After 11 years, the X-Com-esque UFO 2 is out now
First announced in 2009!
A decade ago, some fella named Jim Rossignol posted on RPS that the X-Com-esque strategy sequel UFO2: Extraterrestrials was due to launch in March 2012. Reader dear, it did not make March 2012. But UFO2 finally launched today, delivering more turn-based alien-busting in an X-Com way. Check out the gameplay trailer below.
I can't believe those dastardly aliens are even invading our ornamental hedge mazes.
In that X-Com way, you're in charge of fighting alien invaders (who apparently came demanding Australia), researching tech, building up forces, then rumbling in real-time air battles and turn-based scraps with boots on the ground. I realise I'm mentioning X-Com a lot but developers Chaos Concept are hardly shy about their influences. The devs also note that UFO2 has "final gameplay design and balance tweaks" from the author of a popular mod for the first game, the Bman Ease of Use Mod.
Chaos Concept announced UFO2 in 2009, initially planning to release the game in late 2010. Didn't quite work out that way. In response to someone on the Steam forums wondering why it took so long, one dev said simply: "MONEY ?" Yeah, that's a solid answer.
UFO2: Extraterrestrials - Battle For Mercury is out now on Steam for £28/€30/$35. It really is.
In the years since UFO2's announcement, Xenonauts delivered decent vintage X-Com-y action (with a sequel on the way) and X-Com co-creator Jullian Gollop returned with Phoenix Point. Just think, folks were once desperate for even one new X-Com-ish game.