Dash Only When Absolutely NecessaryĪs was the case in Enemy Unknown, each of your soldiers has two actions per turn, barring any late-game upgrades. Placing several squad members in defensive overwatch will help you deal damage before the aliens reach cover, and also finish the patrol before another arrives. Set up your soldiers as close as possible to alien patrol squads, initiate the attack with your most powerful character, and eliminate any stragglers. Not only does this help you explore alternate routes around unaware enemies, but it also allows for deadly ambushes. This means you drop into many missions under cover of stealth.
Of the major changes in XCOM 2, the most prominent is its focus on guerilla warfare. The basic XCOM structure is still intact here, but the sequel's many changes are daunting, and worth exploring before you increase the difficulty.īy clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's Playing on a lower difficulty will teach you the intricacies of ambushing enemies, researching the right technologies, moving your Avenger base across the globe, and responding to new enemy types as the campaign unfolds. XCOM 2's default difficulty is called "Veteran." But even if you're a seasoned XCOM player it may be worth downgrading for at least one campaign. This survival guide doesn't encompass everything you'll need to know, but it should lay the foundation for a few successful missions before your first inevitable failure.
Series newcomers have a lot to learn, but so do XCOM veterans who may be entrenched in old habits, dated as they are on these strange new battlefields. Both in terms of overarching strategy and small-scale tactics, XCOM 2 is a different beast entirely. There are layers of approach, and each scenario demands its own solution.Īnd since 2012's XCOM: Enemy Unknown and its expansion, Enemy Within, a lot has changed. In Firaxis Games' turn-based strategy sequel, you're constantly learning new ways to attack, defend, and use your soldiers' many abilities. In XCOM 2, everything that can go wrong, will go wrong.