X-com series Vs Xcom Series

[ocistus]

Hi everyone
I am a long time X-com player and just fell in love with the game as a kid. I like the new games in Xcom but cant help to think X-com series in the 90s was better then these. I was never a fan of the turn based system and thankfully X-COM: Apocalypse (which was the best game in the series IMOP) you could pick RTS or TB.

I would like to hear which series you like better and why?

As for me it has to be the old X-com as the new games Xcom: EU and Xcom 2( even the non Xcom, UFO made by the same people) rush you through the game. Xcom has mostly timed missions and the "Doomsday Clock" starts way too soon in the game. The old series was more a resource management type of game where this is more a tactical shooter like Rainbow 6 with a very shallow RPG side. In the old games you would feel like "ok I can finally crush the alians" then boom new tech showed up like shields or the Devistator gun and set you back to just being on the edge of dieing. I was playing Xcom 2 yesterday and 4th mission in, the game introduced a Viper, Advent Mech and Lancer(stun advent guy) all at once. I thought that was a bit much to make a mob jump and teck jump that quickly. Even X-COM: Interceptor didnt make jumps that fast nor the awful X-com: Enforcer.

I accept that this is just a diffrent style of game I just wish they would make a game closer to the originals. I dont feel Xcom are bad games not at all I like them. I just would like to see some games like Apocalypse made, heck I would even be happy with a X-com: Apocalypse anniversary edition.

[Roderick]

I hear you and I can feel with you. For me, the difference is the time. The old games took forever to complete. As a kid I had this time. Today, I can manage one or two missions of the new games a day. I wouldn't want to order 28 soldiers around in turns (like in Terror from the Deep).
The XCOM is fast enough and also strategically enough with just 6 soldiers. The atmosphere is imho also better, thanks to better sound and grafics.

[Telfram]

Originally posted by ocistus:

Hi everyone
Xcom has mostly timed missions and the "Doomsday Clock" starts way too soon in the game.

The MOD 'True concelement' freezes the timer on most missions until you are ACTUALLY discovered. The only ones not affected are where you are all ready against a timeline, i.e protect a transmitter.

[Sparky]

I think there is also the issue that we played X-Com as kids. Nostalgia. :))

[Fel]

Well, the old x-com (or at least one of them) is on steam too, so you can go for it and see for yourself if it's that great of a game in today's standards (even without mentionning the graphics, it was 93 after all).

Personally, I find xcom 2 to be a much better game than the old x-com or xcom 1, but that's also because I don't have the nostalgia factor because these games never came on my radar back then (and even xcom 1 didn't really click with me all that much).


The change of "background" and how the world map is handled probably have a lot to do with it.
I mean, it makes sense to have limited supplies and not being able to field many soldiers when you are a rebel/resistance group trying to interfere without getting intercepted, and for the world map it's the whole "getting more territories as you progress" rather than less like in the previous ones.

[ocistus]

Originally posted by Fel:

Well, the old x-com (or at least one of them) is on steam too, so you can go for it and see for yourself if it's that great of a game in today's standards (even without mentionning the graphics, it was 93 after all).

I know I have the X-com ones I wanted but thank you for the advice.

[Roderick]

Originally posted by Fel:

Well, the old x-com (or at least one of them) is on steam too,

I bought Terror from the Deep, because I loved it the most back then. Couldn't bring myself to play mor than 2 missions. It hurts my eyes and the poor soldiers always felt like standing in the open without any cover. xD

[Nu-men von Kryt !!XD]

The main problem with creating a game closer to original UFO:Enemy Unknown/XCOM:UFO Defense is twofold.

First part is while you create a good solid clone like Xenonauts it will be always compared to the original and if it will be inferior in some aspects(sorry but for example that interception mechanic sucks) the targeted audience will take notice.

Second part is quite straight simple these games don't sell like they used to. There is a reason why modern XCOM series left out the AP system in favour of perfected two move system. If it was another way then Xenonauts would have sold over a million on steam alone. So there is almost no incentive to create similar game for just small amount of players.

Also there is a problem with nostalgia googles which is shown with many fanatics and their Hypocrisy of the so called original trilogy tend to "forget" some facts when saying negative things about then modern XCOM 2 series. When i see some fanatic saying that XCOM 2 is just a reskin of XCOM EU and starts his rant about TfTD and how it is done right. TFTD a single example what is wrong with gaming industry these days it is a basic lazy form of reskin which should be sold as expansion not as a whole game. A good expansion but not a true sequel like XCOM Apocalypse.

[Apoc]

Firaxis did a really good job keeping the game close enough to the original while making something fresh. Still, I agree that the originals are a little bit better overall, especially if you take a game like Xenonauts that took the concept but corrected some problems of the original game.

While it would not work well with Firaxis more slow and cinematic experience, what I miss the most are the huge battles with 10-20 soldiers getting shot from the shadows, advancing slowly, covering each others, trying to find the aliens before they can take down your soldiers.

I also really want a Terror of the Deep Firaxis style, the underwater setting could be really well done with today's graphics.

[mckracken]

The originals CANT be better, because of those 95' graphics.
There is just no way. I mean the difference isn't huge in terms of gameplay (remake is more streamlined, which has it's benefits) but when you factor in the comically bad graphics...

There is just no way. (And this comes from someone who played and LOVED them when they came out)

[Syndra]

For me its the new XCOM. I loved the old one but the new ones I cna actually releatd to my soldier and it has MODS.
Now,the old Master of Magic still beats any kind of clone or remake.

[ravenlord69]

I still love the original "enemy Unkown" version it was much much harder and thr ambeince was awsome. The music was awsome it was just great. These versions are also great but different in their own way.

[Best Pureeyaa]

There are mods if you want more soldiers.

[Wintermute]

What new series could use is proper strategic layer. It was almost non-existant in EU, it remains so here. Just let us build bases and manage interception squads already.