X-Com Alliance Info
Date: May 14th
The latest installment in the X-Com series boasts the Unreal engine (albeit
with a lot of changes) and many new features. MicroProse hopes to bring a
new experience to the first-person shooter genre with X-Com Alliance--a rather
ambitious reach for this popular game series. However, while still a year away
from completion, the game already looks polished.
With an emphasis on tactical elements, the game challenges the player to figure out the best means by which to achieve each mission objective. Accompanied by a squad, you decide which members to deploy, although they move without being directed. Building up the skills of each member of your team--whether engineering specialists or soldiers--is essential to your success.
The 3D engine allows for real-time deformation, so your armor may take damage. Weapons include a helium thrower, which freezes targets, and laser-based guns. A medi-kit is in your inventory for healing injuries.
Several original creatures are incorporated into the game. Creepy
effects--such as thick fog and vines growing on walls--contribute to the game's
atmosphere.