X-Com - the revenge?

[Llyranor]

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/45797

 

Irrational Games, developer of System Shock 2 as well as the upcoming BioShock (X360, PC), may be working on a successor to Microprose's PC tactical sci-fi classic X-COM: UFO Defense. Evidence suggesting the new game's existence comes by way of a resume found on the official website of law firm Fierst, Pucci & Kane, LLP. It was listed in the CV of firm partner Frederick U. Fierst, which states that among Fierst's clients are "Ken Levine and Jonathan Chey, founders of Irrational Games LLC." The current version of the document has had the pertinent reference removed, but a cached version of the document lists the following games as being credited to the Boston, Massachusetts- and Canberra, Australia-based developer (emphasis added):

 

System Shock 2, Tribes 3, SWAT, X-Com, BioShock, Freedom Force

 

Fierst, Pucci & Kane is no stranger to the video games industry, with clients including Shiny founder Dave Perry, The Behemoth, High Voltage Software, The Tetris Company, Paradox Interactive, and everybody's favorite copyright protection service, StarForce.

 

X-COM has spawned several sequels since the original game's release in late 1993, though the franchise has not seen a new entry since 2001's action spinoff X-COM: Enforcer. Studio head Ken Levine is known to be a diehard fan of X-COM. He has referred to the game as "sort of like my first love," and frequently mentions it as an example of strong design that stands the test of time. He has cited X-COM as the single greatest influence on Irrational's Freedom Force series as well as a more minor influence on the upcoming BioShock. Developer MicroProse was acquired in 1998 by Hasbro, and the development studio was closed soon after; in 2001, Atari (then Infogrames) acquired Hasbro. Coincidentally, original Microprose co-founder Sid Meier now heads up design at Firaxis Games, which is owned by Irrational Games parent 2K Games (in turn a label of Take-Two Interactive).

 

Levine declined to comment on Irrational's potential developments when contacted by Shacknews. At the moment this can be taken only as a rumor. Further inquiries have been send to 2K Games and Irrational Games.

 

Update: Shacker baron calamity points out that Take-Two Interactive acquired the X-Com property in full from Atari in 2005, just a few months before Irrational Games was acquired by the publisher.

 

There are no words.

 

 

...

 

Though, actually, has Irrational ever actually done a TB game? The 'most highly influenced by X-Com' Freedom Force certainly didn't have any of that. Hmm.

[alanschu]

ohboyoboyhboyoohboybohobyohboybohobyoob

 

 

You're right, there are no words. Only gibberish.

 

 

ohbobhoybooybohybohotybohotybobohby

[Sand]

I shall remain skeptical.

[karka]

I'd be much more happy to see a Freedom Force sequel announcement. Yes, I had great moments with X-Com games in the past but...

 

If this news is true... Damn you IG!

[Bokishi]

X-Com?! NO WAI!!

[Big Bottom]

Hot damn! That's the kind of rumour I like to hear!

[alanschu]

I shall remain skeptical.

 

 

You probably wouldn't like the game anyways, it's not an RPG.

[Gorgon]

It's not going to be turn based, theres no money in that.

[Darque]

I shall remain skeptical.

 

I'm shocked.

 

As for this game, let's hope so.

[Gorth]

I'm torn between joy and sadness. I hope they make a new real x-com game, but I fear that they will try to make action game number 632, disregarding everything that made x-com... well x-com.

 

I think I might just install x-com apocalypse and run it in dos-box again. Long time no see.

[Cantousent]

I might play the original again just to whet my appetite. I'm going to follow this title closely.

[Hurlshort]

My guess is it won't be TB.

[Pidesco]

:bunny:

[mkreku]

I recently loaded up Freedom Force again (after finding the patch that allowed me to run it in Windows XP SP2). It wasn't really fun at all.

[Diogo Ribeiro]

[Morgoth]

I recently loaded up Freedom Force again (after finding the patch that allowed me to run it in Windows XP SP2). It wasn't really fun at all.

That's because you are no fun!

[Morgoth]

Besides, that X-Com rumor is old news.... but still exciting nonetheless. Everything Irrational touches turns into Gold. There is no other perfect developer suited for this job than Irrational. I wonder if they're also gonna do some sort of a X-Com Alliance (SWAT style FPS) thing. Would be most excited as well!

[Niten_Ryu]

I wonder what happened to Gollop brothers.

 

After Laser Squad they were one of my fav developers and in same league as Sid Meier or Dicky Garriott. UFO - Enemy Unknown was just about perfect game to follow Laser Squad. At that time they were real innovators of TB genre. I'm also one of the few people in the world who loved both real time and turn based mode in X-com: Apocalypse (use turn based in hard fights and RT in smaller encounters or raids) but at the time that did get huge amount of critique. Now in retrospective they didn't manage to reach same status as Sid Meier or Dicky Garriott or Billy Wright.

 

Interesting enough, IMO Kenny Levine is probably most talented game designer right now and because of that the chance of getting great X-com sequal is relatively high. I'm definately looking forward of this.

[Hurlshort]

The Gollop brothers have a game called Laser Squad Nemesis that is play by email. It's a pretty solid tactical game, and they have competitive ladders and all that. I recently got an email about an update, but the play by email thing isn't my cup of tea. It seems to be the only thing they are doing.

[astr0creep]

I shall remain skeptical.

 

 

You probably wouldn't like the game anyways, it's not an RPG.

 

Well, actually, it was.

 

Level upping characters, merchants, xp points, etc.

Plenty of RPG elements for sure anyways.

 

The closest to X-COM I've experienced was Fallout Tactics(for PC) which was deeper but without research or aliens, unless mutants count as aliens.

UFO Aftermath and Aftershock were ambitious duds, the more recent one came very close to light the torch again but in the end it's just so boring. I do consider them sequels to UFO: Enemy Unknown, which was X-COM in Europe(and, oddly, in Canada - Qc - as well).

[Spider]

There's a third UFO After-game out now as well. Afterlight.

 

I've only played Aftershock and it was ok. Decent mechanics, somewhat interesting story, cool factions. But much, much MUCH too repetetive. The game used only a few different maps for it's mission and the missions weren't exactly varied. After fighting aliens on the same map for the 20th or so time, it got kinda dull.

 

In the end I actually ignored all assaults on my territory and just ran the clock down waiting for the big event I knew (through forum spoilers) was coming.

 

What the game needed above all else is some some sort of random map generator. Then maybe it wouldn't have gotten so boring towards the end.

 

(it was quite fun for the first half of the game though)

[Slowtrain]

The closest to X-COM I've experienced was Fallout Tactics(for PC) which was deeper but without research or aliens, unless mutants count as aliens.

 

Odd comparison. I don't see the two as being remotely similar beyond the isometric view and that they both model some degree of tactical combat.

[astr0creep]

The closest to X-COM I've experienced was Fallout Tactics(for PC) which was deeper but without research or aliens, unless mutants count as aliens.

[Morgoth]

I hope the game will also receive a "M" for "Morgoth's taste" from ESRB, because I want to see the Aliens brains splattered over the wall when shooting at them. It's part of the fun in such games....you know it.

[Slowtrain]

The closest to X-COM I've experienced was Fallout Tactics(for PC) which was deeper but without research or aliens, unless mutants count as aliens.

 

hmmm. Nope. Saying the same thing twice doesn't make it any more clear.

 

I was hoping for a little more explanation on how you were conencting the two. To me it seems as if you are saying that: the closest thing to a Porsche I've experienced is a Yugo. I mean, technically, I see the accuracy of your statement since they both have two doors and four wheels and an internal combustion engine, but it's not a connection I would immediately make since there is too much difference between them.

 

XCOM is a pretty hardcore, grognard-friendly dynamic campaign game with both well implemented tactical and strategic areas.

 

 

Tactics is a linear mission-based rpg mixed with lite squad combat that isn't particuarly tactical.

 

XCOM is much closer to, say, Close Combat than it is Tactics.