Way back in the 1994, my son Patrick and I bonded while playing a computer game called X-COM: UFO DEFENSE. By today’s standards that first X-COM game was crude, but it was an effective strategy game. The sequel, X-COM: TERROR FROM THE DEEP (1995), was even better with upgraded graphics and an improved AI. It was also a challenging strategy game. Several other lame X-COM games appeared in the years that followed, but none of them had the right balance of strategy and design until XCOM: ENEMY UNKNOWN appeared last fall. It harkens back to those original X-COM games with its strategic elements: building a base, equipping your troops, deciding on which Research to pursue, and what items to manufacture. However, this X-COM game is also the most annoying computer game I’ve ever played. There is no user’s manual. Going online to find information about the game is tedious. Much of the game, I had to resort to trail-and-error to figure stuff out. For example, it took me a couple of weeks to find out how to build a satellite (essential component to defend Earth). Satellites were stuck in the menu for building interceptors for some weird reason. However, that being said, I’ve found XCOM: ENEMY UNKNOWN an entertaining game that has eaten up too many hours of my time as I defend you all from those dastardly space aliens. But, I can’t wait for the next XCOM game! GRADE: A-
I really hate that. So many things now have the user’s guide online. Are you supposed download the whole thing. When I have done that, it usually gets frayed or lost pretty quickly. But going online to check things out is also annoying.
Exactly, Patti! Customer Service is a thing of the past.
Annoying indeed. I can’t believe some of these manufacturers.
Jeff, manufacturers just want to make money…fast! They don’t want to spend money or take time to write intelligent User’s Manuals. It’s a “Let’s Just Get It Out the Door” philosophy. But, despite that, XCOM is an enjoyable game. It would have been a vastly more enjoyable game with some directions.
Jackie would probably not have a problem because she is notorious (with me, anyway) for not reading instructions. I want to know how things work and how to play the game and she just wings things.
I’m more like you, Jeff. I read User’s Manuals (when a product actually comes with one). Patrick is more like Jackie: he just wings it, too. But when you spend $50 for a computer game, you’d like to get some directions.
Though I understand the concept perfectly well, I can’t understand the lure of video games, RPGs or such things. But then I’m sure there are hundreds of thousands of kids glued to their X-Box games who can’t understand the lure of printed books. * S I G H *
I understand (and succumb to) both reading and video games, Rick. One doesn’t exclude the other. I find reading and playing video games equally addicting. Too many young people haven’t been exposed to reading the way you and I have. And there’s a lot more marketing money in the video game industry than in publishing.
I’m a whiz at wasting time, but video games is not one of the ways I do it.
Bob, I got hooked on PONG way back when. I’ve been playing video games ever since.
You might want to check out this spiritual descendant of X-Com in the works, looks like it’ll be great:
http://www.xenonauts.com/
Mark, this looks terrific! If XENONAUTS can capture some of the look-and-feel of the original X-COM games, that would be fabulous!
I think so too! I love the Cold War + alien invasion theme. I hope they manage to finish the game soon.
Mark, if you get any further details, please share them with me and the other XCOM fans who might visit this blog. We’d appreciate it.
Will do! By the way, do you remember the Jagged Alliance series? After X-COM, Jagged Alliance 2 was probably the best squad-level combat game I can think of. It’s still available online, and plays similarly in many ways to X-COM. The setting is quite different– mercenaries in a fictionalized contemporary South American country– but there are also some significant sci-fi elements that are gradually revealed. Here’s a link to where you can find the game:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/1620/
Thanks, Mark! I bought JAGGED ALLIANCE 2 GOLD! Looks great!
Hi George, it’s been a while since I posted here about Xenonauts, but it looks like the game is nearing completion–30 May 2014 looks like the release date:
http://www.xenonauts.com/category/news/
The game looks great. BTW, did you enjoy Jagged Alliance 2?
Mark
Mark, I’m enjoying JAGGED ALLIANCE 2! I’m looking forward to Xenonauts. I just finished with the expansion pack for XCOM.
Great! I decided I couldn’t resist any longer and preordered Xenonauts so I could start playing the prerelease version of the game, which is now essentially complete. It looks really good so far. It has more of an old-school feel than the new X-COM (but I mean that in a good way). I like the Cold War setting, and the ground combat is very smooth and easy to pick up if you’ve played this kind of game before. A worthy purchase for the weekend!
Mark, I enjoy action games like XCOM. XENONAUTS sounds like my kind of game, too! Thanks again for the tip!