I used to be on the PC Gamer Weekender final week, and my spotlight needed to be lead Phoenix Point developer (and X-COM: UFO Defense co-creator) Julian Gollop commentating as I performed the sport on the present flooring. He appeared behind me half means by way of the demo – simply as I moved a unit one tile too far, and managed to alert six indignant crabmen to my presence without delay. He instructed me I used to be doomed, however 20 minutes later that final crabmen had fallen and I emerged victorious.
If that every one sounds very XCOM, that’s as a result of it completely is. Phoenix Point swaps out aliens for horrifying sea-life based mostly air pollution monsters and throws round some fascinating new concepts, but it surely’s similar to XCOM at its core. It’s about sending small groups of troopers to combat that menace utilizing turn-based techniques, whereas orchestrating the broader combat on a board-game like strategic layer. That similarity is not any unhealthy factor: as you’ll see within the footage beneath of Gollop enjoying his sport, Phoenix Point is shaping up relatively properly.
I wasn’t simply contending with these crabmen, you see. There’s a horrible, towering spider-like monstrosity that seems half means by way of and begins carving up troopers. It can nearly one-hit kill any unit, destroy any cowl or buildings that it walks by way of, and is extra closely armoured than a 5 foot thick wall of metal. It took the courageous sacrifice of my heavy soldier to deliver the beast down – actually.
One of Phoenix Point’s greatest options revolves round disabling particular person physique elements. I managed to take out every of that spider monster’s legs by way of a mixture of rockets and gunfire, with the latter being aimed utilizing a system that mirrors VATS from the Fallout video games. I might have tried to take out its pincers or head as an alternative, every of which might have conferred a special impact. I can see a big a part of the sport being about studying which physique elements to focus on first: a monster may tear by way of your squad the primary time you meet it, however when you’ve encountered that enemy kind a couple of instances you’ll have a greater concept of tips on how to cope with it.
It’s obtained a lot XCOM in its blood that the variations which might be there actually threw me. I’m within the behavior of generally shifting a soldier one tile to finish their flip, however on this you’ll be able to transfer incrementally – so I’d try this and simply stare blankly on the display whereas nothing occurred. I do desire this motion system although. It’s nearer to how the unique X-Com labored, and means you’ll be able to safely discover with a soldier then ship them scuttling to cowl if it is advisable.
Look out for my extra detailed ideas later this week.
Phoenix Point is due out in December.
