Edge 9/10
Charting a course through Earth’s imminent destruction is as unashamedly difficult as it was in 1994’s X-COM. It’s possible, through bad planning and bad management, to doom the planet early on, making the game feel unfair. Get it right, however – survive the stresses of management, and the strains of aliens – and you’ll feel like world’s greatest hero.
Rockpapershotgun
This isn’t a matter of a starving man grateful for the slimmest of pickings. XCOM is a bounteous strategy/roleplaying feast, and I’m not particularly dismayed that a couple of the side-dishes taste a bit suspect. It’s a triumph that XCOM even exists, so that it’s also bloody brilliant and thoroughly modern with it excites me to introverted core. X-COM’s tiny, precious world has seen many unwelcome invaders over the years, but trust me – this one comes in peace.
Eurogamer 9/10
This game is a winner. So much craft has gone into its atmosphere, into innumerable small details that together add enormous depth and flavour to the world: the occasional conversations overheard while fiddling around in the base; the mission loading screen, which gives you a view of the troops inside the carrier, fidgeting and tapping their feet in transit; the ridiculously cute touch of soldiers acquiring nicknames like 'Longshot' or 'Odin' after a few missions; the memorial room for fallen warriors, with a cork board of photos on the wall, which records their names - and the fact that visiting it triggers, after a few seconds, the sound of a bagpipe march.
Near the campaign's end, there's a direct tribute to the original game's designers, the Gollop brothers, accompanied by an achievement called 'On the Shoulders of Giants'. It's a beautiful touch, a nod from one development team to another across the generations. They have something in common now. In their own time and place, each made a fantastic game called XCOM.
Gameinformer 9.5
Both of XCOM’s layers present life-or-death conundrums to which there is no right answer. No matter what you pick, something or someone is going to suffer for it. This kind of tension and terror rarely occurs within mainstream gaming, and almost never with this level of skill in the execution. Don’t let the “turn-based strategy” moniker scare you off; XCOM is a singular achievement that every gamer deserves to experience.
Strategyinformer 9/10
So as long as you’re happy that the game’s real qualities are found in single player, offline gaming sci-fi epics, XCOM: Enemy Unknown comes highly recommended. Remember that this recommendation also goes for players who aren’t usually the turn-based type. As long as you enjoy action, sci-fi and a rich amalgam of gaming styles, there’s loads to enjoy right here.
Kotaku YES/10
XCOM is one of the most important strategy games in years. It's a great remake, sure, and that's enough for most longtime fans, but for everyone else, know that this is a truly accessible strategy game. To the point where, if you own a 360 or PS3, you can play this with a controller and not miss a thing.
In the end, long after veteran XCOM players have appreciated the effort and moved on, that will hopefully be this game's lasting achievement. That it took a project that only noisy, hardcore PC gamers should have cared about and, through window dressing, interface tweaks and some combat changes, turned it into a game that everyone can enjoy.
CVG 9.2/10
We'll never forget Jake 'Long Shot' Harper, from his first life-saving headshot to being carved asunder by a snarling space bug. Whenever we visit the memorial wall in our base (complete with mournful bagpipe music) we scroll through the list of names and think of all the brave men who died under our command, and the stories they created. You might think your Major is invincible, but all it takes is one bad move, exploding car, or chrysalid claw to unceremoniously end their life, which makes XCOM a surprisingly personal - as well as hugely entertaining - game.
1UP - A
XCOM has quite a few moving parts under its hood, and a number of ways players can slowly-but-surely dig their own graves; but figuring out and mastering the various systems at play makes for some of the most rewarding moments of Firaxis' reboot. Given that the odds end up being horribly stacked against you at all times -- the atmosphere of XCOM doesn't go beyond "dire" -- just barely squeaking out of a mission with a team of wounded-but-barely-breathing soldiers reminded me of similar victory snatchings I had with last year's Dark Souls, a game that rewarded measured, thoughtful playing above all else. If you're looking for this particular sort of experience, few games offer a more refined take on triumphing over hideous, otherworldly adversity.
Lazygamer.net 9/10
Brutal, fatal and exhilarating. The feeling of dread when you realise you are doing damage control against a complete unknown entity. The smack of shame when you lose a nation or a soldier. The sense of achievement when your guns are big enough to one shot some of the lesser aliens, or the mission where you get home without anyone going to the infirmary, will leave you giddy. If you like tactics or the original, you will not be disappointed. Enemy Unknown shows that old school games still have the reach and punch in today’s hand-holding environment, if you can handle its niche. The best thinking game I have played in a long while.
OPM UK 9/10
With every element of Xcom’s complex yet utterly accessible systems – from meaningful combat tactics, to budget balancing, to life-or-death diplomatic decisions – feeding directly into every other aspect of the game, this is as compelling a world as any in recent memory. Enemy Unknown is fast but thoughtful, mentally taxing but constantly exciting, and chaotic yet always balanced and welcoming. This really does do it all – and it does it very, very well.
Gamereactor UK 9/10
Xcom: Enemy Unknown is an unbelievably deep game, so much so that it feels like we're only scratching the surface here. A replayable and throughly engrossing campaign is complimented by what looks like an engaging and exciting multiplayer. The combat is punchy, taught and supremely tactical, and it looks absolutely fantastic. In short, everything works. Firaxis has done a fine job in reimagining one of the most cherished titles in video game history. In fact, they might just have made the finest Xcom game ever.
Joystiq 4.5/5
The fact remains that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is an exemplary turn-based strategy game. Firaxis has deftly blended management, tactics and the sort of gut-level, throaty encounters usually reserved for fast-paced action games. The mixture is potent enough that you may occasionally forget that the most critical moments boil down to nothing more than a percentage and a choice. On any other day, betting on a 60 percent chance might seem like a no-brainer. When the fate of the world hangs in the balance, you'd better think twice.
Godisageek 10/10
VERDICT: XCOM: Enemy Unknown is the kind of title that will take people by surprise, but it really shouldn’t, because Firaxis have been quietly going about their business of becoming one of the best strategy developers around. People who thought Enemy Unknown would be good are wrong, because it’s actually one of the best video games released so far in 2012. The level of depth, combined with numerous other factors such as the sheer volume of content on offer, mean that this is not only a unique experience, but also an ideal starting point for newcomers, whilst keeping veterans happy. Don’t skip this one, or write it off because it’s a strategy game on console; this is a phenomenal achievement and one that deserves to sell extremely well; but that outcome is up to you, commanders, so make it happen.
GameSpy 5/5
I implore you to play it if you have any interest in turn-based tactics whatsoever -- it is indisputably the best of its genre made in at least a decade. I leave the title of Best Game Ever with the original, but playing this one has done this old X-COM fan's heart good, and I believe it will make a whole lot of new fans, too.
Gamesradar 4.5/5
XCOM: Enemy Unknown elicits feelings of nostalgia you might not even realize you have--but not necessarily for an earlier era of gaming. Researching new equipment and customizing your soldiers is like a trip to the toy store, and bringing them to the battlefield feels like ripping open the packaging and playing with that new, awesome toy for the first time, discovering all it can do and testing its limits. Firaxis has done a remarkable job at adapting the classic gameplay of XCOM in a way that should satiate both fans of the series and those new to the genre, and though it’s capable of being brutally difficult, it doesn’t shy away from rewarding you for your successes. It’s a game that should absolutely be played by anyone interested in a more strategic take on the cliched alien invasion story--so long as you’re not afraid to lose a fight once or twice.
The Escapist 4.5/5
Bottom line: XCOM: Enemy Unknown will have you swapping horror stories at the watercooler, and loving almost every minute of it.
Gaming Nexus 9.5/10
XCOM is the classic video game reboot I've been waiting for. As a longtime fan of the series, I'm delighted by the streamlined execution and cinematic flourishes. The fact that your character can die at any moment makes every battle both exhilarating and terrifying. Some of the deaths in this game are the kind of heartbreaking that movies are based on. That kind of emotion is rare in a video game, especially a turn-based strategy game. But that's what makes XCOM one of the best games of the year.
Destructiod 9/10
Against all odds, Destructoid managed to save the galaxy, even though we barely manage to keep this site running. That’s a story worth seeing to its end, even if I’ll soon forget it as many more stories play out in my future XCOM sessions. All the small nagging complaints I have with the game fade away when I recall all the great moments I've had with it.
Polygon 8.5/10
XCOM: Enemy Unknown brings the memorable turn-based alien invasion classic gracefully into to the modern age, but comes just short of fully reinventing the genre. While tactical, squad-based combat has never felt so effortless and rewarding, the strategy component takes just enough away to make the game as a whole feel like two slightly disjointed halves. One of those halves just so happens to be one of the best and most artfully-designed strategy games in recent memory.
Videogamer.com 9/10
Perhaps that's because XCOM works best as a panic management simulator. It's about controlling the terror levels of the countries you need money from, calming the alarm of your squad members as their leader is killed and their behaviour grows erratic and your own fears as you try to remain level-headed in the face of a terrified populace, a concerned council, and the sharp, poisonous appendages of a trio of chittering creatures advancing towards your wounded sergeant. After all, remaining calm under such overwhelming pressure isn't so easy when the person in mortal danger is named after your partner or best friend.
Gamer.nl 8.5
- I love you google translate.Ultimately XCOM: Enemy Unknown a very complete and mostly well filled game become. It might not be the exact copy where many fans had hoped for, but we think that Firaxis has made the right choice to the game in a modern jacket stabbing. This is a smooth yet deep strategy game where we become really not very much of it.
GamesTM - 9/10
Fresh, yet authentic – a stunning reboot
NowGamer PS3 - 9.4/10
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is easily one of the best games on PS3, and well worth your attention whether you like strategy games or not.
NowGamer 360 - 9.3/10
A gripping and open-ended strategy epic that tests the grey matter, not to mention nerves, like nothing else on the 360
NowGamer PC - 9.0/10[/QUOTE]
The enemy of free time and social lives is here folks, we know all too well.
IGN 8.2
XCOM is a great addition to the strategy genre, complete with an engaging campaign full of tension and challenges. The characters grow in satisfying ways, but the tactical game doesn't ever quite give players enough room to make the most of their abilities.
GT review 9.1
XCOM: Enemy Unknown charges you with what amounts to a challenging dream job. Because you’re put in direct control of how the game progresses, you’ll experience the bracing feeling of being in charge. The game performs and controls almost equally well on consoles as it does on a PC, and a range of difficulty levels makes the game reasonably accessible regardless of your mettle, adjusting the way aliens engage on the battlefield you in addition to tweaking costs and damage values. It all amounts to a great victory. XCOM makes a complicated design feel smoother and more elegant without losing the feel and nuance of the original work.
PSNation A/A+
As an update to the classic 1994 PC game, X-COM: UFO Defense, Enemy Unknown hits all the right notes. The essence or ‘soul’ of the original X-COM is still there which would be enough to keep fans of the series happy. The updates and tweaks to the gameplay are all for the better and just icing on the cake.
Turn based strategy games tend to be few and far between on the consoles in recent years but if you’ve never played one, there’s no better place to start than with the master
GameBlog (French) 3.5/5
Gamekult (French) 8/10
jeuxvideo.com (French) 17/20
jeuxvideo.fr (French) 8/10
spaziogames (Italian) 9/10
polygmia (Polish) 5/5
gamer (Norwegian) 8/10
JeuxVideoMagazine.com (french) : 18/20
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