X-COM Announced and it's an FPS

[Jason]

<strong>[ Announcement ]</strong>

<p>The new <a href="http://www.xcom.com/xcom.html" target="_blank"><strong>X-COM</strong></a> announcement is finally <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/57640/2K_Games_Announces_XCOMreg__Suspense_and_MysteryFilledFirstPerson_Shooter_from_Creators_of_BioShockreg_2.php" target="_blank">here</a> and yes, it's worse than you thought.</p><blockquote>Windsor, UK &ndash; April 14, 2010 &ndash; 2K Games announced today that XCOM®, the re-imagining of one of gaming&rsquo;s most storied and beloved franchises, is currently in development at 2K Marin, the studio behind the multi-million unit selling BioShock® 2. Currently in development exclusively for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC, XCOM combines the strategic core of the groundbreaking franchise with a suspense-filled narrative and distills it into a tense and unique first-person shooter experience.

&ldquo;With BioShock 2, the team at 2K Marin proved themselves as masters of first-person, suspenseful storytelling, and with XCOM they will re-imagine and expand the rich lore of this revered franchise,&rdquo; said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. &ldquo;Players will explore the world of XCOM from an immersive new perspective and experience firsthand the fear and tension of this gripping narrative ride.&rdquo;

XCOM is the re-imagining of the classic tale of humanity&rsquo;s struggle against an unknown enemy that puts players directly into the shoes of an FBI agent tasked with identifying and eliminating the growing threat. True to the roots of the franchise, players will be placed in charge of overcoming high-stake odds through risky strategic gambits coupled with heart-stopping combat experiences that pit human ingenuity &ndash; and frailty &ndash; against a foe beyond comprehension. By setting the game in a first-person perspective, players will be able to feel the tension and fear that comes with combating a faceless enemy that is violently probing and plotting its way into our world.

XCOM is not yet age-rated. For more information on XCOM please visit www.XCOM.com
</blockquote><p>Spotted @ <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/">Gamasutra</a></p>

 

[CrusaderTemplar]

NO!

I protest at this abomination. How dare they defiled this!

 

[spectre]

Holy shit... it's not even funny.

 

[Azrael the cat]

I actually don't know whether this is worse than expected or not. It's just fucking WEIRD!

Ok, I raged with the rest of you at FO3. But it was still a crpg, just one that removed much of what was great about the original game. But by staying in the genre it had the potential to damage that genre, changing the way the genre is perceived and the 'rules' for developers when making that kind of game.

Maxing X-COM into a shooter just seems...irrelevant. It's like if Bethesda took the Fallout licence and made a Mario Bros-style platformer. It wouldn't be capable of degrading the FO games because it would truly be FO in name only - and by being a crpg the same couldn't be said about FO3.

This is basically the same as if 2K had never ever heard of X-Com, and by chance came up with it as the name of their new, origiinal sci-fi/horror shooter. It's so unrelated to the original that I can't seriously hold it as a downgrading of the original - it simply has nothing to do with it. So...it might even end up being a great game. Just one that through some weird coincidences happens to share a name with a strategy game that is otherwise completely unrelated to it.

In fact someone better hop over to the Valve forums and warn the HL2 fans. Because (going by the screenshot on their site) if 2K is doing the 'FO3' treatment to anything, it's HL2. They just couldn't afford the halflife licence and so slapped their own title on it instead.

 

[cocorulverde]

a screenshot for your viewing pleasure.

 

[Darth Roxor]

a screenshot for your viewing pleasure.

...

 

[The Barbarian]

The Barbarian agrees with Azrael. You may now respect Azrael's opinion. Begin.

 

[entertainer]

a screenshot for your viewing pleasure.

HOLY SHIT IM SO EMOTIONALLY ENGAGED NOW

 

[spectre]

The Barbarian agrees with Azrael. You may now respect Azrael's opinion. Begin.

But Conan, what is best in xcom?

***

Now, I've read the blurb over at xcom.com and:

True to the roots of the franchise, players will be placed in charge of overcoming high-stake odds through risky strategic gambits coupled with heart-stopping combat experiences...

So does this actually mean we'll still have Geoscape, air combat, base building and all that, just so the missions are now fps?

Anyways, I might say that it's good and all, because it recycles a forgotten franchise, but it feels like F3's "mods'll fix it" all over again.

Adding insult to injury, thecompany isn't actually well known for tactical-shooters which might have been a redeeming feature for this piece of news.

 

[Jim Cojones]

Is it good to be cynical?

That's the saddest, the most FUUU-provoking news I've read recently. Even though the franchise has been raped several times already.

So does this actually mean we'll still have Geoscape, air combat, base building and all that, just so the missions are now fps?

I don't think so. When devs say something like "gripping narrative ride", they most probably mean game's story is linear as hell. The sense of "high stake gambits" may just be that you will have cut-scenes where you are told your next missions are critical for humanity survival.

 

[saenz]

This idea sounded better when it was called X-COM: Enforcer.

 

[CrusaderTemplar]

Wasn't Enforcer more Third person shooter but with a robot?

 

[Korgan]

W-wait, I don't believe this.
[looks at screenshot]
WRONG, YOU FUCKTARD! THERE WAS NOTHING 1950S ABOUT X-COM UNTIL YOU GOT "INSPIRED" BY FO3 AND YOUR OWN BIOCOCK.
WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING OOOOOOOOON!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[someone else]

Just a name.

Will there be less rage if it is called "AlienShock"?

Go play one of the many failed X-com clones instead.

 

[drunkpriest]

"I'm supportive of this. While making in an FPS seems a like it might be a real big jump (and will generate the maximum amount of rage), its not as if anyone else is clamoring to do an X-Com game at the moment. The studio that they've lined up for this is 2K Marin, who just put out Bioshock 2, which was as solid as you could want.

Even if it ends up sucking, at least someone tried."

 

[DarkUnderlord]

Don't these mother-fuckers understand what games are? Games are about the GAMEPLAY. You DO NOT GET X-Com turn-based squad tactics GAMEPLAY in a FUCKING FPS. The brand X-Com means one thing and one thing only: Awesome turn-based, chess like strategic squad-based combat.

It's like making Quake 4 into a new house decorating program. Who are they targeting?

By setting the game in a first-person perspective, players will be able to feel the tension and fear that comes with combating a faceless enemy that is violently probing and plotting its way into our world.

BRO WHAT KIND OF POPAMOLE BULLSHIT IS THIS IF THE ENEMY IS FACELESS HOW CAN I BE IMMERSED IN FPS FFS

 

[Gondolin]

combating a faceless enemy that is violently probing and plotting its way into our world.

We know who the enemy is, you sons of bitches! It's YOOOOOUUUUUUUUU!!! Hope some dicks probe their way violently into your asses.

 

[Vault Dweller]

If it was an April 1 joke nobody would have believed it because it's too fucking stupid to be real.

Don't these mother-fuckers understand what games are? Games are about the GAMEPLAY. You DO NOT GET X-Com turn-based squad tactics GAMEPLAY in a FUCKING FPS. The brand X-Com means one thing and one thing only: Awesome turn-based, chess like strategic squad-based combat.

Exactly.

The Enforcer shit all over again because man is not a learning animal.

 

[kris]

By setting the game in a first-person perspective, players will be able to feel the tension and fear that comes with combating a faceless enemy that is violently probing and plotting its way into our world.

BRO WHAT KIND OF POPAMOLE BULLSHIT IS THIS IF THE ENEMY IS FACELESS HOW CAN I BE IMMERSED IN FPS FFS

cofirmed, you can't shoot them in the face.

 

[Vault Dweller]

In unrelated news:

A new Syndicate game is in development. EA has just filed for a new trademark. I smell another re-imagining to make it more exciting and immersive.

Back to XCOM, I still can't believe it. An XCOM shooter is a game where you kill invading aliens. Such an exciting and original concept. I bet everyone would want to play it.

...XCOM®, the re-imagining of one of gaming’s most storied and beloved franchises...

If it's so beloved, why rape it? I meant why "re-imagine" it?

...XCOM®, the re-imagining of one of gaming’s most storied and beloved franchises...

...and with XCOM they will re-imagine and expand the rich lore of this revered franchise...

...XCOM is the re-imagining of the classic tale of humanity’s struggle against an unknown enemy...

...

XCOM combines the strategic core of the groundbreaking franchise with a suspense-filled narrative and distills it into a tense and unique first-person shooter experience.

Shooting aliens in an FPS? Unique experience?

...puts players directly into the shoes of an FBI agent tasked with identifying and eliminating the growing threat.

What the fuck is this shit? An FBI agent stopping aliens all by himself?

Players will explore the world of XCOM from an immersive new perspective and experience firsthand the fear and tension...

The dream will never die.

 

[janjetina]

Modern developers are serial reimaginists. Like this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Sela

 

[entertainer]

theres so many buzzwords on that announcement that it's not even funny

 

[Scroo]

I hate this world.

 

[Phelot]

I don't get why they do this. There hasn't been an X-COM game in years no? The sort of people that they'll be targeting have never heard of X-COM so why even use the name?

"A new Syndicate game is in development. EA has just filed for a new trademark. I smell another re-imagining to make it more exciting and immersive. "

Oh god no...

Though I do think that Syndicate could use a face lift if done well. I never did play Syndicate Wars so I have no idea if that game fixed a lot of the issues of the original.

 

[Haba]

Why wont anyone stop the rape? Why?

WHY?