NGN had the opportunity to interview Jake Solomon, Creative Director on XCOM 2, at the second annual Firaxicon in Baltimore, MD. XCOM 2 is shaping up to be one of the largest releases of Q1 2016, with a ton of new interlocking systems being added to the XCOM: Enemy Unknown formula. We asked Jake about some of the design decisions the development team has made, including discussing Firaxis’ renewed modding support, depth vs. breadth in game design, and the series’ new, darker tone.

Who’s ready for an Ironman run through the game? Sound off in the comments if you’re excited, and stay tuned to New Gamer Nation for more XCOM 2 news and a review in February when the game releases.