Is the game more fun without Festering Skies DLC activated?

[FantasyFreak_UK]

Seems to be the based on the reviews I've read

[Tasi]

TLDR:
Expect fewer haven defences and some extra infested havens missions. Expect pointless air combat and some randomly destroyed havens (to "supplement" fewer haven defences).

Long story:
It is subjective. For me, Phoenix Point has a large dose of repetitiveness. I don't mean just the trading between havens but also the missions. I think the new infested haven mission adds some welcome change. But I also miss the ambush missions which many players criticised. In my last campaign, I didn't get a single ambush... I understand why the previously very large amount of those missions were a nuisance but I like how different it was. Instead of adding some special rewards (e.g. extra skill points) to make ambush interesting, Snapshot has reduced its probability (probably for both with and without the new DLC).

On the other hand, air combat is an absolute drag for me. It isn't the worst minigame ever created but it is dull and pointless. There isn't really any chance to fail it - you just need to disengage and start the air combat again which makes it even worse. One player mentioned that during playing the game he found himself thinking about arranging a dental appointment:) I think it is quite fitting.

User interface always was and still is an issue for Phoenix Point, e.g.: checking body parts and what effects a possible disable has is only visible when targeting, but not on the details view, the details view doesn't have movement info, but in the same time some other major information is visible only at detail info, etc. The very same issue is with soldiers and any management to teams/aircraft. With Festering Skies, the problem is again just stronger with a higher number of aircraft you will have. If you don't mind the UI problems with the base game, you may not notice the issues with Festering Skies either.
Another issue is with Pandoran air weapons. The game will show you icons but if you don't memorise those icons, it will be absolutely useless information for you. The combat itself is... I don't know. It is like some free mobile games with 3/5 or lower rating. The only valid decision you will do are:

• what weapons to manufacture
  
• primary school math decision: will I target enemy weapons or directly hull?
  
• when will I disengage (usually pretty straightforward: when being hit by damage over time effect)

You have asked the correct question which Snapshot themselves ignored: "Is the game more fun with Festering Skies?"

[Necroscourge]

To me, the answer is no. I absolutely hated the new content in Festering Skies when I found out it only made the early game even harder to deal with.

[o_siyeza]

Real answer is, the air combat is simplistic and does not have much substance to it (think of something in between XCOM1 and Xenonauts). Its only function is to break the combat focus of the gameplay; and you may like it or dislike but u will not love it or hate it. Regardless the game is more varied now, and new missions and enemies are great.

So chances are depending on your opinion on the air combat, that u may think the game much better, somewhat better or maybe just not better at all. But probably you will never want to disable the DLC.

[GrumpyStumpy]

As a newer player, I found the game "Overwhelming." When I disabled the festering sky DLC, I all of a sudden felt the game was manageable and quite fun . I would compare this DLC to
the XCOM 2 DLC "Alien Hunter." Both of these DLC"s I would consider to be two of my worse DLC purchases. My hope is that eventually they can come to a better integration of this DLC similar to what XCOM2 did with the integration of "Alien Hunter" into XCOM 2 War of the Chosen.

[lPaladinl]

Originally posted by GrumpyStumpy:

As a newer player, I found the game "Overwhelming." When I disabled the festering sky DLC, I all of a sudden felt the game was manageable and quite fun . I would compare this DLC to
the XCOM 2 DLC "Alien Hunter." Both of these DLC"s I would consider to be two of my worse DLC purchases. My hope is that eventually they can come to a better integration of this DLC similar to what XCOM2 did with the integration of "Alien Hunter" into XCOM 2 War of the Chosen.

Well, Alien Hunter puts the threat entirely in the control of the player. Kings/Queens don't appear at all unless you activate them by doing plot-related missions. Meaning, you can complete the entire game without every seeing a King/Queen. Otherwise you can tackle them when you're ready for them.

If you play the expansion DLC War of the Chosen, the rules are slightly different and yet much the same. Each King/Queen will only be seen in certain labs, and after which they will be released into specific parts of the world map (Unless you kill them on first contact).

Alien Hunter can be game-breakingly unfair if you just rush into it, but the fact is you can put them off for however long as you need to in order to be prepared. Or just ignore them entirely.

I hated it at first, but after realizing what actually triggers those bosses to show up, they became embarrassingly easy for how difficult I thought they used to be.

[Explorer]

Remember the festering skies came along years later, and it was supposed to offer more challenge to the game. If you are new and you just bought it... yes, play first without it ;)

[o_siyeza]

Originally posted by Explorer:

Remember the festering skies came along years later, and it was supposed to offer more challenge to the game. If you are new and you just bought it... yes, play first without it ;)

Festering skies was supposed to add more variety, not more challenge to the game (more challenge with new content is probably the last thing the game needs). The last patch actually tried to make the game less fustratingly hard and less unforgiving in all difficulty settings below the two highest ones (and those are for hardcore fans only).

So in my opinion, variety is what is trying to add and variety is what it adds. Also, based on how long the campaign is. It needs as much variety as posible. So I would recommend the opposite. Try the full game with all DLCs.

However, if it is your first playthrough, play only in veteran (never above) if you think you can handle frustration and you are the kind of person who played Long War, because normal XCOM was too easy for you

[redfire42791]

Does it disable the doomclock if you play without festering skies?