[img]http://media.strategywiki.org/images/thumb/5/59/X-COM_series_logo.png/250px-X-COM_series_logo.png[/img]
Fucking X-Com series! I thought we needed a thread about those old classic games. Everyone should be aware of those genius games. A lot of players still know the feel of despair when their best soldier was torn apart by a Chryssalid, thus infecting the whole fucking squad. But enough about that. Let me give you some information about XCom.
:rock:[b]There will be a new remake of the original X-Com: Enemy Unknown developed by Firaxis! Check out this [url=http://www.gameinformer.com/p/xcom.aspx]site[/url] for further information and don't forget to visit the official [url=http://www.facepunch.com/threads/1154934?p=34174524#post34174524]thread[/url][/b] :rock:
[quote]X-COM is a series of computer games, started by MicroProse in 1994. The first installment, released as UFO: Enemy Unknown in Europe (and as X-COM: UFO Defense in North America) was written by a team led by Julian Gollop. After the success of X-COM: UFO Defense, The Gollop brothers went straight to work on X-COM: Apocalypse, which would end up being the third in the series when released in 1997.
MicroProse quickly had an internal team create the sequel X-COM: Terror From the Deep in under a year as a quick cash in (hence the amount of uncanny similarities between the first two games). These first two games also show strong similarities to games such as Rebelstar and Laser Squad for the ZX Spectrum, including names of organisations such as 'Marsec'. The fourth title, X-COM: Interceptor was an action-based space combat/strategy game, while the fifth (X-COM: Enforcer) was simply a third person shooter.[/quote]
I will only show some information about the first 3 X-Com games in the franchise, which are considered as the best ones. Later on there were games like Enforcer, Interceptor and even another Series simply called UFO. They are significantly inferior to the classic trilogy. (at least for me)
[u][i][b]X-Com: Ufo Defense (Enemy Unknown)[/u][/i][/b]
Description:
[quote]In each game of the series, the player is put in command of "X-COM": the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit. By defending countries from enemy invasion, the force gains monetary support. Any nation may quit, if X-COM's service is deemed unsatisfactory or the nation's government has been infiltrated by the invaders. Through research of recovered alien artefacts, X-COM is able to develop better and more powerful weapons, armor and vehicles to combat the alien menace and eventually uncover their true nature.
The game takes place within two main views: the Geoscape and the Battlescape, a dichotomy that's the hallmark of the entire series. The Geoscape is where the player waits for enemy alien activity and makes strategic decisions.
While in the Geoscape, the player can view the X-COM bases (located in various locations on Earth), make changes to them, equip X-COM craft, order supplies and personnel, direct research efforts, schedule manufacturing of advanced equipment and sell alien artifacts to raise capital. The Geoscape is continuous and not turn-based.
Gameplay switches to the isometric combat view of the Battlescape whenever X-COM personnel come in contact with alien units. This can result from investigating downed enemy crafts, combatting alien terrorist activities or attacking alien bases discovered during play. Aliens may also be encountered if they manage to attack and infiltrate one of the X-COM bases.
In the Battlescape view, X-COM combatants are pitted against the alien enemies. In addition to personnel, the player may have vehicles such as heavy weapons platforms outfitted with powerful weapons ranging from rockets to plasma beams. The Battlescape mode is turn-based and each combatant has a number of "time units" which can be expended each turn. When all alien forces have been neutralized, the mission is scored based on number of X-COM units killed, civilians saved, aliens killed or captured and the number of alien artefacts obtained.[/quote]
[img]http://haikufactory.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/geoscape.jpg[/img]
[quote]The Geoscape where the player detects alien activity[/quote]
[img]http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/421337-x-com-ufo-defense-windows-screenshot-shooting-at-a-floater.jpg[/img]
[quote]The battlescape where the intense combat takes place[/quote]
[img]http://push.cx/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/xcom.png[/img]
[quote]Raiding an alien base can be a difficult task[/quote]
[img]http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/2942/380837-chryssalid_dead.png[/img]
[quote]An autopsy of a terrifying alien which can be researched by your scientist[/quote]
[b]Intro of UFO: Enemy Unknown[/b]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX0Cm3N_n6k[/media]
[u][i][b]X-Com: Terror from the Deep[/u][/i][/b]
[quote]Terror From The Deep (X-COM 2) was built using the same game engine as UFO Defense (X-COM 1). One might come to think as them being the same except for graphical changes. This certainly is the case! There are just a hand full of changes, the obvious one being its set mainly underwater. A convincing underwater effect is created by adding bubbles coming from bullets and soldiers, different shades of blue going to very dark in the deepest parts of the ocean, a constant underwater background sound and nice sound-effects for example of an underwater explosion. Fans of Lovecraft will also be satisfied, the game is heavily inspired by the myths of Cthulhu.[/quote]
[img]http://lparchive.org/X-COM-Terror-from-the-Deep/Update%2006/1-geoscape_000.png[/img]
[quote]The Geoscape of Terror from the Deep[/quote]
[img]http://www.gameandplayer.net/images/inset/inset3_10_0819_xcom.jpg[/img]
[quote]It still has the same look but the underground scenery and effects are really nicely designed[/quote]
[img]http://www.vgchartz.com/games/pics/5000625aaa.jpg[/img]
[quote]There are still battles on the ground, like in this hotel.[/quote]
[img]http://lparchive.org/X-COM-Terror-from-the-Deep/Update%2005/7-shot0075.png[/img]
[quote]The game has a lot creepier look than before[/quote]
[b]Intro of Terror from the Deep[/b]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMyPVpogqcM[/media]
[u][i][b]X-Com: Apocalypse[/u][/i][/b]
This one is actually quite different from the previous 2.
[quote]Similar to the first two games, Apocalypse features a map-like management mode (the Cityscape) and an isometric combat mode (the Battlescape). The management mode takes place in a single city, called Mega Primus, rather than being spread out over the entire planet Earth as in the previous games. In addition, Apocalypse was the first game in the X-COM series to include a real-time combat option as well as the traditional turn-based mode.
Apocalypse features a re-done interface with new graphics. It is more complex, and the task of keeping and increasing the funding of the X-COM organization now extends to not only intercepting UFOs, but also to minimizing collateral damage, preventing alien hostile takeovers and even raiding the buildings of other organisations, of which there are several in Mega Primus.
A new feature is the choice of playing the tactical missions in either the familiar turn-based mode or real-time. In the turn-based mode, the aliens and humans switch turns to perform actions while in real-time, everything happens simultaneously, though the game can be paused at any time to issue orders to agents.
X-COM: Apocalypse claims to have a self-learning AI-module. The developers' homepage suggests that one may copy the AI file and swap it with another player's AI file. The result should be a different playing experience (at least in terms of AI behavior). There is little evidence to suggest that self-learning AI was actually implemented, although it is evident in the game that aliens react intelligently to certain player tactics, such as grenade attacks, hand-to-hand attacks, and smoke cover.[/quote]
Apocalypse was released unfinished and lacks some mechanics that were initially planned, nevetheless the game is really awesome and something unique. In this game the aliens are really weird and feel like unknown lifeforms from an another dimension. Researching these aliens is great fun and you can get some really cool weapons. Although the game is considered as "weaker" than the first two XCom. Personally it is one of my favourites.
[img]http://www.ufopaedia.org/images/thumb/b/b2/Apoc_cityscape3d.png/360px-Apoc_cityscape3d.png[/img]
[quote]The city map differs greatly from the prequels, it is more colorful and the battles between spacehips and Ufos are now in (pausable) realtime[/quote]
[img]http://lparchive.org/X-COM-Apocalypse/Update%2013/xcoma0025.png[/img]
[quote]The battlescape is even more detailed and buildings can even collapse due to explosions[/quote]
[img]http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/107619-x-com-apocalypse-dos-screenshot-your-x-com-team-at-the-beginning.png[/img]
[quote]The battlescape has a lot of different maps and a great variety[/quote]
[img]http://lparchive.org/X-COM-Apocalypse/Update%2021/xcoma028.png[/img]
[quote]The aliens in Apocalypse are really fucking gross[/quote]
[b]Intro of Apocalypse[/b]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRfUyvz721g[/media]
You might think that turnbased games are boring, go to hell then! Those games are fucking intense and making you scream at your screen. Simply great, an incredible atmosphere and challenging experience. These games are hard and the AI does everything to fuck you up. So be careful when you play. Furthermore the random generated maps keeps you coming back for more.
Since these games are considered as classics and alltime favourites a lot of other developers tried to create spiritual successors. Some of them are bad, but some of them are really great.
[url=http://ufo.ufo-extraterrestrials.com/]UFO: Extraterrestrials[/url]
[quote]At first this game was horrible, but the devs released a gold edition with all kinds of fixes and patches. After that the game was enjoyable and really great. You might want to give it a shot[/quote]
[url=http://www.xenonauts.com/]Xenonauts[/url]
[quote]This is an upcoming X-Com clone set in the cold war. Xenonauts looks really promising and the devs are really awesome, check out the site and show some support. If you want to get a new game with the X-Com feeling, Xenonauts will be your best bet. Believe me.[/quote]
[url=http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/ufo_aftermath]UFO: Aftermath[/url]
[quote]The UFO franchise is not as good as the orginials but still they are decent, Aftermath is really close to the older games.[/quote]
[b]Useful Links[/b]
[url=http://www.ufopaedia.org/]X-Com Wiki[/url]
[url=http://www.xcomufo.com/]X-Com Fan site[/url]
[b]If you want to replay those great games again without wanting to fiddle around with dosbox and being enraged all the time because you are unable to run it, get it on STEAM![/b]
[url=http://store.steampowered.com/sub/964/]X-Com Complete Pack[/url]
What happened to all the old LP threads of this game, they just dissapear
I don't know. The game series is completely forgotten here on FP. So I decided to do a thread about them.
New one looks like shit yadda yadda yadda
I just checked out all the new 3D versions of the UFO version, what's the best?
UFO: Afterlight
UFO: 2Extraterrestrials
UFO: Aftershock
?
Go for Extraterrestrials. It is more comparable to the older games. Although the game is lacking in some parts. But it is pretty cheap on steam.
I bought the X-Com complete pack on Steam for only 2€ a few years back, got me some awesome memories, including blowing the shit out of an entire housing block!
This series is the shit right here. I fucking love X-Com.
Even though every single enemy has the chance to be scary in its own right, I'll always have a special spot in my heart for Chryssalids, Ethereals, Lobster Men and Brain suckers.
And I have to say, Xenonauts looks promising.
That the new X-Com is a FPS doesn't really surprise me, major publishers do this shit all the time.
Good thing we can still count on indie devs!
[QUOTE=Canary;33704068]I just checked out all the new 3D versions of the UFO version, what's the best?
UFO: Afterlight
UFO: 2Extraterrestrials
UFO: Aftershock
?[/QUOTE]
I don't think I ever finished it, but I really enjoyed Aftershock. It differs from X-Com in a lot of respects, but I didn't miss too many of the original X-Com elements that didn't make it in, and I liked most of the new ideas.
For instance, there is an enemy faction of cultists who want to let the aliens take over the planet. You require, I think it was 3, different resources to produce equipment, and in order to get a steady influx of those, you have to invade countries and clear aliens or cultists out. You also have to build a simplified network of costly-to-maintain roads so that the resources can get to your bases.
Combat is pausable real time only, but to me it was quite satisfying to pause, give out orders, and then watch my perfectly orchestrated tactical maneuvers in real time. Most of the fights aren't too difficult if your team is well-balanced and reasonably well-equipped, but when invading cultist bases you can get into pretty hairy situations.
[QUOTE=RearAdmiral;33705300]This series is the shit right here. I fucking love X-Com.
Even though every single enemy has the chance to be scary in its own right, I'll always have a special spot in my heart for Chryssalids, Ethereals, Lobster Men and Brain suckers.
And I have to say, Xenonauts looks promising.[/QUOTE]
Psy attacks are the most frightening thing ever, especially in TFTD.
Xenonauts looks [b]awesome![/b] I always wanted a decent remake but most of them are really meh. Xenonauts is actually really awesome. I played the Alpha few weeks ago.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBTdQeIpzbc[/media]
This came to my mind.
Oh it was on PSOne which means I could get it on my PSP!
I remember once that in TFTD one of my interceptors shot down a very small alien sub somewhere in the mid atlantic. Naturally I dispatched one of my teams to recover the sub and any lifeforms still inside. When they arrived there it was night, but a quick sweep soon found the sub crash site. The thing was fucking totalled, with smoke/bubbles obscuring a lot of what was inside, although it was clear the sub had been gutted and pretty much blown apart. Sending two operatives into the ship itself, it became clear from the lack of a body that the pilot was still very much alive and prowling about somewhere. Not long after a few blasts from a heavy cannon confirmed my suspicions, and while half my team laid down some covering fire one of my aquanauts managed to take the thing down with a grenade. I heard a scream and the alien went down, so I figured I'd have two of my operatives haul the body back to the shuttle while I went looking for what I assumed must have been a copilot, as the combat hadn't ended yet.
I was pretty green in those days, and I didn't know survey subs only seat one crew member. I had also forgotten to check if the alien, in this case a Lobsterman, was still breathing.
Naturally after too long the Lobsterman woke up, and quickly killed my two operatives in the sub with its claws. By the time the rest of my team got back it was running for them, and judging by the number of rounds pumped into it I'd say it was the toughest enemy I'd faced in the game that point.
To cut a long story short, I now ALWAYS check aliens after I make a takedown.
Thanks for making this thread, I'm a huge fan of X-Com and for some reason I havent even heard of Xenonauts, I need to get that game at this fucking instant.
[editline]13th December 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Canary;33704068]I just checked out all the new 3D versions of the UFO version, what's the best?
UFO: Afterlight
UFO: 2Extraterrestrials
UFO: Aftershock
?[/QUOTE]
I wouldnt even bother with the 3d ones, I've played them all and they are shit.
I only played X-COM for the first time last year, and I must say it's become one of my top games, it's a timeless classic.
And there is no X-COM reboot, that game is not xcom in any way.
i play this game off my usb key all the time, i play superhuman/save on quit only
i beat it very few times this way but it's a lot more fun and challenging
I have to say, I initially thought that X-Com was pretty campy. But then as you play the game and do research you see just how incredibly dark the game is.
Then TFTD cranks it up a notch. :suicide:
Yeah, but often it is just the situation that makes things worse. A terror mission with only a few guys left and during the night, that is already a fucked up situation. Besides you do not want to loose your good soldiers. :v:
[QUOTE=RearAdmiral;33706816]To cut a long story short, I now ALWAYS check aliens after I make a takedown.[/QUOTE]
Actually, if you hear the Alien scream, that means that they died. Also, the missions do end if all enemy combatants are stunned. So, there seems to have been two Lobstermen.
[editline]13th December 2011[/editline]
Also, so many people not knowing how to exploit timing glitch and fighting at night, it's funny to me.
[url=http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/News]UFO: Alien Invasion[/url]
I would highly recommend checking out this free game if it hasn't already been mentioned in this thread.
I'm really looking forward to [url=http://openxcom.org/]OpenXcom[/url], moddable XCom is going to be sweet!
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLdXUKW3p38&feature=plcp&context=C29a7bUDOEgsToPDskIn0cp2_hMdCuo7IYIgeHuB[/media]
This is a video of me taking on ethereals for the first time ever.
On a night mission.
I'm no dopefish but it has some entertainment value.
EDIT:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68mdVnjKFdU&feature=plcp&context=C2d604UDOEgsToPDskKP4mCEHy4Eg1yJ-8ckLyFn[/media]
Also outtakes from another mission I did.
I've allways been interested in playing the original X-Com games, watching the Lets Plays of Kikoskia Super Human Antarctica Challange really caught my interest.
Edit: And Dopefish, of course.
That Xenonauts looks pretty sweet too.
All I can say to anyone that's interested in playing the original X-Coms...
They are hard, and you will die. A lot. But the difficulty adds to the fun.
I really recommend them, although the graphics are really outdated and might scare you at first, but once you get the hang of the game you won't even notice it anymore.
[QUOTE=RearAdmiral;33716973]All I can say to anyone that's interested in playing the original X-Coms...
They are hard, and you will die. A lot. But the difficulty adds to the fun.[/QUOTE]
Well, it wouldnt be X-com without the computer being a cheating bastard, now would it?
[QUOTE=Canary;33704068]I just checked out all the new 3D versions of the UFO version, what's the best?
UFO: Afterlight
UFO: 2Extraterrestrials
UFO: Aftershock
?[/QUOTE]
My favorite (of the new ones, Enemy Unknown is still the best) is Aftershock. I particularly love the smart pause combat system.
[editline]14th December 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=junker|154;33717082]I really recommend them, although the graphics are really outdated and might scare out at first, but once you get the hang of the game you won't even notice it anymore.[/QUOTE]
IMO Enemy Unknown still looks better than Extraterestrials for example. It's got that really neat comic book look that I love, similar to games like Prince of Persia (first two), Flashback and Another World.
Not a single X-Com clone managed to get the same look.
These are probably my favorite PC game series. My favorite one is Apocalypse, then Enemy Unknown, Terror From the Deep... hm, I should complete that one. I sorta liked Interceptor I guess but it sorta ruined the vibe from the other games.
Enforcer was pure shit.
"ENFORCER YOU CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE DAMAGE"
-explode-
"ENFORCER NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
the voice acting was [u]so[/u] bad
Fucking love these games.
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