XCOM® 2 (2016)

Developer: Firaxis Games, Feral Interactive (Mac), Feral Interactive (Linux)
Publisher: 2K, Feral Interactive (Mac), Feral Interactive (Linux)
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Strategy
Rating: 4.2 of 5, 108,525 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 54 hours
Where to get it: Steam

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How it feels

A tense, turn-based tactical struggle where every move can mean permanent loss, set against a bleak alien-occupied Earth.

tensepunishingtacticalatmosphericdifficultstrategicperma deathcustomizable

What players say

Players call it the best in its class for turn-based squad combat, with soldiers dying permanently and a constant timer pressure that some find stressful. Opinion splits on difficulty: many say the early game is tense and brilliant, but the endgame gets easier, and some find the War of the Chosen DLC unfairly hard. The soldier memorial and attachment to characters get frequent praise.

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