X-com: any new good games?

[rory_20_uk]

Dear all, are there any remakes of X-com that don't screw if up in some perverse way? I thought that the original was great and basically a new one with some better graphics and a few other areas polished up isn't asking too mcuh, surely?

I've been looking online to no avail, os has anyone got wind of any decent ones?

[Csargo]

I have no idea what X-com is.

[The_Mark]

[link removed] It's one of the best computer games in the history of gaming. 14 years old and still going strong.


No links to abandonware sites please. It's a legal grey area and might get the org into trouble! Froggy.

[econ21]

Short answer: no. X-Com was superb both because it had wonderful gameplay (combining both an interesting strategic layer and good battles - not unlike TW) and because it had a stunning atmosphere: the music, the scarey aliens, the screams as my rookie turns into a zombie (and that's just me screaming - the computer makes sounds too).

There are fans of an X-Com PBM thing, but I want an AI.

I tried a demo of the 3D X-com remake that came out a few years back and was appalled at how clunky it was. By contrast, I still play the original UFO: Enemy Unknown with no problems. If you still want to play the original with a modern computer, there is a nice loader (I think by Scott Jones) that allows you to do so.

In terms of related games, some people rave about Silent Storm (2?) - it's WW2 themed, but has X-Com style tactical combat in 3D. However, I thought it was only so-so: it lacks a compelling atmosphere and never really immerses you.

Personally, for X-Com type fixes, I have to stick to older games. Jagged Alliance 2 was the ultimate evolution of the isometric squad based tactical game genre, IMO. It has pretty much all the X-Com gameplay, with its own wonderful atmosphere, and has graphics that are more acceptable to the modern eye. It is mercs vs soldiers, however - although the main protaganist, Deidranna, would give Darth Vader a run for his money as a characterful villain. And the sci-fi quest is fantastic - like the first half of Aliens.

Perversely, I sometimes feel that the original Ghost Recon - a tactical shooter - was sort of like a real time first person X-com type game; it's all about maneouvring your squad into position and has a fun varied long campaign. Heart stoppingly realistic too.

If you really want a sci-fi themed game, keep your eye on Bioshock. Not a squad based tactical game, but looks like it will have a scarey futuristic atmosphere down to a tee.

[Fragony]

You want Silent Storm, turn-based strategy at it's finest.

[professorspatula]

Well there are certainly many X-Com inspired games in the works, although respecting the rights of the original developers/publishers they're not 1:1 copies just with better graphics et al.


There's UFO 2000 - Multiplayer UFO/X-Com basically.

UFO: Extraterrestrials - A commercial UFO/X-Com inspired game due out next month. Although it's been delayed about 300 times already.

UFO: Alien Invasion - Quake 2 engine powered game I believe, has some promise but far from complete.

Project Xenocide: Shows much promise but not a great deal of progress at the moment.


In the meantime, classic X-Com games are still worth playing, although I still find X-Com no matter what version is buggy as hell. (And bloomin' hard - step off squad craft... bang, explosive round fired into ship killing entire team!) Terror from the Deep is less buggy but a bit less atmospheric.


By the way what's everyone's shortest X-Com game? Mine was within about 20 days. I just happened to place my base about 6 pixels from a UFO base. After one interception, the Aliens sent a ship to attack my base. Most of my men already dead, not enough guns, and bang, game over! Wasn't even on a stupidly hard difficulty level either.