For years now, we here at PC Gamer have maintained that XCOM 2 is excellent—one of the very best XCOM games, tactics games, and all-round games of the previous decade. It's a squad-building turn-based alien blaster with a ton of heart, and sees you leading a resistance to free Earth from its alien oppressors (so if you played its predecessor, Enemy Unknown, then you should probably know that, canonically, your efforts to protect the planet failed—sorry).
Now you can judge it for yourself, because XCOM 2 is free to play on Steam this weekend through Monday. If it gets its hooks into you, then you can buy it for what may well be an all-time low price of £2/$3 for the base game, and a mere £6/$8 together with the War of the Chosen expansion and a bunch of smaller DLC.
XCOM 2's clever turn-based combat is among the best in the field, with great tactical depth and troop customization. The newly-added concealment system was a great addition too, letting you sneak around the map, seeking out defensible positions and high ground to ambush your enemies before they spot you.
It also tells a great story—not just through the solid alien invasion plot, but through the commander-like attachment you begin to feel for your soldiers the deeper into the campaign they go. When a soldier dies, they're gone forever, and that loss will impact your game going forward. I'll never forgive myself for losing Sgt. Sid Meier to a rogue bullet from a panicked rookie who should never have been out in the damn field in the first place! Horrible to think that that universe will never get to play the Pirates! remake I so desire…
So check out XCOM 2 this weekend if you can. Just remember, don't get overly attached, and quicksave a lot.
