Xcom 2 vs Xcom 1, do I need to play both?

[Sir-Taun]

I own both games, but haven't played either. Should I start with Xcom 1 & get to Xcom 2 after I finish? Or should I just skip to Xcom 2?

[SundownKid]

I would start with XCOM 1. It's not really required plot wise, but it's also a good game so you might as well just start at the beginning.

[Demon of Razgriz]

Yeah, if you REALLY didn't want to play XCOM 1, then you could start with 2, you would just miss a ton of story stuff that wouldn't make sense to you.

[those who nose]

Start with XCOM 1, but if it gets boring, skip to 2.
If you want i can give you a recap of what happened between games.

[Wolfiefang]

Yeah, both games are just different enough that I'd say play both... Heck play both Long War Mods too! Yeah order isn't even that important, just playing them both would be good. Playing them in order would just give you small happy feeling with references, which you still mostly get just from playing 2.

[crysis]

it up to you

[Shoebsy]

Originally posted by crysis:

it up to you

There isn't much crossover, beyond that of genre, You're very safe buying xcom 2, as it's all Xcom "1" is, just with a little more theming and more content.. Mods are a killer for it too, where Xcom 1 is a little sluggish.

But that being said, if you finish Xcom 2 up and still want new stuff, Xcom 1 is great, if only a little less 'shiny'

[discombobulated1]

thats if you can finish xcom 1 i hit a game breaking bug on the last mission of all places. kept crashing 35 mins into mission :(

[Raven]

Originally posted by Sir-Taun:

I own both games, but haven't played either. Should I start with Xcom 1 & get to Xcom 2 after I finish? Or should I just skip to Xcom 2?

It's entirely up to you, but I highly recommend starting with Enemy Unknown, then Enemy Within, THEN XCOM 2. XCOM 2 is BRUTAL compared to EU and EW.

(By the way, if you skip straight to XCOM 2, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend the Disable Timers mod. It removes the absolute worst mechanic in the game; the unnecessary mission timers.)

[LaVidaEsUnCarnaval]

I agree with Alex. I find XCOM 2 more difficult than XCOM 1, and many features (like the enemy types and the timers) appear to have been conceived to challenge experienced XCOM 1 players: strategies that worked in XCOM 1 do no longer work in XCOM 2.

Besides, XCOM 1 is still a great game, so why not play it before XCOM 2? In fact, the expansion (XCOM: Enemy Within) includes some features that were not carried over to XCOM 2 (MEC Troopers and genetically modified soldiers).

Oh, and by the way: The story of XCOM 2 assumes that you failed in XCOM 1. ;-)

[Exarch_Alpha]

XCOM 1 is a good game, but quite different and frankly, graphically it´s pretty ugly by today´s standards. So if graphics are VERY important you don´t lose much by not playing.

[Raven]

Originally posted by LaVidaEsUnCarnaval:

I agree with Alex. I find XCOM 2 more difficult than XCOM 1, and many features (like the enemy types and the timers) appear to have been conceived to challenge experienced XCOM 1 players: strategies that worked in XCOM 1 do no longer work in XCOM 2.

Besides, XCOM 1 is still a great game, so why not play it before XCOM 2? In fact, the expansion (XCOM: Enemy Within) includes some features that were not carried over to XCOM 2 (MEC Troopers and genetically modified soldiers).

Oh, and by the way: The story of XCOM 2 assumes that you failed in XCOM 1. ;-)

Oh yeah. Canonically, you failed BADLY. You barely got XCOM off the ground before they sent in the actual troops and crushed you with ease.

EU/EW was a ton of fun, though. I was trying to do an Impossible+Ironman+Second Waves run and THAT was true brutality. It was painful, but it made for good stream material since Twitch can't get enough of PJSalt. Was oddly fun and compelling, though. ;)

[SundownKid]

Originally posted by LaVidaEsUnCarnaval:

Oh, and by the way: The story of XCOM 2 assumes that you failed in XCOM 1. ;-)

From what I hear, it's not that it assumes you failed, it's that you never could have suceeded in the first place because the world governments were cowards and sold you out to the aliens.

So you never got the chance to strike back against the aliens, you were just brainwashed into thinking you did.

[TTV Jaffycake]

Go on youtube and watch a video on Xcom 1's story, I'm sure it will be there with the cut scenes etc. If you have a half decent computer, Xcom 2 looks amazing. The thing is, playing Xcom 1 will take ages.

[drake_hound]

Xxcom EW-EU is a awesome game. even beter with LW mod and ini edits.
If you don´t have a modern rig to play Xcom 2 (or accept ugly then Xcom 1 graphics on low setting or slow loading etc)

Xcom 2 is a beast on TBS and as you notice lately a lot of TBS games coming out who are updating there graphics cause of it.
While most would say graphics doesn´t matter it is the gameplay. Well I do agree but eyecandy never hurt. especially in this modern time. where are the FPS are like Dream games for people.

I would say it is really depending on your computer.
But if you start with Xcom 2 you might not want to go back to Xcom 1.
While Xcom EU-EW definetly has it´s charm. but slowly almost everything is being imported and modded into Xcom 2.

You should definetly start with Xcom 1 if you own them both and play it.
Before jumping into Xcom2 cause Xcom2 has a lot of artificial stress factors. like timers and avatar countdown.
If you play Xcom 1 aggressively you will fit right at home in Xcom 2.
If you play Xcom 1 defensively, you might want to get a no timer mod for Xcom2 or true concealment (even beter it prepares you in the end for timer mode gameplay)

That is all I can advise.

[SunDrippedDevil]

Why not play both?