XCOM 2 (PS4) – near perfection

The only game to be awarded a 10/10 score this year is now available on consoles, and it’s just as amazing as ever.

XCOM 2 is the game that finally destroys the myth that strategy games are any combination of slow, boring, or overly complicated. Well, to be honest the previous XCOM: Enemy Unknown already did that, but XCOM 2 takes the mutilated corpse of the idea and dumps it into an incinerator, hopefully never to be heard of again. In fact, this is one of the best games we’ve ever played and we’re relieved to find it’s just as good on consoles as it was on PC.



Enemy Unknown, and its standalone expansion Enemy Within, were both released on the last gen consoles, where they worked excellently well on a TV screen and using a joypad. They didn’t, however, sell. The PC version did though, which is why the game was initially released as a PC exclusive. But now it’s finally been ported to consoles, and apart from the loss of mod support it’s almost exactly the same game.

At a top level XCOM 2 operates in largely the same way as the last game, and indeed the 16-bit titles that birthed the series. The plot is very different though, in that you start with the invading aliens having won and overseeing a dystopian Earth that you, and what remains of the XCOM organisation, have sworn to liberate. Since you can’t afford to be stuck in one place your base of operations is now a refitted UFO, although it operates in the same basic way as before by giving you control of the research & development department, engineering, and barracks.


When fighting on the ground the game becomes a turn-based tactical game similar to the classic Laser Squad, where you control your troops directly. The originals already did a great job of making combat as fast and exciting as possible, requiring you to simply point where you want to move to and/or who you want to shoot.

Upgrading soldiers and equipment gives access to an increasingly wide range of additional abilities, but the only other consistent element is managing overwatch. This allows you to hold back from doing too much on your turn and instead take potshots at enemies during theirs.

Overwatch is a key tactical element to consider whenever venturing into enemy territory but it’s also the one aspect of the game that encourages you to take a slower, more cautious approach. And as such XCOM 2 does its very best to put you off from using it. Not by taking the option away from you, but by making it an often unaffordable luxury, since most missions now have to be completed against the clock.

XCOM 2 (PS4) – make E.T. go home

That may sound like a simple, even cheap, way to up the tension but it absolutely works. Whereas before you could slowly creep across a map, ensuring little chance of ever being successfully ambushed, now you’re forced to take a constant series of risks. Especially when failing to complete a mission in time means losing one of your precious, permadeath soldiers.

But it’s far from the sequel’s only trick, with a new emphasis on stealth allowing you to scout out a map long before you start fighting. Essentially, XCOM 2 has reversed the role of humans and aliens from the first game, including the fact that you can now see exactly what the aliens are up to on the world map, as they appear to be playing the game alongside you and in reaction to what you’re doing.



The rogues gallery of otherworldly nasties has also expanded greatly, with a clear attempt to make them more than just another monster with a gun. From the essentially Force-wielding Sectoids, to creatures that specialise in melee combat or the use of drones they don’t just look different but they fight differently too.

And while it hasn’t changed as much as we were expecting, given it always seemed a little undercooked before, the top level strategy elements back at base have evolved in unexpected ways. Although there is still an underlining logic to it, the research tree unlocks in often unpredictable ways – with far too much to ever research in one go. And surprisingly there’s more story than ever, with characters that make a real lasting impression and help to underscore the seeming hopelessness of your situation.

XCOM 2 (PS4) – it all works fine on a gamepad

The original games were almost flawless as they were, and we considered giving them 10/10 at the time, but XCOM 2 is even better. Its only real problem is its bugs and glitches, although the game still performs better than the PC version did at launch. Characters can freeze in place sometimes or the camera can suddenly stop pointing at the action, but it’s all relatively minor stuff that can hopefully be fixed with a patch. You’re more likely to be annoyed by the mild but frequent screen tearing and frame rate hiccups, although we’re less certain they’ll be removed later.

There’s also a complaint to be made against the mediocre graphics, and that the art design is still a slightly awkward mix of realistic and goofy sci-fi. But both are fine in context and some maps can actually look quite good, especially at night. It does vary a lot though, as they’re now properly randomised so that you never see the same one twice, which alone adds a huge amount to the longevity.


XCOM 2 is a game without any serious flaws, and which achieves its ambitious goals with a disarming ease – while excelling in areas you never would’ve thought it would even touch. It’s one of the best sequels of the last decade, it’s probably going to end up as our favourite game of the year, and its arguably the best strategy game of all-time.

XCOM 2 In Short: A superb sequel that improves on every aspect of the already excellent originals, and offers one of the most absorbing and unpredictable strategy experiences ever seen. Pros: The combat is amazingly varied in terms of tactics, enemies, equipment, and maps; and yet is still elegantly simple to control. The strategy level is just as good, with excellent storytelling. Cons: Still pretty buggy, with some screen tearing and frame rate drops. Score: 10/10

Formats: PlayStation 4 (reviewed), Xbox One, and PC

Price: £44.99

Publisher: 2K

Developer: Firaxis Games, The Workshop, and Blind Squirrel

Release Date: 30th September 2016

Age Rating: 16

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