X-COM: UFO Defense - A Retro Strategy Gem
If you are a fan of strategy games, chances are you have heard of X-COM: UFO Defense, also known as UFO: Enemy Unknown in Europe. This game, developed by Mythos Games and published by MicroProse in 1994, is widely regarded as one of the best and most influential games of all time. It combines real-time management simulation with turn-based tactical combat, creating a deep and immersive experience that challenges your strategic thinking, decision making, and resource management skills. In this article, we will explore what makes X-COM: UFO Defense such a timeless classic, and how you can play it today with some mods and remakes.
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The Story and Setting of X-COM: UFO Defense
The Alien Invasion of Earth
The game is set in the near-future of 1998, when the world is facing an unprecedented threat from an unknown alien force. Reports of UFO sightings, abductions, and attacks are increasing across the globe, and conventional military forces are unable to stop them. The aliens seem to have a sinister agenda, and their technology and capabilities are far beyond human comprehension.
The Formation of X-COM
In response to this crisis, some of the most powerful nations in the world secretly form a covert organization called Extraterrestrial Combat (X-COM), dedicated to fighting the alien menace. As the commander of X-COM, you are in charge of directing the research, development, deployment, and combat operations of this elite force. You must build and expand your bases around the world, intercept and shoot down UFOs, investigate crash sites and alien activity, capture and interrogate alien specimens, research and manufacture new weapons and equipment, manage your budget and personnel, and ultimately uncover the secrets behind the alien invasion.
The Gameplay and Features of X-COM: UFO Defense
The Geoscape Mode
The game is divided into two main modes: the Geoscape mode and the Battlescape mode. The Geoscape mode is where you manage your global operations from a map of the Earth. You can monitor the UFO activity, send your interceptors to engage them, launch your transport craft to conduct ground missions, build new facilities and bases, allocate your scientists and engineers to various projects, purchase and sell items on the black market, hire and fire staff, adjust your funding allocation from different countries, and more. The Geoscape mode is played in real-time, but you can pause or speed up the time as you wish.
The Battlescape Mode
The Battlescape mode is where you control your soldiers in turn-based tactical combat against the aliens. This mode is triggered when you land at a crash site, a terror site, or an alien base, or when your base is attacked by the aliens. You can equip your soldiers with different weapons, armor, grenades, medikits, scanners, etc., and assign them different roles such as sniper, scout, heavy weapons specialist, medic, etc. You can also use vehicles, tanks, and hovercraft to assist your troops, as well as use various items such as flares, smoke grenades, proximity mines, stun rods, etc. The Battlescape mode is played on a grid-based map that represents the terrain and the structures of the mission area. You can rotate and zoom the map to get a better view of the situation. You can also switch between different levels of the map to see what's inside buildings or underground. The Battlescape mode is turn-based, meaning that you and the aliens take turns to move and act with your units. Each unit has a certain amount of Time Units (TUs) that determine how many actions they can perform in a turn. Actions such as moving, shooting, throwing, reloading, kneeling, etc. consume different amounts of TUs. You can also reserve some TUs for reaction fire, which allows your unit to shoot at any enemy that moves within their line of sight during the enemy's turn. The Battlescape mode is where most of the challenge and fun of the game lies, as you have to deal with various types of aliens, each with their own abilities, weapons, and behaviors. You also have to cope with the fog of war, which limits your vision and makes you vulnerable to ambushes and surprises. You have to use cover, elevation, flanking, suppression, and other tactics to gain an advantage over the enemy. You also have to manage your morale, which can affect your performance and even cause panic or berserk among your troops. And you have to be careful not to cause too much collateral damage or civilian casualties, as that can affect your reputation and funding.
The Base Management Mode
The Base Management mode is where you build and upgrade your bases around the world. You can have up to eight bases in total, each with a different layout and purpose. You can build various facilities in your bases, such as hangars, living quarters, laboratories, workshops, stores, radar systems, missile defenses, etc. Each facility has a cost and a construction time, as well as a maintenance fee. You also have to provide enough power and defense for your bases, as well as enough staff and equipment. The Base Management mode is important for expanding your global coverage and capabilities, as well as for preparing for possible base attacks by the aliens.
The Research and Manufacturing Mode
The Research and Manufacturing mode is where you develop new technologies and items for your use. You can assign your scientists to research various topics, such as alien artifacts, weapons, armor, craft, etc. Each topic has a difficulty level and a research time that depends on the number of scientists assigned and their skill level. Researching new topics can unlock new items for manufacturing or purchase, as well as new information about the aliens and their plans. You can also assign your engineers to manufacture various items, such as weapons, ammo, armor, craft components, etc. Each item has a cost and a production time that depends on the number of engineers assigned and their skill level. Manufacturing items can provide you with more resources and options for your missions.
The Mods and Remakes of X-COM: UFO Defense
OpenXCom - A Modernized Version of the Original Game
While X-COM: UFO Defense is still a great game to play today, it does suffer from some technical issues and limitations due to its age. Fortunately, there are some mods and remakes that can enhance your gaming experience and fix some of the problems of the original game. One of them is OpenXCom, a free open-source project that aims to recreate the original game with modern features and improvements. OpenXCom allows you to play X-COM: UFO Defense on any platform and resolution, with improved graphics and sound quality, mouse scrolling and keyboard shortcuts, customizable options and difficulty levels, bug fixes, mod support, and more. OpenXCom is compatible with the original game data, so you can play the game as it was intended, or you can customize it with various mods and options to suit your preferences. OpenXCom is the best way to enjoy X-COM: UFO Defense in 2021, and you can download it for free from their website.
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XCOM: Enemy Unknown - A Rebooted Version of the Game by Firaxis Games
If you are looking for a more modern and streamlined version of X-COM: UFO Defense, you might want to check out XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a rebooted version of the game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games in 2012. XCOM: Enemy Unknown retains the core gameplay elements of the original game, such as the global strategy layer, the turn-based tactical combat, and the base management, but updates them with improved graphics, animations, sound effects, voice acting, and user interface. XCOM: Enemy Unknown also adds some new features and mechanics, such as classes, abilities, perks, cover system, destructible environments, cinematic camera angles, and more. XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a great homage to the original game, and a worthy successor that introduces the X-COM franchise to a new generation of gamers. You can buy it on Steam or other digital platforms.
Other Fan-Made Mods and Projects
There are also many other fan-made mods and projects that are based on or inspired by X-COM: UFO Defense. Some of them are total conversions that change the setting, story, graphics, and gameplay of the original game, such as UFO: The Two Sides, which lets you play as either X-COM or the aliens. Some of them are enhancements that add new content, features, and improvements to the original game, such as The Final Mod Pack, which is a huge collection of separate mods that work well together. Some of them are standalone games that use the same engine or gameplay style as the original game, such as Xenonauts, which is a spiritual successor to X-COM: UFO Defense set in an alternate Cold War era. There are many more mods and projects that you can find on the OpenXCom forum or the Mod Portal. You can also create your own mods using the OpenXCom modding tools.
Conclusion: Why X-COM: UFO Defense is Still a Great Game to Play in 2021
X-COM: UFO Defense is a game that has stood the test of time and remains one of the best strategy games ever made. It offers a unique and challenging gameplay experience that blends real-time management simulation with turn-based tactical combat. It has a rich and immersive story and setting that draws you into a world under siege by an unknown alien force. It has a high replay value and moddability that allows you to customize and enhance your gaming experience. And it has a loyal and supportive fan community that keeps the game alive and updated with new mods and remakes. Whether you play it with OpenXCom or XCOM: Enemy Unknown, or any other mod or project, you will not regret diving into this retro strategy gem.
FAQs
Q: How can I download X-COM: UFO Defense for free?
A: You can download X-COM: UFO Defense for free from various websites that offer abandonware games, such as [10]( However, please note that downloading abandonware games may not be legal in some countries or regions. You can also buy X-COM: UFO Defense from Steam or other digital platforms for a very low price.
Q: How can I run X-COM: UFO Defense on Windows 10?
A: You can run X-COM: UFO Defense on Windows 10 using OpenXCom, which is a free open-source project that recreates the original game with modern features and improvements. You can also use DOSBox, which is a free DOS emulator that allows you to run old DOS games on modern systems.
Q: How can I improve my performance in X-COM: UFO Defense?
A: There are many tips and tricks that can help you improve your performance in X-COM: UFO Defense. Some of them are:
- Save often and use multiple save slots. The game can be very unforgiving and unpredictable, so it's always good to have a backup plan.
- Use cover and elevation to your advantage. Cover reduces the chance of being hit by enemy fire and elevation gives you a better view and range of the battlefield.
- Use different weapons and ammo types for different situations. Some weapons are more effective against certain types of enemies or armor, and some ammo types have special effects such as incendiary, explosive, or armor-piercing.
- Use your vehicles, tanks, and hovercraft wisely. They can provide fire support, scouting, and transportation for your troops, but they can also be vulnerable to enemy fire and explosives.
- Use your items and equipment properly. Items such as flares, smoke grenades, proximity mines, stun rods, etc. can give you an edge in combat, but they can also backfire if used incorrectly.
- Research and manufacture new technologies and items as soon as possible. They can give you access to better weapons, armor, craft, facilities, etc. that can improve your performance and capabilities.
Q: How can I mod X-COM: UFO Defense?
A: You can mod X-COM: UFO Defense using OpenXCom, which is a free open-source project that recreates the original game with modern features and improvements. OpenXCom also supports modding and has a modding toolkit that allows you to create your own mods or use existing ones. You can find many mods on the OpenXCom forum or the Mod Portal. You can also use other tools such as XCOMUtil or UFO Extender to modify the original game data.
Q: How can I play multiplayer X-COM: UFO Defense?
A: You can play multiplayer X-COM: UFO Defense using OpenXCom, which is a free open-source project that recreates the original game with modern features and improvements. OpenXCom has a multiplayer mode that allows you to play online or offline with other players or AI opponents. You can choose from various game modes, such as cooperative, deathmatch, team deathmatch, etc. You can also customize your game settings, such as difficulty level, turn limit, map size, etc.
I hope you enjoyed this article about X-COM: UFO Defense and learned something new. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading! 44f88ac181