Aliens Invade
So, while I may make another (high chaos) run through Dishonored at some point, I've started in on my second holiday game: XCom Enemy Unknown. I did not really see much of the original XCom, but I do like tactical games. I really wish someone would make another MechCommander game. But this is one of the recent "best," so I figured I'd give it a try. So far, I'm liking it. My first playthrough, though... as one forum poster described, it's a little "like choreographing a dance in the dark."
Even with the tutorial engaged, the game hand-holds you through a couple ground missions and some early research/base-building, but there's no detail of direction. I appreciate that I have the choice of what to develop next. I can deal with the limited resources (and there are a lot - space for base expansions, various salvaged components, number of engineers, amount of money, and time taken for projects). What bugs me is that I'm going into everything pretty much blind. The game doesn't tell you what you get out of most research projects, or what those results lead to. Though a player will learn over multiple plays, the first time around... I'm feeling a bit clueless. I want to upgrade my interceptors, but I didn't even know how.
For example, my currently available research projects looks something like:
- Precision Lasers (presumably allows building of laser sniper weapons)
- Heavy Lasers (which I thought was just laser weapons for the heavy class, but upon poking around the internet, seems to give access to interceptor laser weapons as well)
- Plasma Cannons (which is presumably more expensive but better than heavy lasers)
- Plasma Rifles (already using light plasma rifles, so this is... uhh... sniper variants maybe?)
- Elerium (uhhh... this has something to do with alien power)
- New Fighter Craft (one assumes this would help with interceptors)
Plus there's, I think, two alien type dissections and maybe another technology sitting there waiting for the time to research it. I just recently completed Skeleton Armor, which I had expected to offer better protection for my troops, but turned out to be less protective than what I'm currently fielding, but have a built-in grapple to ascend/descend terrain - not something I've been craving so much.
And troops. Wow. Injuries can take a veteran soldier out of action for a mission or two for recovery even if they survive. You don't know what class a rookie will be until they get experience and graduate to squaddie. They also get tagged with seemingly-random callsigns as they level up. Bizarrely, the three starting soldiers I customized worked out well. Shaden 'Shadow' Darkwing became a Sniper and has probably my highest kill count and rank. Lairu 'Romeo' Lightbringer became a Support soldier, and my go-to field medic. Jhazza 'Hardcore' kal Khett is my premier Assault specialist, leading the charge and conducting most of my alien live-captures. The difficulty has been bringing other characters up to fill in some of those spots when my primaries are down with injury.
I also can't help but wonder how the game progresses. Are developments that ramp up the action base don player progression, or the unrelenting timeline, or some of both? Would it be better for me to rush into the plot objectives or hold off? No idea... So for now, it's back to trying to get more satellites up (which requires money, time, and uplink rooms to support... which in turn require money, time, power, space...) Aieee!
Even with the tutorial engaged, the game hand-holds you through a couple ground missions and some early research/base-building, but there's no detail of direction. I appreciate that I have the choice of what to develop next. I can deal with the limited resources (and there are a lot - space for base expansions, various salvaged components, number of engineers, amount of money, and time taken for projects). What bugs me is that I'm going into everything pretty much blind. The game doesn't tell you what you get out of most research projects, or what those results lead to. Though a player will learn over multiple plays, the first time around... I'm feeling a bit clueless. I want to upgrade my interceptors, but I didn't even know how.
For example, my currently available research projects looks something like:
- Precision Lasers (presumably allows building of laser sniper weapons)
- Heavy Lasers (which I thought was just laser weapons for the heavy class, but upon poking around the internet, seems to give access to interceptor laser weapons as well)
- Plasma Cannons (which is presumably more expensive but better than heavy lasers)
- Plasma Rifles (already using light plasma rifles, so this is... uhh... sniper variants maybe?)
- Elerium (uhhh... this has something to do with alien power)
- New Fighter Craft (one assumes this would help with interceptors)
Plus there's, I think, two alien type dissections and maybe another technology sitting there waiting for the time to research it. I just recently completed Skeleton Armor, which I had expected to offer better protection for my troops, but turned out to be less protective than what I'm currently fielding, but have a built-in grapple to ascend/descend terrain - not something I've been craving so much.
And troops. Wow. Injuries can take a veteran soldier out of action for a mission or two for recovery even if they survive. You don't know what class a rookie will be until they get experience and graduate to squaddie. They also get tagged with seemingly-random callsigns as they level up. Bizarrely, the three starting soldiers I customized worked out well. Shaden 'Shadow' Darkwing became a Sniper and has probably my highest kill count and rank. Lairu 'Romeo' Lightbringer became a Support soldier, and my go-to field medic. Jhazza 'Hardcore' kal Khett is my premier Assault specialist, leading the charge and conducting most of my alien live-captures. The difficulty has been bringing other characters up to fill in some of those spots when my primaries are down with injury.
I also can't help but wonder how the game progresses. Are developments that ramp up the action base don player progression, or the unrelenting timeline, or some of both? Would it be better for me to rush into the plot objectives or hold off? No idea... So for now, it's back to trying to get more satellites up (which requires money, time, and uplink rooms to support... which in turn require money, time, power, space...) Aieee!
the game ramps up difficulty over time, but the plot missions will advance the aliens far, far faster and worse. Do as many side projects. good luck figuring out which are side missions and which are plot though. How many times have I died? :D
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Plot missions so far have seemed pretty obvious: they tend to be the objectives that stick around regardless of whatever else is going on. Build arc thrower/containment facility > capture an alien > capture a specific alien > research it > assault enemy base (that's the one I've put off for a week or two in-game trying to decide when I should do it).
ReplyDeleteYeah, no tiger-based character yet. Though the uncanny streak continues as Col. Darkwing becomes one of my first psi-gifted soldiers. I actually found that the pressure eased off a bunch in the wake of the Alien Base assault. It's a notable panic reduction around the globe, and I seem to be seeing a mission pop up every week or two rather than every few days. I can actually complete some research between abductions! As that leads to the psi-unlocking tech, it feels like a big turning point... actually right now, it feels almost like a climax with the stuff afterward rather lower in tension and threat. I'll assume more is coming, though.
ReplyDelete