Phoenix Point - 2021 Roadmap

The 2021 Roadmap for Phoenix Point discusses upcoming DLC and a console release.

Phoenix Point Roadmap for 2021 - DLC, Console Release and More!

Attention Phoenix Operatives! We know you've been awaiting news about what's next with Phoenix Point, and we're excited to be able to share some details! Here's what we have planned for Phoenix Point for the rest of 2021:

Right now, we're playtesting and optimizing our next DLC, FESTERING SKIES, which features new missions and enemies, alongside an air combat interception mini-game that hearkens back to the original X-COM. FESTERING SKIES releases on May 25th. We can't wait to see how the Behemoth, our largest enemy ever, shakes up your campaigns! We'll have more to share on FESTERING SKIES soon; be sure to sign up for our Newsletter to be the first to know and get regular alerts.

We also are in the midst of designing and developing another DLC to release later this Summer. CORRUPTED HORIZONS, introduces a new class, enemy, and an even more dangerous threat. DLC 5, which is still in the early stages, will be more focused on vehicles and will release before the end of the year.

We also had to make the tough decision to move our console release to early Q4 2021, so that we can ensure we deliver the best possible experience for console players. We know many of you are eagerly awaiting console release, but the truth is: we just weren't happy with the state of the ports at this time, and we know it's going to take some more work to get them where we need them. The good news is that the console versions will include all of our available DLC prior to its release.

Please share your feedback with us as to how we can improve the game, and consider leaving us a review on Steam to share your experiences with Phoenix Point so far!

Thank you again for your continued support!

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More information.

What would make me pick up this game again, would be a "simple" mode, where we wouldn't have to deal with the strategic global map, juggle more than one team and bases and such. Just tactical combat and some more simplistic strategical layer (research, technology progression and such).

I'm getting old, I usually play tired or sleepy, I haven't the patience I had before…

What would make me pick this game is if it was a good game and not this bland, dull, uninteresting mess with a story that matches something a kid would wing for a 4th grade literature exam where the main selling point is that the project is led by an old glory trying to cashgrab at a genre that he may have spearheaded a lifetime ago, but now has clearly outgrown him.

Damn, Nereida, tell us what you really think!

I wonder if there's enough games in this style {aging hack trading his name for sweet $$$$} to call it a genre yet...

screeg said:

Damn, Nereida, tell us what you really think!

I wonder if there's enough games in this style {aging hack trading his name for sweet $$$$} to call it a genre yet…

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Didn't you use to make games??

Is it that bad? It's on my backlog but I am waiting for it to be "complete". I really enjoyed the XCOM reboot so I was hoping this was a worthy alternative.

It's not bad per se, but unless you're a diehard fan of the genre it won't grab you in any way. Generic combat after generic combat with no story to keep you interested.

I think it gets averagely reviewed as a 7/10 game so take it as you will.

wiretripped said:

Is it that bad? It's on my backlog but I am waiting for it to be "complete". I really enjoyed the XCOM reboot so I was hoping this was a worthy alternative.

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I played through it on release a while back and found it fun.
The main things I disliked were apparently patched out very quickly.

I would suggest dismissing some of these 'critics' as I believe them to be overly harsh.
Anyway, you will probably be able to get the game very cheap on a sale in a couple of years.

Pladio said:

Anyway, you will probably be able to get the game very cheap on a sale in a couple of years.

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And with lots of sweet DLC, by the sound of it!

rune_74 said:

Didn't you use to make games??

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I used to write for games, and I'm still writing for games, so yes.

Phoenix Point Roadmap = Restart with a new team and create a GOOD PLAYABLE GAME. That is not a complete UI-Trainwreck, design-trainwreck like this. That idiot mist idea and trashy queen.. ARRGH!
Clearly the ENTIRE TEAM of XCOM: UFO Defense was responsible for that amazing Feat of Creativity 26 years ago. Not just Julian. Apparently that feat is Un-Repeatable.. Because we now see, WTH he was capable of creating alone and it clearly shows the original amazing Mythos Games Team is PAINFULLY MISSING from the bunch of idiots, who attempted this ridiculously badly titled "Phoenix Point" SHT!!!!

Even The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is better than annoying Phoenix Point, because The Bureau actually had a good story, a fast nice engine and good gameplay!

mercy said:

Phoenix Point Roadmap = Restart with a new team and create a GOOD PLAYABLE GAME. That is not a complete UI-Trainwreck, design-trainwreck like this. That idiot mist idea and trashy queen.. ARRGH!
Clearly the ENTIRE TEAM of XCOM: UFO Defense was responsible for that amazing Feat of Creativity 26 years ago. Not just Julian. Apparently that feat is Un-Repeatable.. Because we now see, WTH he was capable of creating alone and it clearly shows the original amazing Mythos Games Team is PAINFULLY MISSING from the bunch of idiots, who attempted this ridiculously badly titled "Phoenix Point" SHT!!!!

Even The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is better than annoying Phoenix Point, because The Bureau actually had a good story, a fast nice engine and good gameplay!

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Shitty post.

I have been playing phoenix point for quite a bit now (64 hours) and I like the game quite a bit as I prefer the combat with 4 AP vastly over the simplified 2 Action system of xcom and also the realistic ballistics, which are especially great as you can basically "aim" in first person and see what the soldier is able to hit. What you see is what you get basically, while in xcom you shoot in the direction and the enema has to jump and catch the bullet, but you can still hit him perfectly fine because of simplified but unrealistic calculations.

I also like the story and I am surprised by all the (simply made) cutscenes. I don't know how many of these are from the DLCs though as I never played without it.

But the game isn't perfect. There several things I don't like which I would call game design flaws.

Combat is vastly randomized and you can freely save at any point. So in theory you can start a mission, see where the enemies are, reload and then go for perfect kills. Or even lead each time after you were hit. In addition there is a huge RNG element. So if you go into a mission and you have some very hard opponents, within the mission you can also restart. The enemies can be a lot easier after the restart.
I guess this is also the explanation for why there is no ironman mode or anything similar. The random element is extremely high there.
Personally I set a rule for myself to not reload during combat, but rather restart the mission to keep the combat interesting. But the same savescumming issue also applies on the map, where reloading can make the difference of "you search for 5h and find nothing" or "you search for 5h and find 400 ressources".

There are also 2 other issues which again I would call bad game design. If you want to maximize resource income you need to spend lots of time with flying around and trading. Flying to camp 1, trade 4 Resource A against 6 Resource B. Then you fly to camp 2, trade 4 Resource B against 6 Resource A, and so on, basically with tons of settlements and very fast restocking of resources. So there is a strong incentive into maximizing a bad game mechanic.

Same goes for equipment. You can equip your whole team right before the mission while they are in a shuttle. And you have multipe shuttle with multple teams. Crafting new equipment is expensive.
So what is the reasonable thing to do? Team A arrives at a new Combat, then completely strip down Team B, equip Team A, and once B is entering Combat, you need to strip Team A again. This is especially annoying as your characters sometimes need some rather specialized equipment and there is no equipment template or anything like that. You also cannot hit "unequip all", you have to dublieclick on every item.
So before a combat you might spend 10 Minutes just unequipping and re-equipping which is annoying.

I would still recommend it so far.