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Looking for games like Xcom with both tactical and strategic layer

Mazisky

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Is it possible that in 20 years of pc gaming only Firaxis, Goldhawk and Sirtech managed to create games similar too the original Xcom?

Im looking for similar games but many of them have not the strategic part. Suggestion?
 
Self-Ejected

Circuit the Short

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There are more X-com clones: UFO: ET, UFO: ALIEN INVASION, UFO: Aftersomething series (rtwp). There are Apeiron games (rtwp JA clones).

There are also strategy/4x games with tactical combat layer. Their combat system is not as deep as x-com's obviously, but still pretty good. Master of Magic, Master of Orion, Eador series, Age of Wonders series, etc.
 

Mazisky

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There are more X-com clones: UFO: ET, UFO: ALIEN INVASION, UFO: Aftersomething series (rtwp). There are Apeiron games (rtwp JA clones).

There are also strategy/4x games with tactical combat layer. Their combat system is not as deep as x-com's obviously, but still pretty good. Master of Magic, Master of Orion, Eador series, Age of Wonders series, etc.

The first u mentioned are all bad and unpolished, the UFO series is old, i'm looking for something modern.

4x games are a totally different genre. Ty for the suggestions tho, i appreciate
 

Taka-Haradin puolipeikko

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Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy Bubbles In Memoria
Fort Triumph is supposed to have some kind of strategic layer.
Early access title with (too) cartoony graphical style and I didn't really like tactical layer demo that I played a year or so ago.
Might have improved since then.

edit.
I see that you're already aware of it.
 

Mazisky

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Fort Triumph is supposed to have some kind of strategic layer.
Early access title with (too) cartoony graphical style and I didn't really like tactical layer demo that I played a year or so ago.
Might have improved since then.

edit.
I see that you're already aware of it.

Yeah. It's still too early in development and feels like an unpolished mobile game now. Need to wait.

Only stuff that seems to be good is Phoenix Point and Xenonauts 2, but we have still to wait.
 

grimace

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Only stuff that seems to be good is Phoenix Point and Xenonauts 2, but we have still to wait.

You might already be aware of it as well, but End State is shaping up to be a JA2 spiritual successor, no release date yet though -

https://store.steampowered.com/app/580640/End_State/
KillshotsMontage_1.gif


http://www.endstategame.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sky-FzyXIBs




https://twitter.com/EndStateGame/status/961916967279046656

We are independent developers, but we do have some funding to operate a small studio. Hoping to get more resources after we have released a playable version! There have been some discussion that should we do crowdfunding, but haven't decided on it

Indie studio from Finland developing a Jagged Alliance 2 like game in modern 3D.
 

Zarniwoop

TESTOSTERONIC As Fuck™
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Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Is it possible that in 20 years of pc gaming only Firaxis, Goldhawk and Sirtech managed to create games similar too the original Xcom?

Im looking for similar games but many of them have not the strategic part. Suggestion?
Nu-XCom 2?

The strategic layer is very limited (basically just deciding where to park your spehsship) but at least it's something.
 

Mazisky

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Is it possible that in 20 years of pc gaming only Firaxis, Goldhawk and Sirtech managed to create games similar too the original Xcom?

Im looking for similar games but many of them have not the strategic part. Suggestion?
Nu-XCom 2?

The strategic layer is very limited (basically just deciding where to park your spehsship) but at least it's something.

It is already my favourite game of the last 5 years, spent 1000+ hours on it.

It is not perfect but i love that formula that no dev has will to emulate.
 

Taka-Haradin puolipeikko

Filthy Kalinite
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Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy Bubbles In Memoria
How about Phantom Doctrine?
I think it is supposed to have strategic layer that's little bit more complicated than "move party to next shop or fight".
 

J1M

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May 14, 2008
Messages
14,616
Anything with fantasy setting?
Perhaps Darkest Dungeon. Though you should play it on "Radiant" difficulty. Character and enemy stats are the same, but the huge amount of grinding required to finish the game when it was launched is reduced.

EDIT: There's also the Mario + Rabbids crossover game, but nothing I've seen convinced me any of it would pose an interesting challenge so I haven't given it a close look.
 
Last edited:

Zarniwoop

TESTOSTERONIC As Fuck™
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Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Radiant?

Does that mean the NPCs all talk about seeing mudcrabs the other day and taking arrows to the knee? Because if so I'm getting that game immediately.
 

Jason Liang

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Sengoku Rance?

Actually seems like you are looking for something like Fantasy General, Master of Monsters, Battle for Wesnoth
 

Galdred

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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Is it possible that in 20 years of pc gaming only Firaxis, Goldhawk and Sirtech managed to create games similar too the original Xcom?

Im looking for similar games but many of them have not the strategic part. Suggestion?
There is the infamous Massive Chalice, by Double Fine.
Otherwise, you may try Codex of Victory: it is a weird mix of puzzly Battle Isle like combat (with no RNG), base building, with a thin strategic layer.
You can upgrade your base and units.
It works well, but finding the correct "solution" to each battle can get a bit old.
 

Dickie

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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
I'm not sure if you'd count it because the battles aren't on a grid and there's not a ton of research to do, but there's Halcyon 6. It goes on sale periodically for $5.



  • Base Building: spend resources to build station facilities (rooms) to enhance your production and technological capabilities, or build ships to help you control more territory
  • Exploration: assign your fleets to nearby star clusters, where they can handle emerging enemy threats, do missions for alien factions or secure bonus resources
  • Crew Management: assign crew to station facilities to greatly improve their output efficiency, or to ships where they can contribute in unique ways to combat, missions and events
  • Deep Tactical Combat: fight tactical ship or ground battles to resolve hostile events, create a foothold in the sector and ultimately defeat the enemy mothership!
  • Story Events: based on game criteria like rooms-built, alien diplomacy scores or officer traits/skills, the game will produce story events (often with multiple choice outcomes) that can lead to combat, time-related applied bonuses/negatives, officer attribute changes or any number of crazy in-game stories.
 

spectre

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Was Battle Brothers mentioned? I think it should be mentioned. The strategy later is a tad simplistic, and it's still a bit short on content, but is a nice game to scratch the tactical itch.
 

Teut Busnet

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Codex Year of the Donut
Was Battle Brothers mentioned? I think it should be mentioned. The strategy later is a tad simplistic, and it's still a bit short on content, but is a nice game to scratch the tactical itch.
Is it?



Anyway, 'Blackguards 2' has supposedly some 'Worldmap' strategy part. It's been sitting untouched in my library for over a year now though.


'Expeditions: Conquistador' was nice, haven't played 'Expeditions: Vikings' though. Both not 'Fantasy', obvs.


Possibly not exactly what you're looking for, but 'Football, Tactics and Glory' is a soccer manager with tbt-gameplay. Fun for 20-30 hours for me.

 
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Codex Year of the Donut
I'm not sure if you'd count it because the battles aren't on a grid and there's not a ton of research to do, but there's Halcyon 6. It goes on sale periodically for $5.



  • Base Building: spend resources to build station facilities (rooms) to enhance your production and technological capabilities, or build ships to help you control more territory
  • Exploration: assign your fleets to nearby star clusters, where they can handle emerging enemy threats, do missions for alien factions or secure bonus resources
  • Crew Management: assign crew to station facilities to greatly improve their output efficiency, or to ships where they can contribute in unique ways to combat, missions and events
  • Deep Tactical Combat: fight tactical ship or ground battles to resolve hostile events, create a foothold in the sector and ultimately defeat the enemy mothership!
  • Story Events: based on game criteria like rooms-built, alien diplomacy scores or officer traits/skills, the game will produce story events (often with multiple choice outcomes) that can lead to combat, time-related applied bonuses/negatives, officer attribute changes or any number of crazy in-game stories.

Enjoyed this, never got around to playing the remaster('lightspeed edition')

Mazisky
Not quite the same, but have you tried Dead State: Reanimated?
It's an RPG with a heavy focus on base building mechanics.
 

spectre

Arcane
Joined
Oct 26, 2008
Messages
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Was Battle Brothers mentioned? I think it should be mentioned. The strategy later is a tad simplistic, and it's still a bit short on content, but is a nice game to scratch the tactical itch.
Is it?

Well, the last two DLC added a bit more options (item upgrades, crafting) and a few non-human enemies. There's an incoming DLC which should expand this further with additional starting scenarios and new humanoid enemies, but vanilla game is pretty barebones
and frankly, with all this additional content it nearly qualifies for a release version.

Don't get me wrong, it's still a good game and it's possible to sink 80 hours without even realizing, just saying it's got its shortcomings.

Good of you to mention Expeditions Conquistador. I really liked the tutorial prologue, after that it felt the game falls apart a bit. I had good fun with Expeditions Viking. It felt a bit more tightly knit.
However, not sure if that's what the OP is asking for. Sure, there's tactical combat, but it's more RPG-ish, the squad is more tightly knit together and it feels more heroic, less merciless meatgrinder.
 

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