XCOM 2 Like Game?

A few years ago I ran it on Linux but using the Straciatella project for modern screen resolutions and stuff. Worked great. Not sure if there’s a trustworthy binary for Windows.

I think there is: https://ja2-stracciatella.github.io/download/

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Phoenix Point is fairly recent, and done by one of the makers of XCom, if I recall?

No idea whether it’s any good, though.

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Yes, behind it is Julian Gollop the original game designer (along with his brother) of the first original X-Com.

It’s good, at certain point EXTREMELY good (for instance it just doesn’t happen like in modern XCOM that you are the adjacent tile to an alien, 99% probability of hit and it still misses) but not perfect.

Not bugs or anything, just different design choices. I think it’s great.

What Komemiute said. It’s pretty good and much like X-Com2, not perfect but definitely a nice distraction if you like X-Com2. I got it as a Christmas present a couple of years back. Never finished it so I may have to pick it up again.

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Although it is not as in depth as the X-Com games, and it’s campaign has a more linear path, I have been really enjoying Aliens Dark Descent. The action is real time rather than turn based, but you have the ability to enter an active pause state where you can issue multiple orders to your squad. You have to research new weapons and equipment using resources that you pick up along the way. The maps are large, and the atmosphere is excellent.

Your team members are valuable, especially once leveled up, so you have to look after them to the best of your ability. Mental health has become a bit of a buzz-word item these days and this is reflected in this game where if you don’t keep on top of it, your Marines will start to lose their marbles, with detrimental consequences. I don’t know why they would get stressed though…

:grimacing:

Aliens: Dark Descent on Steam (steampowered.com)

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I think I really suck at RTS because this game is kicking my ass. It is definitely immersive and feels like an Aliens game but I definitely suck as a commander. It might be time for me to jump back into Miasma Chronicles.

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That does look awesome. Any replayability after the campaign?

Well, I guess to a point. The mission objectives and maps will be the same, but how you achieve those objectives is up to you. The maps are quite large and have more than one level, accessed using the elevators. You can exfil at any time you get back to the APC, and then come back to the mission area later. It is often a good idea to run away bravely with your squad intact rather than press a bad situation, but you can only deploy once per day, and as each day passes, the Aliens become more plentiful. That means that there is definitely an incentive to knock out as many objectives as you can each time you deploy to the mission area.

It’s not perfect. Some of the voice snippets when you order your marines to move or do something can get a bit repetitive and I have encountered a couple of bugs that meant I had to replay from the last save point. Apart from that though, it has plenty of atmosphere and the tension certainly starts to build when the motion tracker starts to pick up movement. I think it is well worth the asking price.

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Hmmm Alien games :thinking:

The ping of a motion tracker gets me breaking out in a cold sweat every time.

I tried Alien Isolation with the VR mod (the missus thought an Alien game in VR would be ‘pretty cool’), nearly ■■■■ my pants after 5 minutes and never touched it again… I don’t think she ever had a go?

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Alien: Isolation…a.k.a Hiding Inside a Locker Simulator. It was terrifying enough in 2D. A real masterpiece though, and I am surprised that they never made a sequel.

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Hard nope right there. I can think of many other ways to give myself a heart attack thank you. Definitely with @PaulRix on that being a 2D only title.

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Oh man, reminds me of HL:Alyx, during the Jeff levels (**** Jeff by the way).

I’ve never had to stop and take a break from a game before, but I did. I was in a cold sweat with my heart racing, had to put it away and come back later, reminding myself the whole time “It’s just a game, it’s just a game, stupid!”.

I think I’ll pass on Alien Isolation. I might very well pick up this one though, it looks really cool.

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You were right, it’s pretty good. Just like playing through Aliens, only with different characters/plot. I’m liking it, thanks!

(The VA is a bit repetitive on move orders, but I found how to shut those off in the settings. Wish they’d recorded a bit more whispered commands for when not in contact. It’s fun though!)

Playing through I keep hearing Miller from The Expanse: “Doors and corners, kid. That’s where they get you.”

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I really need to watch The Expanse.

Thanks for the tip on turning off the repetitive speech… :+1:

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It’s very good, especially the parts that aren’t Naomi weeping.

SE1-2 are some of the finest scifi TV ever made. From there it’s a tossup as to which is better, books or TV.

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+1

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Discussion, with some spoilers:

If the entire command staff is wiped out down to where you have two sergeants, and zero comms to higher authority I guess you can’t really battlefield commission anyone, can you?
We need more NCOs anyway.

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100% agree. Especially the last sentence :wink:

The biggest problem with two SGTs is that the only way they could decide who was going to be in charge is ‘best 2 out of 3 rock-paper-scissors’ :crazy_face:

I have it on good authority that the real reason Bravo 20 split the patrol was because Ryan and McNab (not their real names BTW) were constantly butting heads over who was the Patrol Commander.

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That’s more or less what happens here, one didn’t want it.

Re:B20- Ooof. I always assumed they got separated in the night, but it’s been a long time since I read any of the books about that.

The real issue is a corporal as aircraft commander. I know we had flying sergeants in WWI/WWII (and probably everybody else did too) but had James Cameron never heard of a Warrant Officer?

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I dunno? I had more ‘authority/leeway/autonomy’ as a LCPL (Surveillance Detachment Commander) than I did as a SGT (Field HUMINT Team Leader).

And B20 - A great work of fiction based on fact. The entire patrol was a CF from the outset.

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