YMMV / XCOM: The Hades Contingency

• Game-Breaker:
  • Psionics. Unlike in-game, where psionics are support abilities with substantial cool-down and a chance of being resisted by strong-willed characters, the realistic nature of the fanfic shows exactly when Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards is in effect. Any non-psionic character is shown to have absolutely zero defense against mental attacks and is completely reliant on the shielding of psionic teammates... if they aren't taken out right at the start of the battle.
    In addition, sufficiently powerful psions like the Ethereals are nigh-untouchable since their psionic barriers are powerful enough to shrug off sustained fire from an entire squad wielding gauss weaponry, in addition to multiple US Marines. Every single organization (XCOM, EXALT and the aliens) have made research and utility of psionics their topmost priority.
  • This is followed closely behind by MEC technology, which essentially brings the weaponry of a tank to an infantry battle (SHIVs have either not been invented yet or have had the project abandoned), causing MECs to score the majority of all kills in any battle they participate in. Most prominently, MECs are almost psionically invisible even to Ethereals, and are the only non-psionic unit which poses a threat to them. Their only limiting factor is the small number of MECs available to XCOM, reserving them only for the most high-profile missions.
• Salvaged Story: Expanding on the example under Advent Directive's YMMV page, this appears to be one of the main goals of the Hades Revision, promising to overhaul the story's handling of the War on Terror - from the story's original treatment of Islam and Muslims, to its geopolitical ramifications, to how the characters themselves view these events - in addition to revamping other plotlines/characters, such as the Silent Sniper: he is now a character of his own, as opposed to the Commander sneaking out to participate in more important missions.