the platonic ideal of a sequel, really. still has the core appeal of the first game but not afraid to be its own thing as well - the feeling of justtt scraping by, just barely being able to win missions and get supplies is so enthralling, especially when coupled by the avatar project mechanic. it makes the game so engaging so early, and when that pressure loosens up as you get deeper into it, with more assets at your disposal, the game really opens up into the most fun i've ever had in a strategy game. the fact that this is on a vanilla save file, with no dlc or mods, is all the more exciting. really can't wait to delve into dlc, and maybe eventually modding. fantastic game, i think i like it more than EU, if only slightly

Facilmente um dos jogos mais punitivos/recompensadores que já joguei. Um dos seus problemas é não se explicar suficientemente bem para o jogador, sendo a aprendizagem majoritariamente por tentativa e erro até ser capaz de entender o que o jogo espera dele.

A progressão é uma maravilha. Em uns bons momentos fiquei felizão de ter adquirido certa compra, feito um novo loadout e aprimorado meus soldados pensando no squad como um todo. O combate é intenso, tanto pelo level design, com uma geração procedural muito boa, quanto pelo RNG das ações. Tem uma história que não fede nem cheira.

Pra quem curte turn based strategy é um ótimo jogo.

Like XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the first 10 hours of XCOM 2 were brutal. I had barely anything to work with, a constant barrage of problems to solve, and soldiers that died left and right. It was a real power struggle, and one that made me frustrated quite consistently. Unlike EU though, once I was over that hurdle, it wasn't entirely a walk in the park from then on out. Still easier, sure, but it maintained a stable level of challenge that didn't extinguish even going into the finale.

XCOM 2 continues the series tradition of balancing that fine line between accessibility and complexity, while adding plenty more mechanics in to further deepen strategy. New tools have been brought in to alleviate some of Enemy Unknown's problems. One big example of this is through methods of scanning ahead for targets, which fixes the major issue of feeling like you've screwed yourself because you moved one of your units slightly too early. There's also more depth to each character, with various attachments to lightly buff their weapons, installable upgrades, and more.

Speaking on characters, the personality that made Enemy Unknown as good as it is has received far more attention with tons more ways to customize your character. You can even write backstories for them if you're really into it. Combined with what I hear is more interactivity between units in War of the Chosen, and it's a storyteller's dream. I made many of my friends in the game and it was fun seeing some survive, while others saw their stories brought to a sad end (including one on the final mission).

All of this is combined with some heavily increased variety which was sorely needed. Missions are much more diverse (I can count the amount of repeated missions I ran on one hand), enemies are more numerous and unique both in design and in challenges they present, and surprises are far more plentiful.

These aren't even touching on some of the minor improvements. You can load a past save while the enemy is still taking their turn (thank god), more diverse equipment can be researched, the base building mechanics have been tightened up, the geoscape is far more interesting. The list goes on.

The only issue I can genuinely hold against this game is the time some turns and actions can take. It isn't obnoxious, but I've had moments where enemy turns can feel like they take way longer than they need to, even with some unnecessary pauses. I can forgive it given everything the game does right, and a mod can easily fix it, but it's still an issue.

Even with that, I don't see any reason to give this game any lower than a 10, and I didn't even play the beloved WotC expansion yet. This is a masterpiece that builds upon the first game's foundations while adding its own flavor on previous mechanics, helping it feel refreshing even after recently playing XCOM EU. It's easy to see why the game has received such endless praise, and it's one I very much plan to revisit down the line with WotC enabled this time. If you're on the fence about turn-based games or simply want one of the best experiences in the genre, this is it.

It’s hard to even find a place to start when considering the prospect of writing a review for XCOM 2. This is a game I’ve been playing on and off for years since it’s release and one that I simply can’t let go of. XCOM 2 is the perfect mix of turn based strategy with enough challenge and customization to ensure almost unlimited replay value.

Every couple of months I always find myself thinking about this game, wondering if the time I remember spending really was as good as I remembered or if my memories were just tainted with nostalgia. And every, single, time, I get drawn back in like a moth to a flame.

Wether it’s a new mod I want to try, a character I want to make, or a little rush of courage taunting me to go ironman just one more time, XCOM 2 has become ultimate video game comfort food and something I could legitimately have playing in the back of my head at all times. Sure, it can still be buggy and frustrating, but the mechanics and gameplay loop displayed are so damn good I genuinely find myself looking for a similar level of prestige in a bunch of other games. Usually with little success.

I started another run a week or two ago after taking a good look at my backlog and realizing I was feeling too lazy to boot up a brand new game just yet. “Just one more for old time’s sake” turned into a relentless steam workshop dive and yet another obsessive playthrough that had me cheering, yelling and cussing out my monitor at all times of the night.

With the addition of War Of The Chosen, what was already an insane package becomes this ridiculously good story crafted by your own soldiers, their respective triumphs and defeats, and stakes that are always looming over you. Everything from the base and time management to the tactical gameplay and world events just fits together perfectly to create an engaging experience that is so, so hard to put down.

For what it’s worth, nothing in terms of turn based strategy has come close to this game for me. Both a blessing and a curse, XCOM 2 has cemented itself as one of my favorite games over the course of many years and many campaigns. Until the sequel inevitably comes out, I’m sure there’ll be many more hours to come where I will be absolutely rinsing this game, but in the meantime, don’t forget your advent burgers.

>99% hit chance
>miss
>10% hit chance for enemy
>hit and crit
fml