XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012)

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a great game and the prime example how strategy games should be made. It features beautiful graphics with strategic combat and a rewarding progression system.

In XCOM, the earth is invaded by aliens, which are rapidly exterminating the population. The XCOM Foundation has been assigned to repel the threat and find out which entity or who is responsible for the invasion.

You operate from a big underground complex with a production facility, barracks, research labs and plane hangars. When earning money from missions and donations of protected countries via Satellites, you can expand your base by excavating deeper and building more facilities. When countries panic (because you did not cover them with satellite coverage), your income will decrease.

Every mission, new items, building and research becomes available and with the time in mind it takes to complete, it needs to be chosen carefully.

From your hub, you scan for alien activity and engage in various missions to keep the order in the world, rescue important people, collect new intel and items and hopefully, to find out who is responsible for the alien invasion.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown looks absolutely stunning, especially for the time. The characters, facial expressions, environments, landscape and effects all look so nice.

The sound is also a work of art. Weapons sound solid and strong and the bullet impact on aliens can be felt trough your headset.

The interface and controls are easy to understand and can be mastered quickly.

This game is hard. Very, very hard. Especially on higher difficulties, a small mistake can cost you the mission. Ran too far ahead with your Assault Class soldier? Too bad, the alien flanks you and blast you to smithereens. You missed the Crysalisk on the other side of the street with your Sniper Class? That's a shame, it will now one-hit your wounded Heavy that lies beyond the destroyed cover. It is unforgiving, but a real challenge at the same time.

I really like that you develop and use Alien technology later in the game. You collect the bodies of fallen aliens, use these resources at your research department and make some awesome gear.

I also love the bonding with your soldiers. You can give them a name, customize them and can get really attached to them when using the same team over and over again and watching them grow. With each level, they gain a promotion and a special skill, making them even stronger.

Overall, I loved the experience that XCOM: Enemy Unknown offers. The base building, the careful planning, choosing priorities because you cannot help everyone at once, the combat, the progression and the endgame.

XCOM will always have a special place in my black heart, and I will surely recommend it to everyone.