I have to say, this game is phenomenal. The latest in-mission music is just outstanding. Why, one track has whispering voices in it, and it's downright terrifying. I don't generally find horror movies scary at all, but UFO:AI with its scary music turned up loud is real terror. Aliens pop out and there are spiders hiding all over the place... This is a magic game.
I was remarking to a learned friend about the intense psychological pressure the game exerts on the player. The aliens kill civilians every chance they get. They're cruel and ruthless about it. I really do want to save civilians, but I don't want to stumble into alien traps and lose the squad, either. That conflict of motives makes the game incredibly intense and has me on the edge of my seat. Where are the aliens? Have I covered all possible enemy approaches? Who are the aliens shooting at out of sight? How many civilians are dead? How many can I save? The player wants, needs, to save civilians, and yet must accept that the player will watch some die. Every time.
The aliens aren't cartoons, and they aren't dumb. They're dangerous, and far more dangerous to us up close than our agents are to them. They're monsters, and they mean business. A stupid tactical mistake usually means a dead agent. This game really forces the player to take the game seriously, every single moment. It's an experience I haven't felt since the game that got this entire genre started. I for one think that UFO:AI has taken the entire genre to a much higher level. The writing, the planning, the detail, the tension - this is what gaming for adults is all about. A story, a real story.
Bravo, everyone, bravo. Even in beta, this game is the one I've been waiting for.
I'd like to say how sensible and smart this game is. I have a friend who likes to play Gears of War on his XBox, and loves chess. But he doesn't try this game simply because it's too hard for him. You can't charge in and take everyone out because you're good with the controller. He asked me to play Gears of War with him, and his play-style was to charge in, and die, and charge in, and die, endlessly. I don't play XBox, but I told him, "Look man, that's not how this is done. If you want my help, we do it right." And so, using only my tactics from years of XCOM and now UFO:AI, we went right through the campaign. Cover each other, move carefully, always use cover, watch arcs of fire, cover choke-points, wait, win the firefight, move, repeat. Maybe two or three scenes of Gears of War are hard because the missions rely on just reactions. The rest of the game, an XCOM / UFO:AI player can walk right through. UFO:AI is a game for the thinking player. And it's so rewarding.
I'm bowled over by the realism and details of the maps. I love the snow effect in the winter maps. I tell you, this game has detail and love in it that no commercial venture has.
It's simply brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you.
