The Return of X-Com?

Posted by Rampant Coyote on April 13, 2010

For the XBox *AND* the PC. From 2K Games Marin. X-Com.

The Scoop is at Joystick, but be advised – it’s not exactly as we’d hope.

A strategic, suspenseful … first-person shooter?

Okay. Rather than sinking down into a funk over a sudden sense of disappointment, I’ve decided that I’m willing to roll with this one. I mean, sure… what I REALLY want is a solid tactical turn-based game with a larger strategic view and story arc that made the original – and Terror from the Deep – so freaking compelling. Back before they ruined it.

But they ain’t doin’ that.

However, I do remember playing Rainbow Six and Rogue Spear back in the day and recognizing the same ol’ thrill I’d had in the X-Com days. That whole next-step-could-be-your-last feeling as you approached a corner. Those were thinking-men’s shooters, slower-paced, tactical, and very fun. Combine that with the flavor and thrill of X-Com? Plus strategic results from victory and moving along a storyline so that the tactical maps weren’t just … random maps, but part of a bigger whole that was your responsibility and – to a degree – your own doing?

THAT would be cool.

I don’t think we’ll get that, either. But I can hope, can’t I?

Filed Under: Strategy Games - Comments: 10 Comments to Read

droid said,

It may end up being a good idea, but all I can think about is is “Enforcer: The Worst Game I have ever played”.

Although I think that anything would be better if it was more like X-COM. Movies, games, fast-food restaurants – they all need a little more management/tactical hybrid action.
Wavinator said,

*Gets pitchfork, burning torches and a whole mess of wart-faced, gap toothed angry villagers*

Going to Marin, Jay. See ya in a bit.
Rampant Coyote said,

LOL – bring me back some Elerium 115 while you are out there, ‘k? Thanks, man!
WCG said,

Ugh! And this will be what people think X-Com is, another first-person shooter? Yeah, we’ve sure got a shortage of those, don’t we!

Way to dash that brief rush of hope I got from reading the title of this post…
Rampant Coyote said,

Heh – I just wanted to share my own disappointment. But I’m trying to be optimistic about it. Then again, I enjoy a good First-Person Shooter (or, especially, a Sneaker), and I’m always looking for someone to do something to really change up the genre. For those who don’t, I guess there’s no silver lining to be found.
Badger said,

Another great idea! I am waiting for the following games:

Watch for the next great games turned shooters in a garbage bin near you!:

Starcraft commandos
Master of Orion: Space Marines!
The sims: Goin’ Postal!
Sid Meyer’s guts and gore

You know, now that I think about it, the sims goin postal would be pretty cool.
Calibrator said,

Well…

Command & Conquer had this one:
http://www.mobygames.com/game/command-conquer-renegade

And X-Com already had a crossover title:
http://www.mobygames.com/game/x-com-interceptor

😉
(name here) said,

The most inexplicable decision to date: The main character is going to be an FBI agent. The other changes at least have reasons. Seriously, is an international group of secret commandos not cool enough these days? Also, the screenshot fills me with dread. They should really have put in a screenshot of a chryssalid instead.
Chevluh said,

Well, not just a FBI agent, but a FBI agent in the 60s, so yeah, it’s a pretty big departure from the series’ previous setting. Some think they are gonna retcon that as the origin of X-com, and you’re really playing the founder. Of course that wouldn’t mesh with the fact the first game was the origin anyway, but the abstract-art alien ship dissolving people into pixels shows a lot of the approach is gonna be different anyway.

Calibrator: actually X-com had several crossovers, the other one was a terrible third-person shooter called Enforcer, and there was a canned squad-based FPS project called Xcom Alliance, some footage of which still exists.
More X-Com Disappointment said,

[…] Recent Comments Rampant Coyote on Game Design: How CRPGs Warped My Brain, Part 1Chris S on Game Design: How CRPGs Warped My Brain, Part 1Aelfric on Game Design: How CRPGs Warped My Brain, Part 1WCG on Game Design: How CRPGs Warped My Brain, Part 1Chevluh on The Return of X-Com? […]