History VideoGame / XCom

*** And then DoubleSubverted in ''XCOM 2 - [[spoiler:[[HumanResources no they]] [[AMillionIsAStatistic bloody well aren't!]]]]''

* FrickinLaserBeams: The Laser weapons obviously. In the first ''X-COM'', they're extremely useful throughout the early and mid-game and retain effectiveness in the late game, as they use no ammunition. Laser pistols also have the added advantage of an very low TU cost to their autofire, making them ideal for room-to-room combat against anything short of Mutons and Snakemen missions with Chryssalids. Sectopods, the Ethereal's terror units, are more vulnerable to laser beams than plasma.

** ''UFO: Enemy Unknown'', released as ''VideoGame/XCOMUFODefense'' in North America (1994)
** ''VideoGame/XComTerrorFromTheDeep'' (1995)
** ''VideoGame/XComApocalypse'' (1997)
** ''X-COM: Interceptor'' (1998)

* TickingClock:
** Even if your service is exemplary each month, you can't stop the funding nations from dropping out of the project. (Taking out the "Infiltrator" [=UFOs=] slows down the process, but it ultimately cannot be halted.) Lose enough donors, and you might go bankrupt. Lose ''all'' of them, [[NonStandardGameOver and the program is shut down.]]
** Averted in ''Apocalypse'', if only because it doesn't matter if everyone hates you as long as you have funding.
** Also technically averted in ''Interceptor'': in theory, the aliens are constantly working towards their goal of [[spoiler: building the Planet Destroyer to raze Earth]]. In practice, you can take as much time as you need, as long as you don't go bankrupt[[note]]There ''is'' a time limit that can be extended by destroying alien Ore Processing Platforms, bases, and supply convoys, but the time limit is so generous as to be functionally meaningless anyway[[/note]].

* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: A rare example where it's used to make the game ''less'' frustrating. When there is only one alien left, or if you reach turn 20 in a mission, the enemy automatically knows the location of all of your soldiers at all times. The reason for this isn't to give the computer an advantage but to ensure that you encounter them quickly so missions don't drag out while you have to scour the entire map for them.

In 2016, Firaxis released a sequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' which re-imagines X-COM as an [[LaResistance underground resistance cell]] fighting against [[VichyEarth alien occupiers]]. The ''Chimera Squad'' spin-off is a combination of ''Apocalypse'' (on-the-street storyline) and the 3D games (a smaller specialized squad).

In 2016, Firaxis released a sequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' which re-imagines X-COM as an [[LaResistance underground resistance cell]] fighting against [[VichyEarth alien occupiers]]. The upcoming ''Chimera Squad'' looks like a combination of ''Apocalypse'' (on-the-street storyline) and the 3D games (a smaller specialized squad).

Afterward, the future of ''X-COM'' became uncertain due to the rights passing between various companies. In 2010, [=2K Marin=] announced that they were [[ContinuityReboot rebooting]] the storyline: an [[FirstPersonShooter FPS]] set exclusively in the USA in TheFifties. The fandom's response to the reboot was negative enough that Creator/FiraxisGames (a subsidiary of 2K and developers of the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series) were tasked with creating a title closer in-line with the original ''X-COM''. The result was ''XCOM: Enemy Unknown''. The FPS reboot was retooled into a [[ThirdPersonShooter third-person]] tactical shooter: ''The Bureau: XCOM Declassified'', intended as a {{prequel}} to ''Enemy Unknown''. (The game's three separate iterations [[http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/05/10/the-evolution-of-the-bureau-xcom-declassified are documented here]].) In 2016, Firaxis released a sequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' which re-imagines X-COM as an [[LaResistance underground resistance cell]] fighting against [[VichyEarth alien occupiers]]. The upcoming ''Chimera Squad'' looks like a combination of ''Apocalypse'' (on-the-street storyline) and the 3D games (a smaller specialized squad).

The first title, ''UFO: Enemy Unknown'' (marketed as ''X-COM: UFO Defense'' in North America) was a watershed title for the genre. Despite its modest origins, the ''X-COM'' legacy was not a solo act: While Gollop's team set to work on a sequel called ''X-COM: Apocalypse'', an in-house crew at [=MicroProse=] beat him to the punch in 1995 with a [[MissionPackSequel mission pack sequel]]: ''X-COM: Terror from the Deep'', set 40 years after the First Alien War. ''Apocalypse'' took place another 40 years later, and included the option to play in [[RealTimeStrategy real-time]]. The last days of [=MicroProse=] (and its acquisition by {{Creator/Hasbro}} Interactive) saw three {{Genre Shift}}ed offerings: ''X-COM: Interceptor'' (1998), an {{interquel}} which kept the base management elements while swapping out the strategy missions for a space-bound [[SpaceFighter flight sim]]. Next was ''X-COM: First Alien Invasion,'' an e-mail game. Then came ''X-COM: Enforcer'' (2001), a GaidenGame which ditched the strategy outright in favor of an [[FirstPersonShooter FPS]]. As of March 2016, all three games of the classic series (along with ''Enforcer'' and ''Interceptor'') are available at [[https://www.gog.com/game/xcom_ufo_defense GOG.com]][[note]]Link goes to the first game.[[/note]] as well as Steam.

Afterward, the future of ''X-COM'' became uncertain due to the rights passing between various companies. In 2010, [=2K Marin=] announced that they were [[ContinuityReboot rebooting]] the storyline: an [[FirstPersonShooter FPS]] set exclusively in the USA in TheFifties. The fandom's response to the reboot was negative enough that Creator/FiraxisGames (a subsidiary of 2K and developers of the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series) were tasked with creating a title closer in-line with the original ''X-COM''. The result was ''XCOM: Enemy Unknown''. The FPS reboot was retooled into a [[ThirdPersonShooter third-person]] tactical shooter: ''The Bureau: XCOM Declassified'', intended as a {{prequel}} to ''Enemy Unknown''. (The game's three separate iterations [[http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/05/10/the-evolution-of-the-bureau-xcom-declassified are documented here]].) In 2016, Firaxis released a sequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' which re-imagines X-COM as an [[LaResistance underground resistance cell]] fighting against [[VichyEarth alien occupiers]].

[[caption-width-right:300:''Vigilo Confido.''[[note]]Can be translated as either "[[BenevolentConspiracy I Am Watchful]], [[IDidWhatIHadToDo I Am Necessary]]"[[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:300:''Vigilo Confido.''[[note]]Can be translated as either "[[BenevolentConspiracy I Am Watchful]], [[IDidWhatIHadToDo I Am Necessary]]"
"[[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:300:''Vigilo Confido.''[[note]]Can be translated as either "[[BenevolentConspiracy I Am Watchful]], [[IDidWhatIHadToDo I Am Necessary]]" or "[[ProperlyParanoid Trust In My Vigilance]]"[[/note]]]]

* StrayShotsStrikeNothing: Averted. With the exception of map borders where the shots disappear, all missed projectiles will continue to fly until they hit something: walls, explosive materials, civilians, X-COM operatives, aliens, etc. To-Hit is calculated in two stages; wether your troops hit what they were aiming for, and what takes the hit if they miss. This can result in destroying cover or [[AccidentalAimingSkills an alien behind thefirst one]].

Afterward, the future of ''X-COM'' became uncertain due to the rights passing between various companies. In 2010, [=2K Marin=] announced that they were [[ContinuityReboot rebooting]] the storyline: an FPS set exclusively in the USA in TheFifties. The fandom's negative response to the reboot was heavy enough that, instead, Creator/FiraxisGames (a subsidiary of 2K and developers of the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series) was tasked with creating a game closer in-line with the original ''X-COM''. The result was ''XCOM: Enemy Unknown''. The original FPS reboot was [[{{Retool}} retooled]] into a [[ThirdPersonShooter third-person]] tactical shooter called ''The Bureau: XCOM Declassified'', intended as a prequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' (the game's three separate iterations [[http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/05/10/the-evolution-of-the-bureau-xcom-declassified are documented here]]). In 2015, it was announced that Firaxis was working on a sequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' named ''XCOM 2'', exploring X-COM as an underground resistance group, fighting against the alien occupation forces and the VichyEarth government.

The first title, ''UFO: Enemy Unknown'' (marketed as ''X-COM: UFO Defense'' in North America) was a watershed title for the genre and is still hailed as one of the best strategy games ever. Despite its modest origins, the ''X-COM'' legacy was not a solo act: While Gollop's team set to work on a sequel called ''X-COM: Apocalypse'', an in-house crew at [=MicroProse=] beat him to the punch in 1995 with a [[MissionPackSequel mission pack sequel]]: ''X-COM: Terror from the Deep'', set 40 years after the First Alien War.

''Apocalypse'' was released in 1997 to [[{{Sequelitis}} average reception]], and included the option to play in [[RealTimeStrategy real-time]]. The last days of [=MicroProse=] (and its acquisition by {{Creator/Hasbro}} Interactive) saw three {{Genre Shift}}ed offerings: ''X-COM: Interceptor'' (1998), an {{interquel}} which kept the base management elements while swapping out the strategy missions for a space-bound [[SpaceFighter flight sim]]. Next was ''X-COM: First Alien Invasion,'' an e-mail game. Then came ''X-COM: Enforcer'' (2001), a GaidenGame which ditched the strategy outright in favor of an [[FirstPersonShooter FPS]]. As of March 2016, all three games of the classic series (along with ''Enforcer'' and ''Interceptor'') are available at [[https://www.gog.com/game/xcom_ufo_defense GOG.com]][[note]]Link goes to the first game.[[/note]] as well as Steam.

[[caption-width-right:300:''Vigilo Confido.''[[note]]Can be translated as either: '[[BenevolentConspiracy I Am Watchful]], [[IDidWhatIHadToDo I Am Necessary]].' or '[[ProperlyParanoid Trust In My Vigilance]]'."[[/note]]]]

Afterward, the future of ''X-COM'' became uncertain due to the rights passing between various companies. In 2010, [=2K Marin=] announced that they were [[ContinuityReboot rebooting]] the storyline: an FPS set exclusively in the USA in TheFifties. The fandom's negative response to the reboot was heavy enough that, instead, Firaxis Games (a subsidiary of 2K and developers of the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series) was tasked with creating a game closer in-line with the original ''X-COM''. The result was ''XCOM: Enemy Unknown''. The original FPS reboot was [[{{Retool}} retooled]] into a [[ThirdPersonShooter third-person]] tactical shooter called ''The Bureau: XCOM Declassified'', intended as a prequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' (the game's three separate iterations [[http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/05/10/the-evolution-of-the-bureau-xcom-declassified are documented here]]). In 2015, it was announced that Firaxis was working on a sequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' named ''XCOM 2'', exploring X-COM as an underground resistance group, fighting against the alien occupation forces and the VichyEarth government.

* Creator/MicroProse continuity:[[index]]

* Creator/{{Hasbro}} continuity:

* Creator/FiraxisGames continuity:[[index]]

''Apocalypse'' was released in 1997 to [[{{Sequelitis}} average reception]], and included the option to play in [[RealTimeStrategy real-time]]. The last days of [=MicroProse=] (and its acquisition by Hasbro Interactive) saw three {{Genre Shift}}ed offerings: ''X-COM: Interceptor'' (1998), an {{interquel}} which kept the base management elements while swapping out the strategy missions for a space-bound [[SpaceFighter flight sim]]. Next was ''X-COM: First Alien Invasion,'' an e-mail game. Then came ''X-COM: Enforcer'' (2001), a GaidenGame which ditched the strategy outright in favor of an [[FirstPersonShooter FPS]]. As of March 2016, all three games of the classic series (along with ''Enforcer'' and ''Interceptor'') are available at [[https://www.gog.com/game/xcom_ufo_defense GOG.com]][[note]]Link goes to the first game.[[/note]] as well as Steam.

The brainchild of Julian Gollop and assorted Creator/{{MicroProse}} personnel, ''X-COM'' is a European series of TurnBasedTactics games created in 1993. Players are put in charge of X-COM, a planetary defense agency, and tasked with maintaining X-COM's budget and catching {{flying saucer}}s (either by storming their landing sites or shooting them down). What follows is a mix of TurnBasedTactics and [[ResourcesManagementGameplay resource management.]] Although the games have a fair amount of [[UsefulNotes/RandomNumberGenerator randomness]], the better player will tend to win.

The brainchild of Julian Gollop and assorted Creator/{{MicroProse}} personnel, ''X-COM'' is a European series of TurnBasedStrategy games created in 1993. Players are put in charge of X-COM, a planetary defense agency, and tasked with maintaining X-COM's budget and catching {{flying saucer}}s (either by storming their landing sites or shooting them down). What follows is a mix of TurnBasedTactics and [[ResourcesManagementGameplay resource management.]] Although the games have a fair amount of [[UsefulNotes/RandomNumberGenerator randomness]], the better player will tend to win.

Afterward, the future of ''X-COM'' became uncertain due to the rights passing between various companies. In 2010, [=2K Marin=] announced that they were [[ContinuityReboot rebooting]] the storyline: an FPS set exclusively in the USA in TheFifties. The fandom's negative response to the reboot was heavy enough that, instead, Firaxis Games (a subsidiary of 2K and developers of the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series) was tasked with creating a game closer in-line with the original ''X-COM''. The result was ''XCOM: Enemy Unknown''. The original FPS reboot was [[{{Retool}} retooled]] into a [[ThirdPersonShooter third-person]] tactical shooter called ''The Bureau: XCOM Declassified'', intended as a prequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' (the game's three separate iterations [[http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/05/10/the-evolution-of-the-bureau-xcom-declassified are documented here]]). In 2015, it was announced that Firaxis was working on a sequel to ''Enemy Unknown'' named ''XCOM 2'', exploring X-COM as a underground resistance group, fighting against the alien occupation forces and the VichyEarth government.

->''You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of War.''

The brainchild of Julian Gollop and assorted Creator/{{MicroProse}} personnel, ''X-COM'' is a European series of TurnBasedStrategy games created in 1993. Players are put in charge of X-COM, a planetary defense agency, and tasked with maintaining X-COM's budget and catching {{flying saucer}}s (either by storming their landing sites or shooting them down). What follows is a mix of [[TacticalTurnBased turn-based tactics]] and [[ResourcesManagementGameplay resource management.]] Although the games have a fair amount of [[UsefulNotes/RandomNumberGenerator randomness]], the better player will tend to win.

* BizarreAlienBiology: Autopsy results. Some are fairly mundane, some are heavily cybernized, and some who by all means should have been dead when they were alive.