"Battle Chess Benchmark" XCOM Genuine mobile game is open for test overseas, but it is not

Not long ago, domestic two-dimensional games engaged in a mighty "Renaissance".Chess, a relatively retro and niche category, has suddenly become a second-generation upstart.

When it comes to war chess games, I believe that for many players, XCOM is an IP that cannot be bypassed, from the reset "XCOM: Enemy Unknown" to the sequel "XCOM® 2", XCOM has excavated the core essence of this category, and the constantly enriched strategy gameplay also makes players applaud.And as a series of two-dimensional products such as "Girls Frontline" carry forward the essence of war chess, many players have questions, why doesn't XCOM launch mobile games?

In fact, XCOM's mobile game plan has been in progress.Recently, some foreign media discovered that a mobile game "under the banner of XCOM" appeared on the Internet, and this product has also started small-scale testing in some countries and regions.According to reports, after discovering this product, they contacted 2K officials and confirmed that this product called "XCOM Legends" is a genuine XCOM licensed game.

According to Google Play information, "XCOM Legend" was developed and produced by Iridium Starfish. It is understood that thisThe company has ties to 2K parent company Take-Two.

It is worth mentioning that in terms of gameplay, this product is not a continuation of the strategic war chess gameplay of the PC and console XCOM series in recent years, but a slightly different strategy turn-based gameplay.And it integrates card development elements, so what kind of game is this?Why such a change?

Inheriting the features of the series, sci-fi 3D realistic painting style

UFOs fall from the sky, strange alien creatures invade the earth, and human beings are fighting hard to resist the invasionresist.

It is such a plot that seems to be under the "Hollywood industrialization", but it has attracted the favor of countless strategy game lovers.Since the birth of the first XCOM game in the last century, it has continued to innovate and restart, and resisting alien invasion has become a feature that runs through the entire XCOM series.

Under such a world view, the future sci-fi art style, aliens, operators, gun battles, etc. have become the iconic elements of the XCOM series.As a genuinely authorized mobile game, "XCOM Legend" also retains these labels.

Twenty years have passed since Earth surrendered to alien invaders.By the time people realized the alien threat, the war was over and humanity had disappeared.In order to destroy the last resistance fighters, the aliens have launched an unknown evil creature, and players need to gather the XCOM team again to resist the final invasion.

In terms of plot, the official did not clearly point out whether the world view of "XCOM Legend" is different from other productsconnect.However, judging from the game's introduction information, GameLook speculates that the timeline of the work is either between "XCOM® 2" and "Chimera Squad", or it is independent of other products and becomes a derivative product.

In terms of visual effects, "XCOM Legend" is more similar to "Chimera Squad" launched on PC last year. It has a strong American style and a little sci-fi color.Because most of the scenes in the game take place in wild areas, the mobile game is more hard-core and realistic than the PC console version of the game, and the scenes have a stronger sense of reality.

In addition, the operator images and skill release effects in the game have been refined, which makesThe visual impact and experience of the game are better.

For example, the modeling of the operators in the game can be said to be relatively good, but the image is very prominent, and the details of the clothing worn by the operators can be displayed.In the battle, although it is a turn-based game, the work still has a good sense of attack, and the operators have rich details. For example, some operators will squat to avoid attacks, while others will hide in theAfter taking cover, you will only stand up when attacking.

At the same time, the game shows the skills of each operator in detail. For example, there is a cool cutscene animation when releasing the big move, and this animation can match the real-time battleThe scenes are seamlessly connected.

It is worth mentioning that, unlike most traditional heavy mobile games, "XCOM Legend" does notThe horizontal screen is adopted, but the vertical screen design is adopted, but the battlefield and characters with 3D perspective are still used in the battle. Perhaps this is a design based on the consideration of the core turn-based gameplay of the game.

Turn-based development, but there is no lack of strategic depth

Maybe like aliens and operators, since "XCOM: Enemy Unknown", The highly strategic gameplay of the game has left a deep impression on the players, and the war chess gameplay has become another iconic label of the XCOM series.

However, "XCOM Legend" did not continue this feature, such a change can be said to be bold.However, there is a close connection between the strategy war chess gameplay and the strategy turn-based development gameplay.

From a certain point of view, war chess is actually an expansion of the traditional turn-based game rules.The character no longer stays in place. Players need to consider the character's attributes, range, attack methods, etc. to determine the direction of movement. The strategy of the game has also been strengthened on top of this.

Judging from the current trials of overseas players, although "XCOM Legend" does not adopt the series' consistentThe gameplay of war chess has also been polished in terms of the strategy of the game, and many strategic points have been designed.

On the one hand, each operator in the game has a corresponding attribute mechanism, and there is a restraint chain to avoid the situation where one trick is eaten all over the world. Players need to adjust in time according to the enemy's attributesOwn lineup enriches the diversity of gameplay.

On the other hand, the design of similar terrain and obstacles in the XCOM series is also restored in the mobile game, and obstacles will also be an important strategic point in the battle. Operators behind the bunkerA certain shield value will be obtained, and the operator can only be hit if the obstacle is destroyed first.There is no doubt that players need to arrange troops according to the terrain in order to maximize the combat effectiveness of the team.

Moreover, although there is no "walking grid" design, the game still positions playersCertain requirements were put forward.Obstacles in the battlefield are one of the influencing factors. The other factor is that the attack methods and ranges of the operators are slightly different. Some operators can cause penetrating damage, while some can directly achieve AOE damage. These characteristic settingsDetermining the position is still one of the strategic points of "XCOM Legend".

Of course, due to changes in the core gameplay type, players still gave mixed reviews,Players who like this game think that the game screen is very brilliant, and the UI and characters are also very restored. Players who don't like it think that this game has completely stripped the essence of the XCOM series and lost its soul.

The XCOM series is a ill-fated IP. Although the evaluation of the players seems to be polarized, there is still room for improvement before the game is officially launched, and the strategic gameplay often needs to be improved.The rhythm of the game and the growth curve of players have a certain degree of control. At present, it is difficult to see the doorway only through the real machine video.

It is worth mentioning that, according to the current videos of overseas players trying to play, it seems that the official has not processed and developed the hit rate system, so will the famous scene of riding a face with a 95% hit rate be possible?Appearance in mobile games is still unknown.

The purpose of making changes is to provide players with a new experience

The reason why 2K launched such a mobile game product is "WeConstantly explore and test new experiences to provide our fans with the best entertainment and value."

From the current content and quality of "XCOM Legend" shown, the gameplay and operationChanges can indeed bring players a brand-new experience, and the official also said that the game will also have a unique PvP mode, which can also bring experiences that other games cannot match, but whether these new experiences are what XCOM players hope and love, remains to be seen.Need to wait for further verification of the finished product.

However, it is not without precedent for products like "XCOM Legend" to explore more types of gameplay. For example, Capcom, which is good at action games, once launched a strategy turn-based "Monster Hunter"Mobile games, and many well-known game IPs have explored and tried in the match-3 field.

From the performance point of view, these cross-category game IPs have not only been successful and have gained players’ favorite products, but also have failed games. The reason is actually whether the quality of the game can be recognized by players.Bring a sense of identity to IP.

From this point of view, "XCOM Legend" has done a good job in restoring the existing form. Whether the core gameplay can bring players surprises and fresh experiences depends on theThe developer has further polished it.At present, 2K has not announced the specific launch plan. It can be seen that there is still plenty of time left for this game. Whether the final product can bring some surprises to the industry remains to be seen.