UFO2: Extraterrestrials or Terra Invicta?

Started by W8taminute, September 29, 2022, 10:30:04 AM

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W8taminute

Now here's something you don't see everyday. 

I need your help guys on determining what I should spend this month's gaming budget on.  I am only buying one game as I am on a limited game budget.

I'm currently torn between buying a brand new game and one that is about a year old.  Both of them however are kind of similar.  Everyone is talking about Terra Invicta today and probably no one is talking about UFO2: Extraterrestrials.  Both of these games explore human encounters with hostile aliens here on earth but TI explores our immediate solar system and a bit beyond.  UFO on the other hand is styled after classic XCOM.

TI seems to treat combat on the earth in an abstract manner but has what appears to be nice tactical space combat. 

UFO has nice tactical ground combat but no space battles. 

Both of these games appeal to me but I guess I need help making up my mind.  So I would ask:

What are your thoughts?  Don't try to guess how I'm feeling and what I would be most attracted to but rather given the two choices above what would you buy and why?
"You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Romulan Commander to Kirk

JasonPratt

#1
I don't know who the publisher of UFO2 is, but traditionally the attempts at spiritually remaking XCom/UFO (the latter being the British title of the original game, since the game itself is a strong homage to the British "UFO" series which eventually became "Space: 1999") have been awfully broken -- especially the series called "UFO".

(I'm a little OD-C about this, because long ago in college I happened to buy the British original release somehow despite living in Knoxville at the time -- so I'll always fondly think of the original game as UFO: Enemy Unknown...  :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: )

Thus, unless reviews indicate the "UFO2" game has a MUCH better implementation than other remake attempts by that title, I'd provisionally skip it in favor of either the original Xcom/Ufo (modded up on Steam), or the official remake duology XCOM/XCOM2 with the Long War mods and official DLC. (Maybe some other mods like WH40K or Star Wars.) Or Xenonauts perhaps, until its own sequel comes out.

In short: if you're craving Xcom/Ufo action (which I can certainly sympathize with), stick with the offiicials (upgraded) or maybe Xenonauts unless the reviews show this new game is VERY solid.

Personally, I'd hold off on TI until the team polish it more. I have a lot of confidence they'll get that done, but it's still Early Access.
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ArizonaTank

#2
oops, had to edit. 

Made the error of jumping to the conclusion that XCOM2 and UFO2 are the same.  They are definitely not. I don't actually own UFO2. So please forgive / ignore my previous response...

So let me just comment on TI:

TI is in the Gary Grigsby category. The kind of game I play when I have eight hours or so to sit down and concentrate. It is constant learning and study (for me anyway). I love this too. But not the kind of game I play when I only have 20 min before bed.
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Jarhead0331

How is UFO2 not already in my Steam library? I'm mystified.  :uglystupid2:
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Pete Dero

Quote from: ArizonaTank on September 29, 2022, 10:45:31 AM
For me, the two games are very different

+1

Terra Invicta is a world simulator like Power & Revolution with some Stellaris features added to it.

Goes deeper and takes more time to learn.

FarAway Sooner

The game is an oldie, but the best recreation of the original X-COM that I've seen is Xenonauts.   I liked it more than the modern remake, in part because of the great work of original fiction (50 pages long?) that came out with the game.

They're hard at work on Xenonauts 2 and have released a demo, but the full release isn't anticipated until 2023, so I'm assuming that the demo is still pretty rough.  TI looks really amazing, but I'm going to hold off on the finished product before I see if it plays more like HoI4 (which I found tedious after 40+ hours of trying to master the various systems) or more like Shadow Empires (which I've loved but never truly mastered beyond basic difficulty on one or two planet types).

W8taminute

^Yes I agree.  Xenonauts is a great game.

Well I decided on getting UFO 2.  Metal Canyon has been doing some great let's plays in the past month which are still ongoing.  I'm sold on UFO 2 because it's familiar ground. 

Will wait and see how Terra Invicta pans out but perhaps that will be a purchase in a few months time.
"You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Romulan Commander to Kirk

The_Admiral

Xenonauts 2/X2 is really around the corner, if you're not into Hearts of Iron/Stellaris-level of complexity & strategic gameplay, it will be closer to what old X-com/UFO was than Terra Invicta is (regarding the tactical dimension at the expense of overall strategic management).

Otherwise you obviously have Phoenix Point which, by now, is a very, very solid offering in the genre and will easily keep you busy until X2. :peace:

Oh, between all these titles one can say that we're quite spoiled. The days we're living in...  :smitten:

W8taminute

Yeah the complexity of Terra Invicta coupled with the fact that it's a realtime game kind of put me off.  I do like this type of thing but only when I have the brainpower and the time to invest in a play session. 
"You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Romulan Commander to Kirk

FarAway Sooner

Phoenix Point seemed to get a lot of buzz before it came out, then (I vaguely recall) had a so-so launch, but now seems to enjoy a very positive reputation (on Steam, at least).  I never played it but have it on my "Following" list.

I have a ton of games on that list.  I might manage to game 5 or 6 hours a week, tops, and that's just not enough to put a dent in the list of games I have/want.

Jarhead0331

Quote from: FarAway Sooner on October 02, 2022, 03:19:08 PM
Phoenix Point seemed to get a lot of buzz before it came out, then (I vaguely recall) had a so-so launch, but now seems to enjoy a very positive reputation (on Steam, at least).  I never played it but have it on my "Following" list.

I have a ton of games on that list.  I might manage to game 5 or 6 hours a week, tops, and that's just not enough to put a dent in the list of games I have/want.

Phoenix Point never grabbed me and I tried to like it. I can't put my finger on what makes it so lackluster. All of its parts viewed individually should make for a really good game, but it just seemed to lack something...it felt like it had no "soul", I guess.
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Semper Grog
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al_infierno

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on October 02, 2022, 03:46:56 PM
Quote from: FarAway Sooner on October 02, 2022, 03:19:08 PM
Phoenix Point seemed to get a lot of buzz before it came out, then (I vaguely recall) had a so-so launch, but now seems to enjoy a very positive reputation (on Steam, at least).  I never played it but have it on my "Following" list.

I have a ton of games on that list.  I might manage to game 5 or 6 hours a week, tops, and that's just not enough to put a dent in the list of games I have/want.

Phoenix Point never grabbed me and I tried to like it. I can't put my finger on what makes it so lackluster. All of its parts viewed individually should make for a really good game, but it just seemed to lack something...it felt like it had no "soul", I guess.

+1
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ArizonaTank

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on October 02, 2022, 03:46:56 PM
Quote from: FarAway Sooner on October 02, 2022, 03:19:08 PM
Phoenix Point seemed to get a lot of buzz before it came out, then (I vaguely recall) had a so-so launch, but now seems to enjoy a very positive reputation (on Steam, at least).  I never played it but have it on my "Following" list.

I have a ton of games on that list.  I might manage to game 5 or 6 hours a week, tops, and that's just not enough to put a dent in the list of games I have/want.

Phoenix Point never grabbed me and I tried to like it. I can't put my finger on what makes it so lackluster. All of its parts viewed individually should make for a really good game, but it just seemed to lack something...it felt like it had no "soul", I guess.

I guess I am one of those few who actually prefer Pheonix Point over XCOM2.

I think that Pheonix Point tries too hard to keep chrome and atmospheric cut-aways to an absolute minimum; the result is something that might seem to lack a soul. But that is kind of why I like it.

I also enjoy the multiple waring factions in Pheonix Point.
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.