XCOM: Enemy Within

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XCOM: Enemy Within
Enemy Within PSN.png
North American cover art of XCOM: Enemy Within Commander Edition
Developer(s) Firaxis Games
Publisher(s)
  • 2K Games
  • Feral Interactive (OS X, Linux)
Producer(s) Clint McCaul
Garth DeAngelis
Designer(s) Ananda Gupta
Programmer(s) Justin Boswell
Artist(s) David Black
Writer(s)
  • Scott Wittbecker
  • Liam Collins
Composer(s) Michael McCann
Series XCOM
Engine Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Linux, OS X, iOS, Android, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release
  • Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
    • NA: November 12, 2013 (2013-11-12)
    • EU: November 15, 2013
    • AU: November 15, 2013
  • Linux, SteamOS
    • WW: June 19, 2014
  • Android, iOS
    • WW: November 13, 2014
  • PlayStation Vita
    • NA: March 22, 2016 (2016-03-22)
    • EU: March 21, 2016
    • AU: March 21, 2016
Genre(s) Turn-based tactics
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

XCOM: Enemy Within is an expansion pack for the turn-based tactical video game XCOM: Enemy Unknown . The expansion pack primarily adds new gameplay elements to the base game, as well as introducing new themes of transhumanism via aggressive gene therapy.

Contents

XCOM: Enemy Within was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in November 2013 and received generally favorable reviews from critics. In June 2014, Feral released both XCOM: Enemy Within and its base game XCOM: Enemy Unknown for Linux. The game also came to the iOS App Store and Google Play Store a year after the initial release, on November 12, 2014. On March 22, 2016, the game was released on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation Vita.

The Windows, OS X and Linux editions require XCOM: Enemy Unknown to play; Enemy Within was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 as part of the Commander Edition bundle with Enemy Unknown. The iOS and Android versions were released as stand-alone apps not requiring the original mobile port of Enemy Unknown to play. The PlayStation Vita version is only available bundled with Enemy Unknown under the title, XCOM: Enemy Unknown Plus.

Gameplay

The gameplay and plot of XCOM: Enemy Within largely remains the same as XCOM: Enemy Unknown with some additional features. The player manages the XCOM headquarters in almost real time progress, but much of the gameplay consists of turn-based battles against the invading aliens and some with the rogue human faction EXALT across the globe. Similar to the numerous expansions of the Civilization series, the pack retains the core storyline but adds a broad variety of content.

New features

Development and release

XCOM: Enemy Within was originally announced with a scheduled release date of November 15, 2013. [8] XCOM: Enemy Within was released in stores on November 12, 2013 in the US, and November 15, 2013 internationally. The game was released for digital distribution via Steam on November 11, 2013. [9]

Mods

Long War is a partial conversion mod originally developed for XCOM: Enemy Unknown. After the release of Enemy Within, development of the mod switched to Enemy Within. [10] The mod makes changes to many of the game's existing features, adds entirely new features, and brings back concepts from X-COM: UFO Defense . [11] Changes include the ability to send a larger number of soldiers into battle, additional soldier classes, psionic abilities, weapons, and items, and an expanded technology tree. In the mod aliens and EXALT conduct their own research and get stronger over the course of the game, a process that speeds up or slows down based on the player's success in stopping missions launched by the hostile forces. [12] [13] [14] [15] The mod was heavily praised by Enemy Unknown lead designer Jake Solomon and producer Garth DeAngelis. [16]

Reception

XCOM: Enemy Within received generally favorable reviews from critics. Ben Reeves of Game Informer lauded the game, advising that "anyone who loves an intense firefight should test their mettle on Enemy Within," although also noting that "Despite Firaxis' improvements, the developer wasn't able to fix the line-of-sight issues" of the main game and that "acquiring new squad members still feels unbalanced; since you can't assign your soldiers' roles, and they only learn their specialty once they've ranked up, it's easy to end up with holes in your squad". [23] Eurogamer 's Stace Harman echoed similar statements, stating that despite its flaws, "Enemy Within is an improvement on an already excellent game," [22] Destructoid 's Chris Carter proffered similar praise, headlining his review with "It almost feels like a sequel." Regarding all the new content, he thought that it was "a really weird way" to approach an expansion due to its blending of old and new content, but summarized his review by saying, "If you haven't played the newest XCOM yet, now is a perfect time to do so with the Enemy Within package." [21] Matt Lees of VideoGamer.com similarly summarized his review with, "The best game of 2012 is back, and it might be the best game of 2013." [28]

IGN 's Dan Stapleton criticized the late-game, stating that all the new content and unlockables make the later half of the game too easy; however, Stapleton still ultimately awarded the game a 9/10, calling it "an amazing expansion to a brilliant tactical game", and that it "is best enjoyed in Iron Man mode on Classic difficulty to enhance the emotional highs and lows of victory and permanent defeat." [26] Conversely, GamesRadar 's Ryan Taljonick argued that "Enemy Within's new additions don't make the experience any easier [because] the added benefit of having access to gene mods and MEC Troopers is offset by new alien types and a whole new faction of fanatical humans. If anything, saving the world is harder than ever." [25] Although GameSpot 's Leif Johnson applauded the game, he was critical of the expansion pack's pricing disparity between PC and consoles: "All of [its content] is certainly enough for PC players to fork out the $20 for the upgrade, but unfortunately, console players face the more daunting task of buying Firaxis' new creation for almost the price of a new game." [24]

During the 17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awarded XCOM: Enemy Within with "Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year". [29]

Related Research Articles

<i>XCOM</i> Video game series

XCOM is a science fiction video game franchise featuring an elite international organization tasked with countering alien invasions of Earth. The series began with the strategy video game X-COM: UFO Defense created by Julian Gollop's Mythos Games and MicroProse in 1994. The original lineup by MicroProse included six published and at least two canceled games, as well as two novels. The X-COM series, in particular its original entry, achieved a sizable cult following and has influenced many other video games; including the creation of a number of clones, spiritual successors, and unofficial remakes.

<i>X-COM: Terror from the Deep</i> 1995 video game

X-COM: Terror from the Deep is a strategy video game developed and published by MicroProse for the PC in 1995 and for the PlayStation in 1996. It is a sequel to X-COM: UFO Defense and the second game of the X-COM series, this time taking the war against a renewed alien invasion into the Earth's oceans.

<i>X-COM: UFO Defense</i> 1994 video game

UFO: Enemy Unknown, also known as X-COM: UFO Defense in North America, is a 1994 science fiction strategy video game developed by Mythos Games and MicroProse. It was published by MicroProse for DOS and Amiga computers, the Amiga CD32 console, and the PlayStation. Originally planned by Julian Gollop as a sequel to Mythos Games' 1988 Laser Squad, the game mixes real-time management simulation with turn-based tactics. The player takes the role of commander of X-COM – an international paramilitary and scientific organization secretly defending Earth from an alien invasion. Through the game, the player is tasked with issuing orders to individual X-COM troops in a series of turn-based tactical missions. At strategic scale, the player directs the research and development of new technologies, builds and expands X-COM's bases, manages the organization's finances and personnel, and monitors and responds to UFO activity.

<i>Battlefield 2</i> 2005 video game

Battlefield 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows. It was released in June 2005 as the third game in the Battlefield franchise.

Julian Gollop is a British video game designer and producer specialising in strategy games, who has founded and led Mythos Games, Codo Technologies and Snapshot Games. He is known best as the "man who gave birth to the X-COM franchise."

<i>The Bureau: XCOM Declassified</i> 2013 video game

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is a 2013 tactical third-person shooter video game. It was developed by 2K Marin and published by 2K. As the eighth title in the turn-based strategy series X-COM and a narrative prequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the game was released for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360 in August 2013. Set in late 1962 at the height of the Cold War, the game's premise mainly revolves around The Bureau, the predecessor of the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit (XCOM), as they attempt to repel an alien invasion. As a tactical shooter, players can use the battle focus mode to issue commands to two other agents accompanying the protagonist, William Carter. Players can permanently lose their squad members so they must make good tactical decisions.

<i>X-COM: Enforcer</i> 2001 video game

X-COM: Enforcer is the sixth game in the X-COM series, but takes place in a time line separate to that was established by the first four games of the series. Enforcer is an action third-person shooter without the strategy game elements of previous games. It was the last game released in the series until Firaxis Games' 2012 reboot.

<i>XCOM: Enemy Unknown</i> 2012 video game

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a 2012 turn-based tactics video game that was developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. It presents a "reimagined" version of the 1994 strategy game X-COM: UFO Defense—also known as UFO: Enemy Unknown. XCOM: Enemy Unknown is set during an alien invasion of Earth in an alternative version of 2015; the player controls an elite, multinational, paramilitary organization called XCOM and commands troops in a series of turn-based tactical missions. Between missions, the player directs the research and development of technologies from recovered alien technology and captured prisoners, expands XCOM's base of operations, manages finances, and monitors and responds to alien activity.

<i>Civilization: Beyond Earth</i> 2014 video game

Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth is a turn-based strategy, 4X video game in the Civilization series developed by Firaxis Games, published by 2K Games and released for Microsoft Windows on October 24, 2014, the Mac App Store on November 27, 2014 and for Linux on December 18, 2014. The game's premise is that Earth became uninhabitable due to an undescribed disaster known as "the Great Mistake", forcing humanity to colonize space. As a spiritual successor to the 1999 game Alpha Centauri, Beyond Earth shares much of its development team and some concepts, most notably its setting on an exoplanet in the future.

<i>XCOM 2</i> 2016 video game

XCOM 2 is a 2016 turn-based tactics video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. It is the sequel to 2012's reboot of the series, XCOM: Enemy Unknown; it takes place 20 years after the events of Enemy Unknown. XCOM, a military organization trying to fight off an alien invasion, has lost the war and is now a resistance force against the occupation of Earth and the established totalitarian regime and military dictatorship. Gameplay is split between turn-based combat in which players command a squad of soldiers to fight enemies, and strategy elements in which players manage and control the operations of the Avenger, an alien ship that is used as a mobile base for XCOM.

Long War is a fan-made partial conversion mod for the turn-based tactics video game XCOM: Enemy Unknown and its expansion, XCOM: Enemy Within. It was first released in early 2013, and it exited beta at the end of 2015. Almost every aspect of the original game is altered, creating a longer, more complex campaign that presents players with more strategic choices and customization options. Long War adds a significant number of new soldier classes, abilities, weapons, armors, and usable items, and also introduces new features, including soldier fatigue and improvements to alien units over the course of the game.

<i>Xenonauts 2</i> 2023 video game

Xenonauts 2 is an upcoming turn-based tactics video game developed by Goldhawk Interactive and published by Hooded Horse. A sequel to Xenonauts (2014), the game was released on July 18, 2023 through early access.

<i>XCOM 2: War of the Chosen</i> 2017 video game

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is an expansion pack for the 2016 turn-based tactics video game XCOM 2, released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on August 29, 2017. Versions for Linux and macOS were released on August 31, 2017, and a Nintendo Switch port was released on May 29, 2020.

<i>Phoenix Point</i> 2019 video game

Phoenix Point is a strategy video game featuring a turn-based tactics system that is developed by Bulgaria-based independent developer Snapshot Games. It was released on December 3, 2019, for macOS and Microsoft Windows, for Stadia on January 26, 2021, and Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on October 1, 2021. Phoenix Point is intended to be a spiritual successor to the X-COM series that had been originally created by Snapshot Games head Julian Gollop during the 1990s.

<i>XCOM: Chimera Squad</i> 2020 video game

XCOM: Chimera Squad is a turn-based tactical video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K as part of the XCOM series. It is set as a sequel to XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, after a tenuous peace accord between warring human and alien forces has been achieved. The player controls a mixed squad of human and alien special forces soldiers that help maintain the fragile peace of City 31, an experimental city where humans and aliens are attempting cohabitation. While Chimera Squad follows similar tactical elements of the XCOM series, it introduces new gameplay concepts to accelerate the pace of gameplay.

<i>Marvels Midnight Suns</i> 2022 video game

Marvel's Midnight Suns is a 2022 tactical role-playing game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. The game features comic book characters from multiple Marvel Comics properties, such as Midnight Sons, Avengers, X-Men, and Runaways. Players are able to create their own superhero named "The Hunter" with a choice of over 40 different powers.

The D.I.C.E. Award for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. This award recognizes games "in which user directs or manipulates resources to create a set of conditions that result in success as determined within the confines of the game. These games can offer the user the chance to simulate or to virtually reproduce an experience, real or imaginary, which would require some form of equipment. Strategy games emphasize the planning of tactics rather than the execution". All active creative/technical, business, and affiliate members of the Academy are qualified to vote for this category. Originally, there were separate awards for strategy games and simulation games, which simulate aspects of the real world.

<i>Terra Invicta</i> 2022 video game

Terra Invicta is a science fiction grand strategy video game developed by Pavonis Interactive and published by Hooded Horse for Windows that was released into early access in September 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within Will Make You Fear The Seeker". Cinema Blend. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  2. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within Introduces the Paranoia-Inducing Seeker". Escapist Magazine. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
  3. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within's Mechtoid Shoots Twice, Splits Targets, Says Firaxis". Softpedia. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  4. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within – A welcome expansion to an already fantastic game". Venture Beat. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  5. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within Hands-On Mission". IGN. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  6. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within's clandestine 'Exalt' wants to rule the world". joystiq. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  7. ↑ "'XCOM: Enemy Within' Pits You Against New Aliens". Mashable. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  8. ↑ Walker, John (August 21, 2013). "XCOM: Enemy within is an Expansion, Out 15 November". Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
  9. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within on Steam". Steam. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Long War". NexusMods . January 4, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  11. ↑ Meer, Alec (September 3, 2015). "Have You Played… XCOM: Long War?". Rock, Paper, Shotgun . Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  12. ↑ Moore, Bo (November 17, 2014). "This Mod Is the Absolute Best Way to Play XCOM". Wired . Condé Nast . Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  13. ↑ Livingston, Christopher (November 15, 2014). "Mod of the week: The Long War for XCOM". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  14. ↑ Bratt, Chris (June 24, 2015). What is XCOM Long War? It's not a bad time to find out (YouTube video). Eurogamer. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  15. ↑ Pitts, Russ (May 27, 2014). "Embiggening XCOM: A long weekend with the Long War mod". Polygon . Vox Media . Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  16. ↑ Stapleton, Dan (June 8, 2015). "XCOM 2's Exciting Modding Potential – IGN First". IGN . j2 Global . Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  17. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within for PC Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  18. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  19. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  20. ↑ "XCOM: Enemy Within for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Carter, Chris (November 11, 2013). "Review: XCOM: Enemy Within". Destructoid. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  22. 1 2 Harman, Stace (November 11, 2013). "XCOM: Enemy Within review". Eurogamer. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  23. 1 2 Reeves, Ben (November 11, 2013). "Firaxis Polishes A Prized Alien Alloy - XCOM: Enemy Within - PC". Game Informer. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  24. 1 2 Johnson, Leif. "XCOM: Enemy Within Review". GameSpot. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  25. 1 2 Taljonick, Ryan (November 11, 2013). "XCOM: Enemy Within review". GamesRadar. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  26. 1 2 Stapleton, Dan (November 11, 2013). "XCOM: Enemy Within Review". IGN. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  27. ↑ Fretz, Andrew (November 21, 2014). "'XCOM: Enemy Within' Review – Killing Aliens? Check. With Huge Robots? Check. Instabuy? Check". TouchArcade . Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  28. 1 2 Lees, Matt (November 11, 2013). "XCOM: Enemy Within Review". VideoGamer. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  29. ↑ "2014 Awards Category Details Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences . Retrieved November 28, 2023.
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