The original X-COM has indeed captured many imaginations over the years. From the highly successful reboot series (XCOM, without the dashes) now helmed by Firaxis to the various indie games of the same genre, it’s time for Julian Gollop, the original creator of X-COM, to bring in something new to the table.
Phoenix Point is the new take of the good old turn-based strategy game fighting against aliens but there’s more than just that. The aliens you are facing, all appeared from the sea, will evolve over time depending on how you approach them. If the aliens keep on dying they’ll evolve into even more horrible, mutated figures until they can counter you. This should in theory keep you guessing in each and every playthrough as the aliens adapting to what you do rather than having you figure out the most optimal path to beat the predetermined creatures.
And as you can see in the image, they look horrifying. The designs are more Lovecraftian in nature.
Aside from that, there’s various human factions that each have their own objectives and agenda. You can trade with them or get them as allies, but be wary that they might turn on you later due to conflicting objectives. For X-COM veterans, the factions dynamic is indeed a similar concept seen in X-COM: Apocalypse. The Geoscape also makes a return. As for the tactical gameplay, expect Phoenix Point to play more closely to Firaxis’ XCOM but with some added wrinkles, like targeting specific body parts.
Check out the trailer below:
Phoenix Point is currently seeking funding via Fig. The game has been in development for a while, and Gollop’s studio, Snapshot Games has since shipped one game, Chaos Reborn, a new take of Gollop’s other previous work. The setup sounds promising, so let’s hope the team can secure the funding and finish the game. No release date is mentioned, but it will be aimed for PC only at the moment.