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Julian Gollop gives verdict on Firaxis’ XCOM: “Overall I think they have preserved the essence of the original X-Com”

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This is just the loveliest news. About a month ago I hoped out loud that Julian Gollop might be able to enjoy the new XCOM, being as it is exactly the sort of game he might make. And he does!

“I think Firaxis has done a great job,” Gollop told Eurogamer. “The game is addictive and absorbing, not to mention quite challenging on the classic difficulty setting.” Too right. Gollop has reportedly invested plenty of time in the remake from his Bulgaria hideaway.
“Most of their decisions have been pretty sensible. Overall I think they have preserved the essence of the original X-Com.”
If there’s anybody who can sniff out player decisions being ignored, however, it’s a Gollop. The new game’s single base – as opposed to a potential multitude around the world in the original game – means the placement of XCOM’s home bears no relevance to where events crop up, and he’s noticed:
“One small disappointment is that the positions of events and bases in the world view have no relevance at all,” Gollop continued. “I often get the feeling that some things are just too deliberately contrived. The three simultaneous abduction sites [of which the player can only respond to one] being the worst offender. The original X-Com had significantly more pseudo-random elements.
“However, it is clear that they have been following Sid Meier’s dictum that games are essentially about making interesting decisions,” he added. “They have strived to make every decision have some kind of trade-off.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m chuffed.