XCOM: Chimera Squad is set for release via Steam on April 24, but it may not be the sequel fans were expecting.
The latest addition to the XCOM franchise isn’t a full-blown sequel as many have anticipated, but rather a spin-off title that takes place five years after the events of XCOM 2.
After successfully repelling an alien invasion, Earth has entered a new age of peace with humans, aliens, and hybrids joining forces to create a utopia where everyone can live together in harmony.
Unfortunately, not everyone is in favor of the new directive as there are forces at work hell-bent on making sure that utopia is never realized. That’s where Chimera Squad comes in.
Goodbye, permadeath
Unlike the other games in the series, players won’t have procedurally-generated (randomly created by the game’s algorithm) soldiers to choose from.
Instead, you’ll have your pick of 11 agents, each with their own combat specialization and skills unique to that character. All agents will have distinct personalities and every one of them will have a vital role to play in the game’s story-line.
That being said, having a squad member die in battle no longer means permanently losing that member or player for the rest of the game (known as “permadeath”), which was the case in previous XCOM titles.
According to Firaxis, the game’s developers, this time around if an agent’s health is reduced to zero, the agent will temporarily enter a bleed-out state where the agent can be revived by other members of the squad.
It is imperative that players revive agents who are bleeding out since not doing so will result in mission failure.
Here’s a tweet offering a glimpse of the game:
On this #ScreenshotSaturday, we're blessing your timeline with four new images from XCOM: Chimera Squad – including a look at the full lineup of Agents hanging out in the Armory! XCOM: Chimera Squad launches April 24.
Pre-order now: https://t.co/3jaWqLdisW pic.twitter.com/tkLb0PkBbM
— XCOM: Chimera Squad (@XCOM) April 18, 2020
Breach Mode
Another interesting mechanic that has been added to the game is “Breach Mode.” In previous XCOM games, missions begin with your squad already in place on the battlefield.
In XCOM: Chimera Squad, however, you’ll need to individually designate agents to the entry points on the map and strategize how agents will be able to coordinate with one another upon entry.
Discounted price
Players can expect an average campaign runtime of around 20 hours along with tons of replay value, making XCOM: Chimera Squad’s price tag of US$20 (AU$31.32) more than reasonable.
Publisher 2k Games is currently selling the game on Steam for half the price and will continue to do so until May 1. So if you’re interested, make sure to grab it before then.
For players who haven’t had the opportunity to experience other titles in the franchise, you’re in luck. All XCOM games will be going on sale as well upon the release of XCOM: Chimera Squad on April 24.
Image courtesy of XCOM: Chimera Squad/Twitter.