TFTD or UFO Defense?

[Master Crash]

I can only get one of the two, I never played XCom before, and I heard these two where the best.

TFTD sounds cooler, and I love horror, so if it has that feeling (even if it isn't a horror game), it sure is a plus for me.

But I heard it's too hard, so I don't know if it's good to start with that one.

[Talana 💃]

UFO defense, definately!

[Talana 💃]

Only diehard fans play TFTD, I believe

[Nick Naughty]

Either, TFTD is a reskin of defense with a few extra bits added and more bugs, game breaking can't progress and complete the game research bugs.

So TFTD you have to do a bit of research on the research in the game to avoid any problems.

[Alex]

I thought they'd fixed most of the research bugs, but the reserach TREE is a convoluted mess, in TFTD. You NEED a guide if you're going to have any hope of making sense of it, whereas UFO Defense actually allows you to figure things out as you go along ... which, in my opinion, is the best way to exerience the games.

If you do pick either game up, I'd suggest at least glancing through the manuals to figure out what all the buttons do, because they aren't all intuitive, and the game certainly isn't going to tell you. Saying that the interface has aged poorly is charitable, but if you can figure things out, there is an amazing game, there.

[Dolan Duk]

Bah! You're all mad :)
Allright, I am a diehard fan, BUT...the UFO Defense challenge only lasts for a short while, then you get the Plasma tree and then poof! No more challenge. TFTD adds a gooey depth in the two-stage Alien Base missions and the sometimes irritatingly long ship missions. Add to this that Save TU's for shooting preferences aren't remembered from turn to turn in UFO Defense, IMO that game is almost unplayable :)
Go for TFTD!

[Lynxoma]

TFTD was my first XCOM and will always own my heart. The creepy music, how alien underwater seems to be, and hey, Tentaculats. UFO Defense was the game that got the formula right and spawned TFTD, but TFTD changes the game up enough to make a great sequel with more fun gameplay elements.

[Alex]

Actually, I should've mentioned this in my earlier post, but if you're just getting into the old games (or if you're a veteran thinking about picking them up, again), you might even want to consider giving OpenXcom (http://openxcom.org/) a shot. You need a legitimate copy of the original X-Com: UFO Defense to get it running, but by building an engine friendlier to modern PCs, they could fix a few minor bugs and add some helpful tweaks to the UI (such as mouse wheel support). There are even some customization options you can look into, once you've got a better handle on the game.

EDIT: Okay, it's not quite finished, so OpenXcom may not be the best choice for total newbies, but I've put a fair amount of time into the game and haven't run into any noticeable issues, and I imainge they've added quite a bit since then, so vets should certainly consider checking it out.

[⑨ Cirno ⑨]

TFTD is much, much harder than UFO because of things like weapons that only work underwater, slightly different interception mechanics, tougher terror units (tenticulat is way worse than a chryssalid) etc. TFTD is for hardcore X-Com fans who want an even more difficult experience, UFO Defense is not as difficult and doesnt have gamebreaking research bugs (if you don't patch the game)

[S Λ R V Λ]

I had never played XCom saga when a copy of TFTD ended in my hands; years after that, I can say it's way harder than UFO Defense but it's more rewarding if you love gaming challenges; atmosphear and ambiance are just unmatched and difficult is something you can get rid off if you really have a strong will towards ending the game. Aside, game is hard BUT fair, rewarding clever planning and smart choice picking.

Said that, both are great games, sharing almost same mechanics and maybe are the best games in their genre, having aged nicely and offering many hours of quality playing despite the clunky graphics.

TFTD would be that game I will bring with me to a desert island :)

[TribalSkyGod]

UFO Defence defined the mechanics. TFTD (the patched version) made the most of them.
UFO Defence has a funky, almost slapstick feel to it. The atmosphere is very inconsistent; some things seem to be supposed to be scary, others supposed to be funny... feels like they just brainstormed everything (which is fair enough, considering how unique the mechanics are). It is also relatively intuitive and forgiving.
TFTD has a much more well-defined and consistent atmosphere. The music (with its use of often dissonant, suspenseful chords), the uncomfortable unfamiliarity of the underwater environment, combined with the far greater difficulty of the game make it even genuinly scary at times.
The first time you go on a TFTD high-stakes assault on a Dreadnaught, Alien Colony or Artifact Site can feel far more terrifying (and ultimately rewarding) than a UFO Defence assault on a Battleship or Alien Base.

[TheChosenPheonix]

I'm going to be honest I preffered TFTD over UFO Defence. Found the concept of fighting aliens underwater more interesting.

[Chameleon_Silk]

TFTD all the way, however most would agree that UFO defence (OVERALL) was the better game especially for starting out with the series, only play TFTD if you really liked UFO defence.

I just like the art, music, suspense more in TFTD, the only issue that remains (even after the patches) is the game breaking bugs you can run into.. .as a kid without internet i never understood why some games i could research some stuff and other times i could not... I dunno how they missed them during playtesting.

[Village Idiot]

TFTD

UFO Defense is a great game, but once you get Heavy Plasma, you've pretty much won the game.

[pastshelfdate]

I love both games, but as I recall, the colors and map layout of Enemy Unknown/UFO Defense were more varied. The jungle map, and the animated alien plants in their underground colonies were my favorites. TFTD has lots of variety, but all the underwater missions are mostly shades of blue.

If anyone can only get one game at first, but expects eventually to be able to get the other, I'd start with Enemy Unknown/UFO Defense. You won't want to miss TFTD, which is very playable if you use the online info sites for the research tree, and play on a lower difficulty level. :)

[Empiro]

Both are good. I like slightly different aspects of both.

I like X-Com being more friendly to newer players. I also like the greater variety of enemies (5 vs 4 races in TFTD).
I like TFTD's art style and the better and more intense atmosphere. I don't like the crazy and nonsensical research trees.

TFTD's difficulty is just brutal though.