XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a solid strategy game that introduces RPG elements to create a unique experience. Still, XCOM: Enemy Unknown won't scare you with its sound design. The noises that the aliens make in XCOM: Enemy Unknown can be terrifying, adding to its creepy atmosphere. The sound design in levels is good, creating a creepy and tense atmosphere. Most of the music will be irrelevant as it's clearly written to be background music as you decide on where to place your soldiers. The soundtrack of XCOM: Enemy Unknown is good with swelling orchestral scores to increase the weight of the alien onslaught. This type of combat reminds me of Fallout 3 and makes careful planning important. You are given a read out of your probability of hitting an enemy and the chance of a critical hit. There is also an interesting attack mechanic in XCOM: Enemy Unknown. One interesting feature that XCOM: Enemy Unknown included is the ability to climb on top buildings, giving the player more ways to strategize on how to approach a level. Having a small squad puts more pressure to keep them all alive or you will be at a severe disadvantage. You start off with 4 soldiers under your control with the ability to add a couple more to your squad when you've leveled up enough. If you place your soldiers behind poor cover, they will take plenty of damage and may even be killed instantly. You will rely heavily on cover in XCOM: Enemy Unknown. While turn based gameplay in a strategy game isn't new, it combines elements from shooters. This is where XCOM: Enemy Unknown really shines. XCOM: Enemy Unknown has plenty of neon highlights for guiding players through a level and in its menus. In game, the graphics are good with a top down, 3rd person view.

There are plenty of pretty pre-rendered cut scenes but the character models lack some of the intricate details to make them seem realistic.

It uses the Unreal Engine, which is solid, but fails to impress in the era of Battlefield 3 and Skyrim. The graphics in XCOM: Enemy Unknown are solid but won't blow you away.

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