XCOM Enemy Within

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Features Added and Improvements Made:

1. New Aliens and Units

Among the most striking traits of Enemy Within is the entry of several new alien species. They are Meld, a very interesting resource that has to be collected in the game for advanced technology unlocking, and EXALT that forms an evil human faction rival to XCOM.

Meld: Meld is a new resource that players would find in the battlefield, which serves the purpose of researching and crafting advanced technologies. Include it in the mission objectives to gather it while carrying the risk of getting collect.
EXALT: EXALT introduces a whole new set of enemy units and missions because of their covert involvement with the workings against the interests of XCOM. Writing a new counter-intelligence operation for EXALT missions will call for players to engage in a fresh action.

2. Genetic and Cybernetic Augmentation

Enemy Within provides a whole new dimension for soldiers, which can be achieved through genetics and cybernetics.

Genetic Augmentations: A soldier could have a mutation to gain some special skills and rewards. These augmentations provide modifications, for example, in mobility, strength, or even environmental protection resistances. This aspect allows one to customize his/her soldiers to roles and plans.

Cybernetic Augmentations: The other new addition is that of cybernetic enhancement, which allows further improvement in such areas as armor and weapons. Augmentations have proven to include some boosts to a soldier’s capabilities, and so offer tactical options.

3. New Technologies and Equipment

An array of new technologies and equipment are coming along with the expansion, and they will make the research and development element of the game deepen.

New Weapons and Armor: Enemy Within features new weapons and armor that provide different tactical advantages. For example, the new ARC Thrower allows soldiers to stun enemies, and advanced armor sets offer improved protection and additional abilities.

New Facilities: Players will also be able to construct new facilities, such as the Cybernetics Lab and the Genetics Lab, within their base. These facilities will play a prominent part in the research and development of new technologies and augmentations.

4. Enhanced Tactical Gameplay

The tactical gameplay in Enemy Within has been enhanced and further developed with the advent of new features and mechanics.

New Maps and Environments: The expansion throws in all new maps and environments into the game, giving an even larger variety of tactical scenarios to the player. There are several new maps that have completely different terrains and buildings which affect strategic planning and combat.

Mission Types: New mission types include EXALT operations in Enemy Within and the collection of Meld. The introduction of these new mission kinds also adds excitement and variety, necessitating players to vary their strategies.

Diverse AI: The enemy AI has been enhanced to create a more challenging and dynamic experience. Enemies use advanced tactics and strategies, forcing the player to think critically and adapt in a fluid situation.

Gameplay and Mechanics

1. Strategic Layer

The strategic layer of XCOM: Enemy Within has remained fundamentally unchanged from that of the base game, giving a greater experience due to something more being added.

Base Management: Players manage their base by building facilities, researching technologies, and managing resources as before. The new facilities and augmentations add another layer of strategy to base management.
Research and Development: There’s more breadth for research and development in play with new technologies and equipment. Players must prioritize research and development so as not to fall behind in the ongoing conflict.
Resource Management: Meld creates yet another resource for management. Players must weigh the importance of gathering Meld versus the associated risks and rewards. Managing resources stays the essence of any strategic layer.

2. Tactical Combat

Where the expansion is truly shining in tactical combat, more so with the enhancements and additions that improve the entire gameplay experience.

Turn-Based Combat: The system of turn-based combat has been preserved, while also incorporating new aliens, equipment, and abilities that required more out-of-the-box-thinking. One has to master the tactical aspects from the new elements, such as Meld and cybernetic enhancement, and how they affect troop movements.
Soldier Customization: This provides an enormous strategic flexibility on the battlefield through genetic and cybernetic technology used for soldier modification. Customized fittings for varying roles and strategies expand the tactical depth of the game.
Enemy Variety: The inclusion of new extraterrestrial species and EXALT units signifies an increased enemy variety, with each one having its own special tricks and tactics. The increased enemies add depth to the combat encounters and force players to adapt.

Story and Narrative

XCOM: Enemy Within is primarily concerned with game enhancements and new features, but it also carries with it some expansions on the story already established with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Added up are new story elements and factions that should embellish the narrative.

EXALT Faction: The work of EXALT adds another dimension to the story by introducing a human foe acting against XCOM’s objectives. The missions and story surrounding EXALT provide extra context and lends extra challenge to the overarching conflict.
Character Development: Individual character developments can take place far more with the new augmentations and abilities, allowing players to develop their soldiers through options of unique enhancements and skills. This added emphasis on character engagement draws them into an immersive experience even further.

XCOM: Enemy Within – In the current era, DLC (Downloadable Content) has almost become an “inevitable” part of the game.

They update from the smallest things like costumes, weapons, or add new game parts, new stories.

However, it seems that DLC is increasingly being overused because of its convenience and compactness, making it inadvertently become a tool “for money” for customers of today’s game publishers.

Among the countless DLCs, there are still rare highlights, XCOM: Enemy Within is the most typical example.

Announced by Firaxis Games, this will be an “expansion pack” for the game XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and indeed, XCOM: Enemy Within is worth every penny that gamers have to spend to own it!

If you’ve ever seen the movie Captain America: The First Avenger, surely, you will be very impressed by what science can do with the human body.

And with XCOM: Enemy Within, you will have the opportunity to experience it firsthand from a very interesting perspective.

The “super warriors” with extraordinary strength, giving players more tactical options.

First, players can “transplant” alien cells into the bodies of their warriors, giving them new powers.

That may be the ability to observe, muscle strength, auxiliary factors that help the body to be more resilient.

These abilities help in battle.

A big addition to the XCOM force is the MEC system – mechanical warriors with extraordinary strength.

Transformed from human flesh and bones, MEC warriors now become “crushing machines” on the battlefield with extremely strong firepower, wide mobility as well as durable fighting strength.

However, the design of Firaxis Games still ensures a balance in gameplay.

The “super warriors”, despite their extraordinary abilities, still have their disadvantages, and of course, you cannot create a perfect warrior.

Therefore, choose carefully.

Of course, if you get the “super warriors”, the enemy will also have new additions to balance.

In addition to confronting the Sectoid, Thin Man, or Mutont as before, the player will have to plan to destroy even the enemies like Mechtoid machines with strong firepower and the support of Sectoid; Seeker names with stealth abilities … All of which make you “busy” much more than before.

A new addition in this version is the “traitor” EXALT.

Described as a counterweight to the XCOM forces on a global scale, EXALT sees the alien invasion as a good opportunity to accomplish its purpose.

Hidden in the dark, EXALT always sabotages the activities of XCOM, with the support from the collected technology of the aliens.

EXALT also has “classes” almost similar to XCOM (Sniper, Assault, Heavy …), when fighting EXALT, players seem to be fighting with themselves.

In addition to always appearing in a large number, fighting with EXALT is the “new wind” that XCOM: Enemy Within brings players.

One of the biggest weaknesses of the XCOM: Enemy Unknown version is that the screen design is a bit repetitive.

Listening to the feedback from gamers, Firaxis Games has made players really “satisfied” in this expansion.

Dozens of new maps have been added, the context of each game scene is also designed in more detail.

From warehouses, grocery stores, industrial parks … The variety of screens has been shown more clearly than before.

So the game experience is also pushed up compared to before.

The most special feature in the version of XCOM: Enemy Within is the missions related to the EXALT organization.

The player’s job at this time is not only limited to “find and destroy” but more than that, they also have to know how to coordinate the group to protect spies, protect and exploit a certain information base.

Coordinating with the quests, old gameplay, direct impact on the game context … has made the game’s mission line much more diverse and richer.

Firaxis Games has made players really “satisfied” when adding dozens of new maps in this expansion.

The bugs that exist in the previous XCOM version (mostly in terms of image and camera angle) have not been fixed.

The object piercing error is still quite common, some small “bugs” still happen sometimes.

However, players can completely rest assured when these errors are just “trivial” things, do not affect the game experience much.

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XCOM: Enemy Within – Xbox 360: Buy it now

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Conclusion

The fact remains that XCOM: Enemy Within is a wonderfully thought-out expansion pack, building on the good foundation for XCOM: Enemy Unknown with myriad new features, upgrades, and improvements. With the introduction of new aliens, genetic and cybernetic augmentations to tactical gameplay, added depth and variety will make it essential to any self-respecting fan of the series.

This is an expansion that takes the core experience and upgrades it, sustaining the strategic depth and challenge that made the first one so compelling. With all its fantastic new content, brilliant AI improvements, and more options for customization, Enemy Within is ideally placed as a success story for Firaxis Games’ strong approach to extending and refining its world-renowned tactical strategy format.

In all fairness, XCOM: Enemy Within deserves space in the XCOM series; it increases richness and engagement for the player. For a pro-player or someone new to the game, this is already content for XCOM; with the vast improvements as well, this is something that cannot be missed for XCOM enjoyment.