XCOM Chimera Squad is a Low Scale Spinoff
COM vs. COM
I couldn’t imagine the trajectory the X-Com franchise has taken over the last 30 years and most recently with Firaxis’ take. And now, here we are at XCOM Chimera Squad, billed as both a budget release and a standalone game in the XCOM universe. Depending on your thoughts on the franchise, this is either a bold new direction or a complete teardown of the design. Regardless, Chimera Squad gives us a new take at broadening Firaxis’ tactical gameplay.
Neon Lights
For those used to the grim and dark motif of the previous XCOMs, Chimera Squad shines a bright neon light on City 31. It’s been five years since the end of XCOM 2, and the remaining aliens, hybrids, and humans have formed a peaceful city. When a terrorist attack claims the mayor, it’s up to XCOM’s new peacekeeping force Chimera Squad to step in and keep the city from descending into chaos.
Right off the bat, this is not your previous XCOM games. Chimera squad is full of unique individuals made up of the as-for-mentioned groups. Each character has set weapons, skills, and personality. In the first hour of play, there is more dialogue said than in any of the previous X-COM games combined. The overall structure of the game is a squared down version of the XCOM formula.
