Phoenix Point developer Snapshot Games has pulled back the curtain on some early gameplay of its upcoming strategy game.

Phoenix Point Boss Battle Screenshots 12 IMAGES

Snapshot Games founder and CEO Julian Gollop, who's also the original creator of X-COM, walked IGN through a battle on an abandoned oil rig against several alien foes, including the intimidatingly massive Alien Queen."Return fire is a very important concept in Phoenix Point," Gollop noted, as firing upon the enemy often results in a retaliating attack by the opposition. Likewise, "Will Points" are a key part of the gameplay, as executing special actions with your troops require you to spend some of your points.Phoenix Point is slated to release for PC, Linux and Mac in Q4 2018. At the time of this posting, Snapshot Games' crowdfunded project has garnered over $709,000, having surpassed its initial $500,000 goal last month.For more on the upcoming spiritual successor to the X-COM franchise, read up on Phoenix Point's post-World War II setting , as well as the game's three main factions and mutated alien threat.

Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and subscribe to his YouTube channel.