XCOM: Enemy Within - Review Roundup #2

Enemy Within’s minor flaws shouldn’t be enough to distract anyone from diving back into Firaxis’ well-tuned expansion. The game often throws you curveballs; you can easily have a rookie wander too deep into the battlefield and suddenly alert three units of enemies. However, dealing with the bad hands you’re dealt is what makes XCOM’s battles so exciting – and often leads to creative problem solving. Enemy Within adds more troop customization options, fearsome enemy units, and new levels to explore. Anyone who loves an intense firefight should test their mettle on Enemy Within.

Click to expand...

I highly recommend XCOM: Enemy Within, which both serves longtime fans and makes the cerebral strategy genre appealing to everyone. It is, as I said last year, simply a great game. We're four days from a new console launching and a year after Enemy Unknown launched and XCOM is still the only thing I want to play right now. Battle hardened commanders will probably have to bump the difficulty up a notch, or fudge with the Second Wave options, to create a real challenge. Newcomers will be delighted by all of the new toys it offers, while still finding entertainment in the tension, consequence, and loss that makes XCOM unique.

Click to expand...

As far as expansions go, Enemy Within takes a relatively safe approach, opting to flesh out Enemy Unknown with new maps, enemies, and upgrades rather than redefining its core. Thankfully, it works, because the additions are every bit as smart and enjoyable as the main game.

Click to expand...