n 2084 A.D., Earth is on the verge of dying. The only habitable place is Mega-Primus city, where crime and violence are on the rise. Worse still, aliens have begun a secret invasion, and the only thing that can combat this menace is the X-Com squad. It's X-Com's job to battle the extraterrestrial warriors, investigate strange and unexplained incidents, and use extremely powerful weapons to ultimately destroy the aliens' secret pathway to Earth. This is not the first time the aliens have invaded, of course. It's happened before, in the first two installments of Microprose's popular X-Com series.
This time around players take on the role of X-Com commander, and they are fully responsible for the outcome of all encounters with the aliens. As commander, players must guide their X-Com teams to investigate alien sightings and to research alien technology and artifacts, using the knowledge gained to develop new weapons. They're also responsible for training and equipping the teams, as well as for monitoring the city and patrolling against the invaders. To battle the aliens, players can choose from turn-based squad combat, similar to the action in X-Com: UFO Defense, or the ever-popular real-time tactical combat.
The X-Com teams depend on secret funds from the Senate to operate, and success in each mission helps secure the money needed to wage the war for Earth. The ultimate goal is to save Mega-Primus from the invaders by finding the alien dimension gates and taking the fight to the aliens.
Say, nice interface...
While the setting in this version of X-Com is similar to X-Com: UFO Defense and X-Com: Terror from the Deep, the interface has been redesigned to incorporate many new features. Players can use either the mouse or the keyboard to highlight forces, equip them, send them out to investigate or patrol, order them to train, or engage in combat. Combat can be played out either on a per-turn basis or in real-time, and resource management is both reasonable and realistic (players are warned in advance that destroying a building to save the city is not always the best option, as the X-Com team might just have to pick up the bill!).
The city setting of Mega-Primus changes with each new game, creating
different playing fields that make it fun to replay Apocalypse, while the game itself features several levels of difficulty, ranging from Novice to Superhuman. The developers have also managed to add many new elements to the X-Com universe while keeping the same basic theme. The graphics and settings have a rich, detailed look while the overviews capture the feeling of an ultra-modern and self-contained city. To contrast this, the aliens have a sinister look not usually found in strategy games. These are not the typical humanoid invaders but a more menacing threat based on the art of renowned science fiction artist Tim White.
Overall this game has a lot to offer and makes an excellent addition to the X-Com family. With its unique approach to combat, it should also satisfy both armchair generals and real-time action fans alike.
