I've never touched an XCOM game, which ones should I pick up while on sale as an introduction to the series, and what can I expect?
Also, which order should I play the essential games in? Any general tips for someone first starting the series?
That picture physically hurts to look at.
>>321232178
if you don't mind old ass grafix and interface you can try the source port of the original, if not you better go with enemy unknown
>>321232707
So is EU worth for $8 and change? I saw there's a pack that includes all the classics for $4, not sure if it's worth picking up for the novelty, or if they're essentials
>>321232178
Try out apocalypse at least once. It's unfinished but it's still amazing, albeit poorly aged
>>321232178
>grAYYvelord nito
>>321232940
If you do get EU make sure you get Enemy Within as well, it's basically required to enjoy NeoCom.
>>321232940
none of the xcom games are "essentials", they're pretty much the same game at different stages of vidya graphics, i'd say go for EU because if you can't enjoy it surely you won't like the previous ones while it's not true the opposite
>>321232178
You should definitely play X-Com:Enforcer
>>321232707
adding to this anon, get OpenXcom if you get the original. It's way better than running the game with DOSbox
I'd like to recommend Terror from the Deep. It can be hit or miss, but most people I know love the sequel. Saddly, no such thing as OpenXcom for this
>>321232178
Obviously Xcom enemy within.
The other x-com games are good but they have no relation to modern xcom other than the basic premise.
Avoid the third person shooter with the fedora guy at all costs. It's literally the worst game ever made.
>>321234435
This the new game?
That looks bad.
Sure it fucks you up if you get hit a second time but meanwhile that cyborg faggot left itself wide open to flanking by the soldier on the right hand of the screen.
and the two soldiers it hit.
Why use an energy mortar if that's what that is at 10 feet away?
>>321232178
Go pick up EU for like $1.50 on G2A and pick up the EW expansion if you enjoy that. XCOM2 will play most similarly to EU. If you enjoy those, go ahead and play the old ones.
>>321235156
Can't flank the unflankable. MECs don't use cover.
>>321235252
>G2A
>>321235330
That thing's too small to be a MEC wtf are they doing to xcom?!
>>321235156
MECs can't use cover as you've seen they are armored. So thus you cannot flank them. They're like secotopods, cyberdisks, and beserkers.
>Why use an energy mortar if that's what that is at 10 feet away?
Because that is the optimal punish First off all the soldiers are high up they take explosive damage armor is shredded and then they take fall damage. In addition, this gives the MEC a height advantage the next turn.
You sound like such a cynical faggot. If the AI were to be this good all the time in XCOM 2 or any XCOM game for that matter then it would be without a doubt be the greatest game ever created.
>>321235534
No idea where you're coming from. That thing is MEC sized.
>>321235534
How? In XCOM EW the MECs look retarded and there is no human in there it's just plain circuitry. Having a MEC any bigger would be retarded.
>>321232178
Get the Oldcom bundle, the Newcom complete bundle, and openXcom.
Expect death and ayy lmao.
>>321235548
Didn't notice that they fell through the roof, that makes more sense.
>>321235683
It's the same size as a person.the mecs in ew were like space marine big.
i've heard that xcom hit percentages are bullshit, like 99% chance to hit is more like 50% chance to hit or something like that.
any truth to that?
>>321235548
You make it sound like the AI in XCOM2 is some hot shit, in all the videos I've watched the stun lancers or whathever the fuck always rush in like morons and get slaughrered, the snake tits always do the tongue pull no matter if it leaves them wide open.
The AI seems to suck dick even more so than EU so far, lobbing grenades isn't some great innovation, mutons and the cyber things did it too.
>>321235923
>It's the same size as a person
Only in that particular webm. They're about 2-3 heads taller than Humans in other clips.
>the mecs in ew were like space marine big.
They were also dudes jammed into an exosuit whereas ADVENT MECs are pure robots.
>>321235923
>It's the same size as a person
It's not. You just can't tell because there's no person next to it.
>>321236170
Nah it's bullshit, people remember only the times they missed not the times they hit 30% shots.
Get the XCOM complete pack. Enemy within is an amazing expansion to an already great game and there is no reason not to get it when it's just like 2 shekels more.
>>321236170
It feels like that because it's easier to remember all the times you don't hit with above 90% chance because in a way it hurts you emotionally, while it's easy to forget all the times it does hit because "meh 90% of course that hit".
>>321236710
And conversely, you don't get many 10% shots that hit anyway, because who in their sane mind would take a 10% shot.
>>321236339
>>321236710
ok, sounds better.
i haven't played a turn based strategy type came since front mission 3 and 4 which i really enjoyed. is it just as likely i'll get into this?
10 bucks is hard to pass up. i played the demo when it was new and thought it was alright.
Does long war work with a non steam retail version? Steam is refusing my card so I might buy it somewhere else.
>inb4 long war works even with pirated
Yeah, no. The only place everyone tells you to go which is that one thread on cs.ru has a broken crack now.
>>321236170
I saw a post a while back where somebody did a basic statistical test, and the RNG seemed to be reasonably accurate. Definitely not 90%==50%
>>321236179
No I didn't listen to what I said
Here is what I said
>If the AI were to be this good all the time in XCOM 2
>If the AI were to be
>If the AI
>If
>I've watched the stun lancers or whathever the fuck always rush in like morons and get slaughtered.
The Stun Lancers are melee only what do you expect them to do? Do you realize that this is better than them playing defensively? What happens when your soldier gets not unconscious to stun lancers. High risk, high reward makes for engaging gameplay in a strategy game on either side. When the enemies are more varied I would like to see you deal with all the stun lancers while preventing the shield bearer from giving advent MECs a defense boost.
>the snake tits always do the tongue pull no matter if it leaves them wide open
Pulling a tongue doesn't leave them wide open they don't need to leave cover for a tongue pull. A tongue pull and then a poison/shot is always a smart decision if you're farther away.
>The AI seems to suck dick even more so than EU so far, lobbing grenades isn't some great innovation, mutons and the cyber things did it too.
Keep in mind half the people you are watching are playing on fucking easy and the gameplay footage is within the first month of gameplay. With that said the AI looks about the same or worse. Also this isn't anything like lobbing grenades. As you saw they took explosive damage, fall damage, armor was shredded, and they were left without cover. That is a competent AI decision. Now MECs will always use this ability when troops are grouped which is something new. Aliens didn't always throw grenades when sodliers were grouped, but MECs will do this almost always.
>>321237206
The demo is really shit desu. Barely goes beyond the extremely handholdy tutorial.
>>321232178
get xcom enemy within, play on classic ironman,
and enjoy thin mints one shotting your dudes who are in full cover from a mile away
>>321237432
*Knocked
>>321237432
>The Stun Lancers are melee only
They're not, actually. They have guns, but they only use them very rarely.
I can see their stun effect fucking people over pretty effectively, though.
I would recommend OPEN XCOM and UFO: Alien Invasion
Both are free and good games
After that try the new XCOM if you find it lacking check out Xenonauts or other official entries to the series
>>321236170
Not nearly so extreme. Anything above 75% is safe to bet the horse on, generally. The enemies do have bonuses to hit, it seems.
Although one time I got my entire team wiped out early once, and only had a single shotgunner left. He took out 4 floaters, 3 thinmen, and was about to take out the outsider, when he missed a 99% shot, and then proceeded to get shot in the face.
If you haven't played the old xcom games by now, do not bother. Just get xcom 2012.
Don't bother with XCOM: UFO Defense or XCOM: Terror from the Deep.
Those games are ancient and have aged very poorly, and are almost unplayable to anyone who hasn't played them before years ago.
Unless you have a serious masochistic side and hate yourself, do NOT get the old xcom games.
You will regret it.
>>321237489
No, play normal and restrict yourself to only savescumming on a total mission failure where everyone dies. That's what the devs intended when they designed the game.
>>321237559
My apologies I haven't seen one taken a shot yet.
>>321237849
You sound like a stupid mother fucker who has never played any old PC games.
>>321237206
Remember to play on ironman and name the soldiers after your friends and family members for fun, tears and ptsd.
>>321238130
I love XCOM UFO Defense.
The game has aged poorly and is cumbersome all around to get anything done.
Don't act like it's the perfect video game that has no huge flaws at all. I love UFO Defense, but it's a really hard game to get into nowadays if you've been spoiled by newer video games at all.
>>321238164
sheeeeit
it's bad enough i name Ramza my own name in FFT.
Just play the 2012 one, the old ones are too old and shitty and the shooter game is trash
>>321237432
One thing I have noticed is that the snakes really love to use the grab move at bad situations. It's a very powerful move since it essentially leaves one of your soldiers for dead, especially when used earlier in the turn, but maybe they should stop going for the 15% odds every damn turn. Also, as the other anon said, I've seen a stun lancer shoot his gun, just once.
>>321237849
>>321238331
UFO Defense isn't really that hard to get into.
I haven't started TFTD yet but I've heard what the vets say about it and it doesn't sound fun.
Apocalypse is the real doozy of the trilogy since it plays like none of the other games, old or new.
>>321238164
>friends
>family
Pssh... as if anyone has that.
>>321238529
What are you talking about? The tongue grab does not leave snakes out of cover. Are you talking about bind? Bind basically replaces its cover with your soldier. Why wouldn't they go for tongue grab every turn when it's a free action for them? What do you expect for them to take one 15% shot every turn. I honestly don't understand what you mean.
>>321238573
Terror from the Deep has the worst mission type of any game I've ever seen in it.
Trawler mission. Two, maybe three cant recall floors, you are in a gigantic barge/ship, there are probably a hundred different hiding places.
I've seen an LP from someone who played it as a kid growing up, and he went to turn 80+.
He spent probably 20 turns looking for one alien.
Get Enemy Within, it's fucking great, 10/10. Ignore EU as it's the same game but with less content. Ignore the originals because their graphics are ass and they've aged like garbage.
So when does this game get difficult?
>>321238956
Classic is fairly hard, normal is a cakewalk.
>>321238956
Is that normal? If so, why are you asking? Play on a harder difficulty if you want it to be difficult.
>>321238956
DuringBase Defensebecause you can't use any SHIVs then.
>>321238907
I'm not sure if you can "ignore" EU, I thought you needed the base game to use EW.
>>321238956
If that is enemy within, good luck with base defense.
>>321239170
>can't use SHIVs on base defense
Oh fuck me
The only advanced weapons I have for my human squadmates are laser EXALT guns
>>321238130
He's right you know.
A new player should absolutely ignore the classic x-coms until they're very good at tbs. There's absolutely no reason to suggest them to a newbie except to wave your e-peen and to be an elitist cocksucker.
>>321238956
>SHIVs
For some reason, in my 5ish playthroughs of EU and EW, I have never once even researched SHIVs.
I assume they're OP as fuck.
>>321239515
They aren't anymore OP than a mec.
There is one thing you have to realize though.
SHIVS are probably the most adorable unit in the entire game.
Goliath models sound like they would be towering behemoths, but then he zips along the terrain and shit carrying his little cannon around.
That shit is too cute.
>>321239515
>flying
>passive self-healing
>high damage
>extra movement
>high health
>suppression
What's not to love?
>>321232178
xenonauts is best imo
>>321239732
Don't they also get an upgrade that lets them take free shots at close range?
>>321239732
You don't get hover shivs til like mid game though.
>>321239913
You're right, I believe the Sentinel ability comes with the drone healing
>>321239515
>I assume they're OP as fuck.
Somewhat. The basic SHIV is actually pretty bad and their guns are highly inaccurate. Alloy and Hover SHIVs are tougher and faster. The thing that makes them all-stars is the Sentinel Module technology from EW. It gives your SHIVs the equivalent of Close Combat Specialist AND lets them repair 2 HP per turn. Add in Shaped Armor, Ammo Conservation, and the Plasma SHIV upgrade and they're the best units in the game.
>>321239658
Don't forget how they open doors
>>321239926
True. I don't consider SHIVs to be too powerful until hover shivs. Still quite useful though as an early-game "mech" of sorts
>>321240093
>you've come to the wrong neighborhood mother fucker .png
Why would you ever use SHIVs? Isn't that removing half the fun of the game by playing with robots instead of soldiers?
>>321240195
I like to imagine my squad chilling back at the base while they slaughter poor aliens with drones
>>321240094
How do they open doors? I've literally just made one of each at the ass end of my current first playthrough, never used them in a city mission.
>>321239515
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k2PVBl6kKA
Try them sometime.
>>321237893
in the second stream that firaxis made there was a point where a stun lancer overwatched from full cover with a viper, so i hope the AI is not entirely brain dead
So I can just roll with EU/EW and have a good time?
>>321240783
Yeah, definitely.
Please tell me SHIVs are coming back in XCOM 2
>>321241387
So far there has been no indication they are. And since soldiers always deploy and extract with those ropes, I kind of doubt they will be.
>>321240364
They pop a wheelie and smash through it
>>321241586
PREORDER CANCELLED
>>321240390
>that suicide bomber rift
damn near shat myself
>>321241586
Thank god.
>>321240774
The build was outdated by weeks at the time and I'm sure any leftover time from bug fixes will go into AI. You should understand that stun lancers aggressively charging isn't brain dead at all. He will put a lot of your soldiers in sick bay making the game overall harder. In addition when he knocks a soldier unconscious that will be a big deal and make the mission significantly harder. His suicidal actions allow for other advent/aliens to really deal the hurt as he is pretty much a sponge for the enemy. The gameplay we saw now is pretty much like early EU. Playing aggressively doesn't mean brain dead. In fact, it will probably make the game a lot harder.
>>321242185
Even if the stun lancer doesn't knock people unconscious, he'll still drain their actions, too.
>>321232178
Just get Enemy Unknown.
If you really like it then try the original. Design wise it's better but if you didn't grow up in the 80s you probably won't even get past the clunky interface.
>>321242587
Does it have... tooltips?
>>321243221
in your fucking dreams it does
>>321243221
>>321243343
OpenXcom has tool tips and many graphics options.
>>321232178
OP, to experience the best of classic XCOM with modern performance and graphics, you should try Xenonauts.
>>321236170
Just assume that the enemy will hit five shots out of six and you'll be right.
Is getting the complete pack worth it if I already have the original xcom?
I kinda want interceptor since a strategy space sim sounds cool, but as I understand it there's no music in the steam version or something because of something to do with early CD rom game fuckery where the music plays directly off the CD and was never a part of the installed files or some shit.
TFTD as I understand it is Xcom with even more bullshit and I have no idea what people think of apocalypse and enforcer.
I was about to preorder xcom2 but saw the $20 dlc and I'm just gonna pirate it now.
Fuck em putting cancerous dlc into the game before the games even out
>>321244505
Honestly don't mind the dlc is we get stuff akin to EW
>>321244505
That is a season pass not DLC. The first DLC to come out will be cosmetic and months after release..
>>321245193
what the fuck is a season pass and why does it even exist?
i don't want the google answer, i want the /v/ answer.
>>321244708
I mean i love the series to hell but I just can't preorder a game then they expect me to pay another $20 for another two or three classes and some cosmetics when they can easily shove that into the game
>>321245193
>>321245450
Still fucking cancer
http://store.steampowered.com/app/426321/
Pay us money so we can give you a few easy to program in classes and some cosmetics and give it to you later
>>321244505
Hope the game has Denuvo just for you. Keep trying to make up lies just to justify pirating. There is no day 1 DLC you mongrel. If you think offering a season pass for people who plan on buying every DLC and want to save money is worthy pirating then kill yourself please. Don't blame anyone when of gaming dies and Devi don't release/make games for PC anymore. PCs irrelevance due to piracy over the past decade or so is a big reason why most games are hot garbage.
>>321245450
It's a deal for people who plan on getting all DLCs to save money and they can buy it in advance of they want it.
>>321245596
You have no idea how game development works. If they were to "shove into the game" the game would simply never release. The art team has nothing to work on at the end of the game so they work on cosmetics. The first class you'll be saying will be newarlu at the end of next year. Why do you care? Just don't buy the fucking season pass. You WOULDNT have gotten that content anyway if they chose not to make any DLC and waste their resources. This is the most asinine shit I've ever heard. Keep on justifying pirate fag just admit you are a fucking criminal and move on. I can't honestly believe people complain because companies charge for content that would have never been made anywaus.
>>321245609
>>321245752
ANARCHY’S CHILDREN is a rebellion themed DLC featuring more dramatic soldier customizations. (To be released in Spring 2016)
Absolute shit worth $0.50 for some animations and hats
ALIEN HUNTERS introduces new soldier customizations and gameplay themed around XCOM as an elite alien hunting unit. Face off against “Ruler” aliens with new, more powerful weapons and armor. Experience a new dramatic mission & confrontation. (To be released in Summer 2016)
worth $5
Still shit add in a few cheaply made weapons and amour and maybe one or two new Ayys and a new "Dramatic mission"
SHEN’S LAST GIFT introduces a new soldier class with unique upgradeable weapons, armor and customization features, and a new narrative-driven mission and map. (To be released in Summer 2016)
Worth $5
Still shit ONE new class with new weapons and Armour + new narrative driven re skinned map and locations
But lets keep buying dlc and season passes because xcom can't fuck us over with dlc
>>321246692
THEN DONT BUY THE DLC. Having shitty priced DLC is not a reason to pirate the base game it's a reason to pirate the fucking dlc. Keep it up pirate fag keep on trying to justify.
>>321245450
It's a money saving option for people with no impulse control. It's also a way of telling a company "hey, I'll buy literally anything you sell me so just charge me now and throw dlc at me later"
>>321247205
It's okay if they rip content out of the game because they wanna reach a deadline and charge everyone $20 for some shit one guy could program in. I'll buy xcom3 even if it has 20 dlc's and half the content cause I can just pirate the dlc :).
Buy game they do the same but worse on 3 because they know people will buy the base game anyway dlc is just a bonus
>>321248092
>rip content out of the game
Nice fucking meme it would be one thing if there was 3 classes and 3 DLC classes. There are 5 classes more than EU and 1 fucking DLC. Keep on justifying you filthy thief I can't wait for faggots like you to go to hell. There is clearly no cut content and you are trying to justify pirating so hard on a stupid Mongolian image board.
What message you are sending when you don't buy DLC
the DLC was bad or overpriced and generally not worth it
What you are sending went you don't buy the base game
The game was bad.
Don't worry there won't be a XCOM 3 thanks to mongrels like you because you honestly care that the art team spends time making 5 items instead of twiddling their thumbs. I guess EW and MECs were just cut content top right? Thanks for supporting the downfall of gaming.
>>321240390
>that fucking ethereal
>shen starts crying when only one shiv comes back
It's decided, I'm doing a shiv run
>>321248092
>literally crying over content that wouldn't even exist
What is the point. Would you rather get a sixth class or not? Would you like them to just stop at 5 and not devote themselves to the game at all?
>>321248840
dlc is good
t.Crusader kings/Eu4
So you want a playable base game. Too bad buy the fucking dlc or get half a game. We''ll keep shitting out half games because people will keep buying our games
>>321249709
Then why is there more game in XCOM 2 than both EU and EW combined? You clearly have no idea what you are talking about way to hijack xcom thread you idiot. I remember the time when gaming wasn't full of liberal millennials who think added content to a game is bad.
>>321249709
Is that why XCOM 2 is a half-game? What a joke so you want to ruin XCOM completely and destroy the franchise because you saw a season pass kill yourself. That's right when a company makes a good game don't buy it instead pirate it because it has added content worked on after the game so that they go to mobile or make CoD.
>>321237241
The retail version is just a Steam installer, I think.
>>321240390
What happened to the Ethereal?
>>321253429
A psi ability called Rift.
More or less suicided.
NEED BASE BUILDING TIPS
I'm about to try a Classic Ironman run in EW. What should I go for first to be ready for terror missions?
>>321254234
I forgot to mention I also plan on using all the second wave options except for save scum.
I've played all the new and classic XCOM games, and for someone just coming into the series I recommend XCOM: Enemy Within.
>>321254234
I always regret not having laser weapons to deal with lids faster. The effects of not having carapace can be slightly mitigated with positioning.
I'm a scrub, though, so I'd get a second opinion.
>>321253901
I meant how did he die, but then I noticed he died from the splash damage from the SHIVs.
>>321255036
My mistake;I didn't know that SHIVs dealt AOE damage on death... this changes some things.
>>321240390
I've been missing out. I have like 300 meld stashed up after the failure that my mec trooper was, guess I'll try some shivs.
>>321255936
>>321255036
No, they don't. Rift does not discriminate so he killed himself with it.
