X-com, the classic turned-based strategy game that set mankind against alien invaders – and stole so much of my time during the 90’s – will be getting a revival, courtesy of the team behind BioShock 2.
Instead of sticking to the series roots though, the team will be taking the franchise in a new direction – something I have serious reservations about. Simply called “XCOM,†the new game will forgo the top down and isometric turn based strategy and become…yet another First Person Shooter.
"With BioShock 2, the team at 2K Marin proved themselves as masters of first-person, suspenseful storytelling, and with XCOM they will re-imagine and expand the rich lore of this revered franchise," said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. "Players will explore the world of XCOM from an immersive new perspective and experience firsthand the fear and tension of this gripping narrative ride."
Gaming nerds might remember that there was already an attempt at making an X-Com shooter. X-Com : Enforcer was a 3rd person shooter set in the X-com universe that was an awful, mindless action romp, requiring zero strategy – far removed from the series roots. Will the same mistakes be repeated, or could a first Person X-Com actually work? BioShock 2 proved that they were capable of making an excellent shooter – so for now I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. For now.
See more over at XCOM
Last Updated: April 14, 2010
TinFish
April 14, 2010 at 13:23
I don’t know if I should do a dance of joy or start crying…
bboy
April 14, 2010 at 13:28
Ooh, ye I really liked the isometric top down, but if done right, this could be uber cool.
Kit out your base, shoot down UFOs and investigate crash site in 1st person – knock out some aliens to perform experiments on and level up those guns.
However, it would suck if you are just part of the recon team and all the other wheels are turning automatically, basically just using XCOM universe as a source of artwork inspiration.
Michal
April 14, 2010 at 13:57
Hello,
If you prefer x-com as strategy, look at this freeware remake:
http://ufotts.ninex.info/
It’s still in making, but one mission demo version is already available. It’s like old x-com, but with higher resolution, better graphics (still being remade) and new features.
GougedEye
April 15, 2010 at 08:42
Yes, because what gaming needs now is yet another generic FPS clone. Take an established franchise, extract all creativity and repackage as an FPS just like all the other FPS out there. Or if you are feeling extra creative and daring, make it an RTS. This is getting as bad as the music industry. Any bets on how long before we get a Civilization FPS?