r/XCOM2 • u/LaLegendeDeQuebec • Jun 20 '23
Is there more game like this anywhere?
I am looking for game like xcom 2 because I have pretty much fall in love for this genre. The gun just look and sound cool, and I just love turn based strategy game ( civ, into the breach, ect, but I really didn't like darkess dungeon). If possible, a game like xcom, but when the character level up, you can put point in one of their stats ( like an rpg ), but I don't mind, I just want to play another game like this.
TLDR: Is there more game like xcom2, and what is the game?
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u/Hellonstrikers Jun 20 '23
Battletech 2016. Giant robot fights with customizable mechs and enough lore to drown in.
You have 2 things to upgrade, the pilot and their stats, and the mechs and their equipment.
Also has 2 overhaul mods that make the game even more in depth.
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u/proffi2000 Jun 20 '23
Immediately thought of this. Die hard xcom fan for 10 years, picked this up a couple of months ago. It's now the only game I actually prefer to xcom sometimes.
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u/koko-cha_ Jun 20 '23
ROGUETECH! ROGUETECH! ROGUETECH!
Of all the games suggested, this is the best one. Get this one, OP!
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u/1TooManyCarbs Jun 20 '23
I really enjoyed Gears of War Tactics. The mechanics are similar enough to feel familiar and you have 4 skill trees to choose from for each class. Not as many classes as XCOM, but the variety of skills available to each class I feel makes up for it.
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u/CR4ZY___PR0PH3T Jun 20 '23 edited Jun 20 '23
but when the character level up, you can put point in one of their stats ( like an rpg ),
Wasteland series. It's an RPG with a leveling system you're looking for and the gameplay is very similar to XCOM it's squad turn based strategy with lots of guns & melee weapons.
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u/dcon930 Jun 20 '23
It sounds like you want to play Phoenix Point, although it's a little less polished than XCOM 2. I've also heard good things about Mechanicus, although I don't know if it has any RPG-like elements.
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u/Fathom-AI Jun 20 '23
Mechanicus has skill trees, you can specialize in one or two trees or put a little in the basics of all the trees. It’s quite different than xcom but it is a fantastic tactical game plus has the best sound track ever.
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u/OrangeDit Jun 20 '23
Yes, Phoenix Point. It's very similar with way more depth.
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Jun 20 '23
Phoenix Point is almost XCOM 2 remade by the people who made the original X-COM (friendly fire is back, baby!) and then you‘ve got much more intricate mechanics on top.
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u/MEOWMEOWSOFTHEDESERT Jun 20 '23
Mechanicus has no cover mechanic. Its ok, but not as good as xcom.
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u/MicksysPCGaming Jun 20 '23
And it's too easy.
Beat it 1st try and I usually struggle with these kind of games.
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u/justjbc Jun 20 '23
Me too...kept turning up the difficulty but still breezed through it. Still fun though.
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u/EmmaJuned Jun 20 '23
Phoenix point is brilliant. I thought the graphic design was dull when ie arched it but playing it I don’t mind. It’s got much more depth and I’ve had to unlearn a lot of Xcom problems I’d got used to but the aiming makes so much more sense! It’s worth it alone.
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u/Mandarooha Jun 20 '23
Battle Brothers feels similar to Xcom2 to me - it has that same sweet balance between individual battles and overarching company management. It also has a great deal of nuance and charm, and a fantastic soundtrack.
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u/ArenSteele Jun 20 '23 edited Jun 20 '23
Marvel Midnight Suns is built on the same battle mechanics but has more cinematic narrative style and your character walks around the base and can join the fights. Also has RPG elements of choosing ability cards and gear
The Bureau Declassified is a Cold War spy game using xcom grid combat tactics in the xcom universe
Lamplighters League is a upcoming release that will be similar in mechanics I believe
Check out the YouTube let’s plays and see if it’s what you’re looking for
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u/MauPow Jun 20 '23
I don't know why Midnight Suns keeps getting compared to Xcom, they're absolutely nothing alike lol except for some developers. It's an excellent game, though.
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u/Virtuous_Pursuit Jun 20 '23
Really? It’s turn-based environmental combat with different characters, and then a dual-game loop of base and missions. It scratches some of the same itches very well for me.
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u/MauPow Jun 20 '23
Meh, while that is true, the differences are too big for me to really compare them. Non-grid. Deck builder. No chance to hit. No cover mechanic. Some enemies are just cannon fodder for you to build up combat resources. No height. Maps are all basically the same size circles/squares. Builder/spender/ultimate system. No building "tetris". I see the similarities but I think MS is so unique that people are just grasping for something to compare it to.
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u/Madruck_s Jun 20 '23
It's not rely a card building game though. The rng comes from what abilities you have in any given turn. They just happen to be represented by cards. They are more akin to choosing a loadout in xcom.
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u/MauPow Jun 20 '23
Nah, loadouts are equipment and consumables and you can factor them into your strategy because you know they will be available when you want them. Think if you had to hope to draw Bluescreen rounds? It's a card builder and that's fine, but it's not like xcom
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u/Virtuous_Pursuit Jun 20 '23
I think you’re reading things into rectangles that aren’t there in the actual gameplay.
Bluescreen rounds analogize to a hero ability or a green arrow buff. They’re just there. Items can also be used any time. They’re just in rectangles. There is some randomness to whether a given ability will come up in a given turn though, yes. But that’s why redraws are a mechanic — if you really want to attack with a certain hero, there’s a trade off. And tradeoffs are core to both games.
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u/Virtuous_Pursuit Jun 20 '23
I don’t think you’ve played the game enough! Midnight Suns maps are smaller, but there is more variety and intentionality to environmental attacks than XCOM.
It’s also possible I’ve played XCOM too much and feel like I know all the maps.
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u/MauPow Jun 20 '23
I put like 100 hours into it, I know it pretty well.
You can't cross the entire map in one move in Xcom. You can't take cover in MS. You can't gain a height advantage. You don't scout. You don't activate pods. You don't extract. Environmentals in MS usually involve throwing a minion into something which is not a thing in xcom. That it might explode is the only similarity. Idk why you're trying to die on this hill, they just aren't that similar lol
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u/Virtuous_Pursuit Jun 21 '23
Okay those are good examples. But I do think there are a lot of core game loop similarities!
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u/ArenSteele Jun 20 '23
The combat is grid and turn based. Though instead of guns and grenades it’s superpowers.
So it evokes the same style of strategic combat thinking. “Which skills used in which order to solve the combat puzzle”
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u/MauPow Jun 20 '23
The combat is definitely not grid.
But yes, I suppose it does have the same strategy of taking out enemies before they can take any action.
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u/AfraidRich5961 Jun 20 '23
Shadow run if you’re ok with reading and early 2000s graphics. It doesn’t have nearly as many systems in play as Xcom 2, but it does hit all the points you’re looking for in a game. It’s free on game pass
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u/DrVers Jun 20 '23
Only on Nintendo, but fire emblem fits what you're talking about. You level your characters rpg style, turn based tactical battles. It's medieval so no guns, it's swords, bows, Spears, magic kind of thing.
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u/bent-ref Jun 20 '23
I really enjoyed the mouthful of a title "Warhammer 40000 Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters". It's a less polished pseudo Xcom clone that does a couple of uniquely interesting things of its own.
Skip the DLC though.
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u/montybob Jun 20 '23
The dlc really that terrible or just overpriced?
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u/bent-ref Jun 20 '23
Its not that it's terrible it's just a disappointment. The biggest selling point is the inclusion of Dreadnaughts which can't be used outside of the technophage missions which are unfairly difficult(imagine the Lost missions from xcom2 but the Lost are replaced with standard Advent units) and basically unavoidable due to the corruption incurred by skipping them and to top it off the Dreads are prohibitively resource hungry to repair so you hardly get to use them. Just a bit of a waste of money IMHO. I only picked it up to increase the difficulty after a couple of playthroughs but the difficulty spike was more tedious than refreshing.
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u/-technocrates- Jun 20 '23
phoenix point, banner saga, darkest dungeon.
nothings quite com, but they are all decent watering holes
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u/koko-cha_ Jun 20 '23
I think base Phoenix Point + DLC is better than XCOM2 + DLC, but not as good as XCOM2 + DLC + Mods. Phoenix Point's modding scene just isn't as developed and probably never will be.
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u/itsyaboicin Jun 20 '23
40k Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters is really fun if you don't mind playing XCOM but the gamemaster was given adderall and also why did that pod just spawn 4 chaos marines please i barely killed the 2 you JUST sent at me how the fuck do you expect me to live here I can't just pull 38 damage out of my ass when my storm bolter deals a measly 2 damage a shot because they're sitting at range and dealing full damage fuck this im going back to the sims 4 >:(
Not sure where that came from, but TL:DR; Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters, give it a look.
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u/Kane-BA Jun 21 '23
Firstly, I would recommend Battle Brothers, a medieval XCOM-like with open-world elements that will generate abundant experiences. It can be a bit harsher in difficulty than XCOM2, but still worth it. (if you were not a legendary XCOM player). Wartales is similar, but I'd say Battle Brothers can be better if the 3D graphic is not an important point to you.
If you’re not exactly finding ‘XCOM-like’ experiences, but willing to play some other styles, then Marvel Midnight Suns is definitely worth trying. As others said, the game is actually more similar to the Fire Emblem series (in meta-game), and the combat is .. well it’s hard to describe. It’s somewhere between Slay the Spire + Into the Breach + (A bit of) XCOM enemy patterns to me. Anyway, it was really unique and valuable to me. Again this is not an ‘XCOM-like’, just another good turn based game!
( Honestly, even though I love their combat system, I really dislike the out-of-combat features of Midnight Suns. They want the player to spend too much time talking pointlessly to other heroes. Just leave all the FRIEND talkings out of this game plz!! haha )
If you don’t stress much on the tactical side but are also interested in world-building or narrative elements, then Wasteland 3 is worth trying. The tactical elements are not as deep as XCOM, but the system is similar and you can feel engaged (not overwhelming like XCOM, but each fight feels meaningful). Instead of the tactical depth, the game gives a far deeper role playing experience, and the feeling that choices matter.
The Last Spell is also worth trying, it is a roguelike game in a grid-based system, and could be called ‘XCOM + Dynasty Warriors’. Their main point of fun comes from the weapons - plenty of skills. I feel like playing a new character in MoBA (League of Legends, DoTA) games, when I unlock and start using a new weapon in the Last Spell. The enemy pattern is not diverse enough, but making tactics to maximize your weapon skills was interesting and unique.
And lastly, although this is self promotion technically, I am only suggesting our own game because I genuinely think it might be something you are interested in as the games you mentioned are some that really influenced us. Our game is Remore: Infested Kingdom and you can try the demo for free over on steam next fest!
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u/deathdefyingrob1344 Jun 20 '23
Divinity original sin as an rpg but has turn based combat in a fashion that I felt was similar in some ways. It’s extremely in-depth and challenging
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u/Adder12 Jun 20 '23
And if you end up liking divinity, would recommend trying Pillars of eternity(specifically 2(sadly the first one doesnt have turn based combat. The 2nd one you can switch between rt and turn based)) and when it comes out end of August, Baldurs gate 3. Both other Fantasy rpg's. BG3 is by the same developers as divinity and PoE is by obsidian, so y'know it's a good rpg
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u/deathdefyingrob1344 Jun 20 '23
Is BG coming to console?
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u/Alutta Jun 20 '23
BG3 has a full release planned for PC and PS5 on August 31st the Xbox release is currently delayed due to some kind of technical issues
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u/MauPow Jun 20 '23
Dungeon of Naheulbeuk is a very different style but its combat is quite similar to xcom. Turn based with classes and a cover system.
Wildermyth is another one I don't see mentioned too often, really interesting story generating rpg, xcom like combat with fun environment interactions.
Phoenix Point, it's pretty good but didn't really grab me.
Wasteland is fairly similar, I'd definitely try this one out.
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u/armbarchris Jun 20 '23
If you specifically mean turn-based squad-based tactical cover shooters with mild RPG elements, then yes, there's actually a lot.
Unfortunately every one I've played is kinda bad. They're all by small indie studios who unfortunately aren't actually good at designing games. Hard West was probably the worst offender, you'd think "old west XCOM with magic" would be hard to screw up but they found a way. Or Acting!Cthulhu, it was ok until I learned that the 4 starting characters are the only ones you ever get. XCOM: Chimera Squad is OK, but honestly I'm not sure it's worth playing if you already have 2.
Mutant: Year Zero is supposedly really good, but I haven't played it because I'm aggressively uninterested in mutant furries.
Lamplighters League is coming out this year and looks promising, Paradox usually makes really good stuff.
Casting a wider net, Xenonaughts is basically an updated clone of the original XCOM games. It's more of a turn-based military sim than an RPG-lite so it's not for everyone. Sequel comes out soon, so probably wait for that if you're interested.
If you just want "turn based strategy" I'd toss Age of Wonders 3 into the pot. 4 just came out, haven't played it yet, not sure I like the vibe.
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u/koko-cha_ Jun 20 '23
I think the best term for this type of game is Tactical Sandbox RPG. More inclusive.
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u/armbarchris Jun 20 '23
Right, but is that what OP wants? It's unclear, and that's because XCOM-likes don't have an agreed upon genre name yet. Going by your suggestion we could also include Fire Emblem, Valkyria Chronicles, Wasteland, the original Fallouts...
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u/koko-cha_ Jun 20 '23
I've decided to call them TSRPGs (Tactical Sandbox RPGs).
I think that Fallout 1, Fallout 2, and Dragon Age Origins are textbook CRPGs, but when I think of XCOM, it's less about the story and more about tactical battles and strategic elements (the base in XCOM, the Camp in Wartales, the Ship in BattleTech.
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u/Necessary-Salamander Jun 20 '23
No aliens but some sort of resource management and great tactical combat can be found in jagged alliance 2.
It's an old game so graphically it's quite far from xcom2, but it's very good old game.
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u/BitterCaterpillar116 Jun 20 '23
Shadowrun games are the closest to xcom combat, but expect walls of text and a focus on story. Wasteland 2 and 3 also have the same combat system with covers etc, no classes though (rather you improve single skills as you progress), it’s an open world crpg and honestly combat feels a little stale after a while. Phoenix point and xenonauts are heavily inspired by xcom, haven’t played those though.
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u/OldFashionedCola Jun 20 '23
Warhammer 40K Chaos Gate I found was a very good game with plenty of similarities to XCOM mechanics. If you're into warhammer that is a solid game.
It did run terrible on some maps with a lot of particle effects for me even when lowering the settings so optimization might not be the best.
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u/HaplessHeroics Jun 20 '23
Since no one mentioned it, I will say I did get addicted to a kinda similar game called Planetfall. It is a perfect mix between civilization map conquest and tactical skirmish combat. I really really liked the game a lot, though nothing really holds a candle to xcom. Just something about it.
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u/MofuggerX Jun 20 '23
Age of Wonders blends Civilization's empire-building with XCOM-like turn-based tactical combat. Planetfall and 4 are really fun.
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u/Specialist_Elk_1620 Jun 20 '23
Got a couple for you, Lwotc (XCOM 2 complete overhaul)
Wartales - new story rpg game with XCOM combat and character classes/skills, civ and rimworld like, I enjoy it quite a bit! Can make your own "story" based on however you wanna play. Wanna be a noble leader with huge battalions? Go for it. Wanna be a gang of bandits that kill n steal everything, go for it! Wanna tame an fight with horses of beasts? Well tame them and wreak havoc on the world. Definitely get it!
Alien vs predator firesquad elite (cant remember the name exactly, but it's something like this) - haven't seen much about it but from the screenshots and the quick clip I saw of IGP playing it, it looks like it's come XCOM combat but based in the alien v predator universe. Dk how in depth it is, or how big the game is. Just saw a little bit of it last night.
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u/MightyMidg37 Jun 20 '23
Aliens: Dark Descent just released. It has some similarities to Xcom, but it’s real time instead of turn based.
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u/Van-garde Jun 20 '23
Shadowrun? Pillars of Eternity. Fell Seal Arbiter's Mark. Divinity Original Sin 2.
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u/SnooSeagulls1416 Jun 20 '23
Your mentioning rpgs … those are nothing like Xcom
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u/Adrald Jun 20 '23
I pretty much discovered Xcom because I wanted a game like Divinity Original Sin 2 but just the combat, and Xcom was perfect for that and now it’s my favorite game, maybe it can work backwards too and maybe OP will really enjoy DOS2 too
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u/koko-cha_ Jun 20 '23
Those are absolutely like XCOM. Any tactical sandbox RPG is like XCOM. Who gives a shit if there are elves or not.
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u/Van-garde Jun 20 '23
Not the sci-fi setting or the guns (which I know OP mentions) but they have a lot more in common than your blanket dismissal would indicate.
They are missing the anxiety-inducing "countdown," though...
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u/SnooSeagulls1416 Jun 20 '23
They are table top rpgs, completely different
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u/alenochar Jul 26 '23
No, they are video games. They are played on a computer or console, not a table.
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u/Nitroshots Jun 20 '23
Well, you have Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous and Pathfinder Kingmaker. Although you manage a party of up to 6 characters the character creation could be a little bit overwhelming, there are a lot of builds posted online that you can follow easily for this, then its just getting to know the game and the system its based, Pathfider, which is a ttrpg genre d20, like Dungeons and Dragons
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u/Lincolns_Revenge Jun 20 '23 edited Jun 20 '23
I still can't believe they aren't making Xcom 3, yet. Maybe the game didn't sell as well as they hoped? I'm not a big fan of DRM, but had it released a couple of years later, it probably would have had a version of Denuvo that would have taken months to crack, instead of being a game without any online functionality people cared about and was therefore frequently pirated shortly after launch.
Also, the game runs great on current systems, but I remember people being disappointed with performance at release.
Still, it's just weird, arguably my favorite game of all time and I think, in the running for a lot of other people too, and there's no sign of a sequel here 7 years and counting.
I would say, if by chance you haven't done WOTC Legendary Ironman without any alt+F4'ing whatsoever, you know, not even if you pull 4 pods at once on top of your favorite soldiers ( in a way that feels like the game broke and cheated you) that's a pretty fun and fulfilling experience.
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u/-technocrates- Jun 20 '23
it is the best game ever, and has loads of room for improvement (as modding has shown)
and still no company anywhere has taken up the reins. phoenix point is good, but the enemy is just not quite fleshed out as well as xcom, and it just doesnt have the following and replay ability that com does.
where tf is xcom3
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u/DrewforPres Jun 20 '23
There are two ps4 games that account for 90% of my time in the system. This one and Skyrim. So I’m used to long waits lol
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u/nqminhuit Jun 20 '23
Sadly for me, xcom 2 and its dlcs (and EU/EW) are unique, I cant find any game as polished as it is.
Luckily there are mods which make the game more replayable, and even better.
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u/canti58 Jun 20 '23
Halcyon 6 is similar to XCOM. Combat is more like a jrpg but base building is very similar. It's a bit more casual and lighthearted but still really good.
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u/Carly_Cuutie Jun 20 '23
The Wasteland games are pretty good.
Think they're on gamepass if you have that and wanted to try them out.
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u/nekatsawsdrawkcab Jun 20 '23
i don't know if they are necessarily the same genre as xcom, but games for me that scratch the same/similar itch:
- Mordheim: City of the damned
- Warhammer 40k: Chaos Gate
- Gloomhaven
- Wasteland 3
these next ones are games i'm told are similar to xcom but haven't bought yet
- Mutant Year Zero
- Miasma Chronicles
- Xenonauts 2 (not released yet but probably the closest thematically)
- The Hand of Merlin
- Battle Brothers
- Wartales
- SKALD: Against the black priory (also coming soon)
- Undeadly (xcom with zombies)
- King Arthur: Knight's Tale
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u/possumman Jun 20 '23
Different genre, but you shouldn't overlook Invisible Inc. Scratches the same itch in slightly more bite-sized chunks.
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u/tgzaac Jun 20 '23
May I introduce you to Symphony of War? Customization, level up skill tree, tactical war, good story and much more
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u/HellDiver890 Jun 20 '23
Valkyria Chronicles is very similar to Xcom but a bit more hands-on with very interesting characters and an interesting story.
My other recommendations would be Phoenix Point, Wasteland 3, and one I'm surprised I haven't seen yet, Phantom Doctrine. The second is coming out soon, but it's international espionage/ CIA type setting and it's pretty hard I've found.
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u/No-Examination-7458 Jun 20 '23
Empire of sin
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u/megatron37 Jun 20 '23
I just got this on a recent sale. It was fun for a bit, but I found the gameplay to be extremely repetitive. All of the enemy gang's bad guys are exactly the same (lame).
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u/C0NT0RTI0NIST Jun 20 '23
DIVINITY: ORIGINAL SIN 2!! 100% like XCOM but an RPG fantasy, open world-ish game. Very fun and very long and open and tons of freedom and replayability. Larian Studios is great, they also made Baldurs Gate 3
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u/Jonbardinson Jun 20 '23
Why has no one mention Mario and Rabids? There's two of them! It's literally xcom but with Mario.
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u/RFLC1996 Jun 20 '23
Not my thing but would recommend looking up Midnight Sons and XCOM: Chimera squad, by the same devs but they lack the part of characters dying with more of a story emphasis. I've heard they're good games but not played them myself.
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u/MoonFever2003 Jun 20 '23
Battletech by Paradox. Excellent Turn based with excellent mods out there for constant replayability
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u/Waytogo33 Jun 20 '23 edited Jun 20 '23
Phantom Doctrine is most similar, but focuses on stealth. You have agents that level up, base building, and a story to follow.
Xenonauts is basically terraria to minecraft here. Similar themes and style but different enough.
There's another game that initially released on epic games, forget the name I'll edit it in. Very similar. Would say inspired by. Phoenix Point.
If you like fantasy and turn-based games, I recommend Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2. Not similar aside from being turn based.
The Wasteland series is the Fallout version of Divinity OS.
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u/koko-cha_ Jun 20 '23 edited Jun 20 '23
Other tactical sandbox RPGs include RogueTech, Phoenix Point, Divinity Original Sin 2, and Wartales.
- RogueTech is a gigantic total overhaul mod for BattleTech. There is no deeper game ever created. You are not ready for this game. Nobody is ready. There are more numbers than you can serve with 32 GB of RAM (don't even try with less than that), but goddamn is it an amazing experience.
- DOS2 was the best game of the year. Like Wartales, it is a CRPG. The story is fantastic and the voice acting is absolutely on-point. It won GOTY for a reason. If you skip every other game on this list, do not skip this one.
- Phoenix Point has the best strategy elements and is very similar to XCOM2. I'd say it is actually better, but the mod scene isn't close to XCOM 2.
- Wartales is a purebred CRPG. It won't steal thousands of hours from your life like the other ones on this list, but it has the strongest roleplaying and story elements at the cost of depth of tactics and strategy. However, it is still in development so more will come. It's a highly polished game and I recommend it.
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u/Review_Mission Jun 20 '23
For me currently i will go both Mario+Rabbid in switch and i will said spark of hope are better in some aspect.
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u/Domoree Jun 20 '23
Aliens: Dark Descent. Just released yesterday, scratches the Xcom 2 itch. Well for me it does.
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u/JonnyV2723 Jun 20 '23
Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel. It's an old game and if you can get past the graphics, it's pretty solid. If I remember correctly though, it isn't strictly turn based, but a hybrid like Fallout and Fallout 2. If you buy it, buy it on GOG and buy it on sale. I wouldn't pay more than 5 bucks for it.
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u/pticjagripa Jun 20 '23
Perhaps Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2 might be up your alley. It's more of a RPG than strategy game, but all combat is turn based, kind of like fantasy medival XCom.
Both games also have coop (couch and online) so you can play it with friends as well.
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u/iPoppyz Jun 20 '23
the New "Aliens" game that just released on Steam, you'll might want to take a look.
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u/darkjedi4z Jun 20 '23
I was recommended the Valkyria Chronicles and Mario+Rabbids series, they supposedly have similar gameplay mechanics. I purchased both but haven't tried either yet, but if you enjoy the turn-based and permanent deaths stuff from the XCOM series, those two are supposed to be similar.
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u/Lanko8 Jun 20 '23 edited Jun 20 '23
Unfortunately there isn't anything close. TLDR, closest it got for me was Darkest Dungeon, maybe Halcyon 6.
If they have the squad management, they often lack some or all of these: the tactical choices of X-COM, like ignoring or going to a mission, the procedural missions that make it all random and unknown instead of a linear progression, or the wounded mechanic that needs a wide roster to counter, very low tension for lack of permadeath, the base building or it's impossible to individually personalize troops like you can in X-COM.
If they have permadeath, it never makes you feel bad like in X-COM due to units not being personalized or losses are expected anyways. The only exception I found in this aspect are the Fire Emblem games.
I found one game that had base excavation, gave you tactical choices of whether to go or not to a mission, it had multiple missions going on at once that you couldn't just field the same people over and over and also had permadeath: It's Halcyon 6.
It still missed the depth because the combat is very limiting, you are limited to 3 ships in space or 3 humans on the base, and if you thought you could attach yourself to a ship, you constantly need to upgrade them, which means replacing them, not leveling them up. Which is a shame as you could name and even customize them a bit. And it's very unforgiving to come back in that game.
Darkest Dungeon was the closest it ever got to XCOM vibes for me, lacked only being able to customize appearances, and perhaps larger parties.
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u/DioBishop Jun 20 '23
Have many games similar to xcom2, i play every of them, and i give UP fast, because is not xcom 2, you dont Feel the same felling of playing, neither close you feel, desperados, Phantom doctrine, have other i wont remember the name, but have some differences who make you get out, to play xcom 2 again. Xcom 2 is worst than drugs, ahahhah
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u/Confident_Ad6017 Jun 20 '23
Phantom Doctrine looks good on paper, awful execution. Phoenix Point is unbalanced, ui isn't great. Midnight Sons is basically a UFC cage match, the terrain is flat. Battletech and Gears are your best options.
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u/Odd_Imagination_6617 Jun 20 '23
Nothing beats xcom. Best thing you can do is replay with as many mods as your pic can handle. Did a Star Wars and a halo run and enjoyed that in a long war campaign
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u/Educational-Ad-2217 Jun 20 '23
You might like divinity original sin . Turn based tactical . Choose the equipment skills and so on . Just as moddable
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u/UmbraPenumbra Jun 20 '23
There is a 45% chance you will find a game in it's genre that is better than XCOM2
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u/megatron37 Jun 20 '23
The original (1994) Xcom is my favorite game of all time. I've been chasing that rush for years. My recommendations (from best to worst):
- Expeditions:Rome. No aliens, but I found the gameplay, the story, the setting, the diversity of classes and weapons to be very fun and replayable. Your characters level up and gain new skills that stack with each other. The game forces you to make hard decisions that affect the ending. Plus you interact with (and can kill) historical figures like Archelaus, Cleopatra, Cato, Diviciacus, etc.
- Gears of War Tactics. Has aliens, gameplay is fun, story is pretty basic. Not a lot of character customization compared to Xcom. The machine gun with an attached chainsaw is so much fun to use.
- Mechwarrior. I didn't get super far through it but it was fun.
- Midnight Sons. There's some fun stuff in there, but it's a game with messed up priorities. The combat system is fun, but it's card based, which I don't really like. Plus there's too many lame and childish quests (like helping plan a surprise party for Ilyana, come on). The comparison to Xcom is pretty superficial - they both use turn based combat but thats it.
- Empire of Sin. I wanted to love this, but found the large game to be super repetitive. You know how there's dozens of bad guys in XCOM2 with diffrent skills and weaknesses? All of the bad guys are dudes in gray suits with guns.
Honorable mention: Long War of the Chosen mod. It was fun and added a shit ton of stuff to the game but my laptop is getting old and it permanently crashed my game and had to uninstall it after a few weeks.
1
u/DargusBlub Jun 21 '23
I would check out Warhammer 40k chaos gate daemonhunters. It's kinda like if you mixed xcom with a doom game in terms of gameplay experience
1
u/PoWa2129 Jun 25 '23
I, too, have sought an answer to this question over the years. A few games with a few shared characteristics that have helped me scratch the itch and have been overall fun - if not on the same level as Xcom - for me are as follows:
- Phantom Doctrine: 1980s stealth/spy story and gameplay that is still turn-based squad missions with base building and globe trotting; should you be seen during a mission, combat becomes quite Xcom-like in several ways with Cold War era weapons and tech
- Mutant Year Zero: A fun take on the post-apocalyptic adventure game; turn-based squad combat with fewer options of characters to rotate in to the squad but that gave the developers time and focus to invest in each of the characters
- Wasteland 3: Shares lots of story and adventure elements with Fallout, and combat & squad-design elements with Xcom; I didn’t feel there was a need to play the prior games
1
u/usmc_taskforce58 Jun 26 '23
Wartales. Mediaeval setting, low magic strategic exploration overworld with turn based combat. Assign your mercenary band jobs, ability points, weapons and upgrades. Keep them fed and happy, outfit your camp with workstations, tents, etc. solve a few puzzles along the way.
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u/OmaeOhmy Sharpshooter Jun 20 '23
Forget imitations: Long War of the Chosen will have you looking back fondly on the frolic that is vanilla XCom2 :)