XCOM 2 News

You can get the best of XCOM for a silly price via the new Steam Ultimate Collection

There have been plenty of ups and downs, but there's no doubting that Firaxis did a bang-up job with its modern reimagining of iconic turn-based strategy legend X-COM. 2012's XCOM: Enemy Unknown set a gold standard for tactical strategy games, and few have managed to bottle that special blend of magic since.

Even XCOM 2, which launched in 2016, had a fairly rocky start and wasn't really set right until the War of the Chosen expansion dropped in 2018. Then came XCOM: Chimera Squad, which released last year and was a different take on the formula. It's probably not what hardcore XCOM fans wanted, but it's a fun entry into the universe and had some worthy ideas of its own, as our review lays out.

You can now own all of the above, plus all associated add-ons and expansions, for as little as $40 / £27. The XCOM: Ultimate Collection is a new Steam bundle that brings together every game and DLC between XCOM, XCOM 2, and Chimera Squad. It's integrated with Valve's 'complete the set' feature, so you only pay for what you don't already own, plus there's a special introductory price that makes the whole whack insanely cheap for newcomers and completionists alike.

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You've got 24 hours to pick up XCOM 2 for less than $5 on Steam

February 17, 2021 This sale will end at 6PM GMT on Thursday, February 18

XCOM 2 is one of the finest tactical turn-based strategy games out there. Sure, it may not have had quite the same impact as its predecessor XCOM: Enemy Unknown, but after plenty of TLC, plenty more DLC, and some mighty fine mods you've got yourself one hell of a strategy game.

It's entirely possible though that you've, still, never actually played XCOM 2. Or maybe you're like our guides editor Gina who only had it on console for some reason. Either way, I imagine you're just waiting for the right opportunity to pick it up and take it for a spin. How does a sale price of $4.80 / £2.80 sound?

That's right: until February 18 there is a 2K 'publisher sale' running on Steam, and XCOM 2 is reduced by 92%. The base game had a bit of a mixed reception on launch, but is generally a more solid experience now. It's still lacking in a few areas but it's nothing that some XCOM 2 mods won't be able to fix. The Long War 2 mod - sequel to the highly popular Long War mod from XCOM 1 - is only available for the vanilla version of XCOM 2 and is definitely worth checking out because of what it brings to the table.

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XCOM 2 tips: our guide to XCOM 2 and War of the Chosen

Looking for some XCOM 2 tips or a guide to XCOM 2: War of the Chosen? We've got you covered! One of the reasons the XCOM franchise is so good is its tactical depth. Aside from lofty production values, the turn-based strategy game ties together a fantastic array of abilities and mechanics to create an interlocked system of extremely polished goodness. It's also a game that may seem simple after you get the hang of it, but there are a lot of advanced tactics and strategies that the tutorials don't cover.

That's only the base game, too. The War of the Chosen expansion adds a whole host of gameplay changes. There's several completely unique systems to keep track of, alongside new character classes, gear, gadgets, weapons, and enemies.

War of the Chosen expands the base game in every single way, and with new content comes new tactics, and with new tactics, comes us. Below, you'll find tips for the base game, as well as a dedicated guide to the War of the Chosen expansion. Not sure how to best use Mimic Beacons? Can't decide which perks you should be taking? Tired of losing all your favourite squad members? Read on.

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The complete XCOM 2 DLC guide

Firaxis has a decent track record when it comes to making add-ons, but the XCOM 2 DLC run initially suffered from a few bad apples. Upon release, the pre-order bonus and day one content were subject to heavy flak. But in the years that followed the studio has managed to pull it together with later expansions being a lot more on par with what we'd want for such an excellent turn-based strategy game.

However, one of the game's best expansions - XCOM 2: War of the Chosen - has caused more than a few niggles. With this release, XCOM 2 was pushed to its limit with new features; missions, enemies, and classes shoved into every hole. It also largely displaced much of the content that had been released before hand. When it comes to XCOM 2 DLC, not everyone takes the time to explain how different parts of the library interact together - which is where we come in.

Without further ado, here's our complete guide to all of the XCOM 2 DLC available, with specific segments on how various bits fit in (or don't) with the War of the Chosen expansion.

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The Best XCOM 2 Mods

Firaxis are up on Bethesda levels of supporting the modding community these days and while they seem to have left the community to their own devices, they have made it so easy for modders to really change the whole game. Showing their commitment to the community, Firaxis actually teamed up with Pavonis Interactive (the creators of the original Long War mod for Enemy Unknown) to make sure that the modding tools were as streamlined as they could be before releasing them into the wild.

How to install XCOM 2 Mods

The only thing to keep in mind when modding XCOM 2 is that certain mods only work for certain versions of the game - though the descriptions and launcher will mostly keep you right.

Many of the mods on this list have a Vanilla (no DLC) and War Of The Chosen (WotC) version. Check to make sure you're downloading the right one for the version you intend to play. Steam has a very healthy library of XCOM 2 mods, but you can also head on over to Nexus as well if you'd rather not use the Workshop.

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