Let's Talk... XCOM: Enemy Within

XCOM: Enemy Unknown was an excellent success. A deep yet accessible re-invention of a classic  franchise. A game that served as an excellent introduction to a very specific kind of turn-based strategy whilst also offering a deep and rich experience that had the potential to be extremely difficult. Enemy Unknown's first major expansion introduces some key improvements that enrich the original formula whilst also adding an array of significant changes and updates that make it feel like a much richer game.

The biggest and most obvious change comes from the introduction of a new friendly unit: the MEC trooper. On top of the original four classes, soldiers can now undergo an irreversible "augmentation" process to become MEC troopers, badass human-robot hybrids with far more potential than your average soldier. The MEC trooper gains a small bonus that reflects their previous class, and, much like the regular classes in XCOM, MEC troopers get their own respective skill tree that offer various trade-offs, typically aimed towards improving either their defence or the offence.

The shiny new MEC trooper fighting the shiny new alien equivalent, the Mechtoid

MEC troopers can also be equipped with a number of powerful and wholly unique skills that make them stand out nicely from the rest of the classes. The ability, for example, to choose between an area-of-effect flamethrower, or a devastating punch attack that can cause immense damage to both the environment and any poor alien dumb enough to get in your way. The increased health pool and incredibly strong abilities make MEC troopers a force to be reckoned with, and with the potential to use a variety of different MEC suits in combat the MEC trooper is easily the most dynamic and versatile class of them all.

Further changes to the original formula include the addition of a renegade human faction, known as EXALT. EXALT is a (presumably crazy) pro-alien cult that seems to want to put a stop to those pesky XCOM folk and serve as generous benefactors to the alien invaders. Dealing with the EXALT threat isn't nearly as complex as dealing with the aliens, but it still involves carrying out a series of covert operations (which add a number of new mission types) and trying to discover EXALT's base of operations. The covert ops typically involve deploying a soldier for a few days and later carrying out a mission to recover both the soldier and their uncovered data. The introduction of non-alien enemies is certainly an interesting thing to add, and dealing with multiple threats simultaneously adds a tense new dynamic, one that makes managing the alien threat that much harder.

EXALT, the new pro-alien faction

Other major changes come in the form of two new enemy units: Mechtoids and Seekers. Mechtoids are, naturally, the alien equivalent of the MEC trooper (apparently both the humans and the aliens developed the technology for MEC suits at the exact same time?), and are basically the weak and fairly pathetic Sectoid creatures strapped into MEC suits. Mechtoids are, of course, considerably stronger than regular Sectoid enemies and serve as a fine match for your shiny new MEC troopers. They're a force to reckoned with and go hand-in-hand with the rest of the game's tougher, late-game foes, such as the Cyberdisc and Sectopod enemies. A fine addition to the alien army.

The other new unit, on the other hand, is the Seeker, an interesting unit that unfortunately doesn't seem to suit the rest of the alien's armada. The Seeker is a weak but stealth-oriented unit that will turn invisible on first sight. The Seeker will silently roam the battlefield waiting to pounce potential victims, disabling them and putting them into a strangulating hold that will slowly deal damage if not dealt with. Thankfully, Seekers are incredibly weak and can be killed immediately once they reveal themselves, the only problem is waiting for them to do so. Sure, it's possible to de-cloak Seekers using certain items or by having particular upgrades, but the easiest way to deal with Seekers is simply to put everyone on overwatch until one appears and watch it get subsequently smoked. And that's pretty tedious to deal with. It's certainly an interesting concept, and one that punishes otherwise untouched isolated units, but it feels very much at odds with the very aggressive, in-your-face behaviour that other alien units display, and can be a little frustrating to deal with.

Further changes still include a new resource to gather during missions, MELD, which can be spent on MEC-related upgrades, as well as a variety of new types of upgrades. MELD adds a sort of urgency to every mission you take that simply wasn't there in the original game. Since MELD canisters are on a timer before expiring, they must be collected with a certain degree of haste, adding an extra layer of tension to every mission. The upgrades come in the form of genetic implants and can hone and improve a wide array of areas, from the ability to jump incredibly high to simple improvements to a soldier's aim and crit chance. On top of these genetic upgrades, Enemy Within introduces a series of attainable medals that can be given to soldiers in order to lightly improve various stats and skills. 

The new genetic implants soldiers can get, all of which cost MELD, the new resource

These options add an extra layer of complexity and depth that allow soldiers to become immensely powerful in a number of unique ways, rather than simply doing a lot of damage or having a large health pool.The introduction of new and more dynamic ways to improve your soldiers allows for much deeper customisation, further than simply their equipment and fairly static skill tree choices, and completely changes the "best" way to build certain classes. Other changes Enemy Within brings include new maps and new mission types to make even the content of the original game more interesting and less repetitive.

Ultimately, Enemy Within is a rich and deep expansion that adds much to the original game without losing that made Enemy Unknown such an excellent game. Although not all the changes are well-executed, the vast majority of the changes and improvements are interesting and unique and serve as smart additions to the original game's formula. Enemy Within is a fine example of how to make a great game better with just a few smart and well-implemented changes.