XCOM: Enemy Unknown Xbox 360 Review

XCOM is really a mixed fair for me, I can see the potential for a really enjoyable gameplay experience here, but it’s one that just hasn’t clicked with me. The cut-scenes and story are pretty well made and it really gives the game some substance. I just find the missions a little long winded and repetitive at time and find it hard to keep my concentration while playing.

But this is a strategic game and I know many of you will be reading this and thinking I haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about, you might be right too. What I do know is that I am a gamer, I love a good old shoot em’ up too, but for me games need to be fun and for me this is just hard work as I suspect it may be for a lot of people who aren’t already familiar with the strategic war game formula.

But where I find it falls short as a game, it does prevail as a solid digital form of strategic war gaming, something I know will go down well with my a few of my friends who play table top war games.

It’s with those friends that I found a little light at the end of the tunnel for XCOM, it’s multiplayer modes. While the options are limited in terms of maps, there are a few interesting dynamics on offer, with timed moves and the ability to use both human and alien races in your squad. I found this to be more enjoyable that the main story but overall not enough to keep me going back to the game.

So overall I have to say it is a good game, not quite award worthy but certainly entertaining. If you are a fan of strategy, a bit of classic sci-fi story or of course the original UFO: Enemy Unknown, you’re going to love this, but it seems for me that since the original 1994 title, my war gaming skills have improved by zero.