X-COM (Video Game): Difference between revisions

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The brainchild of Julian Gollop and other assorted Microprose personnel, ''UFO: Enemy Unknown'' was a strategy game produced in 1993 and unleashed upon the European gaming public. A year later, it jumped the pond to grace American players as ''X-COM: UFO Defense'', since there was a naming rights conflict with an obscure 1989 flight sim by subLOGIC called ''UFO''.

By either name, ''X-COM'' puts the player in command of an e'''X'''traterrestrial '''COM'''bat unit charged with protecting Earth from an alien threat, managing resources and researching captured technology in the process. The hybrid of [[Real Time Strategy]] (improving X-COM's overall condition and catching [[Flying Saucer|UFOs]] as they land - or crashing them yourself) and [[Tactical Turn Based|Turn Based Tactics]] (exploring crash sites, stopping terror attacks, and defending and assaulting bases) quickly won the hearts of the gaming public.

 

 

Not to say the ''X-COM'' legacy is a solo act, however. While Gollop's team set to work on ''X-COM: Apocalypse'', an in-house crew at Microprose beat him to the punch with ''X-COM: Terror From The Deep'' in 1995, a [[Mission Pack Sequel]] created to satiate player demand for more alien-assaulting action. ''Apocalypse'' hit the shelves in 1997, to mixed reviews due to its [[Art Shift]] into pseudo-3D futuristic graphics and the clunkiness of a newly-introduced real-time option for playing missions. The last days of Microprose (and its acquisition by Hasbro Interactive) saw ''X-COM'' trying to get back on its feet with two [[Genre Shift|Genre Shifted]] offerings: ''X-COM: Interceptor'' (1998) kept the base management elements while swapping out the strategy missions for space-bound [[Simulation Game|Flight Simulator]] action, while ''X-COM: Enforcer'' (2001) ditched the strategy part outright to make a [[First Person Shooter]] running parallel to the timeline of ''UFO Defense''. Sadly, neither had the mystique of their ancestors, and are often [[Canon Discontinuity|shunted away from canon]] due to the [[Unexpected Gameplay Change]] (and in the case of ''Enforcer'', being awful).

The fandom's response to the reboot announcement was heavy enough that Firaxis Games (a subsidiary of 2K) announced ''XCOM: Enemy Unknown'', a new strategy entry in the series developed by Firaxis Games(Devs of Civ 5). [[And the Fandom Rejoiced]]! It was released with great anticipation on October 9, 2012. It was received well enough to receive an expansion pack, called ''XCOM: Enemy Within'', which featured an expanded roster of human and alien units and technologies, as well as EXALT, a treasonous human faction. First-glance description: aping the "fancy" shooters with bells and whistles, Achievements, DLC, and graphics with pointless glowy bits, but game mechanics made in a solid style resembling ''[[Only War]]'' adapted for X-Com setting.

 

 

 

{{tropelist|Not Enough Trope Units!}}

** Not necessarily true with human soldiers, depending on whether the player has the officers on the battlefield getting exercise along with the other soldiers or leaves their muscles to atrophy in the back of the Skyranger.

* [[Awesome but Impractical]]: Several weapons and base components, either due to how easily their replacements can be researched or by being [[Nerf]]ed by the game mechanics.

** The Griffon Tank in Apocalypse: Huge, has a BFG. Awesome stats for something you can get at the start... but because of a coding decision, will be destroyed if the road under it gets damaged, no matter what its current health is.

** Rocket/Torpedo/Missile launchers. While precise and powerful, one aimed shot in two turns or one snapshot and reload each turn doesn't look so great when you have a weapon with explosive damage ''and'' decent rate of fire - and grenades.

* [[Chest Burster]]: Chryssalids and Tentaculats.

* [[The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard]]: Most prevalent in ''UFO Defense'', where aliens don't suffer from Fatal Wounds unless they were inflicted under previous mind control, magically know the entire map (and your soldiers' positions) after Turn 20, and can target any of your soldiers as soon as just one is in visual range (particularly rage-inducing with Ethereals' psi-spamming).

*** Thus making that poor bastard a [[Mind Rape]] [[Unwitting Pawn]].

*** The aliens were also capable (in ''TFTD'', and presumably ''UFO Defense'') of hiding in squares that were in [[Fog of War|line-of-sight.]] Finding a lobster man three squares away with a blaster launcher just outside the final room of T'leth is an unpleasant surprise. When the discovery takes place because it rotated where you could see it after you'd specifically [[Failed a Spot Check|looked in that corner...]]

*** If you don't eventually go for the [[Big Bad]] in ''TFTD'', alien bases will start to proliferate faster than you can keep up with them.

**** This is the whole point: you are fighting a losing war against superior technology. If you do not exploit their weak point by finding the [[Big Bad]], the enemy will become stronger and stronger until you have no chance of survival. This is done on purpose.

* [[Earthshattering Kaboom]]: ''Interceptor'''s Nova Bomb is designed to take out a star and everything orbiting it (a lower-level Class X-2 on the [[Apocalypse How]] scale).

** Blaster Bombs could certainly count, as well as Cyberdiscs, particularly when chain reactions are caused. But as we already know, they're [[Made of Explodium]].

*** "Modernized" features: key binding, AI improvements, graphics improvements (you can choose scaling level and method, also better globe lighting), visual elements (e.g. displaying TUs for path before walking and adjusted accuracy).

*** Depending on the version, ranges from [[Game Mod|mod]]-friendly (1.0 release) to very mod-friendly ("Nightly" betas) - which among the other things allows more fixes (like "[[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|Aliens Pick Up Weapons]]" mod fixing the old design oversight).

** Commercial ones include and are not limited to the [[UFO: After Blank]] series, the [http://ufo.ufo-extraterrestrials.com/ UFO: Extraterrestrials] [http://www.ufo2extraterrestrials.com/ series], and ''[[Xenonauts]]''.

* [[Field Promotion]]: Your soldiers in general can earn promotions quickly in combat. That is, if they survive at all.

** EXALT in ''Enemy Unknown'' is this, partly because of the clandestine black market network they use to fund themselves.

* [[Player Headquarters]]: Though there is no HQ in the strict sense once you have multiple bases, the cost and time associated with building bases and the subsequent maintenance fees will make the first starter (and already developed) base your main base of operations.

* [[Powered Armor]]: Later armor suits in ''UFO Defense'' (and the whole lot of 'em in ''Apocalypse'') use Elerium-115 to power shielding, muscle enhancers, and the occasional flight module. Flight and protection are the only benefits; armour has no bearing on a soldier's strength or other stats (the muscle enhancers are just [[Informed Ability|fluff that indicates a lack of weight-related decrease in soldier performance]]).

* [[Power Crutch]]: The PsiAmps and their variations that enable X-COM soldiers to use psychic powers.

** One-robot Zerg Rush is probably the best way to play Enforcer, as it lets you get those research points.

** You can take down the largest UFOs in ''Apocalypse'' using the smallest flyer available: Hoverbike, preferably with upgraded engines. They are practically impossible to hit. [[Star Wars|Worked for the Rebels.]] The city catches most missed shots, however.

 

== UFO Defense/Enemy Unknown (1993) ==

** Lobstermen: While even the alien's own Sonic Cannons can barely scratch them, they are surprisingly vulnerable to both melee attack and thermal weapons - if you haven't got the [[This Is a Drill|Vibro Blade]] line of research opened up yet, make sure you pack some Thermal Tazers and/or Thermal Shok Bombs.

** Triscenes: They can take some Sonic Cannon punishment, but its non-existent underside armor means a single cheap magna-blast grenade thrown under it will most often kill it.

 

 

* [[Blob Monster]]: Micronoid Aggregates.

* [[Cult]]: The Cult of Sirius, who believe that the Aliens are the saviors of humanity.

* [[Decapitated Army]]: Averted, you have to destroy the entire alien infrastructure to win.

* [[Deflector Shields]]: Disruptor Shields, for both individuals and vehicles.

* [[Fun with Acronyms]]: The fact that a robots' rights group in ''Apocalypse'' would call itself the "Sentient Engine Liberation Front" clearly indicates that they deserve more credit than they're given.

* [[Guns Akimbo]]: The Real Time combat mode allowed this - oddly, turn-based did not; carrying two guns penalized accuracy and only let you fire one at a time. Whilst troopers suffer (sometimes considerable) accuracy penalties for dual-wielding certain large weapons, it's quite feasible to use two autocannons at once if one so chooses. With a [[Game Mod|bit of tweaking]] for fully automatic fire and large magazines, you really have to be careful with that Explosive and Incendiary ammo.

* [[Invisibility]]: The Personal cloaking field.

* [[Just Before the End]]: The aliens invade from a doomed, volcanic planet in another dimension where most other life has been scorched away by the local star's supernova.

*** Actually, Entropy Guns are completely useless against anyone with a working disruptor shield.. which your troops should be carrying three each by the time you start selling Entropy Guns. Unless you swap one of them out for the Cloaking Shield (when you get it) of course, which is recommended.

* [[Weird Trade Union]]: The various organizations supply their respective goods and personnel to X-COM. Fail to protect them from aliens or just piss them off, and they will stop making business with you.

 

== Interceptor ==

 

== XCOM Reboot ==

* [[Blob Monster]]: The black goo.

* [[Code Emergency]]: The InfiniVac Network from ''Project: Enemy Unknown'' was on "Code Black Lockdown" for quite some time. {{spoiler|1=This may have been related to a possible alien attack on a Russian defector and an XCOM agent who was escorting him; according to the information that was available on the InfiniVac Network, their remains bore evidence that they might have been killed by the black blobs seen in the 2010 E3 trailer.}}

== XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012) ==

* [[All Your Base Are Belong to Us]]: {{spoiler|The aliens attempt to pull this off on XCOM HQ, as you try to stop them.}}

* [[Altum Videtur]]: XCOM's motto, ''Vigilo, Confido.''

* [[Apocalyptic Log]]: Do poorly, and the Situation Room feed will eventually end up looking like this, as panic and chaos spreads around the world from the aliens.

* [[Cybernetics Eat Your Soul]]: Dr. Shen, XCOM's chief engineer, suspects that the Floaters are suffering this. In addition, he wonders whether incorporating the aliens' cybernetic technology on humans would consume them all.

** The Floaters, a partially-robotic alien type derived from Mutons, are suspected by Dr. Vahlen to have been turned that way against their will.

* [[Do Not Go Gentle]]: In some countries with high panic or otherwise on the verge of pulling out from XCOM, it's mentioned that some politicians, militia and other national factions won't go down without fighting against the aliens, however futile it may be.

* [[Dueling Games]]: With ''[[Xenonauts]]'', although [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/05/05/firaxis-on-xcom-vs-xenonauts-optional-kill-cam/#more-107061 Jake Solomon is cordial about the competition.]

* [[Redshirt Army]]: The XCOM HQ security that you have command over {{spoiler|during a surprise attack by the aliens on XCOM HQ itself}}. Even compared to rookies, their sole purpose it seems is to serve as easily panicked cannon fodder, buying just enough time for your well-trained squad to get the job done. Though those security personnel who ''do'' manage to get promoted tend to join the more distinguished ranks.

* [[Running the Asylum]]: A meta example. The developers are all fans of the original games given a shot at their own take on the series. Despite concerns that the resulting product would suffer as a result, ''it worked.''

* [[Shout-Out]]: To [[Gerry Anderson]]'s ''[[UFO]]'' TV show (which largely inspired the original X-COM): while the player is at HQ, Bradford may make a comment about picking up a transmission from "somebody calling himself Ed Straker going on about 'shadow operatives'."

* [[Spy Satellites]]: Used to search for UFOs outside of your main base's radar coverage. They also serve as reassurances to Council nations under their coverage, giving XCOM additional funding and bonuses in the process.

* [[Deep-Cover Agent]]: How EXALT agents managed to elude XCOM and the Council prior to their discovery. XCOM can also send in a soldier to go undercover in an EXALT cell in order to either retrieve valuable data or undermine its operations.

* [[Everyone Has Standards]]: Dr. Vahlen, for all her obsessions with [[For Science!|SCIENCE]], balks at the excessive lengths EXALT go to genetically augment its agents.

* [[Foil]]: EXALT, which serve as this to both the Council (being a secretive organization seeking to [[Take Over the World]]) and XCOM (given how it intends to use the aliens' technologies and abilities for their own ends). {{spoiler|Even EXALT's HQ is meant to be this for XCOM's base of operations, looking like an upscale if decadent corporate office suite.}}

* [[Gratuitous Foreign Language]]: Foreign language voice tracks are introduced to further emphasize the [[Multinational Team]] aspect of XCOM, such as French, German, Polish and Russian.

** By the late-game however, this evolves into sleek curves and more naturalistic styles.

* [[Airborne Aircraft Carrier]]: The ''Avenger,'' XCOM's new and mobile base of operations. Though technically, it's an old alien supply vessel from the events of ''Enemy Unknown/Within'' that's been heavily modified.

* [[Alternate Universe]]: {{spoiler|An Ethereal with a differently colored aura implies that these exist, including those where XCOM ''won'' in ''Enemy Unknown/Within.''}}

* [[And I Must Scream]]: It's strongly implied that the Commander has been heavily experimented on by ADVENT and the aliens {{spoiler|while being held in captivity for decades}}.

** The titular Chosen in ''War of the Chosen'' are a trio of highly skilled alien siblings who are sent in by the Elders to take down XCOM and any serious threat to them.

* [[Cerebus Retcon]]: Played with. While the game follows the bad ending of EU/EW, effectively rendering your efforts there moot, it also strongly implies that any successful missions and victorious campaigns players had there {{spoiler|are little more than mental simulations in the Commander's head, [[Deconstruction|which ADVENT's been using for decades to better hone its own forces]] until XCOM finally saves the Commander.}}

* [[Complacent Gaming Syndrome]]: Averted. The introduction of turn-limited missions, more varied foes and smarter enemy tactics are intended to prevent you from playing the same way and encourage different approaches.

* [[Crap Saccharine World]]: The united ADVENT-run world is on the surface rather pleasant and utopian...so long as you keep in line, stay in the refurnished cities and are otherwise not a target for the aliens' myriad abductions.

* [[For Science!]]: Dr. Tygan doesn't particularly approve of Dr. Vahlen's more brute methods. But even he admits that there's a thrill in working under the tense conditions XCOM tends to operate under.

* [[Game Mod]]: The game is stated to be very moddable, with a number of mods already in development and some expected to come out the day of release thanks to the toolkit made readily available.

* [[Generation Xerox]]: Dr. Shen's daughter, An-Yi/"Lily" Shen, serves as XCOM's new chief engineer.

* [[Glamour Failure]]: The Thin Men are still around, and much more human in their looks and actions [[Villain with Good Publicity|for the sake of PR]], if the ADVENT Speaker is anything to go by. On the other hand, their reptilian skin is still visible and they still have to don sunglasses. But by the time ''XCOM 2'' takes place, it's not as big of a concern given that the aliens had already won; the role they used to play on the battlefield has been taken up by the Viper, who are what the Thin Men were prior to their modification.

* [[Interface Screw]]: If there are large units like Sectopods nearby, their hulking movements will cause the game interface itself to start glitching up. A large enough explosion or demolition nearby can also mess with the interface.

* [[It's Up to You]]: Justified. After 20 years, XCOM is the ''only'' organization humanity still has that could really be described as a military force. And while the Resistance does its part, it still falls on XCOM, being mankind's first - and last - line of defence to lead the fight.

** The ''War of the Chosen'' expansion introduces three specific, independent Resistance factions.

*** The Reapers

** A number of the missions given by the Resistance involves capturing or killing certain VIPs that happen be ''actual'' human collaborators working with ADVENT.

* [[Light Is Not Good]]:

** ADVENT Shieldbearers wear white versions of their standard armor, but can make life hell by buffing up other enemies with extra shielding.

* [[Losing the Team Spirit]]: The deaths of even one of your soldiers on the field can cause any comrades-in-arms nearby to panic, momentarily losing control in the process.

** In addition to the upgraded Sectopod for the aliens, ADVENT has access to its own MEC troopers, which are implied to be based on what XCOM had back in ''Enemy Within'' but otherwise completely unmanned.

** The ''Shen's Last Gift'' DLC introduces the SPARK class, allowing XCOM to create its own answer to ADVENT's MECs.

* [[More Than Mind Control]]: As aliens' communications network is partially psionic in nature, it's implied that this is how ADVENT manages to [[Villain With Good Publicity|maintain its propaganda virtually unchallenged]] despite the Resistance's efforts. {{spoiler|Until XCOM rigs said network to broadcast the truth.}}

* [[Multinational Team]]: Further highlighted this time around, especially given how XCOM members still display their heritage and even their national flags in defiance to ADVENT.

* [[Omniscient Council of Vagueness]]: The Council, or what's left of it, has long since succumbed to ADVENT. There are still those on the inside however who are trying to support the Resistance. The Informant in particular, previously the Council's spokesman, serves as XCOM's main contact to what's going on within ADVENT.

* [[One World Order]]/[[Vichy Earth]]: ADVENT, which has "unified" the world and rules it on behalf of its alien masters.

* [[Post Apunkalyptic Armor]]: The ''Anarchy's Children'' DLC provides customization options that can make soldiers look the part.

* [[Posthumous Character]]: Dr. Shen in the ''Shen's Last Gift'' DLC. Subverted however with Dr. Vahlen in ''Alien Hunters'' {{spoiler|as it's strongly implied that she's still alive somewhere}}.

* [[Punch Clock Villain]]: Dr. Tygan used to be this, previously being a scientist working for ADVENT. He initially believed in the PR and was astounded by the scientific and career opportunities being provided, having been assigned to one of the first gene clinics after "Unification"...until he saw for himself what was really going on.

* [[Race Against the Clock]]: Taking too long, doing too poorly or otherwise failing to stop vital enemy operations like blacksites would allow ADVENT and its alien masters to complete a mysterious programme called the "Avatar Project," although it's possible to "turn back" progress by completing certain missions or blowing up ADVENT facilities. Many in-game missions as well, such as retrieving VIPs or extracting intel are "timed" to a limited number of turns, forcing you to act more decisively.

* [[Random Event]]: In addition to the various missions, side-objectives and world events, there are "Dark Events." These are random ADVENT penalties like additional enemies, faster progress on the Avatar Project or lower income. Which in turn can be countered by completing certain missions.

** It's mentioned that Dr. Shen in EU/EW was Taiwanese and that Dr. Vahlen's first name is Moira.

** In-verse, the Archives mention that XCOM Project was established by the Council in 1993, originally as a contingency in the event of an [[Alien Invasion]], seemingly writing off the events of ''The Bureau: XCOM Declassified.'' {{spoiler|Given how the endings of ''The Bureau'' all point to the organization being expunged from most records, it's justified.}}

* [[Ruins of the Modern Age]]:

** The decaying, overgrown remains of modern-day buildings, facilities and whole settlements still litter areas that ADVENT had largely abandoned to the elements and its blacksite operations. In-game lore suggests that there are still some people struggling to hide in such ruins away from ADVENT and the aliens.

** Played with in the ADVENT facility in the ''Shen's Last Gift'' DLC, as it was built around 20 years earlier and had been seemingly abandoned for about as long. While it looks dilapidated, the lights are still more-or-less on and the place's automated defense system is still active if rusty.

* [[Self-Imposed Challenge]]: It's possible to complete at least certain missions or battles with one soldier, and in some cases, without being detected.

* [[Sequel Difficulty Spike]]: Playing this game in the same way as in ''XCOM: EU/EW'' isn't recommended, due to the general toughness of enemies as well as more constrained turn limits.

* [[Sequel Hook]]: {{spoiler|By the end, even as ADVENT begins to crumble, the Ethereals drop vague hints to the Commander of another threat. In addition, there are more than a few hints that Dr. Vahlen is still out there, working on ''something''.}}

* [[Serial Escalation]]: XCOM's arsenal is decidedly beefier and grows increasingly overpowered over the course of the game. This is balanced out however by ADVENT and the aliens being ''even more'' powerful.

* [[Sibling Rivalry]]: ''War of the Chosen'' reveals that the titular Chosen, while following the commands and seeking the favor of the Elders, ''hate'' each other.

* [[Spiritual Successor]]: Of sorts to ''X-COM Apocalypse,'' given the similar premise.

** Averted by the Skirmishers in ''War of the Chosen''. Although they're former ADVENT soldiers, they've renounced even the use of their [[Starfish Language]], though they're still shown to have a tendency to slide into [[Poirot Speak]].

* [[Stealth-Based Mission]]: Most deployments usually begin with "concealment," allowing your soldiers to move about undetected and even set up ambushes on unsuspecting foes. At least, so long as they don't make noise or get within sight of enemies.

* [[Super Prototype]]: Played with in the case of ADVENT Stun Lancers. According to the backstory, they're the first to be deployed by ADVENT following the formal "unification" of Earth and thus don't have the same degree of alien enhancement as their later-generation counterparts. On the other hand, they're physically stronger, owing to their original purpose of crowd control by brute force.

** For XCOM in particular, Shen can develop prototype gear, be it armor or weapons, that are unique and decidedly powerful. The catch being that only one prototype or special weapon/armor can be made at any given time. Meaning that on average, only a relative handful of your soldiers can equip them and if they're left behind they're [[Lost Forever]].

** On the other hand, fail a mission or ignore a request, and the Resistance forces in a region will go dark, prompting XCOM to once more seek them out and regain their trust.

** Averted within XCOM, though. While Bradford, Tygan and Shen won't call you out for poor performance, they noticeably grow more disillusioned, shaken and hopeless.

* [[Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters]]: XCOM's new function is to run around causing trouble for the alien government. Whether it's terrorism or fighting for freedom is a matter of interpretation.

 

 

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[[Category:The Nineties]]

[[Category:Turn Based Tactics]]

[[Category:Video Game]]

[[Category:Microsoft Windows]]