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[Remalle]

By the way, I found some cool early concept art while I was looking for the muton video.  It would have ripped soldiers out of cover and swallowed them whole, necessitating allies to kill it to recover the swallowed soldier; kinda like a cross between a Berserker and a Seeker.  The devs said it was inspired by the Tank in L4D and a Battletoad.

Spoiler: Meet the Reaper. (click to show/hide)

Much like the early concept of the Sectopod from the video I linked earlier, it obviously represents a huge departure from the original.  Seeing as how it lacks fur, I doubt it would have retained its weakness to fire, which is unfortunate as there was originally a fifth core class planned, the Pyro.

[umiman]

I hope the sequel has some of these awesome features that were cut out.

But I guess many of these things will only be amusing the first and second time they show up. By the third time you'll just be skipping everything and hoping stuff goes faster.

[EnigmaticHat]

By the way, I found some cool early concept art while I was looking for the muton video.  It would have ripped soldiers out of cover and swallowed them whole, necessitating allies to kill it to recover the swallowed soldier; kinda like a cross between a Berserker and a Seeker.  The devs said it was inspired by the Tank in L4D and a Battletoad.

Spoiler: Meet the Reaper. (click to show/hide)

Much like the early concept of the Sectopod from the video I linked earlier, it obviously represents a huge departure from the original.  Seeing as how it lacks fur, I doubt it would have retained its weakness to fire, which is unfortunate as there was originally a fifth core class planned, the Pyro.

Woah.

Its kind of sad that something with such amazing concept art got cut.  Although the idea of a giant creature with a transparent stomach running around eating people and slowly digesting them might have been a bit grimdark, especially if it showed up in a terror mission...

[GiglameshDespair]

By the way, I found some cool early concept art while I was looking for the muton video.  It would have ripped soldiers out of cover and swallowed them whole, necessitating allies to kill it to recover the swallowed soldier; kinda like a cross between a Berserker and a Seeker.  The devs said it was inspired by the Tank in L4D and a Battletoad.

Spoiler: Meet the Reaper. (click to show/hide)

Much like the early concept of the Sectopod from the video I linked earlier, it obviously represents a huge departure from the original.  Seeing as how it lacks fur, I doubt it would have retained its weakness to fire, which is unfortunate as there was originally a fifth core class planned, the Pyro.

Woah.

Its kind of sad that something with such amazing concept art got cut.  Although the idea of a giant creature with a transparent stomach running around eating people and slowly digesting them might have been a bit grimdark, especially if it showed up in a terror mission...

The seekers in EW fufill a similar role: they lock down a soldier, slowly damaging, until his teammates rescue him. But seekers suck and that looks badass, so there's that, I suppose. This would be cooler.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I'm more disappointed by the lack of the Pyro class. Even the flamethrower in Enemy Within is pretty great, and there's nothing like seeing

Chryssalid has panicked!

for the first time.

[Sonlirain]

The reaper... and i thought seekers and chrysalids look creepy.
It looks cool i guess but a creature of that size wouldn't really work unless there was a special arena to fight them OR they were scaled down immensly like the sectopod. But then their ability to swallow a soldier would look more like some weird fetish artwork on DA than... well whatever was intended.

[Skyrunner]

I've reached the part of the game where you steamroll everything! I've yet to meet a sectopod, but I finish all missions with no casualties and often no damage taken. Firestorms with EMPs shoot down the very few UFOs that appear, and I almost found where the EXALT HQ is. I've activated the Hyperwave thing so far. \o/

(Normal difficulty)

[crazysheep]

I'm more disappointed by the lack of the Pyro class. Even the flamethrower in Enemy Within is pretty great, and there's nothing like seeing

Chryssalid has panicked!

for the first time.

While I can't say much about the lack of a Pyro class (as I've found the current class system to be quite decent), I prefer seeing

Ethereal has panicked!

[NullForceOmega]

I vastly prefer having my MECs punch Ethereals in the face.  And everything else for that matter.  A lot of the MEC system felt limited frankly, only six equipment options?  Three weapons?  And the perk tree hurt my head, on most levels there is a clearly superior choice, and on the others it's universaly 'more damage, or more defense?'  While I can see arguments for loading out with either the strike module or the flamethrower, or the healing mist vs. the grenade launcher, I can see no purpose to choosing the proximity mines over the shock pack (maybe if you play a really, really defensive style).
I love the MECs, don't get me wrong, but compared to the choices for the main classes, I felt a bit like I was being pushed into a generic 'mega assault heavy' role.

[GiglameshDespair]

The MEC weapons matches that off all the other classes bar assault: it's always been a linear progression from bullet --> laser --> plasma, while assaults can use rifles or shotguns. It is a big cyborg that can't take cover... it also renders SHIVs completely redundant (even more so than before), but eh.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

In my experience, MECs have one big counter: Psi. None of their abilities defend against it and they can't use any of the will-boosting items. They are particularly problematic regarding mind control, as a mindjacked MEC could theoretically kill two or three other members of X-Com per turn.

[NullForceOmega]

Stages of psi battle with MECs:
1) encounter: Sectoid commander 10 hp, turn one kill unless everyone on the team fails apocalypticly (being xcom I do not write this off as a possibilty, I know full well that Xcom is sentient and it hates me.) Ethereal 20 hp, forces spread out in two fire groups, infantry flank, MECs close
2) mind control: Sectoid commander, will die before this becomes a problem.  Ethereal, likely to reflect multiple incoming attacks on round one, assuming optimum damage dealt still dead now.  Assuming xcom, around 7-12 damage taken, action used to absorb hp from MEC, if you did this round right NOONE is on overwatch to kill the MEC and the MEC CANNOT kill anyone due to proper use of cover and position round two ethereal dies.
3) mission over or move to next target.

This is exactly how every single battle I have with psi enemies breaks down, they are too damn frail and rare to worry me at all.  I reserve my stress for Muton Elites.

[Aklyon]

I've had all of one time a MEC got successfully mindcontrolled, and that time was irrelevant because it was the wrong MEC (they were on the other side of quite some space, catching up) for the base defense ethereal to grab before he got punched and shot to death.

[Sean Mirrsen]

The MEC weapons matches that off all the other classes bar assault: it's always been a linear progression from bullet --> laser --> plasma, while assaults can use rifles or shotguns. It is a big cyborg that can't take cover... it also renders SHIVs completely redundant (even more so than before), but eh.

SHIVs, redundant. Heh.

SHIVs get quite a few boosts in EW, and since they don't cost Meld to make or maintain I think they're quite good. With the right Foundry upgrades, a SHIV or two are perfect as a tagalong on missions. Mobile cover that doesn't have to spend a turn to work, great movement range, infinite 2HP/turn regeneration, automatic attacks against anything moving in close... basically get plasma and forget Chryssalids exist. They don't outshine MECs of course, but considering the cost gap, I think it's quite forgivable, especially in situations where you might need someone or something expendable to soak up damage.

And re: proximity mines, I found that they work far better for an offensive build, as the thing effectively gives your MEC a pack of super-grenades with a good range, and tactical options - as opposed to the shocker, which needs you to run out towards the enemy (and away from your team) first, and takes a while to recharge. The shocker is useful as well, of course - but it's hardly an obvious choice. A Grenadier MEC is a surprisingly good build. About the only MEC ability that makes no sense is One For All, because it's up against the Jet Boot Module, and is patently useless against any grenade-using enemy.

[EnigmaticHat]

If One For All were up against a worse ability it might be recommendable, getting grenaded lategame isn't THAT bad especially considering a defensive MEC build will effectively take only 3 damage.  Also if you manage it properly it's effectively a free action.

But yeah, jetboots is a no-brainer.  I'll take my vastly improved movement abilities and no-cost elevation bonus please...