Hands on reviews to the press version have been somewhat positive.
I'm a little skeptical of the people decrying "RUINED FOREVER!!!111!!!" at the changes made.
They don't seem that "consoleified" and seem more like just trying removing the levels of micromanagement involved in the original that could get somewhat tedious. And to declunkify the interface (it's a clunky interface. It's a game from before 2000. They all have clunky interfaces).
Most games with micromanagement work at the end game either because the players are insanely patient, or because you gain so much velocity that the inefficiencies of not managing every little detail don't slow you down too much. Either one isn't that desirable from a design perspective.
As for the "Time Units", honestly? Whilst I like an Action Points system I don't see how simply removing it with a two-point system is so horrendous. Both require tactical thinking and committing to your decisions.
It's like people are just looking for things to complain about and yelling "I DON'T LIKE THIS! IT'S DIFFERENT!" But is it fun? "IRRELEVANT!". Yes you can be skeptical and wary that a game will be good, it's the smart way to be. Expecting perfection always leads to disappointment or delusion, after all. But holding the original up as utterly flawless, utterly perfect, is just as stupid.
Nothing can't be improved, because you can't take anything away and adding anything to it stops it being nothing.
Of course no built-into-UI key-rebinding
is stupid. If it's not in the actual game and there isn't one of those "boot up configure" utilities that do it, that's
very stupid. Whilst I'm willing to dive through config files, a lot of people aren't. Not letting you configure would be a stupid oversight.
Plus with how well the reaction was to the XCOM FPS, you are going to have a very, very hard time getting investors to give you their money, especially when a big chunk of them might not even be gamers.
Development of the two games started at about the same time. If anything the massive negative reaction to the FPS should of pushed investors to be more careful and want to preserve what those fans wanted...
And if it sucks, we still have
Xenonauts coming out (I think the Beta release is also October the 9th?)