Xenonauts - Early Access Available for Purchase on Steam

Couchpotato

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If you missed the Kickstarter drive for Xenonauts you can now purchase early access for the title on Steam for $19.99/€16.99. Also by purchasing early access you also get the full game, so you won't have to grab it again at release.
As a bonus here is a hands-on impression video

Xenonauts is a strategy game in which you control a multi-national military organisation defending a Cold War-era Earth from alien invasion, using small squads of persistent soldiers to eliminate the extraterrestrials and recover their technology in turn-based ground combat. A detailed strategic layer allows you to co-ordinate the defence of the planet, using your interceptors to shoot down UFOs and researching captured artefacts to learn about your foes and unlock new combat equipment to use on your missions.
Xenonauts is a spiritual successor to the classic X-Com strategy games from the 1990s. We aim to improve the graphics, add new content and streamline the interface whilst still retaining all of the key mechanics of the original games. Devoted fans should love this game, but we're also keen to introduce the joys of old-school grand strategy to a whole new generation of players who might not otherwise experience it!
More information.
 
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Sounds like my favorite Turtledove series.
 
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I kickstarted this...was playing it today, pretty good so far, excellent even. I suck at it:)

There are still elements not completed like the xeno encyclopedia.
 
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Game is in early beta state, some things are not implemented, other things are poorly coded and buggy. Give it a year or two for polish, then it should be more or less presentable.
 
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Game is in early beta state, some things are not implemented, other things are poorly coded and buggy. Give it a year or two for polish, then it should be more or less presentable.
The game already was in development for a few years. The kickstarter helped fund the project for more development. The official estimated date was OCT 2012 they failed to meet that, but I'm not surprised. I'm sure other projects won't either.

Simple answer stuff happens not everything goes as planned.:) Still looking forward to playing the finished project not Beta.
 
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I don't know...it is pretty presentable now...I don't think it is anywhere close to a year or two away.
 
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I agree with Rune, this game is already good. Give it a couple of months at it will be excellent. While I did enjoy the latest XCOM it was WAY to streamlined for my liking. I played through it once and don't really think I'll ever pick it up again. This is much closer to what I wished that game would have been. Basically the original with enchanced graphics and some added content, and I mean that in a good way.
 
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How is the AI ?

It is not optimal: the recently released Steam-build has seen a few quick optimizations before it went live. In the last build, aliens could spot you through walls etc. making the game quite hard (and annoying). A week before that, they all ran away and hid once you loosened a shot at them. Though all these issues have largely been fixed, the AI still needs work and sees weekly progress.

Other than that, I've been having quite a lot of fun with this. The game has provided me with some amazing moments, that really took me back.. wait.. what..? It's been 20 years since X-COM EU? Ouch :)
 
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This game has seemingly been in development forever and is still only in a beta state? I doubt it'll be ready in months....not at the pace that development has moved so far!

I do hope it turns out well though. I fear it might feel a bit dated for my tastes but I'll probably check it out. There are plenty of indie games that come out in the $20 range with a much more modern look and feel.
 
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Yeah I've played some of the builds and have been somewhat disappointed with it overall. I've not played the final version so trying to temper my impressions but it seems like Expeditions was developed and delivered much faster than this. Granted there may be some complexity difference but I'm in no rush and will wait to play this when its done.
 
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I'm just not seeing the disappointment some of you have with this. It is a pretty cool xcom clone idea right now that is pretty much done other then some smoothing of edges.
 
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I guess my disappointment is somewhat unfairly rooted in the fact that the game was supposed to be nearly releasable over a year ago and the ks was to finalize it. They were also taking preorders for nearly 2 years before that.

Both the v10.2 build when ks launched and v15 in October were obviously still very alpha. Had several instances of missing/swapped animations, really bad AI from civilians and stuff like disappearing aliens or missions that could not be completed.

I've downloaded the Steam beta version since my last comment and it feels smoother and faster. Obviously they have fixed quite a few issues and is where I was expecting it 8+ months ago and thus my comment. I accept they were alpha/beta so not of highest quality and will probably put it on hold until final build so that I don't spoil it any more and get it as they want us to see it.
 
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Woo you guys are very difficult, you should practice self starvation and play more on Mac, it makes brilliant many more games. You are like kids overloaded by gift and bounties and can't appreciate anymore.

That said, I won't bother switch to Windows to try the demo/beta, I have Expeditions: Conquistador to finish, Xcom Unknown to finish replay with no reload, and Torchlight 2 to play more under a wrapper and finish play the current character.

But really it sounds appealing to me, Xcom remake is a too good memory gaming to not make me wish more with a roughly similar approach.
 
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Don't know what some of the people here are complaining. The version I played a few months ago (thus not even the latest build) was quite stable and did show a lot of promise, even with the alien AI basically not functioning.

Buggy? Nope. Maybe I have just been lucky, but the build I played was surprisingly stable, considering it was an alpha - I've played less stable release versions from the big AAA game companies. Sure there were missing things, but it is a development build, not a release version afterall. If you want a fully functional game - don't play a development build.

Dated? Oh, please! If you were expecting the latest 3D graphics and awesum button gameplay, you were clearly mistaken what this game was set out to be. This project is about making a spiritual successor to X-Com, not making Gears of War 8. Besides, to me the 2D graphics and the still images of different base screens (etc.) look spectacular. However, graphics doesn't equal gameplay. Xenonauts smoothes (but does not dumb down!) the rough edges of the old X-Com games, but keeps the stellar gameplay intact. The meat and potates of the game - the turn-based combat - is just as I'd hoped it would be, with tactical depth, skill checks, full inventory control, destroyable terrain, and everything. I cannot fathom how anyone would consider that dated. Want real-time action (with achievements and multiplayer, no less)? You've got the wrong game, buddy!

Year or two of polish?! Hardly. They're in reasonably good shape now and, IMO, need a few months, not years, to get the game shipshape and ready for release. Yes, there's work to be done, the AI needs tuning, things need writing, graphics need finishing, et cetera, but I have faith the dudes at Goldhawk will get it done. They been making steady progress and are at the home stretch now.

Don't know about others, but Xenonauts is the spiritual successor to X-Com I've been waiting for and I have faith it'll reach the lofty expectations I have for it.
 
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@Lurking Grue:
Ha ha I haven't seen the chit chat whining about the X-Com remake so I don't know what some players found so bad in it. And I can't share your "under the line" negative critic against it, but good words, it almost pushed me switch to windows and try the current beta. :biggrin:

For the graphics, good point. When I put fullscreen the video and got high resolution stuff, I had a big smile because of the Marathon (game) reminding. It's a sort of very improved version, a bit lacking of an art style, but there's something cute in graphics finesse.

The much larger scale concession (it's a rude decision to accept do because you know you'll get less detailed graphics so less appealing graphics so much more hard game selling) is just making full sense with the gameplay. It won't be able to have the incredible thrill mood of Xcom remake but it will win a lot from the other elements of gameplay.

One point, the panel "hidden movements" seem to me like an awful idea. The Xcom approach is in my opinion much better. If there's sounds make by the enemy or civilian that aren't seen, the cam should show from where it comes because the game can't with just sounds when in reality you would know the direction and even could have an idea of the distance.
 
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I'm just not seeing the disappointment some of you have with this. It is a pretty cool xcom clone idea right now that is pretty much done other then some smoothing of edges.

But dude, you like everything! And you seem to defend everything mentioned on the site. You're the metric for kindness, goodwill and forgiveness. Nothing wrong with that, but you have to keep it in mind when reading other people's feedback.
 
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But dude, you like everything! And you seem to defend everything mentioned on the site. You're the metric for kindness, goodwill and forgiveness.

That usually only applies to titles developed in Canada or the US though. He valiantly battles the anti-NA conspiracy here at The Watch. ;)
 
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Some bugs, but easily worth the money imo. Quite fun.
 
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But dude, you like everything! And you seem to defend everything mentioned on the site. You're the metric for kindness, goodwill and forgiveness. Nothing wrong with that, but you have to keep it in mind when reading other people's feedback.

I'm not sure how I should keep it in mind other peoples opinions if I like something since you have some deluded idea that I don't find any games bad. I like a lot of things, don't think they are perfect, but hardly the end of the world problems that many of the drama queens on here fortell. There is usually something good to be found in most games, unless they are just complete junk. I like something if I can sit down and waste hours playing them, after all they are for entertainment.
 
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