XCOM: Enemy Unknown

              

This article is about the 2012 video game by Firaxis Games. For the 1994 video game also known as X-COM: Enemy Unknown, see UFO: Enemy Unknown. For the upcoming tactical shooter developed by 2K Marin, see XCOM.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Developer(s)	Firaxis Games
Publisher(s)	2K Games
Producer(s)	Garth DeAngelis Pete Murray
Designer(s)	Jake Solomon
Artist(s)	Greg Foertsch
Composer(s)	Roland Rizzo Michael McCann
Series	X-COM
Engine	Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release date(s)	NA October 9, 2012 EU October 12, 2012 AUS October 12, 2012
Genre(s)	Turn-based tactics Tactical role-playing Strategy
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Media/distribution	Optical disc, download

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a turn-based tactics tactical role-playing strategy video game developed by Firaxis Games for publisher 2K Games, released on October 9, 2012, in North America and three days later on October 12 in Europe and Australia for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game is a "reimagined" remake of the 1994 classic strategy game UFO: Enemy Unknown. The game returns to the roots of the X-COM series, differentiating it from the previously announced shooter XCOM by 2K Marin.
Set in the near future following an alien invasion of earth, XCOM puts the player in control of an elite multinational military organisation called XCOM, which is tasked with defending the Earth against the alien incursion. The player commands troops in the field in a series of turn-based tactical missions; between missions, the player directs the research and development of new technologies from recovered alien technology and captured prisoners, expands XCOM's base of operations, manages XCOM's finances, and monitors alien activity.

Plot

The game is set in the near future, as a global alien invasion begins. Prior to the start of the game, a group of countries called the Council of Nations has banded together to create XCOM, the most elite military and scientific organization in the history of mankind, tasked with defending them from the alien incursion. The player assumes the role of the commander of XCOM, and proceeds to engage in a war against an extraterrestrial enemy with overwhelming technological superiority.

 

  

 

   Gameplay

Much like its predecessor, XCOM: Enemy Unknown casts the player as the commander of an elite military organization. As commander, the player directs his or her soldiers in turn-based combat missions against alien enemies; between missions, the player directs the organisation's research and engineering divisions in creating new technologies and improving XCOM's base of operations, and manages the organisation's finances.

The turn-based ground combat uses an isometric 3D perspective. The player controls a squad of between four and six human soldiers or robotic units as they hunt the aliens on the map and attempt to complete other objectives dependant on the mission. Fog of war hides the aliens and their actions from view until the player's soldiers are in range and have line of sight on them. Soldiers can carry items and learn special abilities as they gain combat experience. Use of these items and abilities is controlled through a toolbar on the HUD and can include waiting for enemies to emerge and then firing on them automatically, launching explosives, healing allies, and more. Soldiers can take cover behind walls and objects in the environment to gain a measure of protection. Units can use suppressive fire to disadvantage enemies and use active camouflage to maneuver around enemies. Cutscenes and dynamic camera movements emphasise particularly exciting gameplay moments, such as kills and use of special abilities.

The game includes some tactical RPG elements, whereby the player's soldiers can gain new abilities as they survive more battles. Psionic combat from the original is retained. Some gameplay features of the 1994 original have been removed or adapted. The time units system, the always-visible grid map and the inventory system of the original have been removed. The initial mission phase of disembarking from the transport has also been removed - missions now begin with troops deployed outside the craft. Map layouts are not randomly generated, but enemy placement is. Elements of the tactical gameplay were described in some previews as similar to Valkyria Chronicles and Silent Storm.

The game's strategy element occurs between missions. XCOM's underground headquarters is presented in a view dubbed the "ant farm". From this view, the player manages construction, manufacturing and research projects underway, and directs how the scientists and engineers use resources recovered from missions and receieved from XCOM's sponsors. A holographic view of the Earth called the "Geoscape" allows the player to keep track of the situation around the world, ordering their aircraft to intercept UFOs and dispatching soldiers to engage aliens on the ground. The "ant farm" also allows the player to observe their soldiers relaxing or exercising at the base's gym.

A memorial wall to soldiers killed in action is also viewable.Unlike the 1994 original, only one XCOM base exists, the location of which is chosen at the beginning of the game. Passive bonuses are provided depending on which continent the player locates their base. The player widens their ability to detect alien activity by launching satellites and positioning them over territories of interest.
Although there are some differences in the interface between platforms, unlike other games such as Firaxis' Civilization Revolution, the content is not simplified for the console versions. The PC version features a mouse-driven UI and "the ability for modability". The game also features a multiplayer mode for one-on-one tactical battles. Players spend a predefined points budget on assembling a squad of up to six humans, aliens, or a mixture of both. Human units are customizable in terms of weaponry, armor and gadgets. A simplified version of the single-player perk system is also present. Alien units may not be customized but possess the abilities of corresponding aliens types in the single player mode of the game.

Development

System requirements
Minimum Recommended Microsoft Windows Operating system Windows Vista or Windows 7 CPU 2 GHz dual core or better 2.4 GHz dual core or better Memory 2 GB RAM 4GB RAM Hard drive space 20 GB hard drive space Graphics hardware NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT or ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT NVIDIA GeForce 9000 series or ATI Radeon HD 3000 series Sound hardware DirectX compatible sound card

The game went into development in early 2008 as a "very, very big budget" project with about 50-60 team members. Its prototype was actually a quite straighforward remake of the original 1994 game with all the classic gameplay features. The game subsequently went through many revisions, with adding, testing and removing features to create the end result. XCOM: Enemy Unknown was officially revealed on January 5, 2012 by Game Informer.
Enemy Unknown was developed independently of 2K Marin's XCOM and the two games are set in entirely different universes, but the developers of both games have been in contact with one another. It is also the first title developed by Firaxis Games not to feature Sid Meier's name, who served as the director of creative development but was not directly involved in its development day to day. They also made a internal board game to help get the "feel" of the game right.

The interface team was split into halves to develop separate GUIs for the PC and console releases. Jake Solomon was the game's lead designer and Greg Foertsch was art director.

All members of the development team have played and finished the original Enemy Unknown game - they were required to do so if they had not already when they joined the team.Roland Rizzo, who has been working with the X-COM series since the beginning, became the audio lead for the game and was tasked with reimagining and updating the famous music score of the original game.

 Michael McCann, composer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution was also involved in creating the game's score. The Civilization series' art director Foertsch was given the task of reimagining the look of X-COM, including redesigning the classic alien species. The aim was to have the characters resemble action figures and resulted in a stylized, bright, flat-textured look.

Video

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