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XCOM 2 review
by Max Savenkov

A worthy successor to the new X-Com. The sequel doesn't bring much new to the table, aside from "more realistic" physics (read this as "you can crash the second floor on the heads of your soldiers if you're not careful"), but just having a new story and some new enemies and abilities is enough for me.


The time-limit imposed by Avatar project was a little annoying, but on the normal difficulty, it's actually not that hard to beat. The same goes for time-limits in missions: many people disliked them, but I never had much problem, even though I'm not a very good player.

Other reviews9

First things first. This game is strictly for the hardcore strategy enthusiasts, so if you're into adventure and FPS's then you may not enjoy it as much as I did.
You start as a commander of a small crew fighting against an alien invasion. You have to keep your soldiers in check, upgrade them and promote them, assign them unique abilities, research new facilities and technologies, maintain your mothership, contact different regions on the globe for missions, and make sure that you don't run out of time and attack the alien headquarter before their plan is executed.
Now for the game. It started as a boring, seemingly redundant game with too little help on how to plan for future (but that's the point, right?!) but over time, I didn't even notice how hooked up I was.
The gameplay is complex as well as simple. Complex because you have to plan on Strategic level, Tactical level, and Operational level. Yes, ALL 3 levels of war planning. The simplicity is within each level. You may win battles, but with wrong strategy lose the war, and I'm talking about just Medium level.
As far as the gameplay is concerned, it's quite unique and I haven't come across any game so distinct. Maybe the closest example is commandos 3. The graphics are not bad at all, special effects don't seem to be overdone.
The reasons for not calling it exceptional are minor. A glitch here and there, some lags on explosions, occasional crashes and blank screens, sometimes a mission is buggy and ends up as a failure.
Overall, a really enjoyable experience.
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«Blew my mind»
«Can’t stop playing»
Fun gameplay, great character creation. Really a lot of good stuff here, and I don't even like turn based combat
The most played game in my Steam Library. Mods make it so replayable.
«Blew my mind»
«Just one more turn»
I enjoyed XCOM 2 more than any other XCOM game. This game is fun and challenging. It’s a unique gaming experience as I havnt played any games similar to this style. I don’t care about the story. I just care about the strategy. There is a lot of strategy in this game though.

Final Score: A-
It took a couple of tries to get into XCOM2, but it turns out I really like it! I skip all the cut scenes, because the story isn’t that great and none of the characters are particularly sympathetic, but the game itself is very engrossing and addictive. One part is the squad-based, turn-based, tactical combat and the other part is the management of your ship, gear and units, and the exploration of the world map. It can be very frustrating when the odds are against you (literally, when your shots miss, despite a 92% hit chance), but it can also be fun when you have to scramble after you missed that crucial shot. 

Edit: Oh and I actually preferred playing with a controller over playing with mouse and keyboard!

Edit 2: Loading times are quite long. 
Translated by
Microsoft from Deutsch
"Good Luck, Commander!" Three Words I miss for a long Time and have now fully tasted them. I've now played through the Game with all its Extensions and I'm more than happy with the Result. It's a Game that's really not easy and second to none. Saving The World is a Challenge and that's what it feels like. The best Soldiers die for their World, Missions fail or you get to a Mission too late ... KONSEQUENZ is a top priority here and that's a good thing! The Game repeatedly forces you to make difficult Decisions, which always persists in the Form of small or large Consequences for the unelected Decisions. This applies not only to decisions outside the Missions, but also to the Missions themselves. Not just once did I have to sacrifice or leave behind one of my Soldiers for the others to escape. It pains and does a Distress to have to see a senior Officer die or leave him behind. All the more it is happy to want the Aliens even more in the ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ step up! Original Game: Has succeeded very well. I do not like the future Time and its Surroundings as much as from the first Part, where everything is still playing in our Time, but I think that it has succeeded very well and brings it over well. The Environment, the Characters, the Story and the little Feutures, such as the expansion of the Ship, Have succeeded really well. Game Fun is preserved for a long time and even motivates you to play the Game again at a more difficult Level. Just top! Totally recommended!!! DLC Shen's last Gift: Has succeeded very well. One examines a Tower where in the End a new Class waits for one, which you can use in the entire Game from now on. The Story itself is also very interesting, although unfortunately a bit short. Too bad I also found it that there were too few alternative Weapons, Armor or Items for the new Class. The old Classes feel much more innovative. Nevertheless, it is a great Extension that I can even recommend! It complements the Original Game quite well, but is also not a must. DLC alien hunter: Absolutely interesting Addition to the Original Game! The Story is interesting to tell, which extends to a longer Course of the game. During this, there are 3 story bosses who are not to be underestimated at all and make the Game even more interesting and tactical. In the End, you will also be richly rewarded with unique Armor. In itself, the expansion will provide quite strong Weapons and Armor. Personally, I didn't use them often, but I offer a good Alternative, especially at the Beginning of the Game. In the End, it remains a Matter Of taste, because the conventional Weapons from the Original Game with the Equipment have a very strong Effect. This Extension is highly recommended as it increases the Gaming Experience with the 3 story bosses a lot! DLC children of Anarchy: An Extension that can be safely dispensed with if you get the Extensions one at a time. An absolute Matter of Taste ... That's not more than that here. According to the Info, you get 100 Customization Options for Characters, which is purely cosmetic in Nature. For Borderland or Mad Max lovers, it might be an interesting Alternative, for everyone else more of a Taste Thing. I myself have hardly used anything of it. But what I used was somehow "nice." Unfortunately, nothing more:/ Conclusion: I got the Reinforcement Pack, in which the Original Game and all the accompanying Extensions are urgent and ... ABSOLUT paid OFF! Clearly the Game is not like the first Part, in which there are many interesting Elements with urgent, some of which I missed in the second Part, but the whole thing is set in a different Time. The second Part brings a lot of New things, which has proven its worth. The Very fact that the Situation is now reversed and that you are the Attacker and the Aliens are the Defenders makes the whole thing more interesting again. I can only recommend it to anyone who likes at least a little strategic Elements and is not afraid of having To save the World from challenges. In that Sense. "Good Luck, Commander!" Here is a Link to a Review of Gamestar, which I think is true: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjMWTOi9WjQ
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The quality of the game is awesome but I’m kinda explorer even in strategy games. I want to feel the spirit of every campaign, to try all mechanics, to experiment with the playstyle. But this game, with all its customization and strategy possibilities, forces you to rush the game through. You need to be too fast, unless you want to be killed by aliens or because of the timer, that can only be slowed down. I understand why so many people love XCOM 2, but I’m disappointed with this high speed every campaign has to be passed on.  
Every XCOM game improves its predecessor like every DLC make a new game of it, changing balance. XCOM 2 is my favorite strategy game so far. I like how they made every aspect of it, the customization is amazing, campaigns are interesting and challenging, the game stepped up to a new quality level. What about complaints about the timer - install mods, it will solve the problems and add some options.