Phoenix Point

Phoenix Point successfully introduces a slew of new features and mechanics that sufficiently evolve the XCOM-inspired genre of strategy games, though is brought down by some buggy, wonky, and unbalanced implementation of some mechanics.

71%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

71% User Score Based on 4,968 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $2.49

Buy NowGet on Steam €23.99 Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store

About

Phoenix Point is a single player tactical role playing game with horror and science fiction themes. It was developed by Snapshot Games Inc. and was released on December 3, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

In Phoenix Point, lead the Phoenix Project to reconquer a post-apocalyptic Earth overrun by mutating aliens. Manage resources, research new technologies, and build your bases to dominate the battlefield. Shape your strategy through diplomacy or combat with various human factions, all vying for survival and power in a ruined world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,968 reviews

story404 positive mentions

grinding298 negative mentions

Innovative aiming system allows for targeting specific body parts, enhancing tactical gameplay.
Engaging story with multiple factions and a unique post-apocalyptic setting.
Deep customization options for soldiers, including multi-classing and augmentations.

Game suffers from balance issues, with enemies evolving too quickly and becoming overwhelming.
Tedious resource management and inventory system that can feel cumbersome.
Repetitive missions and lack of variety in maps lead to a grindy experience.

story
2,624 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
78%
7%
The story of "Phoenix Point" is generally viewed as engaging but flawed, with many players appreciating its unique premise involving a deadly virus and the struggle for humanity's survival. However, criticisms arise regarding its execution, with some finding the narrative convoluted, repetitive missions, and a lack of compelling characters that detract from the overall experience. While the game offers interesting faction dynamics and strategic choices, the pacing and mission design can lead to a sense of grind, making it difficult for players to remain invested in the storyline.
- “The depth of Phoenix Point lies not only in its gripping storyline but also in its rich gameplay mechanics.”
- “Amazing game, amazing progress, amazing story... much better than the new XCOM series.”
- “The story is engaging, the threat is interesting, and the Lovecraftian elements are great.”
- “The story is needlessly complex and, to me, uninteresting.”
- “The story isn't going to win awards but it is interesting enough to pay attention to it.”
- “The plot is a big weak point of the game with the factions contributing little to anything.”
gameplay
1,440 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
62%
10%
The gameplay of "Phoenix Point" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its innovative mechanics such as the free aim system and the ability to target specific body parts, which add depth to tactical combat. However, criticisms focus on the game's inconsistency, unbalanced mechanics, and tedious resource management, leading to a frustrating experience for some. Overall, while the game offers unique features and a challenging experience, it struggles with execution and clarity, making it less accessible compared to its predecessor, XCOM.
- “The depth of Phoenix Point lies not only in its gripping storyline but also in its rich gameplay mechanics.”
- “Being able to disable enemy body parts is a neat mechanic and definitely makes things more strategically interesting.”
- “With the way the ballistics model works, you're able to aim and target specific body parts on your enemies, which allows for some really interesting gameplay strategies!”
- “Overall the game is just a mess where you can't really plan any tactics because mechanics are too broken/inconsistent.”
- “The gameplay actively punishes you for playing instead of rewarding you.”
- “Normal gameplay is frustrating and what could have been a good game for some concepts and story becomes infuriating because of the mechanics.”
graphics
330 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the art direction and overall visual quality, while others criticize it for being outdated and poorly optimized. Many users noted that the graphics do not match the standards set by other titles in the genre, particularly XCOM, citing issues like muddy textures, lack of detail, and inconsistent art styles. Overall, while some players find the visuals enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere, others feel they detract from the overall experience due to technical shortcomings and a lack of polish.
- “The graphics are excellent and battle variances is always different.”
- “Every line of story and dialogue is masterfully written and fully voice acted, the art direction and graphics are fabulous.”
- “The graphics portray the world and the horrors of the pandorans very well, however I personally wasn't a fan of the art style of the soldier types and factions, they seemed kind of generic.”
- “The cut scenes are just a slideshow with no animations, the game doesn't look like it was made recently (graphics meh), the base management looks like a mobile game and is literally a 1-1 rip off of the management from XCOM but way worse.”
- “The graphics are mostly ugly, compared to other games in the Unity engine. The color palette of the maps is hideous with a mix of browns, grays, and murky greens starkly contrasted to the vibrant colors of XCOM 2. Basically, every map in Phoenix Point looks like the ruined lost infected city maps in War of the Chosen and the character customization is a joke compared to XCOM 2.”
- “The UI is designed for consoles first, the graphics are consoles first, and the art direction and production design of the world is low-rent and cheap looking.”
grinding
300 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized, with many players finding it tedious and unfulfilling. Repetitive missions, excessive micromanagement, and a lack of meaningful rewards contribute to a sense of frustration, particularly in the mid to late game. While some players appreciate the depth and complexity, the overwhelming consensus is that the grind detracts significantly from the overall enjoyment, making it feel more like a chore than a game.
- “This game has so many systems and layers interlinked with each other, and almost all of them feel balanced with the right relation between risk and reward. They feel like they have a purpose, they do not feel the same, they are mostly not tedious, and there is also a right balance of systems you are forced to participate in and optional systems that you can opt in and out of with the corresponding advantages and disadvantages.”
- “As a huge fan of XCOM (new and classical), I really tried to like it but after 20 hours - all the bugs, the horrible geoscape UI, and tedious combat missions with nonsensical tactical design and the grind, omg, the grind - I just gave up.”
- “After playing the game three times, I find that after a certain point the game becomes a tedious grind, where you have to complete hundreds of missions so that people don't kill each other, and the constantly emerging enemies in the final mission is the height of sadism.”
- “The management side of things is incredibly tedious; new recruits come lacking equipment in general and micromanaging their loadouts and locations quickly becomes an annoyance.”
stability
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and freezes that significantly disrupt gameplay. While some users have experienced fewer issues over time, many still encounter game-breaking glitches and performance problems, leading to a frustrating experience overall. Despite its potential, the game's lack of polish and persistent technical issues detract from its enjoyment.
- “Runs great on macOS Monterey.”
- “In the only difficulty I've played (Veteran - Normal), it felt pretty good and not buggy at all.”
- “Never get an early access game (reason: a game needs to be properly finished and bug-free in order to enjoy it).”
- “The complete edition is still a buggy mess.”
- “Bugs, freezes, and crashes are everywhere: enemies will constantly loop animations for some reason, death animations don't play sometimes and an enemy's model will just be stuck after death, abilities will sometimes just be unusable even if you have the AP and WP for them, many bugged and broken achievements, the list goes on.”
- “It would be way more fun if it weren't a buggy mess.”
music
160 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
59%
20%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as basic, boring, and lacking in variety, failing to enhance the atmosphere or engage players during gameplay. Critics noted the absence of combat music and a tendency for the soundtrack to feel droning and uninspired, leading some to mute it entirely in favor of other game soundtracks. While a few appreciated the ambient elements, the overall consensus is that the music detracts from the gaming experience rather than enriching it.
- “An eerie, tense soundtrack plays on both the geoscape and in the tactical battle portions.”
- “While in XCOM, the music was so dope it kept me hyped during encounters/missions.”
- “The music is dark and occasionally suspenseful enough to draw you into that zone of concern and excitement.”
- “The soundtrack is basic, which doesn't help to set the mood, and the gameplay feels very inorganic.”
- “Also, it may seem like a minor nitpick, but there is literally no combat music, which is definitely something that was a great compliment to the combat.”
- “With basically no music whatsoever, the game feels incredibly spartan and dry.”
replayability
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
62%
3%
Overall, the game exhibits a strong sense of replayability, driven by its customization options, randomized elements, and multiple factions that offer diverse strategies and paths to victory. While some players feel it doesn't quite match the replayability of the XCOM series, many appreciate the variety and depth it provides, especially with the potential for different endings and frequent updates. However, a few critiques mention limitations in map variety and linear gameplay, suggesting that while replayable, it may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.
- “Fantastic game, great replayability.”
- “The different factions and technologies give Phoenix Point a very good replayability for both tactics and strategies.”
- “The good news is that the game is very replayable; all locations are randomized at the beginning of the game.”
- “However, I would say the game does lack somewhat in replayability, especially with the lack of available maps.”
- “But it just doesn't quite have the replayability of the XCOM series.”
- “The combination of current state + DLCs + console direction + no real workshop/mod/community unfortunately indicates the game will continue on a linear path towards simple and quite guided playthroughs, whereas I'd champion variety and replayability.”
atmosphere
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
42%
7%
The game's atmosphere is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its dark, immersive vibe and Lovecraftian elements, while others criticize the lack of engaging music and sound design that detracts from the overall experience. The art style and storytelling are often highlighted as strong points, contributing to a compelling atmosphere, but some feel that the audio-visual aspects are underwhelming and fail to enhance the game's mood. Overall, the atmosphere is seen as a significant strength for some, yet a point of contention for others, with opinions varying widely on its effectiveness.
- “The art style and atmosphere is amazing.”
- “But the end result is a wonderfully pervasive atmosphere of Lovecraft-inspired near-future sci-fi.”
- “Excellent, atmospheric and involving game.”
- “The music is lackluster wannabe EDM techno-esque nonsense that doesn't fit the atmosphere, mood, or setting.”
- “And how utterly half-assed the atmosphere and believability of the maps and missions feel.”
- “Audio and visuals are just plainly uninteresting and 'so-so.' The game lacks atmosphere and mood.”
optimization
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
56%
25%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly on older hardware and during menu navigation. While newer graphics cards can achieve solid performance, users report frequent stuttering, visual glitches, and bugs that detract from the overall experience. Despite some improvements since release, the game still struggles with optimization, especially on Mac systems and in terms of controller support.
- “The optimization for newer graphics cards is fantastic.”
- “Technical performance is vastly improved from release.”
- “Especially if you're running a decent machine, I really think the optimization is spot on for more updated machines.”
- “The game is not very well-optimized, so it can run well only on new graphics cards.”
- “It's building on XCOM 2 mechanics, but runs with poor performance.”
- “As I went through my first campaign, I encountered more and more bugs along with gradually degrading performance, culminating in progress being reverted after every mission and eventually the game being hard locked on the world map with no ability to interact.”
humor
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often derived from its glitches and mechanics, with players finding amusement in the absurdity of soldier inaccuracy, animation bugs, and unexpected gameplay failures, such as misfired grenades. Additionally, the game's political satire and the ridiculousness of certain enemy designs contribute to a comedic experience, even amidst frustrations. Overall, while the humor can be hit-or-miss, it often provides a lighthearted counterbalance to the game's more serious elements.
- “I slipped up, misclicked and chucked a grenade in a room missing the window, and dropping right in front of half my team... was tragic yet humorous.”
- “The Acheron enemy introduced in Corrupted Horizons is hilariously overtuned.”
- “Very funny to restart the game about 100 times and always get heavy with sniper or assault perks, assault with heavy and sniper perks or snipers having perks which only would fit heavy or assault... but never the perks which fit its class...”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with players feeling a lack of attachment to characters and bases due to a thin narrative and brutal gameplay mechanics that discourage investment. The limited NPCs and insufficient dramatic hooks fail to engage players, making it difficult to form emotional connections, unlike in other games like XCOM. Overall, while some moments of humor and fun exist, the emotional depth is notably lacking.
- “Apart from the fact that I managed to get Tyrone to run 2 kilometers and bash in 16 separate skulls in the first round of combat simply by giving him a bat and some emotional support, pretty balanced and fun.”
- “It's tedious, and I know it says expect to lose people, but it's brutal, and unless you want to spam save every turn, you can forget having any emotional attachment to anyone.”
- “There are few NPCs to provide emotional content and a very thin overarching story that doesn't have enough dramatic hooks to keep you invested in a story.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it lacking in depth and engagement. While the integration of tactical gameplay and character progression is seen as necessary, many feel it still needs improvement to create a more compelling narrative. However, the training system and diverse squad options are noted as positive aspects that enhance the overall experience.
- “Their choices on character development and global management options made it feel actually necessary, desirable, and not unmanageable to have multiple functional tactical teams.”
- “The graphics are very good, and the character development allows a wider range of squad makeup.”
- “Character development could use some work.”
- “Training adds points to a pool that allows activation of a skill as well as character development.”
- “Until a developer figures out that chess tactical gameplay and strategy gameplay has to matter in character development and story where they must unify with one another.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Monetization in Phoenix Point has been criticized for its perceived exploitation, with players labeling it a "cash grab" due to expensive DLC that adds little value and a simplistic air combat system. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the game's data mining practices, as it reportedly shares user information with third-party marketing companies for targeted advertising.
- “Phoenix Point, the poster child of the Epic Game Store cash grab.”
- “The DLC adds features that weren't really needed. Air combat is so simplistic as to be insulting, and the marketplace is so expensive as to be useless.”
- “It also states that they will be giving your information to third-party marketing businesses to target ads to you based on your browser data that they will be mining.”