Turn-based Strategy? At first I was skeptical too, so I tried the demo (yes, there is a demo) and then my doubts disappeared.

Prepare yourself for an immensely enjoyable, replayable, immersive, and strategic game filled with customization where your decisions influence the outcome of the world where aliens invade. The story is solid, as is the atmosphere. Gameplay is tight and keeps you on your toes. Bugs are mild and not at all game-breaking. All in all a solid title.
What steals the show, however, are the soldiers. You recruit them, name them and customize them into your dream team, then watch as they turn into a squad of hardened veterans with unique skills, accomplishments, and war-stories - or as they get cut down ingloriously and die. Permanently. You might have that one soldier who leads your team from beginning to end. You might have the up-and-comer who proves her metal through hard-fought victories. You might have that gifted soldier who has cheated certain death more times than you can count, or that soldier who can kill anything. Or you might lose your veteran medic as he is gunned down and bleeds out as his buddies look on, helpless to save him.
Squad based action at its finest, gripping tactical play, and narrative that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
XCOM delivers. Very good game.

The concept of this game is spot on: Stealth action, assassination, and sniping mechanics to allow players to place bullets with stunning accuracy. *IF* this game had stuck to the concept - especially keeping the graphics and design of the game - it would have been golden: a godsend to players who enjoy the art of sniping.

However, the game did not do that, and quickly devolves into any other shooter where you take on waves of badguys and stealth is thrown out the window. The AI is sloppy, the non-sniping weapons are the most horrific I have ever seen in a game, and the level objectives are retardedly linear. You have become rambo with a sniper rifle and you have no f***ing clue how the badguys can be so dumb yet accurate at the same time. Not to mention the levels where you are *forced* to run and gun instead of being the sniper covering the action...
Terrible game. Not even worth the money on sale. DO NOT waste your time with it.
2/10

This was my first introduction to the Total War franchise, and, though I don't consider myself a strateg game buff, this title was highly enjoyable and worthwhile.
As with all Total War titles, it is a game that requires a degree of finess from the player, as well as a willingness to get to know the finer points of gameplay. It has a learning curve, in other words. Hard though it can be, the game is definitely rewarding, and soon you may well find yourself bowing to the monitor and shouting in Japanese when things displease you.
Is it worth you money? Yes. And doubly so if it can be found on sale.
Everyone thinks Samurai are cool, and I doubt there is anyone out there who is not intrigued by Ninjas. That alone makes this title worth checking out.