Xcom 2 – Review
PC
MA15+
Day 1: Today I volunteered for the Xcom project. Many of my friends think I am crazy but I can see the truth. See that our supposed benevolent alien overlords are anything but. I know that despite the posturing and promises they are up to something nasty, something that is likely to be bad for mankind. I can’t let that happen so through a contact I made in a local resistance cell I have finally found made my way to the Xcom home base.
Day 2: I was given a tour through the Xcom facility, which happens to be a flying fortress. They have everything they need plus space for more improvements as the battle goes on. I overheard the commander talking about managing resources and engineers in order to build new facilities and conduct research on the aliens. My Sargent told me that this is how a lot of our weapons and armor advancements occur and that anything we can salvage on the field of battle is sure to be beneficial to the cause.
Day 5: I was finally thrust into battle after an injury to one of my superiors forced him to sit out. Based on my size and strength the higher ups decided I should be a grenadier. This means I will be carrying a monstrous mini gun as well as grenade launcher into the mission. I am being joined by a Shotgun toting, blade wheeling Ranger, A sniper who is also a dab hand with a pistol and a tech expert with a drone who will also take on healing duties for the squad. We have been tasked with taking out an alien facility that is being used in a mysterious project. Our hope is that by taking this building out we will stall their research and give us a little more time to find out what is going on.
Day 7: I was slightly injured in my first mission, I caught a plasma shot in the shoulder that has kept me out of action for a few days. That isn’t the most troubling thing however. During the mission we came across an alien that managed to mind control one of my team mates. It was terrifying. We managed to take the beast down and my pal regained his free will but I could tell he was shaken. I can’t say I blame him and I imagine it will take him some time before he is at his peak again.
Day 9: During my recovery I wandered around the ship, learning all that I could about the project. It seems that things have changed significantly since the initial invasion. Our Commander has to split his resources between contacting local resistance cells, collecting supplies, taking out Advent (the corporate front for the alien force) and responding to emergencies. I can’t imagine it is easy for him and I am sure he feels the pressure at every turn.
Day 32: I just completed my 15th mission for the project. This attack was particularly successful as the alien’s weren’t expecting us. This allowed us to set up an ambush and wipe out a whole unit before they even knew we were there. This is a preferred tactic of the Commander as it allows for maximum impact with a minimum of casualties. I performed so well in the mission that I was given a promotion. I am now a Captain and during my many missions I have learned a host of new and useful skills. I feel now that I am a highly valuable member of the team. It is now my responsibility to help lead our new recruits, many of which are friends and family, into battle with the alien forces.
Day 54: We suffered a huge loss today. Four of our leading soldiers were killed by a new terrifying alien unit. It came out of now where and tore us apart. We are heading to the memorial in the bar this evening to bid them farewell. Loss is never easy, these are people I trained with, people I fought with and now they are gone forever.
Day 128: On a more recent mission I made a strange observation. It seems that the aliens have facilities and drop points all over the planet because I was amazed at the variety of locations we had fought battles in. They had truly taken over the planet and we were forced to all corners of the globe to take them down. There is something strange going on however. When we were on a mission to Australia the country side appeared to be from Mexico, not the Australian bush. Perhaps the alien invasion has also altered the natural eco system as well. I have also noticed that at times the Aliens themselves seem to stutter in place, almost as if it is waiting for their computer (or whatever it is that controls them) to send them a signal. It is a disconcerting experience.
Day 152: I met the Commander today for the first time face to face. He was not what I expected. He came across as an earnest man who cared deeply for his soldiers but what struck me as strange is that he seemed to be enjoying himself. He talked about living for the challenge and how the harder things got the more he felt alive. He seemed to relish the difficulty of our mission and took to it with an enthusiasm that not even the most dedicated soldier could match. Perhaps that is why he is our Commander and I am simply a lowly foot soldier.
Day 163: I am recording this entry via voice. I am dying. An alien AI construct managed to take me down and now I am laying in a pool of my own blood waiting for my light to fade. I have seen many battle wounds in my time here at Xcom and I know there isn’t a medkit that can save me, I am done for. All I can hope for is another soldier steps up in my absence and continues to take it to these Alien bastards. All I can hope is that my death hasn’t been in vain.
