Tips for Surviving XCOM 2

If you have read/watched our review, you would know XCOM 2 is a deep and brutal game. Here are some tips to give you the best advantage going in!

These tips will serve you well at the beginning of the game, and will stay with you throughout the war with the enemy, keep these lessons in mind and save our Earth!

*Slight Spoilers for the game*

1) Contact the Resistance

When you get the option, contacting the resistance in other regions should be your priority. Not only do you get an increased supplies income, you move one step closer to gaining a continent bonus. This can give you a powerful advantage, reducing costs or time spent on research among others. Most importantly, when “Alien Facilities” start popping up, you can only access them if the region is within the Resistance, having an established and wide network will render the threat less of a priority. The additional time will aid you in your preparations for the impending missions.

2) Utilize the Black Market

In XCOM 2, Supplies and Intel are your main resources in terms of trading. Similar to Enemy Unknown, you can sell alien tech and other surplus items, and purchase crafting items, soldiers and even research boosts using Intel. The Black Market offers you a shot in the arm when you are low on soldiers and even Supplies, but tread with caution. The alien tech, corpses etc are often used for researching upgrades as well, so sell at your own risk, but if you have spare items lying around, take the chance to exploit the market.

3) Intel, Scientists and Engineers. Repeat.

Missions in XCOM 2 feature different rewards for your team’s success. This can come in additional scientists, engineers, intel and the like. Scientists and engineers are essential for base-building and research, and will aid greatly in augmenting your soldiers’ combat effectiveness and general well-being. The more you have, the better and faster you will be. Intel, on the other hand, is useful for buying in the Black Market, and also used to uncover hidden Dark Events and their potential effect. It is also used to contact other resistance cells, so it is imperative you have a surplus of intel whenever you can.

4) Diversify Your Team

XCOM 2’s soldiers come in 5 distinct classes, mainly, the Grenadiers, Specialists, Rangers, Sharpshooters and PSI Operatives. While a team of 6 Grenadiers destroying everything sounds like a masterplan, more often than not, it is impractical. You need to cover all corners and maximize your combat effectiveness, so train up one of each class, and ensure you have competent backup members. Use the sixth slot for whichever class you like to see more of, and bring the fight to the enemy.

5) Guerrilla Tactics School & Advanced Warfare Chamber

When building up your Avenger, the Guerrilla Tactics School (GTS) and Advanced Warfare Chamber (AWC) will be available pretty early in the game. Building the GTS allows rookies to be trained in a specific class, and open up purchasable bonus for your squad which are gated by the ranks of your soldiers (including the bonuses for increasing squad size). The AWC, on the other hand, not only halves the time it takes for the wounded to heal, it also has a small chance to grant a free skill to a promoted soldier, even skills that are not for that class. This random bonus may give you the perfect combination for an alien killing machine. Fingers crossed.

6) Always Mod Your Weapons

Mods for your weapons often drop as loot during combat, and come in different tiers. While they may appear weak from the onset, later iterations of the mods grant significant bonuses when equipped. Scopes increases aim, Laser Sights increases critical chance, and Stocks ensure damage even if your shot misses. These are just some of the mods available, so always remember to outfit your team, especially for rookies, it can make the difference between life and death.

7) Stay Concealed

Most missions in XCOM 2 start with your team in Concealment. This allows you to scout out enemies’ positions and set traps with Overwatch ambushes. This can give you a headstart when you begin combat by eliminating groups of the enemy before they know what hit them. Concealment is even more pertinent when it comes to time-sensitive missions. Utilize stealth to get as close as possible to your target, and complete your objectives with minimal fuss.

 

These are just some tips to get you started for XCOM 2, what are some of your strategies? Let us know in the comments below. Good luck Commander!