IGN have had a sit-down with XCOM 2 producer Garth DeAngelis to discuss the sequel to Enemy Unknown, and what changes the new game brings to the turn-based alien defence game. Showing off a full mission, DeAngelis introduces the idea of XCOM being an underground freedom fighting force who are very much the aggressor this time around.
This change of position for XCOM has been very cleverly implemented into the mechanics. Rather than seeking out landed aliens in the fog of war, your XCOM squad is in the enemy’s fog of war. You can see them, but until you reveal yourself (accidentally or on purpose), they can’t see you. This means you can plan ambushes or stealth your way around enemy patrols. It produces a very different approach to what we’re used to in XCOM; it’s far more aggressive, rather than that half-turn by half-turn caution.
Overall XCOM 2 looks a lot more cinematic than Enemy Unknown, with turns blending seamlessly with cut-scene like depictions of the actions chosen by the player. It also looks very lovely, still retaining that chunky XCOM look, but with excellent lighting effects.
Missions are procedurally generated, with both the geometry of the map created on the fly as well as the location of objectives. Sounds an excellent approach to relieving some of the repetition that kicked in around the final third of Enemy Unknown.
XCOM 2 releases exclusively on PC in November.