2012 video game

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a 2012 turn-based tactics video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. It is a "reimagining" of the 1994 strategy game UFO: Enemy Unknown (also known as X-COM: UFO Defense). XCOM: Enemy Unknown is set during an alien invasion of Earth in an alternative version of 2015; the player controls an elite, multinational, paramilitary organization called XCOM and commands troops in a series of turn-based tactical missions. Between missions, the player directs the research and development of technologies from recovered alien technology and captured prisoners, expands XCOM's base of operations, manages finances, and monitors and responds to alien activity.

Firaxis attempted to reboot the franchise in 2003 but no product was marketed. Development of the game began in 2008 and lasted for four-and-a-half years. The game was initially envisioned as an exact remake of the 1994 game but the developers introduced improvements to gameplay mechanics and modernized the franchise. The development cycle was longer than those of other Firaxis games because it was retooled several times during production. Jake Solomon led development of the game, and studio head Sid Meier provided input and assisted the team. Aliens from the original game return in Enemy Unknown, though Firaxis redesigned many of them. While the game uses procedural generation for enemy placement, all maps in the game were handcrafted by Firaxis. Michael McCann composed the game's music.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown was announced in January 2012, and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in October 2012. Handheld and mobile versions of the game, co-developed by 2K China, were later released. The game received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the turn-based combat, presentation, emergent gameplay, difficulty and replayability but criticized its multiplayer component. It has since been considered as one of the greatest games of all time. It was a commercial success for the publisher and several gaming publications nominated it for year-end accolades, including Game of the Year. Firaxis released an expansion pack called XCOM: Enemy Within in November 2013 and a sequel called XCOM 2 in 2016. XCOM: Enemy Unknown was often credited for renewing interest in the turn-based-tactics genre in the 2010s.

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