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[Graknorke]

That sweet sectoid crotch bulge.
And mutons do have some human male traits taken to absurd levels, like those shoulders that are more than twice as wide as its waist.

[Greenbane]

Strong musculature isn't necessarily a male trait. But people tend to assume male unless there's tits, a dress or a bow.

A bunch of the species might be asexual. The alien overlords never cared much about natural reproduction.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I'm of the popular line that everybody but the Ethereals are tube-grown. The Collective exists exclusively for their benefit.

[Rolan7]

I had to check... Sectoids in oldCOM have no genitals, even vestigially, despite having useless vestigial digestive systems.  Suggested to be the result of a *lot* genetic engineering, but perhaps they were never sexually dimorphic.
NewCOM Sectoids are all "perfect genetic copies" with a bunch of implants.  I guess commanders might be an exception, or have better implants or some "royal jelly" equivalent during gestation.

Snakemen were asexual with "up to 50 eggs" each.  Also, huh, they're actually fire resistant and have high accuracy but low speed (due to that snail-like "foot" they move around on).  I didn't give them enough credit by calling them "weak mutons".
They really were similar to Chryssalids biologically, interesting that they deployed together too.  But, things have changed of course.

heh, you know, their armor could totally be hiding snaketits: http://ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=File:Snakeman.png
The autopsy makes a big deal about their "heart", and yet that's unarmored.  They wear very little armor, yet they're tough because of their skin.  So why is their upper torso armored like that?  Hmmmm
Also I wonder if their "bloody" eyes were meant to shoot poison like some terran animals.

Mutons apparently had sex organs but the ones we face were surgically neutered.  They were allowed the ability to eat, unlike Sectoids, requiring meat to live.  But they also require psionic control to live, and die if separated from Ethereals too long.

Floaters are kinda a mystery since almost all their torso is replaced with the anti-grav life support system.  They're smarter than mutons, though, and have strange cheek-horns.  Horns typically imply vegetarianism, but these are aliens.

So Snakemen kinda special.  Unlike the Sectoids, Mutons, and Floaters, they seem relatively "natural" and could presumably survive without Ethereals (even overwhelm planets through breeding).  I used to imagine they were a vicious race of mercenaries with no respect for life, themselves or others.  Maybe joining the Ethereals as eager warriors, but not as slaves like the other races.  They're even particularly resistant to psionics.  It could be that the Ethereals feared what the fast breeding Snakemen (and their Chryssalids) would do if provoked.

[Greenbane]

Most information tends to suggest the majority of alien species are specially engineered living weapons, both in UFO Defense and XCOM Enemy Unknown. My Terror from the Deep lore is a bit rusty, but I remember most species being ancient and artificially altered to some extent. They're possibly older instances of the same practices.

I don't know much about Apocalypse: it felt so distant and disconnected from the first two games it could never hold my attention for long. Alien design was terrible: a mix of Play-Doh and primitive 3D. That much I recall.

So Snakemen kinda special.  Unlike the Sectoids, Mutons, and Floaters, they seem relatively "natural" and could presumably survive without Ethereals (even overwhelm planets through breeding).  I used to imagine they were a vicious race of mercenaries with no respect for life, themselves or others.  Maybe joining the Ethereals as eager warriors, but not as slaves like the other races.  They're even particularly resistant to psionics.  It could be that the Ethereals feared what the fast breeding Snakemen (and their Chryssalids) would do if provoked.

The original Snakemen, maybe. Vipers on the one hand are conspicuously absent from XCOM:EU/EW, likely meaning they were "developed" later. On the other hand, they look distinctly like Earth cobras, which reinforces the notion the overlords came up with them on-planet, possibly for policing purposes. The XCOM 2 species we've seen so far are all post-war developments/upgrades.

[Rolan7]

Totally agreed, I was really just on a mostly off-topic wiki and nostalgia journey.  Vipers may be based on thinmen DNA, or human+snehk DNA, but they're certainly new.

[Hanzoku]

Yeah, the aliens from Apocalypse are trans-dimensional, with no linkage to the former threats from the first two X-COMs.

[Teneb]

The original Snakemen, maybe. Vipers on the one hand are conspicuously absent from XCOM:EU/EW, likely meaning they were "developed" later. On the other hand, they look distinctly like Earth cobras, which reinforces the notion the overlords came up with them on-planet, possibly for policing purposes. The XCOM 2 species we've seen so far are all post-war developments/upgrades.

Wasn't it pretty much stated in EU/EW that Thin Men were modified Snakemen/Vipers in the autopsy report? It is mentioned how they are reptiles modified to look like humans, how they are extremely flexible, venom glands, etc. I am not sure, but I think I remember hearing or reading in one of the XCOM2 interviews that Vipers pretty much were non-disguised Thin Men.

The NewCOM mutons appear to be mostly individuals, rather than clones, even if they probably are full of implants.

[ZeroGravitas]

There was some extremely good coverage of XCOM 2 on the Gamescom Twitch channel just now. They played a little of the strategic layer with the mobile base, various unlockable bonuses in locations as you attempt to spread your terrorist network, as well as "dark events" that you have to try and oppose but if you fail/neglect, the aliens get additional bonuses to their troops.

Research is also going to be more randomized, where you have to research "experimental ammo" or "experimental armor" and unlock various results. Not just a typical xcom tech tree.

Don't know how much of that was already revealed elsewhere but I was pleasantly surprised by it all.

[scrdest]

My headcanon is that that's why the EU/EW Thin Men looked so dour all the time - like you wouldn't be as a grill stuck in a Sid Meier body and found some randos with assault weaponry are trying to mess with your job.

[Lightningfalcon]

So, guys. I have some intel for you (Note that Intel is a limited resource, so spend it wisely)
Dr. Shen is back, or at least his relative
We have supplies instead of monies, which comes from supply drops.
You can get random events that give you stuff, such as supplies
Confirmed equipment includes smoke grenades, medkits,
The Advent can hunt down the Avenger
The Advent can improve their technology
Skills include health, hacking, mobility, aim, and will
Rookies can be trained into squaddies of a specific class in ten days (Only one of four classes?)
There is a guerilla tactics school where you can buy new tactics. It appears that you can get different staff with different specializations.
You can develop projects, which so far include experimental ammo and grenades.
Developing projects and research requires supplies.
There are "Personal Combat Sims"
Shotgun weapon upgrades include an auto-loader, which gives free reloads, expanded magazine, which gives +1 shot, and a scope, which gives +5% aim.
Customization options include helmet/hat, torso, arms, legs, upper and lower face props, armor patter, weapon pattern, left and right arm tattoos, tattoo color, and scars
You can make contact with locations using intel and radio relays, where resistance fighters will then collect supplies and build outpost
We have what looks to be the holographic globe from Centcom in EU
Research projects include hybrid materials and Magnetic Weapons
Date is around 2035
There is a resistance HQ
There is a limit on how many contacts you can have

Source is a bunch of screenshots located here- http://www.gamersyde.com/pop_images_xcom_2-29114-19.html

[Mephansteras]

Interesting.

[scriver]

XCOM confirmed for Cerberus.

[scrdest]

XCOM confirmed for Cerberus.

I hope Jon Bailey is doing VA for the spokesman again. If only because it cracked me up to hear him saying Things The Council Wants To Hear Him Say In His Ossum Voice.

[GiglameshDespair]

XCOM confirmed for Cerberus.

No wonder they lost horrifically.