The XCOM series and Nintendo’s Fire Emblem series have a lot in common, with both being described as a turn-based strategy tactics game. However, Fire Emblem has one interesting feature where characters can gain relationships as they successfully survive battles together.
With XCOM 2’s latest expansion, War Of The Chosen, now your alien-fighting guerrilla force can also buddy up with each other and build bonds that nets you strong advantages. Soldiers have a preset compatibility rate with each other, so some soldiers can bond more easily than others.
Once you have built a strong enough bond with a pair of soldiers, they will get a bonus ability as well as operating more effectively when close to each other. But beware, having one of them die will severely affect the survivor.
If this seems all familiar to you, that’s because there was a Steam workshop mod that offered a similar mechanic. Apparently, the mod was done using pieces of unfinished code available already within the game that enables this relationship mechanic. It’s only with the expansion that developers Firaxis managed to get around and complete it.
Also, you can even pose the pair for a photo. The photo will be used as propaganda for XCOM and will appear in the maps of each battle or on the Avenger base. A neat little touch.
You can view a bit of how the photo booth works, as well as a new scripted mission in this video by Eurogamer:
XCOM 2 War Of The Chosen will be out on PC on August. Now word on when the expansion will land on the consoles just yet.