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[MetalSlimeHunt]

So I just got this game on sale, and I was wondering: is it different enough mechanically from the first XCOM that I'd want to do at least part of a vanilla game first, or would I be better served just jumping right into Long War to keep story spoilers (and repitition) to a minimum?

This game is tactically different from EU/EW in a lot of ways, but the base mechanics outside of concealment are similar. I wouldn't recommend you play Long War II at all, really. It's been massively divisive and requires a playstyle that for a lot of people is just tedious instead of challenging.

If you're coming from a hardcore Long War fan background, I'd just play the game on Legendary.

[ArchAIngel]

Better giant robots.


Unless they completely cock up the buffing, insta-buy.

[Chiefwaffles]

The bond system sort of existed before, there's a hidden stat for soldier relationships that affects how they appear on the Avenger and in the Skyranger.

I'm glad to hear about the Ruler rework and that the Chosen do something sort of interesting, but I'm ultra sour on "hero classes". That shit is not what X-Com is about. The whole progression of the game is your weak people achieving greatness against a superior foe. Superior soldiers ruin all of that, and it's no coincidence that the least interesting phase of X-Com is when you fill out your tech and aren't as threatened by the aliens.

I can definitely see your feeling behind the hero classes but they do seem to have progression thought-out. There's clearly requirements with each faction in order to get the soldiers and based on the information just posted, they do have their own (unique) progression paths. Seems promising, but I still hope they aren't too OP. Unique, sure, but it does feel kind of weird to have my own soldiers outclassed by outsiders.

[Neonivek]

Unique, sure, but it does feel kind of weird to have my own soldiers outclassed by outsiders.

You know... If I was a particularly smart person and I was making a future Apoc game... I'd probably make these three factions prominent in the world... Possibly having them legitimize (or possibly criminalize... That DOES happen to even the best intentioned people).

But this will probably be a similar situation as the Meld "Never happened OoOoOoooooh!"

[Teneb]

Rulers will no longer react to reloads and actions out of their line of sight.

I mean, I'm still probably playing with Alien Rulers turned off, but this seems like good news to me. Rulers need nerfs.

I like to use this mod.

To quote the description:

This mod makes rulers less overpowered by only giving them a chance of reacting to actions:
Offensive (any sort of attack): 100% chance to react
Defensive (eg. overwatch, healing, shield): 50%
Neutral (eg. reload, hack, evac): 0%
Movement: 0%
These probabilities are all adjustable using Mod Config Menu.

[Aklyon]

I had two psiops in my successful game. Not two magi, but the second really only came up if my better psionic was injured.

[umiman]

Okay, there's starting to be a lot of spoilers in this thread so I'm gonna fuck off until release.

See ya guys!

[My Name is Immaterial]

I'm a little concerned about the introduction of the Chosen. I prefered the enemy when it was faceless and omnipresent. I'm not sure how I feel about enemies with personalities. I will definitely pick it up when it goes on sale, though, because the new factions sounds fun.

[Xvareon]

I'm a little concerned about the introduction of the Chosen. I prefered the enemy when it was faceless and omnipresent. I'm not sure how I feel about enemies with personalities. I will definitely pick it up when it goes on sale, though, because the new factions sounds fun.

Then you must have hated the Speaker. That Thin Man guy who fed the masses so much carefully crafted BS about the goodness and love of aliens in XCOM 2 prime. Not that he really had a "personality", per se, and you never trust anyone with hippie sunglasses with too much green around their neck. XD

I can tell you one thing I wish they will do, but I know they will never do because aliens are enemies and it doesn't apply to them anyway:  Give the Chosen customization options like your soldiers do. Have them show up with random armor looks and attachments. Maybe they will bear scars and armor scratches from fights with your soldiers as a mark of pride. Maybe you put out one of their eyes at some point and now they wear a patch, and hold a massive grudge for it. That would really help me feel that these guys have an actual "personality" and aren't just bigger statsticks for the aliens to beat us over the head with.

[Chiefwaffles]

Well, there is this from my quote last page:

Turns out there's some new info from a twitch interview. I'm copying and pasting a summary from reddit.

...

• The Chosen level up over the course of the game. They get new armor, weapons, abilities, and strengths. Their appearance will change over the course of the game, and their new abilities and strengths are procedural so it will be different every time you fight them. They're designed to be a foil to the way the player progresses throughout the game.

Which does seem pretty similar to what you want. I was skeptical at first about the Chosen, but the more I hear about them (like namely the fact they don't get Ruler reactions and aren't focused on squadwiping but rather interrogation+capture + this stuff) the more excited I get.

[My Name is Immaterial]

I'm a little concerned about the introduction of the Chosen. I prefered the enemy when it was faceless and omnipresent. I'm not sure how I feel about enemies with personalities. I will definitely pick it up when it goes on sale, though, because the new factions sounds fun.

Then you must have hated the Speaker. That Thin Man guy who fed the masses so much carefully crafted BS about the goodness and love of aliens in XCOM 2 prime. Not that he really had a "personality", per se, and you never trust anyone with hippie sunglasses with too much green around their neck. XD

I can tell you one thing I wish they will do, but I know they will never do because aliens are enemies and it doesn't apply to them anyway:  Give the Chosen customization options like your soldiers do. Have them show up with random armor looks and attachments. Maybe they will bear scars and armor scratches from fights with your soldiers as a mark of pride. Maybe you put out one of their eyes at some point and now they wear a patch, and hold a massive grudge for it. That would really help me feel that these guys have an actual "personality" and aren't just bigger statsticks for the aliens to beat us over the head with.

Not to mention, he was barely in the game in the first place.

I agree, if they go all the way with it, I'd much prefer it to cookie cutter canned taunts from the Chosen.

[Rolan7]

Many games would be improved with Shadow of Mordor mechanics, including XCOM.
One gripe I've had since OldCOM 1 was that combat is so very lethal.  Being able to carry unconscious bodies out of combat was a neat thing then, and it's neat that they brought it back in NewCOM 2, but I was so disappointed that it's basically just for recovering items.  And the VIP "retrieval" thing to be fair.

I'm sure there's a mod that makes people bleed out ~90% of the time instead of dying instantly.  Hm, unless they're downed by a crit...  Then I'd totally understand.

[nenjin]

I know this is old balls but....

Spoiler: Shen's Last Gift (click to show/hide)

A fucking sectopod?! Several floors of 2 Armor 3 HP guys then you throw a fucking sectopod at me with 5 armor, 40 HP and me with no shredding capability?

What a total dick kick.

[Aklyon]

They only had 3 hp each, you could've saved your explosives.

[nenjin]

They only had 3 hp each, you could've saved your explosives.

Going in with no spoilers though, how would I have known? I expected a boss but that? I haven't seen anything more advanced then sneks so far.

Also LW2, where I think they're tougher than in vanilla.