XCOM 2 - The Bear and Badger

Paul the sparky

I dunno. I lost guys in the last XCOM but there was always the feeling that I could have done better. This just feels like at times the game says nope and there's fuck all you can do about it.

Feels very much like conceding that last minute goal in PES, like there's an algorithm at play for how many goals you've conceded/soldiers you've lost, and at that trigger point it doesn't matter how well you play, the bad thing is going to happen to balance the books.

JonB

I don't think there's anything as cheap as that going on. It's more like when things start to go wrong the shit can often escalate quickly. The percentages seem to fuck you over because there's more riding on each shot, or one character getting incapacitated just cuts down the amount of damage you can deal each turn.

At the same time, those situations happen less the more you play, because you're just better prepared for the situations that arise from experience.

This is why I wouldn't recommend playing on Ironman to begin with. It's a game that screws you over by surprising you, so it's fine to reload your last save and repeat with the knowledge you've gained. I wouldn't try and do it without using save points until you've been through it once.

Tempy

I've still never managed to finish an XCOM on Ironman, or anything past normal. I am a dunce when it comes to strategy games despite enjoying them. When I finished XCOM 2 the only things I rolled back were bugs, but I wouldn't have been happy to deal with them on Ironman.

Feeling like there's an algorithm at play is natural, but it's always easier to see two failed high percent shots in a row as utter in-game fuck you moments as opposed to forgetting that mission where a critical shot that shouldn't have landed, and definitely shouldn't have triggered a status or landed a critical. The amount of times a heavy gunner has come through for me on 47% is unreal.

I remember losing one of my best squadmates on the final mission right near the start. Honestly, the BS I pulled to get through it was monumental, but I am still angry about the time an enemy mech crippled two of my roofbound Sergeants in the first few hours for a pod trigger into a missile rack attack.

Tempy

That said, as someone that got utterly fucked over by the brick wall that is the Alien Hunters DLC being active on my first few runs leaving me to wait about 6 months before trying again... it's fine to give it up. It's a tough game.

Dinostar77

https://www.pcgamer.com/xcom-chimera-squad-is-coming-on-april-24/

20 hour xcom chimera squad campaign released on friday 24th april. £10 until May 1st on steam.

Vastik

Dinostar77 wrote:

https://www.pcgamer.com/xcom-chimera-squad-is-coming-on-april-24/ 20 hour xcom chimera squad campaign released on friday 24th april. £10 until May 1st on steam.

Surprise drop! Looks good, though I'll really miss perma-death and customisable characters.

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