KickStarter Phoenix Point - the new game from X-COM creator Julian Gollop

[Zombra]

Is there a way to see what class I am getting when recruiting? I tried recruiting twice and twice I got snipers, I am looking for classes I haven't gotten yet. Or are classes automatically unlock later after I get factions at higher rep?

From what I've read, you only have three classes available at the start (Assault, Heavy, Sniper). The rest are unlocked by recruiting from factions.

 

[Xeon]

Yeah, I currently have 4 guys, 1 sniper, 1 heavy and 2 assault of different kind.

I have several havens of factions around me that allow recruiting but none of them giving me the other types, they just give me sniper and another one slightly far gave me an assault. Not sure if there are prerequisite, like me needing to up their rep or do their quests, but I just got a quest from Jericho so I might give that a try and see if its easy to do or leave for later.

 

[ArchAngel]

Yeah, I currently have 4 guys, 1 sniper, 1 heavy and 2 assault of different kind.

I have several havens of factions around me that allow recruiting but none of them giving me the other types, they just give me sniper and another one slightly far gave me an assault. Not sure if there are prerequisite, like me needing to up their rep or do their quests, but I just got a quest from Jericho so I might give that a try and see if its easy to do or leave for later.

I think at one point they start doing Elite Training which lets you recruit special class soldiers.

 

[Mazisky]

Is that true that the research tree has no weapons\armor and you only take them by factions? People who get factions at hours 10 play all that time with base gear.

 

[ArchAngel]

Is that true that the research tree has no weapons\armor and you only take them by factions? People who get factions at hours 10 play all that time with base gear.

It it super hard to not level up some faction unless you choose to not for some reason.

 

[gogis]

I don't know guys, for some things it looks a total xcom2 ripoff.

-Same missions, such as defend havens or loot crates.
-Same aircraft cinematic on mission launch
-3 factions
-Same action points ui with blue and yellow squares
-Some classes look identical to xcom2 ones (ex. reapers)
-Hitech cities that look exactly like Xcom 2 ones, even the same color pattern and very similar assets

Gollop is copying Firaxis more than himself lol

I am not sure you aware, but most content if nuXCOMs (soldier classes, gear mods, factions with faction specific classes) was ripped off straight from Aftershock, not some genuine nuXCOM invention. Duh

 

[jac8awol]

Is there a way to see what class I am getting when recruiting? I tried recruiting twice and twice I got snipers, I am looking for classes I haven't gotten yet. Or are classes automatically unlock later after I get factions at higher rep?

When recruiting, the haven shows the icon of the class they have available. So just recruit from a haven that has a different icon to the ones in your team so far.

 

[Xeon]

Damn, I didn't notice the icons. Thanks.

I tried doing the mission for Jericho and enemies there have high armor so I am doing very little damage and end up getting killed when rushed, I think I am gonna keep exploring things until I unlock better weapons and get more people.

Is that true that the research tree has no weapons\armor and you only take them by factions? People who get factions at hours 10 play all that time with base gear.

I am not sure about armor, but for monster autopsy, some research gives you resources and some doesn't list anything, those unlocked a weapon for me, a Bulldog assault rifle I think.

Edit:
I saw someone build several training buildings in the base and use it to very quickly level up the soldiers, I am gonna try doing that as well.

 

[Jasede]

How can I buy this outside of Epic Gay store?

 

[Raghar]

I tortured myself with Aftershock recently. I doubt Firaxis bothered to rip from that buggy game.

 

[Raghar]

How can I buy this outside of Epic Gay store?

You wait until it comes to consoles.

 

[Xeon]

I think they said the game will be on Game Pass in a few days to a one week after it launches on Epic.

"We were planning on releasing on Game Pass on the same day," they wrote, "but we're waiting for certification from MS—so it might be a few days to a week later." LINK

I found one of the special classes, there was a star next to the haven in the world map, when I went there and recruited the guy it was a technician. Also I am not sure I should waste time exploring the world instead of doing main missions, Havens are starting to get attacked more frequently and I even lost one the Havens, don't know if its permanent or if it will reopen eventually tho.

 

[Infinitron]

I think they said the game will be on Game Pass in a few days to a one week after it launches on Epic.

"We were planning on releasing on Game Pass on the same day," they wrote, "but we're waiting for certification from MS—so it might be a few days to a week later." LINK

https://forums.snapshotgames.com/t/microsoft-game-pass-and-microsoft-store-info/5933

Dear Fans, Backers, and Players,

We’re so excited to see so many of you playing Phoenix Point! The response to our launch has been overwhelming, and we’re absolutely thrilled to see the community discussing the game, streaming the game, and, most of all, playing the game in huge numbers!

We know that some of you are waiting for our release on Microsoft Xbox Game Pass for PC and the Microsoft Windows Store. We want to update you on the status of that.

The fact is we dropped the ball. We were exceedingly busy getting the game itself ready, and being inexperienced with Game Pass and the Microsoft Store, we simply had not properly prepared the groundwork to get the game released on time on these platforms. Compared to other platforms we’re on these platforms require a number of pre-requisites, from Microsoft certification to legal documentation review. While these are now mostly complete, they have given rise to a number of new delays.

Specifically, we are currently unable to make the same content available on Microsoft’s platform that is available to players on other platforms. Since we want to make sure all players have access to all versions of Phoenix Point regardless of where they choose to play, we need to get this working before we can release.

This issue was not anticipated by us and has caused unexpected delay over and above our delay waiting for certification. We had hoped to have Game Pass players, at least, up and running today, but it now seems like there will be further delays. We do not have an ETA for Phoenix Point on Game Pass or the Windows Store yet. Please know we are working as hard and as quickly as possible with our partners at Microsoft to resolve these issues and will keep you informed.

As always, thank you for supporting Phoenix Point, and we hope to see you on the battlefield soon!

 

[flyingjohn]

They should have copied nuxcom's ability to actually release your title on other platforms.

 

[Infinitron]

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/123129-phoenix-point-released-reviews.html

PC Gamer 77/100:

Despite shortcomings, Phoenix Point won me over. In that way, it's just like the X-COM: UFO Defense that I fell in love with years ago. It's a bit of a mess, but it's a mess filled with clever ideas and idiosyncratic gameplay you won't find anywhere else. Mush X-COM: Apocalypse and XCOM: Enemy Unknown together and you get Phoenix Point. Unfortunately, someone's put a cup of roaches into the batter too.

Eurogamer Scoreless:

Playing Phoenix Point has been a powerful propulsion back through my past, pinballing me through 25 years of alien-fighting nostalgia. And if I still find myself returning to it again, keen to blow the floor out from under another tentacled terror the moment I finish this review, then you know it's got much more right than wrong. Even if I never reach the end, I will still have enjoyed the journey, and the friends (soldiers) I met (renamed as my friends) along the way.

PCGamesN 8/10:

Certainly, if you’re genre devotee, a fan of Gollop’s back catalogue, or just want to see your board gaming tastes represented in digital form, Phoenix Point is well worth considering. Its many strengths outweigh a scattering of rather abstract weaknesses, and those shortcomings only warrant scrutiny because of its tremendous legacy. Because if you call your project a ‘spiritual successor to X-Com’, you inevitably face comparison to not just a genre great, but one of the most celebrated games there is.

Rock Paper Shotgun Scoreless:

There’s slow-burn greatness in Phoenix Point. It’s a game where you might be exploring a site, bracing for ambush, but instead find an abandoned theme park dedicated to a novelty boy band of hedge fund managers called the Lucrative Lads. Where you dread the thud of a parasitic worm dropping from a roof to the ground at your feet. Where the cold utilitarianism trained by XCOM slowly melts, and ideology begins to influence your diplomacy. It’s warmer, stranger, than its genremates. But it’s harder work to enjoy. Like its most outlandish guns and powerful armours, it takes a few hours’ research to get there.

Strategy Gamer 4/5:

Phoenix Point works, and is overall pretty good - the strategic layer puts you in charge of multiple squads, vehicles and bases while at the same time conducting diplomacy, research and managing logistics. Truth be told, I almost wish that I could play Phoenix Point without the tactical battles, as at the moment the tactical layer feels sterile, and can be a bit obtuse. For all its highs, it also boasts some serious lows, and the end result is equal parts interesting and slightly off-putting.

VG247 3/5:

Like XCOM, then, Phoenix Point is a gripping tactical strategy game. Like XCOM, it’s frequently lovely to look at, wonderfully tense, and there’s a lot of depth and customisation to be found in its almost endlessly replayable combat scenarios. I like most of its unique ideas – the more freeform overworld and faction setup – but that overwhelming sense of deja vu is inescapable in much of its design. Regardless of whether this game is borrowing, stealing or reclaiming ideas from the series that inspired it, it sort of doesn’t matter: Phoenix Point is all a little too like XCOM to move the genre forward in any huge way.

God is a Geek 9/10:

While Snapshot did themselves no favours making this an Epic Store exclusive, it would be a shame for people to miss out due to the platform it’s available on. Mild performance issues aren’t enough to put a dampener on proceedings, although the difficulty spikes might be. Only go into this if you’re prepared to swear and sweat as much as cheer. Die hard fans of XCOM will likely fall in love with Phoenix Point, a hard-as-nails challenge that offers procedurally-generated replayability and a suite of tactics to help you thrive on and off the battlefield. It’s sometimes frustrating, sure, and doesn’t always feel as atmospheric as XCOM, but there’s no denying that Phoenix Point brings something new and exciting to the table.

Trusted Reviews 4.5/5:

If you like XCOM then you’ll love Phoenix Point. For the first few hours it feels very much like a re-skinned XCOM rather than a “spiritual successor”. But as you play it the wealth of small tweaks and improvements Snapshot Studios has made begin to shine through. This plus the ridiculous amount of attention to detail the writers have given the game’s plot, which at first glance is fairly by the numbers Sci-Fi, make it one of the most compelling turn-based strategy games on the market and a thoroughly fun play, if you can put up with the bugs.

 

[Grotesque]

Quality is not the opinion of 4 random butthurts in a forum either.

It's very gratifying to see a retarded shitbag I outed years ago again and again to give such a delirious spectacle where everything is laid out in plain sight and in such fashion.
If this keeps up, I must keep close a lemon each time I come on this thread.

 

[Mazisky]

Quality is not the opinion of 4 random butthurts in a forum either.

It's very gratifying to see a retarded shitbag I outed years ago again and again to give such a delirious spectacle where everything is laid out in plain sight and in such fashion.
If this keeps up, I must keep close a lemon each time I come on this thread.

Sorry, 5 butthurts.

 

[SymbolicFrank]

So, it's a mediocre nuXCOM clone. The die-hard fans love it, everyone else goes: "meh".

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

To add to my previous post:

• really like the geoscape - having many interest points revealed via scanning gives more sense of agency that xcom2 random stuff just popping up. It's up to the player to decide in which region to expand.
• the random missions you get can get a bit repetitive
• the special missions from story and factions are quite nice, though mostly boil down to kill the mutant and purge the unclean
• tactical maps are rather small
• pistols are a must if you're fighting worms or mindfraggers
• whole art thing feels like cheap crap knocked together by interns stoned on some crappy weed

I would say, so far it's nuxcom 1 on release fun. Nowhere close to Long War (or even patched + expansion xcom1), but hopefully will get better on real release on steam.

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

Well, lads, its not that bad. Its not really an adequate response to shit on it totally. I fired it up to hate it but I find the mechanics superior to the nucoms and its more enjoyable to play. Not sure about the qualms with the soundtrack, it takes some time to kick in but it is very reminiscent of the original and quite well done, at one point I got the feels from 1994. As a point of contention that line of reasoning is at scrub level.

Did they fuck up, yes massively. Too many ways to list really, nose dive in art, everything they lifted from nucom, it's unfinished half a game, the watered down tension and so on. But the base is there, it's compelling. Really, it's what many wanted from the reboots and the core of the game is a worthy successor. I could chew it up any which way as it stands but to call it fallout 76 is asinine.

That being said, its another year to get to a complete game so for most that are waiting for steam, its a smart bet. Otherwise, for a jaded cynical fuck like me to have some fun with it was unexpected and welcome.

I agree. This game will be bad ass once all DCL is out and Mods have made a longwar version of it and added more soldier customization and modded back in the apocalyptic and horror art style and even gameplay. Right now the game is not as good as it can be, but its also pretty fun even in its own right, but I do think it will be much much better a year or perhaps 2 two from now. This is not a failure, this is just how many game releases go now.

 

[Zombra]

As an aside, I respect the work the Long War guys did with the XCOMs, but I don't ever want to use their mods again. They always make them one huge package with a lot of sucky parts but you're forced to take the bad with the good. Essentially they make a huge game and then don't let people mod it. If they do PPLW, I won't play it.

 

[Togukawa]

I really dislike the lack of progression in the research tree. In X-com and nuXCOM you go up against stronger and stronger opponents, but you also unlock better and better gear. I'm now 8 hours in and still using weapons with more or less the same stats. Research unlocks some resource bonuses and 10% damage bonuses, but nothing significant.
I've also lost count of the amount of missions that boiled down to sniping the enemy weapons at long range, because it's the best counter to massive enemy grenade spam and the "return fire" mechanic. I'm already bored with it, I guess I'll try again when the game comes out for real in a year.

 

[baud]

I'm pretty sure there was a way to get the stats of both your soldiers and aliens in XCOM 1. Or are you talking about other stats?

You could get their Move, Will and Aim values in missions?

I was talking about this UI element, actually, on the bottom left:

Spoiler

I don't think it was there before XCOM 2 : WOTC.

That's the same type of info you'd get in XCOM, with skills and active buffs and debuffs (medals, poison, gene mods...), just in a separated screen. And the same thing was available for enemies too, which XCOM 2 didn't have at release.

Like this:

Spoiler

 

[Xeon]

Yeah, enemies seem to like throwing grenades whenever they can. If the guys survive they are almost useless since their arms probably got disabled and I think unless you have the skill to fix limbs when healing, they just stay disabled for the duration of the fight.

 

[ArchAngel]

Yeah, enemies seem to like throwing grenades whenever they can. If the guys survive they are almost useless since their arms probably got disabled and I think unless you have the skill to fix limbs when healing, they just stay disabled for the duration of the fight.

It could be worse, in UFO alien grenades one shot whole groups of your guys.