global map, etc
Where is the financial report details? And each country status? Is it gone?
And more unrelated but…
That looks like a construction worker. Maybe a security guard with a funny helmet. Not a soldier.
To compare… http://www.defense.gov/dodcmsshare/newsphoto/2009-10/hires_091020-M-7825S-126.jpg
Hardly fair to compare a rookie X-COM soldier to United States Marines. :D
I would imagine that the rookie in an elite force fighting against alien invasors are, as minimum, marine-level!!
edit: or just any other deployable in combat soldier from any force from the First World, really.
Google up uniforms of the 60s/70s