XCOM: Enemy Within is a compelling game that grabs your attention from the start. It delivers a rich tactical experience that feels like it would be right at home on a mobile platform, but without any annoying microtransactions or ads to disrupt the gameplay.

The combat is the highlight here—engaging, strategic, and deeply satisfying. Success feels earned, and the variety of ways to upgrade and enhance your squad keeps the game fresh despite some repetitive missions.

The game's major drawback is its story. It's forgettable and serves merely as a backdrop for the tactical challenges. Additionally, the ending, aiming for drama, ends up feeling cringeworthy.

Overall, XCOM: Enemy Within stands out for its strategic depth and engaging gameplay, making it a must-play for fans of the genre, despite its weaker narrative elements.

Almost perfect.

Probably my favorite turn-based combat system. So genuinely captivating to navigate, learn, and master that it by itself made history in the genre.

But what surrounds it is not so up there. Base management adapts to the main gameplay pretty well, but the sky combat is so nothing, a nuisance that I forgot was even there half the time and the other half it's just frustrating due to how much it depends on the money you spend on it out of pure guess work. Money that's more rewarding to spend on ground units and base upgrades.

The world panic system also feels like it punishes you for progressing more than lacking in focus or skill.

Despite that, Xcom is what I will always look up to in pure strategy terms. A classic.

To me, Enemy Unknown/Within is a game where you throw hastily-constructed simulacrums of your friends (and random celebrities) into the meat grinder that is a virtual alien invasion. Of course, it's also a sharp, enthralling tactical strategy shooter, but the personality of it lies in the personal narratives that we attach to the game. The game's actual story is pretty barebones, though it is not without some neat scripted events. Regardless, it's that narrative/gameplay balance that makes this game.