X-COM
I love the original X-com and take it for a spin every few years.<p>By far the greatest thing original X-com had was the sense of mystery and dread of the unknown on your first playthrough. You didn&#x27;t know what lies ahead, you didn&#x27;t know what technologies to research, and how to do what. New aliens were catching you by surprise all the time, and Chrysalids, god, they were so so scary. When I got to flying armor my guys never walked again, just because of these guys.<p>I actually even liked the immediate sequel, because it added difficulty and stuff. If only it wasn&#x27;t this last alien syndrome...<p>The reboot was a letdown for me. Underground base-hive was gorgeous, but I lacked the freedom of roaming the globe and sending patrol aircraft in different directions, locating bases that I knew were somewhere out there... It felt like I&#x27;m railroaded on a fixed path, instead of slowly finding out the clues on my own.<p>The second X-Com 2 was a step better for me, and I liked the feeling of being a scrappy resistance fighter, and all resource and time constraints made a lot more sense in that context. I actually managed to beat X-Com 2 in Ironman mode on Commander difficulty <i>without losing any soldier</i>, and THAT was a major feat, I tell you. Ironman adds a lot to the game, you can&#x27;t savescum from a risky missed shot, and actually start to be really afraid for your guys.