Thorondor Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 XCOM: Enemy UnknownWooooooohoo! It's finally here!! Eighteen years after its predecessor a new XCOM: Enemy Unknown has finally been released to the slavering, pitchfork wielding masses of eagerly awaiting fans. It truly is history in the making for the series and absolutely a day for celebration!https://www.strategycore.co.uk/site/assets/files/5413/news-thumbnail_xcom_eu_bkgrnd.jpg Of all the possible futures, of all the possible outcomes, we could have hardly asked for more than to get XCOM revived by none other than Sid Meier's strategy gaming powerhouse, Firaxis. But we think it also can and should be said, without any doubt, that, in the end, what really makes or breaks a series are we, its fans, as has been continually evidenced throughout these many years, right here at StrategyCore, by the longstanding, enduring dedication to these great games. We are therefore extremely happy to report this new entry has just been released in the US, and in just a few more days (by October 12th), it shall likewise be unleashed upon the rest of the world. Jake Solomon, if you can hear us: All your game is now belong to us! Thank you! You've heard it here - the invasion has begun! Good luck Commander!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Celebration, people ought to dance in the streets! https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/SpaceVoyager/Smiley/SM_dance.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 You're right, aaand I've got you covered! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE5vYnnvpLA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NKF Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I'd suggest Kool & the Gang's Celebration if only that wasn't overused at the various end of year holidays. As a fellow denizen of "Rest of the World", I'll have to wait a bit and cross my fingers my local shops have chosen to stock a copy, but happy days indeed. Now we can go forth and judge and merrily throw wrath or praise at Firaxis with great force! - NKF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencer_pl Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 It's peanut-butter jelly time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbes Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 This is the day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflash Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Doorbell went off. Before i could get there, heard the ups truck pulling away. Package on the porch!!! Not for me. The agony! D: /ohwellbacktoskyrim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Doorbell went off. Before i could get there, heard the ups truck pulling away. Package on the porch!!! Not for me. The agony! D: /ohwellbacktoskyrim Still no word on the competition copy other than that they're chasing it up with the US PR guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowBlade Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Another second-rate citizen of the world here. The wait gets so much harder when there's so many people all around me already playing the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I sit here happy in the knowledge that I wouldn't have time to play it until this weekend anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azrael Strife Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 8.2 for IGN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 @Pete: I sit here happy in the knowledge that I wouldn't have time to play it until this weekend anyway. Yet fully aware that you'd make time had you the game in hand to enjoy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowBlade Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 There's a total of 28 "official" press reviews out there already, at the time of this post, giving the game an average rating of 89 out of 100. IGN's review is a bit of a joke, given the mention of a number of false facts. The score is also lowered, among other far more sensible things, because the game has a "steep" learning curve. And apparently learning curves are a negative factor according to Mr. Butts, the reviewer. But even the veracity of that is questionable, since XCOM:EU features an extensive tutorial phase and is supremely accessible compared to UFO Defense and many other hardcore strategy games out there. This guy just has no idea what he's talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 IGN's review is a bit of a joke, given the mention of a number of false facts. The score is also lowered, among other far more sensible things, because the game has a "steep" learning curve. I suppose their 'expertise' on the subject matter might be an issue of some dispute, and they are not without an interesting track record as reviews go. But it was perhaps the accessibility of the 'Great' X-Com Enforcer, which they scored no less than 8.0 back then, that so slanted their expectations. :: Ill will is, therefore, something you simply cannot accuse the IGN lads of. The poor chaps were just caught off-guard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sorbicol Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 My lovely lovely wife has offered to take our Baby daughter and stay over at her folks on Friday night so I can get one complete evening in playing the game I love her to death (and we only live a couple of miles from her parents, who love having their grand daughter over to stay) so looks like I know what I'll be doing Friday night. That's not too selfish is it? Pete and silencer_pl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 There is also a today's video article at ign where the reviewer justifies his grade... Basically he was appaled by the game being hard and permadeath, which, he so thinks, is a bad combination. Dork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGCSG1 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I remember the review of the original X-Com where the guy said, 'I thought I'd try just a few more strategies, a few more turns, and before I knew it I heard the birds chirping and the sun was coming up'. Yup, it was that kinda game. I hope the new one is a worthy successor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 @Sorbicol: (...) so looks like I know what I'll be doing Friday night. That's not too selfish is it? Selfish? What could possibly be selfish about your heroic effort to save humanity? I tell you, some people are just so insensitive... Selfish or not, I do hope you haven't told your wife she'll be part of the squad under your command. If only because that might diminish the impact of sleep-deprived-you so unexpectedly and lovingly embracing her when she returns home with an emphatic, heart-felt: "Oh, God, it's so good to have you back. I thought you were never coming back!!" :: Only we, your brothers in arms, shall truly know what you were really going on about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 There is also a today's video article at ign where the reviewer justifies his grade... Basically he was appaled by the game being hard and permadeath, which, he so thinks, is a bad combination. I'm hoping this is going to be a wake-up call to folks who've played the other types of game way too much. I welcome perma-death - I've been playing too much Star Trek Online recently and my character just won't stay dead dammit! (Can you imagine an MMORPG where there was perma-death? That would be epically short-lived ). I'm counting on the gamers to vote with their wallets and smash some records (at least in the strategy genre on consoles) so we don't have to put up with repetitive drivel in future. Maybe some other publishers will take some risks, who knows. Maybe EA will stop releasing a football (soccer) game every year and start herding flying pigs. A guy can dream, right? Despite how much the new XCOM has changed since the original, it will still hopefully be a game-changer (pardon the pun ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silencer_pl Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Why do people put so much effort into reviews - I bet that some of you played a game that was scored very low but you enjoyed it much more then so called reviewer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowBlade Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Ill will is, therefore, something you simply cannot accuse the IGN lads of. The poor chaps were just caught off-guard... Well, no, I'm not really accusing Butts of bearing ill will towards the game, but incompetence. You wouldn't put an FPS player at the helm of sports game review, or an RPG enthusiast in charge of writing up a piece about a hardcore flight simulator. Ideally you'd assign a strategy gamer to review strategy games, and not an easily frustrated, casual doofus. Assign that guy to reviewing Plants & Zombies or something. But besides the missing expertise, the review is poorly written, spoilery and as I said earlier, makes some statements that are simply untrue. It will only drive the undecided away, which is a shame because Firaxis has gone a long way to try and make the game palatable to the inexperienced. And admirably so, since despite "streamlining" has gained considerable notoriety in recent years, not much of value has been lost in the reimagining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sorbicol Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Only we, your brothers in arms, shall truly know what you were really going on about. Oh I think she knows now, she's seen me watch so many video play throughs now that she's got a pretty good idea what the game involves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflash Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Still no word on the competition copy other than that they're chasing it up with the US PR guys Oh don't worry, I just thought it was amusing and had to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Sure, you are right on questioning reviews, Silencer. But when one has limited resources - both time and money, revews can be deciding. If possible, I always check more than one, naturally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Because with great power comes great responsibility. You don't have to agree with a review to know if it's well-written, and scoring something down because it's a challenge or has perma-death is just... unfathomable. If it is so hard that it cannot be completed, then yes, score it down, but don't play a strategy game (wonder if he went Classic Ironman) and then complain if it's a challenge. - you're not supposed to be able to breeze through an alien invasion in an afternoon. ShadowBlade 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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