Introduction
The expansion pack XCOM 2: War of the Chosen builds on the very successful XCOM 2 by adding even more layers of complexity to an already difficult turn-based strategy game. One of the most awaited and thrilling moments in the game is the final mission called the “Alien Fortress,” which tests all the player’s efforts throughout the campaign. This final mission will test the player’s mettle in strategic thinking, resource management, and the ability to act under pressure.
The review will take a deep dive into the final mission of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen and explore the design and challenges of this mission while proposing strategies for success. The review will examine the narrative importance of the mission, its effect on the overall gaming experience, and how it fares next to other final missions in the strategy genre.
Setup for The Final Mission
The journey to the last mission in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is long, arduous, and between-the-lining. The student wanders through myriad challenges, manages limited resources, and makes that crucial decision which can impact a campaign. The advent of the Chosen-witty alien opponents with inherent personalities-has lent some extra complexity to the campaign.
Once the Avatar Project-the central plot, which sees the aliens involved in some obscure project with humanity implications-has been completed, the final mission will unlock. Disrupting further alien plans and overcoming the Chosen clarifies the path to the final mission. This mission is the ultimate showdown, where the player enters the heart of the alien fortress, destroys all remaining alien forces, and at last takes on the Avatar in a battle for the future of Earth.
Mission Overview
The Alien Fortress is a multi-phase operation conducted at the very core of the alien base. It is divided into stages that have different challenges and objectives. The mission starts with the player’s squad infiltrating the fortress. They go through corridors heavily guarded with heavy fire and powerful enemies such as Sectopods, Andromedons, and Elite Advent troops.
Further into the fortress, the player is faced with more and more difficult fights, so planning and execution have to be top-notch. The ultimate stage of the mission is the stand-off with the Avatar, a powerful psionic force that is the greatest expression of the alien plans. This final battle stands as one of the hardest in the game and forces the player to rely on all his skills and resources to have a chance at winning.
Strategic Considerations
Squad Composition
The success of any final mission depends on squad composition. Due to the different enemies and challenges presented, one should make sure to prepare a squad able to handle any situation. A typical final mission squad would have:
Ranger: These soldiers have a shotgun and are fast movers, so they flank enemies and deal maximum damage up close.
Sharpshooter: These soldiers inflict more damage from long range than any other class, allowing them to eliminate priority targets well before these could threaten the squad.
Specialist: To save a squad is a Specialist’s best-known act, but will the very same Specialists switch to hacking enemy ME-Cs when the situation arises? Those two skills have to be enough to win a battle.
Grenadier: This soldier class throws grenades and rockets to mow down and dislodge clusters of enemy soldiers from their cover and splatter armor plating in chunks.
Psi Operative: With some of the most elaborate psionic powers known to man, Psi Operatives can simply mind control or stasis some of the most dangerous enemies to either ignore or protect the squad in desperate situations.
Each class has its strengths, and the player must use these strategically to overcome the obstacles of the final mission.
Tactical Approach
The final mission calls for a patient and precise strategy. Enemies inside the fortress are arguably the hardest in the game, so rushing into any encounter is a surefire way to disaster. Below are some tips that might help a player succeed:
Conserving Resources: Keep all resources on hand, such as medkits, grenades, and special abilities, for the latter part of this long and knacky battle when they are needed most.
Maintain Cover: Maintaining cover is key in XCOM 2, and that goes for the final mission as well. Always have your soldiers standing in cover, preferably high ground or full cover. This way, you minimize incoming damage from enemy attacks.
So, Focus Fire: Against strong enemies, it is always advisable to focus fire on one at a time and kill it, reducing the number of attacks the player has to endure during the enemy’s turn.
Use Overwatch: Overwatch is a really good tool for controlling the battle and killing reinforcements. The players should place their squad members in good positions where they can hit enemies on activation via Overwatch.
Willpower Management: The final mission can be a drain on the soldiers’ minds and managing the willpower of the soldiers must be a vital aspect of the player’s plan. Players should make sure they do not let their soldiers get hit so badly by the enemies that they panicked or lost control over the unit.
The Big Fight
The climax of the final mission is the battle against the Avatar, the ultimate alien creation. Considered one of the hardest battles in the game, the player has to deal with the Avatar with its most powerful psionics while juggling reinforcements from the aliens.
Avatar Abilities
The Avatar is a potent combination of several powerful abilities that make it a formidable foe.
Dimensional Rift: The Avatar may create a dimensional rift dealing heavy damage to any caught inside its radius. This can wipe out many soldiers if they are clumped, so the player has to spread out their squad as much as possible.
Mind Control: The Avatar possesses the ability to control one of the player’s soldiers and turn it against the squad.
Such a power can be very devastating if utilized on an extremely strong unit, so players should be ready to either kill the controlled soldier upon their own or break the mind control themselves with psionics or flashbang grenades.
Teleportation: The Avatar possesses the ability to teleport anywhere across the battlefield. It is no doubt difficult for the player to trap it and attack in one location. The player must therefore prepare and adapt with varied strategies toward the movements of the Avatar.
Strategies for Defeating the Avatar
Defeating the Avatar requires a combination of planning and improvisation. However, the following strategies will help a player triumph over such a demanding foe:
Keep Your Eye on the Avatar: Although there are other enemies on the battlefield, the focus should remain on the Avatar. The moment the Avatar is eliminated, the mission ends, so put all your firepower into knocking it out as fast as possible.
Engage Black Ops: Psi Ops constitute the greatest threat to the Avatar, as their abilities can nullify its psionic powers or deal significant damage; for instance, Stasis can temporally sideline the Avatar from combat, leaving the player free to deal with other threats or reposition their squad.
Attack Weakness: The Avatar is susceptible to critical hits. Hence, players should consider using their abilities and positioning to maximize critical-hit chances. Rangers with almost limitless mobility and high close-range damage are perfect candidates for this.
Manage Reinforcements: Iterate throughout the battle where aliens would otherwise keep sending in reinforcements for the support of their Avatar. Using Overwatch and area-of-effect abilities should help affect those reinforcements quickly so that they do not overwhelm the squad.
Heal and Revive: Having soldiers alive is very much important during the final battle. Players should use their Specialists to heal wounded soldiers and revive any that have gone down. Having the squad at full strength goes a long way in going against the relentless pounding of the Avatar.
Narrative and Emotional Impact
The concluding mission in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is not merely a test of the player’s tactical skill; it is very much a culmination of the narrative. During the entire campaign, the players have developed a bond with their soldiers, watching them become stronger and more capable, and have had to bear the consequences of their decisions. This final mission binds all of these elements and creates an emotionally resonant experience for the player.
The Stakes
The stakes for the last mission are unreal. Earth’s fate hangs in the balance-the differing choices the player makes could be the difference between winning and losing. The storyline for the mission builds on the player journey throughout the campaign, having forced the player to push against such odds to get into this position.
Influence of the Chosen
Perhaps one of the most notable additions in War of the Chosen comes in the form of the Chosen themselves-the alien foes that can and will hunt the player relentlessly throughout the campaign. Depending on how much influence the player has wielded over the Chosen in the campaign, the final mission may retain echoes of their presence-or their absence. The player’s success or failure against the Chosen during the course of the campaign could also influence the final mission, further sharpening the narrative edge.
The Conclusion
The victorious conclusion to the last mission truly celebrates the player. The murder of the Avatar cuts off the alien threat, bringing about a sense of closure and accomplishment-the player has worked through all the challenges of the campaign and has prevailed. The ending cutscenes and epilogue are personalized reflections of a player’s choices and actions throughout the development of the player.satisfying story conclusion.
Comparison to Other Final Missions in Strategy Games
Being able to be considered as one of the most difficult and gratifying operations in the strategy genre-the last mission in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is thus worthy of comparison with the final missions of other strategy games.
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
Another truly memorable act is the final mission of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, wherein the player must defend an objective against overwhelming odds. Like XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty builds toward the ultimate mission with high narrative stakes and a challenging climax. During “All-In” of Wings of Liberty, waves of Zerg descend upon the players and the artifact must be protected, all while it is necessary to complete several different objectives. The urgency coupled with the necessity of quick decision-making in terms of managing resources and defenses feels very much like the pressure one is put under during the last mission in XCOM 2. Yet, the two differ in terms of tactical depth. Whereas StarCraft II tilts toward fast-paced real-time strategy, XCOM 2 allows for more heady, calculated planning, being turn-based. Both are iconic missions in their respective genres, giving players a climactic and satisfying finish for their campaigns.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
The other tactical RPG known for an unforgettable final mission with a counterpart specific to a chosen route is Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Much like XCOM 2, a large focus is given to relationships between characters, and the final mission is almost always an exercise in high emotional stakes, whether battling former allies or fighting insurmountable odds. The big difference between the two is that Fire Emblem allows the player to control larger parties and involves more convoluted map navigation and positioning strategies. Conversely, the smaller cast and close ties of XCOM 2 make the final mission feel much more gripping and personal.
Total War Series
Historical and fantasy forms of Total Wars often culminate into final battles sealing the fate of the whole empires. These final missions carry the grandeur of large armies and huge tactics by the battlefield. In contrast with the strategy of XCOM 2, which specializes in small-scale tactical squad activities, this gives an entirely much intimate and detailed experience. While the very nature of the final missions in the Total War games is of epic proportion, they do not feature the very personal stakes and character-driven narrative that one finds in XCOM 2.
The replayability factor
One of the sources that make XCOM 2: War of the Chosen replayable is of course the final mission. Maps generate procedurally; compositions of enemies change; and players may select different squad members or employ different tactics for each playthrough, meaning no two runs are ever alike. This replayability is further enhanced by the game’s difficulty level and the presence of the Chosen, who cause certain twists and turns in the campaign and final mission itself.
Different Squad Compositions
Final-mission replayability is largely dependent on the squad composition picked by the player. Modifications in classes and abilities could pave the way for new strategems and solutions. For instance, the presence of several Psi Operatives in the squad could lead to an approach to the final mission far different from that taken by a squad with mostly Grenadiers and Sharpshooters. This variety keeps the final mission feeling new and challenging, even for the old-timers.
Difficulty Levels & Ironman Mode
Game difficulty levels also determine how the final mission plays out. Higher difficulties like Commander or Legendary throw in more enemies with superior AI and stretch the scarcity of resources, providing even more challenge to the final mission. A mode like Ironman, which forbids save-game reloads, layers the heightened pressure: every decision becomes final with severe consequences. Finishing the final mission in Ironman mode is the real deal for one’s mastery of XCOM.
Conclusion
With the finality of an XCOM 2: War of the Chosen mission, a perfect closing of this campaign is one of the most challenging, intense, and narratively satisfying finale a player has ever had. Its multiple phases and strategic depth, as well as the emotional weight, elevate it into one of those instances that can be called a shining moment of not just the game but the strategy genre as well.
The mission’s design rewards strategic planning, adaptability, and use of squad strengths, while the narrative stakes fuel the tension, making the result of this combat feel very personal. Fighting the Avatar is an appropriate discerner that both challenges the player’s abilities and rewards them with that good feeling of achievement and closure.
When set next to other strategy games, XCOM 2: War of the Chosen definitely holds its drawing power; as far as tactical depth is concerned, not many games are emotionally engaging. It is the replay value that allows the player to return to that very last mission time and again, to try out different strategies, and to taste the exhilaration of victory anew.
After all, the final mission of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is more than just a battle: it is the crowning glory of the player’s journey, an adjudication of their skills, and the final nail in the coffin for one of the finest strategy games of its time. A definite once-in-a-lifetime experience will feature in your memories even after seeing the credits, for better or worse, depending on whether you are either experienced in XCOM or new to the offense.