Introduction
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is an immensely popular expansion to XCOM 2, which itself continues the famous turn-based strategy series. XCOM 2 is a test of tactical skill: its gameplay is punishing, and even a single wrong decision can cost the mission. The expansion throws even more layers of difficulty into the mix by bringing in unique enemy factions, additional soldier classes, and ever-changing mission elements.
Cheat engines have become primary tools for those players wishing to informally explore the game or experiment without being burdened by permanent consequences. A cheat engine simply manipulates the variable in the game’s memory to alter values like health, resources, or even the game mechanics. This article will be a study of the implementation of Cheat Engine in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, and in that regard, will touch upon its functionality, ethical considerations, and effects on the overall game experience.
What is Cheat Engine?
Cheat Engine is basically an open-source platform with the fundamental intent of modifying a single-player game. The software serves to scan a game’s memory and change targeted values: Health values, currency, and so on. The interface of Cheat Engine has the opportunity to open memory scanners, debuggers, disassemblers, and many other programs, so to change game’s data on real time.
In XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, this sort of manipulation can alter the player’s experience in a multitude of ways. A player can set up soldier stats, give infinite resources, or simply pass an entire mission. The list is long, rendering Cheat Engine almost too powerful for someone who just wants to bypass the game’s hurdles or play around with different game scenarios.
Getting Cheat Engine Set Up for XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
Before we fully delve into how exactly to use Cheat Engine alongside XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, it’s good that you understand how to set it up:
Downloading and Installing Cheat Engine: This first step involves downloading Cheat Engine from its official website along with installation.
Launch XCOM 2: War of the Chosen: Start your game, load the save file where you want to apply your cheats.
Open Cheat Engine: While your game is running, open Cheat Engine and choose XCOM 2 from the list of active applications.
Search for Values: In order to manipulate some in-game value, like resource numbers, one has to search for the present value in Cheat Engine. When it is found, it can be altered for whatever the player wants.
Applying Changes: Once the values have been altered, one can switch back to the game and see the changes implemented.
Using Cheat Engine in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen
The following sections will explain the various ways to go about using Cheat Engine in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen and discuss the benefits and disadvantages associated with each.
1. Manipulation of Resources
Manipulating resources via Cheat Engine is one of the most common tricks used in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen. Resources like supplies, alloys, and elerium are precious for building facilities, researching new technologies, and preparing your soldiers with the best of everything.
Increasing Supplies: By scanning for the actual amount of supplies and changing that value, players can grant themselves unlimited resources, eliminating the need to carefully juggle the supplies throughout the game.
Impact on Gameplay: On one hand, it makes the game very easy. However, on the other hand, it removes the strategic gameplay of resource management that is the core challenge of the game.
2. Soldier Stats and Abilities
Through the use of Cheat Engine, players may change such soldier stats as health, aim, and willpower. They may also unlock abilities that are not yet available to them in the game.
Maximizing Soldier Stats: One could assign all stats at maximum levels, rendering these soldier nearly invincible while performing in combat effectively.
Unlocking Abilities: Through memory editing, a player could unlock abilities for a soldier from other classes or even every ability available.
Gameplay Effects: Though funny and interesting for testing purposes, this breaks the game in the sense that crafting squads and strategy eventually becomes unimportant; an overpowered soldier can slay almost any situation.
3. Mission Manipulation
Cheat Engine can also help one in tampering with the results of the missions. This includes skipping the missions, auto-completing objectives, or even making soldiers dodge damage.
Auto-Complete Missions: Players can use Cheat Engine to finish a mission instantly and skip the entire tactical gameplay.
Invincibility: Players can turn on invincibility by modifying health values so that soldiers will never lose a mission.
Gameplay Impact: These cheats somehow strip away the core nature of tactical gameplay in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, reducing it to a series of cutscenes and choices without meaningful consequences.
4. Research and Engineering
Cheat Engine increases the speed of all projects related to research and engineering, allowing instant unlocking of new technologies and advanced equipment.
Instant Research and Engineering: Interfering with the required time in research and engineering projects to make it zero will enable players to gain instant access to much-needed upgrades.
Impact on Gameplay: This greatly accelerates the power curve, making the game easier and depriving players of the choice that some research paths require.
Ethical Considerations
Cheat Engine is considered a tool a player uses at his discretion in any single-player game; however, there are some ethical considerations:
Impact on Game Experience: Cheating has the power to seriously change the experience in a game like XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, removing the challenges and strategic depth with which the player-player interaction interplays. In turn, this results in an overall less satisfying pastime.
Respect for Developers: Developers spent years adjusting the game so that a suitably challenging and rewarding experience could be achieved. In some sense, the use of cheats cancels this adjustment and may be regarded as disrespectful to the endeavor that went into the game’s design.
Cheating in Multiplayer: While these methods are chiefly employed in single-player games, it is worth citing that using cheats in multiplayer games is frowned upon and, if caught, may get you banned or punished.
Cheat Engine Risks: Using the Cheat Engine is never without risk, which includes the threat of viruses or malware if downloaded from unofficial sources. On the downside, changing game files could also cause the game to crash or save files to be corrupted.
Impact on Game Experience: Cheating has the power to seriously change the experience in a game like XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, removing the challenges and strategic depth with which the player-player interaction interplays. In turn, this results in an overall less satisfying pastime.
Respect for Developers: Developers spent years adjusting the game so that a suitably challenging and rewarding experience could be achieved. In some sense, the use of cheats cancels this adjustment and may be regarded as disrespectful to the endeavor that went into the game’s design.
Cheating in Multiplayer: While these methods are chiefly employed in single-player games, it is worth citing that using cheats in multiplayer games is frowned upon and, if caught, may get you banned or punished.
Cheat Engine Risks: Using the Cheat Engine is never without risk, which includes the threat of viruses or malware if downloaded from unofficial sources. On the downside, changing game files could also cause the game to crash or save files to be corrupted.
Using Cheat Engine in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen Cheaters: The Biggies List
Pros:
Experiment: With Cheat Engine, users can do some experimentation: for example, testing different builds for soldiers or just seeing how it feels to play with infinite resources on hand.
Accessibility: For players who find XCOM 2: War of the Chosen too difficult, Cheat Engine will allow accessing the game with decreased difficulty levels.
Customization: Players can essentially tailor the game experience as they please, whether that means making the game easier, harder, or just different.
Time-Saving: Cheat Engine is a great timesaver for almost every other facet of the gameplay, such as rushing through research, gathering resources, or completing missions.
Cons:
Diminished Challenge: Cheating reduces too much challenge, really tarnishing the satisfaction of the experience.
Stability: Using a program like Cheat Engine may make the game prone to instabilities, such as crashes, corrupted save files, or simply not functioning correctly.
Ethical Concerns: Some developers and players hold the view that cheating compromises the integrity of the game, especially if the other side has to suffer for it (multiplayer, of course).
Potential for Abuse: There is abuse potential of it mostly used at some point, making the whole game worthless.
Conclusion
Using Cheat Engine in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen offers an unusual way of playing the game, where the players may directly slip through various challenges and explore different scenarios before the work of crafting their own gameplay. But when thinking about the advantages, things such as compromises in game balance, stability, and potential enjoyment arising from it should immediately come to mind.
For newcomers to the game or those who want to experiment with different strategies without having to worry about tough gameplay, Cheat Engine is arguably good. However, if one does cherish the challenge and strategic depth with which XCOM 2: War of the Chosen greets them, cheating would possibly only act as a hindrance.
In the end, the use of Cheat Engine is a matter of individual choice and is based on one’s perspective and approach to the game. When used responsibly, it can really enrich one’s experience; however, one must still consider the consequences, respect the game’s provisions, and acknowledge the efforts of those who built it.