X-COM XCOM 2 + War of the Chosen Expansion Thread

[spectre]

Guys, you make me genuinely embarassed. I had to double check we're still on the fucking codex in strategy fucking gaming.

 

[vean]

Console games aren't console games apparently.

Thanks for this nugget of wisdom nuCodex.

 

[Alienman]

Hypetrain sabotaged!

 

[Jimmious]

Yeah why do we have this invasion in here? Xenonauts 2 also announced for 2017, go there purists

 

[Leechmonger]

It's a good thing XCOM 2 is such a drastically different game from the multi-platform XCOM, otherwise I'd mistake it for casualized garbage.

Spoiler

 

[Zombra]

What the christ? Don't talk bad about XCOM in an XCOM thread? I love XCOM but jeez, remember where you are

Actually Zboj Lamignat has a case here. I think back to stuff like FFT and compare it to XCOM and I see that gameplay-wise they're more similar to each other than either one is to X-Com. So I get where he's coming from.

I think the main thing is, let X-Com go, everyone knew years ago that XCOM would be its own thing.

 

[Zeriel]

What the christ? Don't talk bad about XCOM in an XCOM thread? I love XCOM but jeez, remember where you are

Actually Zboj Lamignat has a case here. I think back to stuff like FFT and compare it to XCOM and I see that gameplay-wise they're more similar to each other than either one is to X-Com. So I get where he's coming from.

I think the main thing is, let X-Com go, everyone knew years ago that XCOM would be its own thing.

It's a point that's been made a million times, and by the same people Zboj is lecturing. That's the rub: we've had this conversation before, having it again in strident terms is really boring, it's like when people ask "What is an RPG?" as if it was a profound question.

 

[NotAGolfer]

Because I'm lazy I will just ask here:
Did they get the geoscape and base building right this time, meaning getting rid of NuXCom's gated and constrained decision making processes for that and adding multiple bases, free base placement, actual simulation of UFO movements on the globe and more freedom to build your base without the satellite coverage bullshit and power consumption and other mechanics narrowing down your choices for base expansion?
All these intertwining mechanics forced you to stick to the same plan in every playthrough on higher difficulty levels and that seemed like bad design to me.
Did any of that improve in this one?

 

[Zombra]

Did they get the geoscape and base building right this time, meaning getting rid of NuXCom's gated and constrained decision making processes

Yes

adding multiple bases, free base placement, actual simulation of UFO movements on the globe and more freedom to build your base

No

All these intertwining mechanics forced you to stick to the same plan in every playthrough on higher difficulty levels and that seemed like bad design to me.
Did any of that improve in this one?

Yes

It's a point that's been made a million times, and by the same people Zboj is lecturing. That's the rub: we've had this conversation before, having it again in strident terms is really boring, it's like when people ask "What is an RPG?" as if it was a profound question.

Actually, I don't remember the comparison to tactical JRPGs before. I think it's cogent and a new slant on the old conversation.

Just to throw it out there: I like classic tactics JRPGs better than X-Com, and while each have their pros and cons I'd say that tactical JRPGs do many systems objectively better than X-Com. So to say that XCOM is more like a TJRPG* than like X-Com may be true, but doesn't go to show that it's not as "good" as X-Com.

*or whatever the appropriate abbreviation is

 

[Alienman]

Zombra is starting the hypetrain again. All aboard!

 

[Raghar]

God damn it.

* Set Power Settings to High Performance so computer won't go to sleep while I'm at work
* Left Steam running
* Checked email immediately upon getting to work, received GMG keys
* Installed Steam on work computer violating company policy
* Activated keys
* Uninstalled Steam
* Researched remote installation
* Logged in to Steam community website using Steam Guard code activated via email
* Went to correct page in Games list
* Couldn't find XCOM 2
* Triple checked procedure, made sure I was on correct page
* Did further research and learned that for a preload the Steam client must be restarted to recognize the game proper instead of the preorder placeholder
* Looked at clock
* Instituted plan to continue glumly looking at clock throughout work day

You have decent chance to be forced to pirate copy of game you bought just to be able to play it at release date.

These steam stuff can take a while to repair. (I know from my experience.)

 

[Mustawd]

Zombra is the Conductor of the hype train.

 

[Zombra]

You have decent chance to be forced to pirate copy of game you bought just to be able to play it at release date.

Nah, I should be OK I think. Will still have approx 32 hours d/l time, even with my shit connection that should do it.

Alienman those 2 gifs in a row, best laugh I've had all day

 

[Raghar]

BTW all these reviewers that are just playing legend difficulty are in reality playing easy mode. Release legend difficulty should be a bit harder.

 

[Zeriel]

BTW all these reviewers that are just playing legend difficulty are in reality playing easy mode. Release legend difficulty should be a bit harder.

I remain skeptical.

 

[Zombra]

All these intertwining mechanics forced you to stick to the same plan in every playthrough on higher difficulty levels and that seemed like bad design to me. Did any of that improve in this one?

Yes

So I wanted to elaborate on this a little (I was in a hurry before).

You still have just one (flying) base. The buildable area is actually smaller. Adjacency bonuses are gone (which means more construction flexibility). You will pretty much just build one of each type of lab. The order you build in is up to you. Satellites are no longer a thing so "Satellite Rush" is no longer a win button. You will also be flying around the globe to do stuff. Recruit guys here or pick up supplies there or set up a comm station here, kind of thing. Lots of choices based on what you want to focus on each game day.

There are also "Dark Events" which represent stuff the aliens are doing that you have to deal with. These are randomized and you will need to decide how to respond to them. As in the previous game, you can't counter everything at once, but the decision will be much more impactful than "Save doods in China or save doods in Australia?" Examples given include things like the aliens researching better armor which will impact all future battles, or cracking down on XCOM recruitment, doubling your new rookie costs. So maybe you want to stop one or the other, or build your weapons lab quicker to deal with better armor, or recruit a bunch of guys faster to offset future penalties ... or take the opposite approach and build better weapons so you don't need new rookies and recruitment costs don't matter. And remember all this stuff is supposed to be random so there is no "One True Build Order" that fits every playthrough.

That's the theory, anyway; it sounds like a huge improvement to me.

 

[NotAGolfer]

Sounds intriguing. I'll bite and buy it.
Didn't want just a reskin of the first remake, since imo that Long War mod did anything but improve the game (1.13 had a similar effect on me for JA2 btw, I like the base game more) so I don't trust in "mods will fix it".

Problem solved. Carry on, conductor.

 

[Outlander]

Zombra is the Conductor of the hype train.

Inb4 a mob of maniacs start yelling at him that they HAVE A PROBLEM on release day.

Never preorder anything. ANYTHING.

 

[Alienman]

Steam preorder is fine. Play the game less than two-hours. If it is broken, just do the refund-dance. If you buy it from any other site though, that might be a bit more dangerous.

And yeah, you get that damn dlc bonus thingy without any risk.

 

[Zombra]

9PM, oh shit, I gotta get home and get that preload started

 

[Disgruntled]

Zone 1, but do I want to sleep in and play it rested or wake up at 5am for the smug satisfaction of getting it early. Decisions decisions...

 

[FuriousGamer87]

Zone 1. So anyone want to volunteer for my initial kamikaze emperor squad?

 

[Zeriel]

There's a lot of Crocodile Dundee types around here it seems.

 

[Zombra]

So anyone want to volunteer for my initial kamikaze emperor squad?

Of course, but I'd prefer if you waited a few hours so I can upload my official version for use in your character pool

 

[Zeriel]

I recommend finding the biggest anti-nigger specialists on GD and making them in XCOM 2 as black soldiers, then flooding Codex with screencaps.