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Tag: XCOM Enemy Within

The Reticule Turns 10 – Jon’s Game of the Decade

The Reticule Turns 10 – Jon’s Game of the Decade

Ten years is a long time. I bought a house, I got married, I had TWO kids (what WAS I thinking) and I finally found out how to use a Chainsaw without killing myself….. In the background of that though was gaming. Always gaming.

Because of the two little bundles of….. erm…. let’s go with ‘joy’ here, my gaming (and writing!) time has had to be wrestled free and jealousy guarded- so it means what gaming time I DO get is oftentimes rare and always, always, precious. This means I tend to fall back on games I know, games I trust, and well, you all know it’s XCOM right?

XCOM: Enemy Unkown, the expansion, and the inevitable sequel have devoured a ridiculous amount of my gaming time. I’ve played it so much that I broke the Steam timer, so all I know is that it’s somewhere north of 200 hours. Now the potentially controversial part here is that it isn’t either of the main games that get my vote as the Game of the Decade; it is Enemy Within, the expansion to the 2012 return that wins it for me. Hands down.

When Enemy Unknown was first on the radar, it was a bold proposition. A world of FPSs, cover shooter and sprawling RPGs didn’t seem the place for a turn based isometric game to make a splash. Especially not one that was missing in action for a decade. Even I wasn’t sure. But it came, and it absolutely kicked ass. The sequel upped the ante, and switched roles. This time you were the guerrilla force attacking the established world. A great way to keep the game fresh.

XCOM for me was always more about my squad than the actual mission (and it’s worth saying the bonds and rebuffs available in the XCOM 2 add to this immeasurably), and there’s something about genetically modifying your troops in Enemy Within that really connected with me. You could also turn them into giant stompy-mechs. I found though, as many do in XCOM, that you start to make your own rules and conditions, so I reserved the bot-ectomy for soldiers who got gravely wounded in a mission. OCP would be proud. It just added something for me, another layer, more character for my team members. I loved it. Always seemed to be Nick who got the ‘upgrade’ mind…

It was still hard, ridiculously so, and the addition of in-mission meld canisters (required to upgrade your soldiers ) meant that even though you had some serious tech at your command, you were always having to stretch just out of your comfort zone to grab all the meld AND achieve the objectives. These missions were so good that they basically formed the template for the majority of the second game’s missions. Oh, and the cloaking skill. SO good.

XCOM will always be a special game for me, especially as a dad (the turn based format means you can literally stop at the drop of a nappy), but Enemy Within is the one that I think stands out above all others in the last ten years. It just added so much extra to the game that made me care more about my team, and made it hurt so much when one inevitably failed to come home. It’s an excellent expansion, and arguably better than any of the ‘main’ versions or expansions since. If you haven’t played it, you absolutely should.

So that’s my vote, XCOM: Enemy Within, FTW.

 

XCOM: Enemy Within Diaries – Part Three

XCOM: Enemy Within Diaries – Part Three

To recap from part two… Steph is on the floor of a railcar bleeding out. Jordan has a hole in his chest, slightly dead, and Chris has also bought the farm. Which is a shame as he was due to get a promotion soon…This leaves Nick, a 25% chance shot, 2 rather unhappy Thin men and two turns to save Steph.

Does Steph survive? Can Nick score with the 25% shot? Hit the break to find out.

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XCOM: Enemy Within Diaries – Part one

XCOM: Enemy Within Diaries – Part one

Given that XCOM is pretty much nothing more than a fantastic story-generator tagged on to a superlative game, I decided not to ‘review’ the title.

Rather I’m going to play the expansion, Enemy Within, using The Reticule writers as cannonfod… I mean as my heroic squaddies. I’ll detail each mission and their heroic (yet probably pointless) deaths. Apart from commonly known features such as mechs and genetics, I’m going into Enemy Within virtually blind. My tales are sure to be hilarious, even if only to witness tales of the team getting wiped out. I’ll be playing in Classic-Ironman mode and once I run out of writers, I’ll consider the game a ‘wipe’.

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New Video Game Releases – November 2013 Schedule

New Video Game Releases – November 2013 Schedule

Welcome to The Reticule’s definitive roundup of gaming releases throughout November 2013. All release dates stated are for the EU, across all currently available platforms including Playstation 4 and Xbox One.

Still catching up with this months games? October’s release schedule can be found here.

1st
Battlefield 4
PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Battlefield 4 Screenshot November 2013 European release date

Battlefield 4 is the genre-defining action blockbuster made from moments that blur the line between game and glory. Fueled by the next-generation power and fidelity of Frostbite 3 it provides a visceral, dramatic experience unlike any other. Only in Battlefield will you blow the foundations of a dam or reduce an entire skyscraper to rubble. Only in Battlefield will you lead a naval assault from the back of a gun boat. Battlefield grants you the freedom to do more and be more while playing to your strengths and carving your own path to victory.

WWE 2K14
PS3, Xbox 360

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
PS3, Xbox 360

Lilly Looking Through
PC

Monster High 13 Wishes
DS, Wii, Wii U, 3DS

5th
Call of Duty: Ghosts
PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360

7th
Wii Sports Club
Wii U

8th
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection
PS3, Xbox 360

Assassin’s Creed Heritage Collection
PS3, Xbox 360

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Wii U

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
3DS

11th
PixelJunk Shooter
PC

12th
Disney Frozen: Olaf’s Quest
3DS

SimCity: Cities of Tomorrow
PC

13th
Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus
PS3

World of Warplanes
PC

15th
XCOM: Enemy Within
PC, PS3, Xbox 360

XCOM enemy within screenshot November 2013 european release date

XCOM: Enemy Within is the expansion to the 2012 Game of the Year award winning strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The new content adds an incredible array of new abilities, upgrades and weapons to combat new enemy and alien threats. It also introduces new maps, new tactical and strategic gameplay, and new multiplayer content providing a fresh new gameplay experience.

Baldur’s Gate II — Enhanced Edition
Andriod, iOS, PC

Deadfall Adventures
PC, Xbox 360

X Rebirth
PC

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360

Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW!
PC, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360, 3DS

18th
The Lord of the Rings Online: Helm’s Deep
PC

19th
Need for Speed Rivals
PC, PS3, Xbox 360

22nd
Ryse: Son of Rome
XO

Ryse Son Of Rome Screenshot European release date November 2013

Ryse: Son of Rome tells the story of Marius Titus, a young Roman soldier who witnesses the murder of his family at the hands of barbarian bandits, then travels with the Roman army to Britannia to seek revenge. Quickly rising through the ranks, Marius must become a leader of men and defender of the Empire on his quest to exact vengeance – a destiny he soon discovers can only be fulfilled much closer to home.

Dead Rising 3
XO

Crimson Dragon
XO

Forza Motorsport 5
XO

Peggle 2
XO

Killer Instinct
XO

Tearaway
PSV

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
3DS

Young Justice: Legacy
PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, 3DS

Battlefield 4
XO

Call of Duty: Ghosts
XO

Fifa 14
XO

Need for Speed Rivals
XO

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
PC, PS4, Wii U, XO

Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag Screenshot European release date schedule November 2013

Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag begins in 1715, when pirates established a lawless republic in the Caribbean and ruled the land and seas. These outlaws paralyzed navies, halted international trade, and plundered vast fortunes. They threatened the power structures that ruled Europe, inspired the imaginations of millions, and left a legacy that still endures.

Just Dance 2014
XO

Madden NFL 25
XO

Skylanders: Swap Force
XO

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
XO

NBA 2K14
XO

29th
Killzone Shadow Fall
PS4

Knack
PS4

Pinball Arcade
PS4

Warframe
PS4

The PlayRoom
PS4

War Thunder
PS4

One Piece: Romance Dawn
3DS

Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition
PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Super Mario 3D World
Wii U

Minecraft
PSV, PS3, PS4

Blacklight: Retribution
PS4

DriveClub
PS4

Battlefield 4
PS4

Call of Duty: Ghosts
PS4

FIFA 14
PS4

Madden NFL 25
PS4

Need for Speed Rivals
PS4

DiveKick
PS4

Just Dance 2014
PS4

DC Universe Online
PS4

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
PS4

NBA 2K14
PS4

Skylanders: Swap Force
PS4