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XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Command a small squad against an alien invasion, then return to base to research, equip and protect Earth.
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In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Earth’s governments bring together a secret defense team after aliens begin attacking. You are its commander. The game moves between two jobs: sending soldiers into turn-based missions and running the XCOM base between those missions. The blue globe in the gallery is where threats appear; the gridded street is a mission map where you decide what each soldier does.
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On a mission, you move soldiers toward the objective, use walls and vehicles for cover, and choose when to take a shot. A squad member left in the open is easier to hit, so the useful first habit is to look at cover and enemy positions before moving everyone. Soldiers gain experience, but losing one can change the rest of your campaign. Back at base, you choose research, build or improve equipment and decide which emergencies to answer. Those decisions matter because you cannot be everywhere at once. The gallery separates the globe, a movement grid, an alien enemy, the base and a squad in combat so a new player can recognize each part.
Firaxis Games developed the original 2012 game and 2K published it for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The publisher’s North American launch date is October 9, 2012; Steam shows October 8 for the PC digital listing. This page covers Enemy Unknown, not the later Enemy Within expansion or XCOM 2. The U.S. ESRB rates the original M (Mature 17+) for Blood and Gore, Strong Language and Violence.
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