14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer Firaxis has been recently revealed as working on a new XCOM: Enemy Unknown game, which is set to bring the tactical battles of the series to the PC, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 later this year, and now the company has offered some more detail on the game, which sounds as coming in pretty close to the original vision of MIcroProse and Culture Brain.
The developers are keen not to use the remake word when talking about the new UFO, saying that they are aiming to deliver a re-imagining, which keep the core ideas behind the success of the game while having the freedom to tinker with aspects like the stats of the various soldiers, which have been already confirmed as being modified heavily.
The players will continue to play the role of the man in overall charge of an international force designed to fight a full scale alien invasion, taking charge of two very different game phases.
In the strategic view of the Firaxis made UFO: Enemy Unknown players will be able to tackle alien flying saucers with fighter jets and see where they attack in the world while also handling research, weapons production, soldier training and diplomatic relations with the powers of Earth.
Once the Skyranger troop transports are launched the game switches to a tactical and turn based view, with the player using a squad of soldiers to tackle the individual aliens and defeat them on the ground.
It seems that Firaxis is keen on making the experience as tactical as possible, with a lot of options when it comes to equipment, tactics and weapons.
The developers have also sought to eliminate any fears that the launch on consoles will lead to a simpler game, saying that in the turn based phase line of sight and fog of war use are crucial while the life of any battle hardened soldier is very precious, just like in the original release of UFO.
Enemy Unknown does not yet have a clear launch date but gamers can expect it during the fall, after the XCOM shooter that Take Two and 2K Marin will deliver during the spring.