XCOM: Chimera Squad - Review @ COG

COG checked out XCOM: Chimera Squad:

XCOM: Chimera Squad is a Satisfying New Approach To a Turn Based Juggernaut

XCOM: Chimera Squad Video Review

XCOM: Chimera Squad is the surprise new game in the XCOM series, announced one week before its release. It's a very different game from XCOM and XCOM 2, but as surprises go, it's a welcome one. XCOM is a series that never overtly focused on story or character, but in Chimera Squad, it tries something new and succeeds with its excellent writing and immersion in the overall universe. It has us over the moon for what a proper XCOM 3 will play like, and we're excited to share our thoughts on the game with you. To watch our full video review, click play on the video below!

loading…

[…]

More information.

Gears Tactics is about a zillion times better than this. The only actual good thing of this game, is that it costs 20€ (or 10 if you bought it at preorder discount), and Gears Tactics has a hefty ~60 price tag. But hey, if you work for your money and wanna get good stuff out of it, might as well go with what's actually good. My grandfather was a big fan of fishing and he never bought a cheap fishing rod.

There is enough room in Turn-Based audience's gaming library in general (and in my gaming library, in particular) for both XCOM Chimera Squad and Gears Tactics to fit in. And not only these, but also Phoenix Point, Troubleshooter, and the like. As for me, the more TB tactics squad games we have, the merrier.

I completely agree with henrique.

Gears Tactics may be good and it's on my wishlist for when it becomes reasonably priced (in my opinion).

For now Chimera Squad is providing me with loads of fun.

Originally Posted by Pladio
I completely agree with henrique.

Gears Tactics may be good and it's on my wishlist for when it becomes reasonably priced (in my opinion).

For now Chimera Squad is providing me with loads of fun.

I haven't played Chimera Squad or Gears Tactics, can you believe this? I decided I'll only play them when my little "treat" (AOC 24G2/BK) arrives here

Originally Posted by henriquejr
I haven't played Chimera Squad or Gears Tactics, can you believe this? I decided I'll only play them when my little "treat" (AOC 24G2/BK) arrives here

When is that?

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

I congratulate those with infinite time. As someone with a job and life responsibilities, I'll choose to play only the best games in the genres that interest me. Chimera Squad is very notoriously not one of them.

Originally Posted by Pladio
When is that?

According to the carrier's web site, this should occur by May 13th. Let's hope so.

Originally Posted by henriquejr
There is enough room in Turn-Based audience's gaming library in general (and in my gaming library, in particular) for both XCOM Chimera Squad and Gears Tactics to fit in. And not only these, but also Phoenix Point, Troubleshooter, and the like. As for me, the more TB tactics squad games we have, the merrier.

Hard to disagree with that

I'm playing both right now… Gears is really good, even without any strategic layer.

The combat is perhaps my favourite tb system I've played in a long time. It's not radically different than Xcom's but they've made a few tweaks that make a massive difference imo. The flexibility around actions in Gears adds much more tactical options. Stringing together executions to add actions is really satisfying - especially if you're a big board gamer whose used to similar mechanics of extending/chaining actions.

The more free-roaming sense of movement helps immersion too.

That said, I'm also really enjoying Chimera Squad. Personally, I really like the smaller, tighter maps. The breach system is cool - and I like the multi-stage maps. I also like the interleaved turns via initiative (maybe not better than the old system, but at least feels different and fresh for modern Xcom).

I also like the predefined characters… while they're not the best in terms of voice acting or back story, it still adds some nice flavour to the game.

And when you factor in the price, I think the game offers a great experience.

Play 'em both if you can!

Did he seriously take off points because of the moral implications of policing a formerly alien-controlled world?

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory
Did he seriously take off points because of the moral implications of policing a formerly alien-controlled world?

The reviewer scored the game 90 out of 100. I am not a natural-born English-speaker but judging from what I could listen in the video, he didn't say he would take 10 points off the final score because of said moral implications. Of course, *if* he said it please tell me the minute mark where he did so.

Of course this game is not perfect (almost no game is) and a score of 90/100 (or 9 out of 10) still is a hell of a great score.

I finished a run of the game last week, and I certainly enjoyed it. Haven't heard of Gears Tactics, have to check it out. Currently I'm lost in Nowhere Prophet though…

Gears Tactics somewhat substitutes XCOM grenade with overwatching. Plays a similar part. It bends toward defensive strategies, move plus overwatch at the core. Has few timers, defense tower scenarios…

Originally Posted by ChienAboyeur
Gears Tactics somewhat substitutes XCOM grenade with overwatching. Plays a similar part. It bends toward defensive strategies, move plus overwatch at the core. Has few timers, defense tower scenarios…

Yeah, I checked it out, read a couple of reviews and looked at some videos. Didn't really appeal to me, too linear and with no strategic layer at all. Might still buy it at some point, but not at full price.

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory
Did he seriously take off points because of the moral implications of policing a formerly alien-controlled world?

I thought he was being sarcastic and funny when he brought that stuff up. Took a while to realize he was serious. Then I laughed.

This seems to be even more about making the game into a simplified puzzle/board type tactical experience - which is the wrong direction in my opinion.

Gears Tactics seem better - but for whatever reason, they went with not strategic layer.

I mean, X-Com is from 1994 or something. How hard can it be to slightly improve upon that formula?

There's a reason it was so successful - and, here's a hint, it involved both the strategic layer - and the amount of tactical choices you had available.

Originally Posted by GlimpseDart
This seems to be even more about making the game into a simplified puzzle/board type tactical experience - which is the wrong direction in my opinion.

Gears Tactics seem better - but for whatever reason, they went with not strategic layer.

I mean, X-Com is from 1994 or something. How hard can it be to slightly improve upon that formula?

There's a reason it was so successful - and, here's a hint, it involved both the strategic layer - and the amount of tactical choices you had available.

While I certainly agree with your opinion I'm afraid the success of the new XCOM tells a different story, people ARE interested in the more accessible approach instead of more depth. I enjoyed both the two new XCOM's and Chimera Squad, but they are far from the masterpiece that is the original.

Originally Posted by TomRon
While I certainly agree with your opinion I'm afraid the success of the new XCOM tells a different story, people ARE interested in the more accessible approach instead of more depth. I enjoyed both the two new XCOM's and Chimera Squad, but they are far from the masterpiece that is the original.

You're probably right, though I'm not sure people are as interested in these two recent X-Com type games as they were in X-Com 2.

I think it's possible to make a mainstream and accessible X-Com and yet keep the strategic layer intact - or even improve upon it.

But maybe they don't need to.

I'm personally hoping that X-Com 3 will be more sophisticated than X-Com 2 - but who knows.

Of recent clones - I prefer Phoenix Point, but I'm not diving into it properly until all 5 DLC are out.

Seems to be taking forever, so I'm probably going to wait a year or so….

Originally Posted by GlimpseDart
You're probably right, though I'm not sure people are as interested in these two recent X-Com type games as they were in X-Com 2.

I think it's possible to make a mainstream and accessible X-Com and yet keep the strategic layer intact - or even improve upon it.

But maybe they don't need to.

I'm personally hoping that X-Com 3 will be more sophisticated than X-Com 2 - but who knows.

Of recent clones - I prefer Phoenix Point, but I'm not diving into it properly until all 5 DLC are out.

Seems to be taking forever, so I'm probably going to wait a year or so….

PP was alright, it does some things better than XCOM but is lacking in other areas. Was still fun to play through. My personal favourite in the genre is the X-Piratez mod for Xcom. Once you get past all the pictures of boobs there's one hell of a Total Conversion mod underneath. And I've enjoyed pretty much all Xcom games and their copies. From Enemy Unknown to the UFO games (Cyberlight is actually pretty good) to the new XCOM's to PP. Both vanilla and heavily modded. X-Piratez is hands down the winner.

Agree on Xcom 3. I'm actually ok with the tactical layer, although it can certainly be improved, but the strategic layer of both the newer games is sorely lacking.