The GameOn Magazine - Free Special Editions XCOM: Enemy Within Special Edition | Page 40

XCOM vs. Dishonored - Game of 2012

playthroughs. I remember one playthrough,
where I played a single section about ten times,
experimenting with the mechanics. The same
encounter felt totally different each time - once, I
used Windblast to fire four guards into a rewired
wall of light. The next time, I jumped at a guard from
above, cleaving his head from his shoulders and
stashing his body in a dark corner. I thought I had
performed this feat unnoticed, but I accidentally
left his head on the floor... whoopsie. What I’m
trying to say, Ross, is that you’re obviously playing
it wrong.

Why Kirk is Wrong
Wow. I obviously played it wrong. Ironic really
that the criticism you have raised there is exactly
the same as I am about to level right back at
your hypocritical [expletive deleted]. I didn’t play
Dishonored the ‘right’ way, but you did so with
XCOM? You said yourself that “In each combat
scenario, XCOM played out the same way”. It played
the same way? Or you played the same way?

I’m still convinced you played it on one of the easier
difficulty levels too. Else your tipping point would be
later and you would have HAD to use those tactics
described above to survive; along with liberal use
of the ‘hunker down’ button. I’d recommend you
have a bash at it on ‘Classic’, you will find it a far
different beast. Just don’t try ‘Impossible’; it WILL
make you cry.
As Dishonored plods along with its pedestrian tale,
XCOM gives you the freedom to make your own
stories, featuring your own custom cast of heroes
and rookies alike. I almost cried when Felix, my
eldest soldier, died when trying to rescue a downed
comrade. I remember the sense of redemption
when Martinez, who lost his nerve and killed the
alien we were trying to capture on his very first
mission, found his potential and volunteered for
the Gollop chamber. Finally, the pride I felt when
‘Mustang’ led the triumphant final assault against
the alien menace outshone anything I felt for Corvo
Attano during my Dishonored experience.

XCOM was my experience, personal and unique to
Did you explore all the abilities available to your me in a way that Dishonored never was. Dishonored
troops? Did you try sending out your guys in Ghost was Corvo Attano’s story, but XCOM was mine.
Armour to ambush the alien forces? Did you use
your Skeleton Suits to take your
snipers to higher ground, while
your assault troops used their
‘flush’ ability to force the enemies
out of cover into their sights?
Against a tough enemy did
you use your support troopers
to suppress them, while your
heavies readied their rocket
launchers? Because it sounds
to me that despite being a man
with ‘experimental’ tastes that
you, in fact, did not.
XCOM: Enemy Within Special Edition 2013

40 • GameOn Magazine