84/100
Players132 ratings: 89/100
Critics7 reviews

Where to get it

2013 · Expansion · Firaxis Games · Science · Strategy

XCOM: Enemy Within

Expansion

XCOM: Enemy Within is a non-console expansion pack for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a turn-based tactical strategy game. The expansion adds the ability to gene mod soldiers to add to their powers as well as the ability to create MECs, powerful robotic soldiers. These new features are created by collecting a resource called Meld on the tactical battlefield. A number of new maps were also added to the tactical game, as well as multiplayer.

Released: 12 November 2013
Platforms: Android Linux PlayStation 3 Windows Xbox 360 iOS macOS
Genres: Science Strategy Tactical role-playing Turn-based strategy Turn-based tactics
Developers: Firaxis Games
Publishers: 2K
Series: X-COM
Modes: Multiplayer Single-player
Perspective: Bird view / Isometric
Themes: Action Science fiction
Engine: Unreal Engine 3
Country: United States
Age ratings: PEGI 18 ESRB M
Languages: Chinese (Traditional), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish (Spain)
Time to beat: 26hwith extras

About

XCOM: Enemy Within is an expansion pack for the turn-based tactical video game XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The expansion pack primarily adds new gameplay elements to the base game, as well as introducing new themes of transhumanism via aggressive gene therapy.

XCOM: Enemy Within was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in November 2013 and received generally favorable reviews from critics. In June 2014, Feral released both XCOM: Enemy Within and its base game XCOM: Enemy Unknown for Linux. The game also came to the iOS App Store and Google Play Store a year after the initial release, on November 12, 2014. On March 22, 2016, the game was released on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation Vita.

›Story

XCOM: Enemy Within is the expansion to the 2012 Game of the Year award-winning strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Enemy Within adds an incredible array of new abilities, upgrades and weapons to combat new enemy and alien threats. This expansion also introduces new maps and missions, new tactical and strategic gameplay, and new multiplayer content providing a fresh new gameplay experience.

Keywords

aliens
mech
turn-based
military
permadeath
ufo
steam
digital distribution
customizable characters
retail games with steam activation
pax prime 2013
gamescom 2013

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The gameplay and plot of XCOM: Enemy Within largely remains the same as XCOM: Enemy Unknown with some additional features. The player manages the XCOM headquarters in almost real time progress, but much of the gameplay consists of turn-based battles against the invading aliens and some with the rogue human faction EXALT across the globe. Similar to the numerous expansions of the Civilization series, the pack retains the core storyline but adds a broad variety of content.

A new resource, called "Meld", is introduced. XCOM operatives will be forced to advance swiftly in order to secure Meld canisters with delay-activated self-destruct systems; some of the aliens' more sophisticated cybernetic units such as Mechtoids also grant Meld when killed. Meld is a suspension made up of billions of cybernetic nanomachines. These nanites are each made up of organic and mechanical components. It is required for some of the newly introduced XCOM transhuman technologies.

Development

XCOM: Enemy Within was originally announced with a scheduled release date of November 15, 2013. XCOM: Enemy Within was released in stores on November 12, 2013 in the US, and November 15, 2013 internationally. The game was released for digital distribution via Steam on November 11, 2013.

Reception

XCOM: Enemy Within received generally favorable reviews from critics. Ben Reeves of Game Informer lauded the game, advising that "anyone who loves an intense firefight should test their mettle on Enemy Within," although also noting that "Despite Firaxis' improvements, the developer wasn't able to fix the line-of-sight issues" of the main game and that "acquiring new squad members still feels unbalanced; since you can't assign your soldiers' roles, and they only learn their specialty once they've ranked up, it's easy to end up with holes in your squad".

Eurogamer's Stace Harman echoed similar statements, stating that despite its flaws, "Enemy Within is an improvement on an already excellent game," Destructoid's Chris Carter proffered similar praise, headlining his review with "It almost feels like a sequel." Regarding all the new content, he thought that it was "a really weird way" to approach an expansion due to its blending of old and new content, but summarized his review by saying, "If you haven't played the newest XCOM yet, now is a perfect time to do so with the Enemy Within package." Matt Lees of VideoGamer.com similarly summarized his review with, "The best game of 2012 is back, and it might be the best game of 2013."