UFO: Aftermath

About

"UFO: Aftermath" is a 3D tactical strategy game with a sci-fi setting, where players fight against an alien invasion. The game features real-time tactical combat with RPG elements, allowing soldiers to improve as they gain experience. Players must manage bases, interceptions, and squads in the global strategy, while engaging in ground battles with the enemy in run-time generated missions. The game's challenge is to balance the use of resources, improve technology, and command troops effectively in order to save the Earth from the alien threat.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 216 reviews

story18 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game offers a unique atmosphere and engaging story, reminiscent of classic X-COM titles, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
It features a real-time with pause mechanic that allows for strategic planning, providing a fresh twist on traditional turn-based gameplay.
The character development and variety of weapons add depth to the gameplay, making it addictive and rewarding for players who invest time in mastering it.

The game suffers from significant technical issues, including crashes on modern systems and poor resolution support, making it frustrating to play.
The user interface is outdated and confusing, which can make it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics and controls.
The difficulty curve is inconsistent, with early missions being too easy and later ones becoming overwhelmingly challenging, leading to a frustrating experience.

story
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
69%
6%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging narrative and atmospheric elements, particularly the unique horror flavor and well-written opening scenes. However, others found the story to be basic and repetitive, with uninteresting enemies and a sudden spike in difficulty that detracted from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the story is worth experiencing, especially for fans of the genre.
- “Excellent storyline.”
- “I found myself completely immersed in the story and atmosphere the game built as you were playing it.”
- “A good, fun game and a worthy successor to the original UFOs; loved the grim post-apocalyptic atmosphere brought forth by the dirty, dark graphics, incredible music, and the story of the world you find yourself in.”
- “The story is boring, enemies are uninteresting, the gameplay can be simple yet confusing at the same time (not an easy achievement).”
- “The game follows a storyline unlike its predecessors where the objective was getting to the enemy base.”
- “The story is basic, but there.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
56%
17%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are outdated and reminiscent of mid-90s titles, often described as grainy or crunchy. While some appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and find it fitting for the game's atmosphere, others have experienced significant glitches, particularly on newer systems, making the game unplayable for some. Overall, the graphics are considered decent but could benefit from modernization to enhance the overall experience.
- “A good, fun game and a worthy successor to the original UFOs; loved the grim post-apocalyptic atmosphere brought forth by the dirty, dark graphics, incredible music, and the story of the world you find yourself in.”
- “The graphics are decent and the music is good.”
- “Though the graphics are older, this game is one of my top favorite classic games.”
- “Unplayable on my Windows 10 system due to graphics glitches.”
- “It's a shame really that the graphics are at a mid 90's level, or this would be a really great game worthy of a much higher price tag...”
- “The sites to attack/invade are ultimately repetitive, enemies spawn 'behind where you searched' at times, you will likely want to turn the voice acting off, it is incredibly repetitive and gets annoying after a while and the graphics are getting dated being limited to 1024x768.”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
63%
13%
The gameplay is a mix of polished mechanics and unique charm, featuring squad-based tactics, gear customization, and a balance that avoids the repetitiveness often found in similar titles. While some mechanics may be under-explained and the overall experience can be simple yet confusing, it offers a fun and engaging tactical experience reminiscent of classic XCOM games. Players seeking a more refined experience are encouraged to try the Aftershock expansion for improved gameplay.
- “It's somewhat crustier than the original XCOM games, but has its own unique brand of charm, especially the base mechanics and the fun fluff details added in the research tabs.”
- “Also, the gameplay is greatly polished in my opinion, with no needless parts.”
- “Loads of fun with great 'line of fire', 'time halt', and 'squad tactics' mechanics - all for a tiny price!”
- “The gameplay can be simple yet confusing at the same time (not an easy achievement).”
- “There are some mechanics that are not completely explained.”
- “Actually, this game is a lot simpler in mechanics than the original X-COM series.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a unique sense of despair and depression, with dark, muddy, and gloomy visuals that create a deeply immersive experience. Players appreciate the grim post-apocalyptic setting, enhanced by compelling music and storytelling, which effectively draws them into the game's world. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's impact.
- “I found myself completely immersed in the story and atmosphere the game built as you were playing it.”
- “A good, fun game and a worthy successor to the original UFOs; loved the grim post-apocalyptic atmosphere brought forth by the dirty, dark graphics, incredible music, and the story of the world you find yourself in.”
- “Atmosphere is mostly dark and muddy, gloomy.”
- “The atmosphere is mostly dark and muddy, creating a gloomy experience.”
- “The atmosphere is predominantly dark and muddy, which contributes to a sense of gloom.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for its incredible soundtrack, which enhances the addictive gameplay and complements the grim post-apocalyptic atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate how the music contributes to the overall experience, making it a standout feature alongside the decent graphics and engaging story.
- “It has a great soundtrack and is very addictive once you get going.”
- “A good, fun game and a worthy successor to the original UFOs; loved the grim post-apocalyptic atmosphere brought forth by the dirty, dark graphics, incredible music, and the story of the world you find yourself in.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, particularly on Windows 10 systems, with users experiencing severe graphics glitches and numerous bugs that render it unplayable for some. Despite these problems, players still feel that the core essence of the game remains intact.
- “Unplayable on my Windows 10 system due to graphics glitches.”
- “The Steam version is very buggy.”
- “By God, buggy as all hell, but the XCOM spirit is alive.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as the lack of clear goals often leads to a sense of aimlessness. While the real-time mechanics offer more control compared to traditional turn-based systems, the necessity to grind extensively before encountering engaging content detracts from the overall experience.
- “The goals are also not explained as they should be, so for the most part, you feel like you're just grinding, and you need to grind a lot until something interesting happens.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find the character development to be highly immersive, particularly due to the integration of a time system that enhances the overall experience.
- “The time system and character development were very immersive.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional response to the game's frustrating balance issues, particularly regarding weapon damage and enemy mechanics, which can lead to feelings of helplessness and disappointment. The overwhelming difficulty and perceived lack of support from AI teammates contribute to a sense of despair, making the experience emotionally taxing.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game largely stems from the intentionally poor voice acting, which many players find to be amusingly bad. This unintentional comedic element adds a unique charm to the overall experience.
- “The voice acting is so atrocious, it's hilarious.”