Xcom: Enemy Within: Review

Why do we love the series Xcom? The answer is obvious: for the amazing integrity and interconnectedness of all elements of gameplay, for the constant need to solve more and more new problems, for the variety of development opportunities and the combat system. Any technological “upgrade”, committed in a team center, will immediately give fruit on a tactical map, and new types of aliens ships will force you to invest large sums in the development of your own aviation. The fatal lack of resources forces to ponder each step, to measure expenses and profits, to analyze the situation and make difficult decisions even in the simplest situation like buying weapons. This is a state of constant deficiency, the lag of progress and the joy of fulfilling intermediate goals have a terrible force that makes you spend tens of hours in the game.

Developers from Firaxis Games they understand well what the positive aspects of their project are. And therefore, when creating a addition ENEMY WITHIN They did not begin to exchange for plot additives, but concentrated on the study and improvement of those elements that make up the backbone of the gameplay.

Special forces detachment

Of course, one of the most important aspects of the gameplay Xcom The “customization” of the characters is. A strategically correct approach to “pumping” skills and distribution to fighters of uniform plays a decisive role in a fight with an aggressor. In the process of passing the original Enemy Unknown, we gained access to all more advanced “guns” and the types of armor based on aliens technologies.

IN ENEMY WITHIN The standard arsenal of heroes expanded slightly. New types of weapons and ammunition have appeared. In addition to this, we were presented with two additional paths of “pumping” personnel – genetic modifications and cybernetization of fighters.

Having studied the special substance that appeared in the addition, we can build two new buildings – genetic and cybernetic laboratories. In our first soldier, the structure of DNA will be changed, after which he will receive new abilities. You can teach children to restore health or jump into high -rise buildings – there are a dozen skills that we have to open in the laboratory. As a result of such experiments, the main class of a warrior will remain – the altered DNA will manifest only in the form of passive or active skills that can be used during the battle.

Well, in the cybernetic center, scientists will erase the whole past of the hero: the limbs of the poor fellow will be amputated, and instead of them there will be iron prostheses MEK. Robots have their own tree skills, so, in essence, we get a new class of fighters. Cyborgs can burn alien animals with flamethrowers, firing it with rockets, destroy shelters and be very painful. In addition, they do not occupy their health, which allows them to use them as “tanks”.

Personnel

To make such evolutionary jumps for only dollars alone. In the addition, the developers introduced a resource called the composition, due to which we will grow superhumans. Yellow containers appear in the places of landing of aliens, which can be getting out of which you can during the operations. However

, everything is not so simple: the treasured storages are programmed for self -destruction and after a certain number of moves after the start of the mission explode. During this time, you need to have time to find them and take a nearby cage. The pursuit of profit, of course, increases the degree of hardcore: in a hurry you have to literally break through the groups of enemies, not having the time for careful movement and the choice of a good position for the fight.

For the heroism and inconceivable exploits, our team is awaiting a reward not only in the form of experience. Sometimes at the end of missions we will receive medals that can be handed to any operative. There are several insignia of the difference: “for city battles”, “for protection” and so on. To each of them we can attach any “perk” like an increase in accuracy, willpower or other parameters.

New chips fit into the gameplay very organically. Thanks to them, the process of “pumping” the characters began to look much richer, and the possibilities for creating an omnipotent detachment are almost limitless. It would seem that our machine -machine warriors should easily deal with the aliens. However, in practice, everything is different.

The rapid development of new technologies does not at all pass the passage of a simple. Yes, at the end of the game, when each fighter is equipped and “pumped” to the maximum, it is much easier to destroy enemies than before. But the increased number of opportunities leads only to an increase in the number of expenditures. There are not enough resources, countries are balanced on the verge of departure from the council, there is no money even to buy a regular grenade. Here, more than ever, the same deficit that we talked about earlier is acutely felt. You have to often visit the “Gray Market” section in order to at least somehow delay the loss of a satellite and a panic explosion in a country.

Their own among strangers, a stranger among their

In addition to these problems, evolutionary changes affected not only members of our project. There are several fresh types of aliens, of which the most unpleasant are flying droids with tentacles. This enemy becomes invisible, in this mode he is selected to our brave man and completely disables him, taking away his health. If there is no colleague that can beat off the victim, you can say goodbye to the warrior.

But a more significant innovation can be called the appearance of Exalt – a mysterious organization that supports the invasion of aliens. Terrorists shit to humanity, producing sabotage in different countries and undermining our authority in the eyes of governments. Yes, finally the “Ikskomovites” will have to temporarily forget about the main enemy and be distracted by showdowns with treacherous elements of the species of homo sapiens.

The war with bastards is carried out in two stages: at the first we will send a scout from among our recruits in search of information about the location of the enemy base. After that, you need to get a spy from a hot point by sending the main group to the rescue.

Battles with terrorists look somewhat unusual. Exalt members use the same equipment as we. The artificial intelligence of people is spelled out very well: they are wisely use different types of weapons and try to act together. Exalt, like XCOM, is gradually developing, and the operatives of this organization also acquire new types of “guns”.

Is it worth it to purchase ENEMY WITHIN for a rather considerable price for supplement? On the one hand, there are no radical changes to the game here. On the other hand, significant innovations in the “customization” of the characters, as well as a new opponent with a human face, refreshed the perception of a familiar gameplay. In our opinion, the presented addition is an excellent occasion to plunge with the head again in one of the best strategies last year.

Pros: new ways of “pumping” characters;war with terrorists;increased complexity of the early stages of the game.
Cons: Pretty high addition price.