Post by auntym on Mar 6, 2012 13:48:15 GMT -6
www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/892298-xcom-enemy-unknown-preview-and-interview-ufo-conspiracy
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown preview and interview - UFO conspiracy
Is the classic alien invasion game finally getting the update it deserves? GameCentral sees the new XCOM in action and talks to its lead designer.
Gerry Anderson
XCOM: Enemy Unknown - no sign of Mulder and Scully
Turn-based strategy games are not generally the sort of game to engender much enthusiasm with ordinary gamers. Even the likes of Civilization and Advance Wars are enjoyed by only a very specific crowd of fans, but back in the early PS one days XCOM managed to defy marketing logic and become a genuine mainstream hit. And now it's back.
This is not the action strategy game announced several years ago, which was recently delayed until 2013. Instead it's something much closer to the original PC and Amiga game of the '90s. Civilization developer Firaxis are making the game, and we were recently treated to a brief, but very instructive, hands-off demo.
The most immediately surprising thing about this XCOM is that it's both highly reminiscent of the original and yet visually the graphics are surprisingly impressive. The default camera angle is an isometric view that will be familiar to anyone that played the original games but when selecting individual soldiers, or showing them in action, the game uses a variety of very cinematic camera angles.
There were only four soldiers in the demo we saw, as they turn up at a petrol station that seems to be overrun by alien Greys (or Sectoids if you know your XCOM lore). Much more than the original game each soldier has a very different set of weapons and abilities and the first command given is to get the heavy weapons specialist in place and suppressing the Sectoids behind a parked car.
Again the detail of the graphics is very impressive, with a spray of minigun fire perforating the car and causing the aliens to duck behind it. The sniper then grapples his way onto the roof of the petrol station, as a female soldier tries to draw the Sectoid's fire by combat-rolling between cover.
Although you could easily mistake it for an action game if you only saw a few seconds of footage all of this is controlled as a turn-based strategy game. Each soldier can move only a set number of squares (hexes we believe actually, although they're never shown) each turn before performing an action. But the onscreen cursor clearly indicates what they'll be able to do if they move to a specific spot, including how much cover it gives.
CONTINUE READING: www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/892298-xcom-enemy-unknown-preview-and-interview-ufo-conspiracy#ixzz1oMqL7bIt
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown preview and interview - UFO conspiracy
Is the classic alien invasion game finally getting the update it deserves? GameCentral sees the new XCOM in action and talks to its lead designer.
Gerry Anderson
XCOM: Enemy Unknown - no sign of Mulder and Scully
Turn-based strategy games are not generally the sort of game to engender much enthusiasm with ordinary gamers. Even the likes of Civilization and Advance Wars are enjoyed by only a very specific crowd of fans, but back in the early PS one days XCOM managed to defy marketing logic and become a genuine mainstream hit. And now it's back.
This is not the action strategy game announced several years ago, which was recently delayed until 2013. Instead it's something much closer to the original PC and Amiga game of the '90s. Civilization developer Firaxis are making the game, and we were recently treated to a brief, but very instructive, hands-off demo.
The most immediately surprising thing about this XCOM is that it's both highly reminiscent of the original and yet visually the graphics are surprisingly impressive. The default camera angle is an isometric view that will be familiar to anyone that played the original games but when selecting individual soldiers, or showing them in action, the game uses a variety of very cinematic camera angles.
There were only four soldiers in the demo we saw, as they turn up at a petrol station that seems to be overrun by alien Greys (or Sectoids if you know your XCOM lore). Much more than the original game each soldier has a very different set of weapons and abilities and the first command given is to get the heavy weapons specialist in place and suppressing the Sectoids behind a parked car.
Again the detail of the graphics is very impressive, with a spray of minigun fire perforating the car and causing the aliens to duck behind it. The sniper then grapples his way onto the roof of the petrol station, as a female soldier tries to draw the Sectoid's fire by combat-rolling between cover.
Although you could easily mistake it for an action game if you only saw a few seconds of footage all of this is controlled as a turn-based strategy game. Each soldier can move only a set number of squares (hexes we believe actually, although they're never shown) each turn before performing an action. But the onscreen cursor clearly indicates what they'll be able to do if they move to a specific spot, including how much cover it gives.
CONTINUE READING: www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/892298-xcom-enemy-unknown-preview-and-interview-ufo-conspiracy#ixzz1oMqL7bIt