X-COM: UFO Defense Horror Games Review

Title: X-COM: UFO Defense
Format: CD-ROM
Score:
Platform: DOS
Publisher: Microprose
Hits: 44

Review of X-COM: UFO Defense

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Comments for X-COM: UFO Defense

• Posted on 2005-12-26
  Ahead of its time
  
  This is one of the best games I have ever played. It always starts off slow in the beginning, you begin by tracking down small unidentified craft. Finding their stuff research it and find out how to use it against them.
  
  The AI is very intelligent by hiding behind doorways, hiding in the grass, and if you kill off enough of them without losing your own troops, they may actually drop their guns to run in fear (at least until they remember what their grenade is for). It is made possible through the intelligent turn based rpg reminicient system. ("Morale" and "reaction" as a good example, in fact a soldier cannot move if he is carrying too much in his backpack and his "strength" is low.) Accuracy and the time it takes to shoot is determined by the stance, the skill of a soldier, and even the type of gun used. Real tactical squad tactics (as in real squad warfare) work suprisingly well.
  
  Capturing a certain race (alive) around mid to late game will allow you to research something very useful and fun to master. (Hint, hint)
  
  The ending isn't bad either, however, I don't want to spoil it for anyone and there is no cheap movie sequence at the end, just a good back story.
  
  It is so much fun. There is even a bit of base management. You will need gather base defenses, guns (made by humans in the beginning), and a certain type of ultra rare element as the game progresses. Otherwise the aliens may actually attack the base with your pants down if you get too good at thwarting their offensive in the cities, farms, and such.
  
  This game is a classic at the worst. It is a template for newer games at best. Not for people who like action. This is a more complex game for people who don't need the flashy graphics. Unlike the newer games, I have only found one very very rare bug in the game. (Let's just say my tanks should not be stuck in a certain door.) The only thing I would add is a random mutilated animal in space ships... o wait... they have that and a kitchen sink.
  
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• Posted on 2005-05-29
  Kickin' alien butt for fun and glory!
  
  This is a turn-based tactical squad game that any strategy gamer would be happy to have in thier collection. It's creepy "X-Files" feel is a blast and a realistic AI keeps things interesting. The aliens will use cross-fires, ambushes, guerrilla warfare, hit-and-run, dog pile, and even hide-and-seek tactics. It's nice to play a game that DOESN'T NEED TO CHEAT in order to give you a challenge. Your enemies simply use tactics, superior numbers, and better equipment to take you down. Any stunts that they can pull, you can pull but not always right away, as you need to capture and interogate the punks in order to be able to research and develop all of the aliens cool stuff (which makes sense considering that your enemy is a faster-than-light space faring civilization). Eventually, the playing field will start to favor your own as humanity slowly gains the alien's gear but by then you won't care as you'll be having too much fun paying them back for earlier by watering the grass with thier blood. Of course when this happens, the cowards may actually turn tail and run in face of your might. They'll try to get away and may even resort to hiding in closets and such (that's not a joke, they WILL hide in closets if your power greatly exceeds thier own but this is what grenades and rocket launchers are for). X-Com is an oldie and may not even run on some newer machines but it's worth a look as many of it's ideas are finally starting to be embraced by gaming companies today.
  
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