Few companies have mastered the art of making turn-based strategy games quite like Firaxis . The studio's work with Sid Meier's Civilization and XCOM have resulted in some incredible experiences in both franchises. What's interesting is how Firaxis were able to reboot MicroProse's XCOM franchise without sacrificing much of the depth the older titles

Other Quantic Dream games available for PC would also count in this entry. Initially a PS3 exclusive , Heavy Rain eventually made its way to PC. Though quick-time events are a part of the gameplay, a majority of the game is making decisions and cinematics . One's appreciation of these games varies depending on personal tastes. They are all technologically impressive, so seeing them on a handheld will be a novelty regardless of the games' qual

Julian Gollop wanted to make a sequel with an isometric view. Since MicroProse was publishing the hit Civilization at the time, they asked if Mythos Games could implement more strategy elements to the game. This is how the foundation of XCOM's strategy layer was born. Firaxis paid tribute to Laser Squad as well by imitating the game's cover art for XCOM: Enemy Unknown's box

Hideo Kojima's most recent title is expectedly narrative-heavy. All the same, there are a ton of things to do outside the main story. Once you set up a nice infrastructure in the open world, it is joyful and relaxing to do deliveries between outposts utilizing all the structures. It feels like reaping the reward for hours of hard work. It is also great to do while listening to a podcast or mu

The XCom games are famous for their engaging squad-based combat. The games have always featured a large collection of alien types – each with an ability that players must keep in mind if they want all of their soldiers to make it back to base in one piece. Some of these aliens can fly, some are advanced robotic killing machines, SLG beginner guide some are basically living tanks, but the deadliest of them have psionic abilities that are frustrating at best – and absolutely devastating at worst. These are the most difficult alien types a player can expect when playing the X-Com titles; minus the unique types like the Uber Ethereal or Warlo

Those gamers who played the original XCom probably remember how much of a problem the Reapers could pose. Reapers are large, hunched-over, bi-pedal monsters that are usually encountered with Floaters. The Reaper has more health than any other alien, and can travel across the battle zone with alarming speed. It is quite disheartening to watch a Reaper run across the entire map and kill a soldier in one turn; while seemingly ignoring the damage dealt to it. If it starts a turn next to a soldier, that soldier is not going to survive – even if that soldier is wearing power ar

Archons are basically Floaters that have been given upgraded weapons and an appearance that give them the look/style of the Egyptian gods. These flying aliens have a very high defense rating, increased health, and are armed with staffs capable of ranged attacks. Archons are also immune to flanking attacks. They have a special ability called "Blazing Pinions", which are essentially missiles that deal respectable damage and destroy any cover the player’s squad may be hiding behind. When severely injured in battle, an Archon can go into a battle frenzy which gives them extra actions per t

Why You Should Play It: Souls purists have a lot to say about Dark Souls 3, but few can deny it is not a satisfying experience. The way the game ties back into the lore, the improvements to the combat and the deeper customization, and the visual style all add up to a mix of fantasy and horror that few games have ever delivered before. Admittedly, Dark Souls 3 is only going to appeal to a certain subset of gamers, but thanks to Bloodborne that cohort has grown considerably. Everyone is going to die a lot, but Dark Souls 3 sends the series off with a b

It's only the midway point but 2016 is already looking to be a great year for gaming, filled with high profile successes, unexpected surprises, and a really strong lineup of indies. In fact, the first half of the year has delivered some truly impressive interactive experiences, many of which will likely stand out for years to come. And so, without further ado, here are the top 10 games of 2016 so

The classes in the modern XCOM series all have interesting and fun weapons and abilities . Watching the soldiers grow and gain cool abilities is one of the major joys of playing an XCOM game. The soldiers are the ones that shape the story and are the ones that pull off the hero plays that players will remember fon

Ethereals are the leaders of the alien forces. They have numerous, and powerful psionic abilities that can cause havoc among the player’s squad and deliver significant damage. Their deadliest abilities are the ability to control the minds of the player’s soldiers, and the ability to drain a soldier’s health and heal itself at the same time with its Psi Drain. To make them even more difficult, Ethereals have the Hardened trait that makes them highly resistant to critical hits. Ethereals also have a devastating one-two punch with their Mindfray, which lowers a soldier’s Will, and their Rift ability which deals extra damage to a soldier with a low Will sc