Transitioning a PC-focused strategy game to consoles is never an easy task but Snapshot and Prime Matter did a great job pulling the complete experience to a gamepad environment. The combat gets some nuances with vehicles and advanced weapons being deployed over time, but generally it follows the standard turn-based path. Strategies like Overwatch (reaction shots if enemies are in range), slowly moving forward while covering, and high ground are amply used. Cover, high ground and different weapon types make the combat and encounters quite dynamic and generally enjoyable.Ĭombat is entirely turn-based, with each side taking its turn as a group. Stats that level up, such as strength, speed and willpower, add functionality to their skills and movement on the maps but essentially the goal is to position troops well and complete the missions. There are different archetypes of soldiers – Heavy, Assault, Sniper – but as the persistent characters level the skills become transferable to enable more flexible characters. Once deployed there are generally a few mission types, varying from kill all enemies or escape the area to capture research data or rescue civilians. For experienced players the combat sequences start with picking the deployment team and outfitting them with weapons/armor and items. The core of the Phoenix Point experience, though, is the combat, which leverages the best aspects of the modern XCOM and adds some neat tweaks of its own. At times the systems could be overwhelming but for people like myself weaned on X-Com games I felt a familiarity even when the choices became quite expansive. Typical of this style of game there are also research trees, training mechanics, upgrade schemas, production of assets and base expansion mechanics. This enables a choice of playstyles: Are we all together against the aliens or do I use the others’ resources to get ahead in the interest of the greater good? I honestly debated some missions based on how I would be impacting the factions I encountered. One of the cool aspects of the factions is that not only can they be traded with and their soldiers recruited, their havens can be raided and taken advantage of. Often helping one faction will hinder relations with another so choosing a partnership path can have strong repercussions. The various groups such as Disciples of Anu, New Jericho and Synedrion all have their own goals, resources, havens and prejudices. The factions in Phoenix Point are a distinction of the game that pulls in some Civilization-style dynamics. Exploration will be familiar at first to XCOM veterans, with tweaks and nuances added such as optional missions, resource gathering and trading with factions discovered along the way. Some Phoenix Point members explore the map by first activating an old base, then exploring the regions. Like the classic series Gollop helped create, the main jumppoint for the game is the world map. There is nothing revolutionary happening in the Phoenix Point story, but it does spin an enjoyable yarn. Previous Phoenix Point leaders, experimental soldiers and independent factions are introduced and add depth to the world. The game tells a story typical of these types of experiences, but some nice post-mission cutscenes tell a deeper vision of the world and its histories. The plot has distinct echoes of the original X-Com, Terror from the Deep and of course the new XCOM series but sets itself apart with some fresh dynamics. Only the Phoenix Project, a secret organization of the greatest minds and bravest soldiers left, can fight back and save the world. A mutating alien menace threatens the last remnants of mankind. Phoenix Point tells the tale of an Earth that has been overrun. Now the team has moved the strategy game to consoles, always a tricky process, and delivered the Behemoth Edition which, despite some flaws, is a fantastic addition to the PlayStation and Xbox ecosystems. It had a successful launch with many expansions added as the game matured. Released initially on PC via early Access, Phoenix Point is a strategy game designed by Julian Gollop, creator of the X-COM series, via the studio Snapshot Games, in partnership with Prime Matter.
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