X-COM: Apocalypse – A Nostalgic Gaming Experience
X-COM: Apocalypse holds a special place among my top 10 all-time favorite games, and if I exclude the previous two installments of this Microprose trilogy, it might even make it to the top 5 🙂
As a self-proclaimed hardcore fan, I cannot help but critically assess this final, authentic X-COM title.
Revolutionary Graphics and Gameplay
X-COM: Apocalypse undoubtedly surpasses its predecessors in terms of graphics. With only 3 years between the release of UFO: Enemy Unknown and X-COM: Apocalypse, this game is indeed a fitting culmination of the trilogy.
An Intriguing but Bizarre Plot
Unfortunately, one of the slightly conflicting aspects is the storyline and the overall narrative of the game.
While the previous titles witnessed your roughly ten heroes dealing with multiple alien races and their central brains simultaneously, the plot of Apocalypse takes a more bizarre turn.
Set in the year 2084, you’ll focus solely on the city of Mega Primus, rather than the entire Earth. It makes me curious about the world’s reaction to events unfolding in this city, but regrettably, the game doesn’t explore that aspect.
However, the city’s individual infrastructure, diverse organizations, businesses, and your ability to influence its development are remarkably well-crafted.
Novel Gameplay Possibilities
X-COM: Apocalypse introduces some new gameplay possibilities that may have crossed your mind while playing the previous installments. One such feature allows you to visit the alien’s homeworld and give them a taste of their own medicine, similar to what they’ve been doing on Earth.
While this adds a new layer of depth to the game, exploring the alien dimension can become repetitive, with missions inside their buildings feeling somewhat monotonous. The AI turns, already quite lengthy, become twice as long when civilians are involved due to their separate gameplay time (turn).
Conclusion
X-COM: Apocalypse is a fantastic continuation of the previous X-COM titles. If you haven’t played it yet, or if you’re new to the series, I highly recommend giving it a try.
The game offers numerous missions, fascinating discoveries in laboratories, and everything you loved about the previous two titles, along with entirely new gameplay possibilities.
Play X-COM: Apocalypse Online in Your Browser
Exciting news for X-COM: Apocalypse fans – you can now play X-COM: Apocalypse online in your web browser on our website, allowing you to relive the nostalgic experience of this classic game without the need for downloads or installations.