XCOM 2

[Misery]

It's interesting, because I find the turn limits to be my favorite ADDITION to the game, as compared to either XCOM:EU or Xenonauts.

Once again, before there was just no reason not to play as cautiously as possible, slowly leap-frogging from cover to cover in a grueling process that could sometimes take 10-15 minutes before you even encountered the first enemy. Even after you defeated the first squad of enemies, it could be another 10-15 minutes before you found the next squad. It just wasn't fun, but the game was balanced around the idea that you were doing that, especially on the harder difficulties, so the slow, slogging pace of the game was the norm.

With the turn-limits and the new conceal mechanics, it takes a fraction of the time to get into the action (by necessity), but the game is balanced around this, so you're less likely to get trolled in the process.

I'm curious, how exactly did they balance the game around it?

In the first game I always found that the slow approach was the ONLY approach, because aggressive movement just got you killed instantly by unseen RNG deathrays to the face.  You either took it cautiously, or you lost.

Did they do something so that that ISNT the case now?

[Shrugging Khan]

In XCOM:EW the idea was that taking a speedy approach to a mission would get you more MELD.

[Mick]

It's interesting, because I find the turn limits to be my favorite ADDITION to the game, as compared to either XCOM:EU or Xenonauts.

Once again, before there was just no reason not to play as cautiously as possible, slowly leap-frogging from cover to cover in a grueling process that could sometimes take 10-15 minutes before you even encountered the first enemy. Even after you defeated the first squad of enemies, it could be another 10-15 minutes before you found the next squad. It just wasn't fun, but the game was balanced around the idea that you were doing that, especially on the harder difficulties, so the slow, slogging pace of the game was the norm.

With the turn-limits and the new conceal mechanics, it takes a fraction of the time to get into the action (by necessity), but the game is balanced around this, so you're less likely to get trolled in the process.

I'm curious, how exactly did they balance the game around it?

In the first game I always found that the slow approach was the ONLY approach, because aggressive movement just got you killed instantly by unseen RNG deathrays to the face.  You either took it cautiously, or you lost.

Did they do something so that that ISNT the case now?

Concealment allows you to start the mission with much more aggressive movement. It means that the first enemies seen won't 'activate' until you reveal yourself. While concealed there is really no reason to do the crawl/overwatch strategy.

Rangers with scout talents are able to stay concealed after the reveal (as long as they didn't attack). They also get an option to re-conceal. I find this invaluable because it allows you to scout out where the next group is, and activate them on your terms (instead of stumbling into them using your last movement point).

XCOM1 didn't have these tools, so crawling forward at turtle pace was the best option. I enjoyed XCOM1 more when I used mecs, because I would basically use them as brute force scouts who would rush forward and take all the hits while the rest of my team setup.

[Aklyon]

MECs could also punch aliens in the face effectively. Worked better than the flamethrower did too.

[TheVampire100]

I like the weapon attachment system in this game. A big improvment to the previous game.
The weapon collection of the last game were about three different weapon tiers (that were just stronger, so you had no reason to keep the older ones) and the different weapon types were tied to the soldier classes anyway.
While the weapon types are still tied to the soldier class, the attachment system gives you at least some amount of control how to build the soldier. Also, Instakill attachments are cool  >D

[crazyroosterman]

may I ask how well balanced psionics are in this game? funnily enough I haven't seen any footage of those at all.

[Aklyon]

may I ask how well balanced psionics are in this game? funnily enough I haven't seen any footage of those at all.

Psi Operative video.
With enough time you can pick up every one of those skill on one psi wizard. Or two. Or (if you somehow had time for it) three! (or x, where x is how long you bother waiting because you modded the avatar project to be very slow or not there) They can also wear a WAR suit and use a plasma rifle, which means you have an armored psionic soldier with a rocket launcher and a grenade at minimum. (EXO suit and rifle for lower tech levels)
At maximum, you have a psi statuses-immune, fire/poison/acid/explosions-immune armored psionic soldier, with a plasma rifle, grenade and a blaster launcher. Who can survive a single lethal hit automatically (once per mission), and keeps the soldiers near him free of psi effects as well. The Psi-op can also do armor-ignoring damage, mind control a single enemy permanently, stall an enemy for a turn by putting them in a damage-proof bubble (or protect an ally in said bubble) and give someone else an extra action.

[TheVampire100]

I haven't got my hands on Psionics myself so far (the new resource management system takes some time to learn. It took some time until i realized that you have to collect the montlhly fundings yourself this time instant of getting them instantly added to your balance) but I kinda find the Sectoids too op.
They were kind of forgetable in EU but got a small comeback in EW when they introduced Mechtoids (Sectoids inside a Mech) who can get a powerful PSI Shield from their allied Sectoids.
In XCOM 2 however Sectoids got a big buff, maybe too big. They can panic soldiers, they can control them, they can irritate them, so they loose movement range and aiming power, they have (compared to other early enemies at this point) tons of HP and to make it worse, they can raise already dead people (enemies as well as your own soldiers) as PSI zombies (who act exactly liek the zombies from the same game except they won't burst into a scary alien spider thing).
In my opinion this is WAY too much for a single enemy. Especially since this is an early game enemy that appears in the first missions (the first was in my second mission I played).
Of course you can resist almost any of it as long as your soldiers have enough willpower (which they won't have so early in the game) or you enough mindshields (which you won't have because resources).
At least, when you killt he Sectoid, you will end all ill effects he caused and unlike the first game you can instantly use the mind washed soldier again in the turn you saved him. In the first game you had to wait another turn, leaving him in a particular unsafe spot.

[Aklyon]

The sectoids generally don't do anything threatening on their first turn though. They either make a psi-zombie (which has no ranged attack), or they mindspin someone with a chance to panic them. They also take extra damage from melee attacks. All of their psi-abilities can be cancelled out with a flashbang grenade. (the latter also applies to codex. If you aren't gonig to kill a codex that turn, flashbang it before it becomes a bigger threat)

The threat early game is not the sectoid unless you intend to play on legend where they apparently have extra hp from the start, its focusing on them instead of ADVENT. Kill the officers/stun lancers/troopers first before they kill/KO your team, let the sectoid waste it turn. Then kill it.

[Mick]

In XCOM 2 however Sectoids got a big buff, maybe too big. They can panic soldiers, they can control them, they can irritate them, so they loose movement range and aiming power, they have (compared to other early enemies at this point) tons of HP and to make it worse, they can raise already dead people (enemies as well as your own soldiers) as PSI zombies (who act exactly liek the zombies from the same game except they won't burst into a scary alien spider thing).
In my opinion this is WAY too much for a single enemy.

Get later in the game, and you'll wish every group was 5-6 Sectoids instead.

[Coppermantis]

Sectoids are tough in the first few missions you see them in, but they're trivial after that. Seriously, one of my favorite enemies to face. They almost never attack with anything that deals damage, and the worst they can do is mind control, which is rare, can be resisted, and can be undone by killing the sectoid.

Fought an Archon today. Shen says something about them not really being much better than what her father faced. I was about to ask what she meant, but then I decided to look it up myself and found that they come from Floaters. That's really something.

Supposedly Mimic beacons are really good, but I haven't had much success with them. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong.

[crazyroosterman]

Sectoids are tough in the first few missions you see them in, but they're trivial after that. Seriously, one of my favorite enemies to face. They almost never attack with anything that deals damage, and the worst they can do is mind control, which is rare, can be resisted, and can be undone by killing the sectoid.

Fought an Archon today. Shen says something about them not really being much better than what her father faced. I was about to ask what she meant, but then I decided to look it up myself and found that they come from Floaters. That's really something.

Supposedly Mimic beacons are really good, but I haven't had much success with them. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong.

yea there appearance was changed so that the populace wouldn't freak the hell out every time they saw them out and about doing their business.

[Mick]

Supposedly Mimic beacons are really good, but I haven't had much success with them. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong.

They are basically "make the enemy skip their next turn" if you use them right. Put them behind high cover, but where all the bad guys can see them.

[Draco18s]

I don't have the game, but this came through a group chat this morning, thought I'd share



Only a 65% chance to hit?

[Mick]

Only a 65% chance to hit?

I have zero problem with this.