Firaxis Games’ alien-massacring hit is a strategy game staple and now it’s finally making the leap to the Nintendo Switch. Despite a few concessions in porting it to the handheld, this is still a remarkably good version of the SRPG.
The core gameplay involves leading a global resistance against alien forces who have conquered Earth. This is a turn-based tactical campaign with an interesting balance between combat and base management.
Gameplay
The gameplay in XCOM 2 Collection is as engaging as you would expect from a modern take on the turn-based tactical genre. It’s a game where battles are never predictable, where every decision and action must be considered carefully to ensure your soldiers make it to the evac zone without being flanked.
A lot of these decisions and actions will be triggered by useful information that pops up in the UI, such as the likelihood of a soldier hitting their target or the amount of damage they will likely cause. However, it’s important to remember that these are only helpful hints – there will be times when things will go wrong and you may need to adapt your plan quickly.
The main campaign of XCOM 2 Collection is a protracted experience that sees you leading an entire group of fully customisable soldiers across a variety of missions in various locales. You must rescue civilians, neutralise threats, disarm explosives, sabotage alien weaponry, and more.
Graphics
XCOM 2 is one of the best strategy games ever made and now it’s available for Switch owners to enjoy. While it’s a shame Virtuos had to make some serious concessions when porting this to the Switch, the game still retains its core strengths and is as engaging as ever.
There are some frame rate issues and load time waits, but if you’re looking for an engrossing turn-based strategy experience then XCOM 2 is hard to beat. With the game’s War of the Chosen expansion now releasing, this is a great chance to experience this excellent title in its full glory.
XCOM 2 Collection is one of the most complete ports on the Switch eShop and comes with everything you’d expect from this stellar title. There’s the main campaign, the Resistance Warrior Pack, Anarchy’s Children, Alien Hunters and Shen’s Last Gift DLC packs, as well as the War of the Chosen expansion. This is a huge package of content and it’s a must for any fan of the franchise.
Sound
XCOM 2 Collection is one of the best strategy games on the Switch, with a deep game system and impressive design. Even though the Switch port suffers from a lot of bugs and graphics clippings, it’s a great way to play this classic title on the go.
The sound in XCOM 2 Collection is excellent, from memorable deployment music to the general weapon sounds. The game also offers various options to tweak the audio format, which is useful if you want to use custom music.
For example, the Berseker and Viper aliens have different screams which are a bit more complex. The Viper is made up of a modified baby scream and snake hiss, while the Berseker is all hulking brutality and ferocity.
If you’re a fan of the series, the XCOM 2 Collection is definitely worth buying for its sizeable War of the Chosen expansion and the hefty amount of DLC that comes with it. However, it’s a shame that multiplayer isn’t an option.
Replay value
The XCOM 2 Collection is a package that includes the award-winning strategy game XCOM 2, the War of the Chosen expansion and five DLC packs (Resistance Warrior Pack, Anarchy’s Children, Alien Hunters, Shen’s Last Gift, Tactical Legacy Pack) for a bundle discount. The inclusion of these packs is a welcome addition, with the game having an impressive amount of content.
Replay value is a key aspect of XCOM 2. It has a variety of ways to challenge you, such as the randomly generated battle maps or the option to play through missions on different difficulties.
The game also has a robust modding community that is growing by the day, so there’s a lot of ways to customize your experience. From a new class, to a new weapon or even a whole new story mode, there’s something for everyone in this game.