X-COM: Which one should I start with?

[SunnyD]

Bought it on the last steam sale, don't know much about it. Does it matter which one I start with?

 

[Cheesetogo]

UFO Defense is supposed to be the best. Just don't touch anything after the first 3 though.

 

[Arglebargle]

Cheesetogo nailed it. The first one is the best, despite its age. Second one is a sequel that has a few things that don't work quite as well (grenades underwater, etc), but is the same engine. The third one is a reworking, and has some really enjoyable parts, but the play is very different.

After that, they were just using the name to draw people in. Varying degrees of stinky....

 

[Elcs]

UFO: Enemy Unknown is the best of the series and the most well known.

Most certainly fun and challenging, used to be spooky when I was young.

 

[Qbah]

1-3, drop the rest

First one is the best. Then the third one imo I was so annoyed with the second one at times... cruise ships were such a pain. The third one plays quite a bit differently but is enjoyable on its own terms

 

[mfenn]

1-3, drop the rest

First one is the best. Then the third one imo I was so annoyed with the second one at times... cruise ships were such a pain. The third one plays quite a bit differently but is enjoyable on its own terms

This

 

[Arglebargle]

1-3, drop the rest

First one is the best. Then the third one imo I was so annoyed with the second one at times... cruise ships were such a pain. The third one plays quite a bit differently but is enjoyable on its own terms

I made it through a cruise ship once without saving. Once...

 

[Elcs]

On a side note, X-COM Interceptor was excellent.

Same kind of base/research idea but missions are conducted with yourself and your wingmen flying around in ships pew-pewing aliens.

Personally, I enjoyed this X-COM the most. Turn-based strategy was never my forte and when I was young, UFO: Enemy Unknown and the Ethereals/Chryssilids scared the bejeebus out of me.

 

[bobsmith1492]

The original (UFO Invasion) works the best and is a blast to play. Once you get psi-amps and a few well-trained soldiers, the rest of the game is easy, though.

Terror from the Deep is crazy hard, on the other hand. If you're stuck fighting lobstermen in open water you're basically hosed. The first time they appear along with bio-drones is usually so early that the mission is nearly impossible. The research tree bugs have never let me finish or get psionic tech.

 

[shurato]

UFO: Enemy Unknown is the best of the series and the most well known.

Most certainly fun and challenging, used to be spooky when I was young.

That's funny it's been so long and my memory is a bit foggy but i do remember enjoying the game immensly but feelin spooked too as a kid. It just had that great atmosphere of tension.

 

[Paratus]

On a side note, X-COM Interceptor was excellent.

Same kind of base/research idea but missions are conducted with yourself and your wingmen flying around in ships pew-pewing aliens.

Personally, I enjoyed this X-COM the most. Turn-based strategy was never my forte and when I was young, UFO: Enemy Unknown and the Ethereals/Chryssilids scared the bejeebus out of me.

I had a snakeman terror site once where the snakemen got lucky and killed a third of my guys with a grenade as they were deploying. Except for one, the rest got turned into Chryssilids along with most of the town.

I was stuck with one guy on the ramp tossing prox greneades trying to hold of the alien horde when he got fataly wounded by a frakking Laser fired by a Chryssilid. Yes due to a game bug one of my soldiers that got turned into a Chryssilid kept his laser.

Chryssilids with Lasers

I shudder thinking aout it.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Tip: at night an autocannon with incendiary rounds makes a good light source

... and walls are destructible so an autocannon with explosive rounds can be a safer way to open a door.

(Both are risky for terror missions though, you could take out a civilian.)

 

[bobsmith1492]

Tip: at night an autocannon with incendiary rounds makes a good light source

... and walls are destructible so an autocannon with explosive rounds can be a safer way to open a door.

(Both are risky for terror missions though, you could take out a civilian.)

I prefer the laser pistols early on, though; you get lots of shots with few time units. Later, the heavy plasma rules the battlefield (prior to psi-amps of course).

 

[Boffinboy]

I've only played X-Com: Apocalypse, and whilst it was years ago I'm still confident it's an excellent game - unless my younger memories are deceiving me Can't comment on the other games in the series!

 

[Mem]

I've only played X-Com: Apocalypse, and whilst it was years ago I'm still confident it's an excellent game - unless my younger memories are deceiving me Can't comment on the other games in the series!

I'm actually replaying it on Win7 x64 via DosBox, Apocalypse and UFO: Enemy Unknown are my favouite two of the series.

 

[Paratus]

A few more tips to start out:
Go through your people and inventory sell crap you don't want buy stuff you do want - like a missile tank

Arm your interceptors with dual long range missles

Hire enough soldiers to fill out your skyranger (10 + 1 tank) plus enough to defend your base when the skyranger is away.

 

[AdamK47]

X-Com UFO Defense is great, but I like X-COM Apocalypse about just as much. I played the heck out of that game back when it was released in 97.

 

[Magusigne]

SunnyD post your thoughts on this game.

It's pretty high on my game list..Easily top 5...Ufo defense anyways...start with that.

 

[Born2bwire]

UFO Defense. I really hate the Deep one, fucking cruise ships.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I prefer the laser pistols early on, though; you get lots of shots with few time units. Later, the heavy plasma rules the battlefield (prior to psi-amps of course).

Not much stopping power with pistols though, laser rifles are more reliable early on.

I usually only have one squaddie with an autocannon plus a laser pistol.

 

[Martimus]

I generally go Laser Pistols and Heavy Plasma. My scouts are equiped with Laser Pistols and Cattle Prods, while the rest are equipped with Heavy Plasma. It is pretty effective.

 

[Atreus21]

I was unfortunate enough to play TFTD before I ever played Enemy Unknown.

So I have an unavoidable bias towards the second game. I thought being underwater made for a wholly different feel than fighting just aliens. Whoever came up with that idea, in my opinion, was a genius, because I think we treat the unknown of the deepest oceans with similar suspicion, fear, and wonder as the unknown of deepest space.

Also, TFTD alerted me to the presence of HP Lovecraft's writing, which is very cool stuff.

If you're into boardgames, I recommend buying Arkham Horror.

 

[Danwar]

The first one "enemy unknown" was the best imo , i could never get into TFTD.

My fondest memory of that game was playing once using only human technology , so no heavy plasma for me.

can't remember if i was able to beat it, but it sure was a blast running around with lasers and auto cannons. (i did cheat a bit and equipped my interceptors with plasmas since shooting down the larger UFOs with missiles wasnt easy).

on regular games though i never bothered with psi-weaponry , it felt almost like cheating.