X-COM: Apocalypse

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,108 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
X-COM: Apocalypse Game Cover
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X-COM: Apocalypse is a strategy game set in a dystopian future where humanity is protected by the X-COM organization from alien threats. Players must manage resources, research new technologies, and command a squad of soldiers in turn-based combat against extraterrestrial enemies. The game takes place in a single city, Mega Primus, and offers a non-linear story with multiple endings.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Ms Dos
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,108 reviews
story34 positive mentions
stability36 negative mentions
  • X-COM: Apocalypse offers a unique blend of real-time and turn-based combat, allowing players to choose their preferred style of play.
  • The game features a complex cityscape with various factions, providing a rich environment for strategic decision-making and resource management.
  • Despite its age, the game remains highly addictive and engaging, with a deep level of customization for soldiers, vehicles, and technology.
  • The game suffers from bugs and crashes, particularly the 'insert CD' error, which can disrupt gameplay and frustrate players.
  • The user interface is clunky and not very intuitive, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand the game mechanics.
  • Graphics and animations are dated, which may deter modern players who are accustomed to more polished visuals.
  • story204 mentions

    The story of the game presents an intriguing premise involving an alien threat to Mega-Primus, with players tasked to navigate through various missions that blend tactical combat with strategic management. While some players appreciate the depth and complexity of the narrative, others criticize it for being somewhat lacking and repetitive, especially in the later stages where missions can feel like a chore. Overall, the game offers a mix of engaging storytelling and gameplay mechanics, though it may require players to overlook certain technical issues and narrative shortcomings.

    • “Story: a new alien threat looms over Mega-Primus.”
    • “Excellent classic of the XCOM series, initial reservations when it first ever released but very quickly came to love the style and depth of the story.”
    • “A perfect combination of the freedom of a sandbox game and the red line of a narrative storyline.”
    • “Storywise, I found that the game was quite lacking by its end and the last missions were really stereotypical and mostly boring.”
    • “Additionally, these special endgame missions are absolute slogs, on painfully open maps where long sight lines are going to cost you agents, no matter how prepared you are.”
    • “Some missions you will miss because the game will not inform you they are happening, sometimes they will not give a follow-up mission and it can be just confusing to play.”
  • graphics180 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated and subpar by modern standards, often described as retro or reminiscent of the 1990s, with a mix of colorful and cartoonish elements. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and unique art style, many criticize the visuals for being unpolished and glitchy, particularly on newer systems. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not impress, the gameplay and immersive experience compensate for their shortcomings.

    • “The art style is a bright, bombastic, and frankly insane art deco mess capped off with fleshy, horrific aliens.”
    • “The amount of detail they put into making the world, all the items, weapons, equipment, vehicles, aliens, enemies, entities, factions, right down to level design and overworld design - this game will have you totally immersed, whether or not you care for the graphics.”
    • “The graphics may look odd at first glance, but this game has a really nice and deep atmosphere, great creepy music, and the overall feeling that you are just a weak group against something really powerful and there's danger anywhere all the time.”
    • “The most common enemy that you will encounter looks like a scaly cookie monster and the main graphics won't win any awards.”
    • “Comparisons aside, the UI is a disgrace, the game graphics bear no improvement (I'm being generous) on the first of the series even though this chapter came 3 years later.”
    • “The graphics will make your eyes bleed, but once you get past that it is pure gold.”
  • gameplay118 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is characterized by a blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics, offering a deep and strategic experience that appeals to fans of the X-COM series. While some players appreciate the focus on a single city and the complexity of the tactical options, others note issues with balance and interface. Overall, it is praised for its satisfying progression, extensive research mechanics, and the unique atmosphere it creates, despite its dated graphics.

    • “Very satisfying gameplay with different types of aliens.”
    • “A myriad of strategic options, complex tactical gameplay even by today's standards, and the ability to switch between turn-based and real-time combat.”
    • “It is an older game... it won't win awards for graphics or user interface, but it is unsurpassed, in my opinion, in just good old-fashioned gameplay and how deep the game environment is and how interwoven the game elements are.”
    • “The core mechanics are present but the rough interface causes pain points in almost every area.”
    • “Some basic gameplay features that work everywhere now, such as tutorial or underdog difficulty level, aren't applied.”
    • “While I certainly cherish the challenge of the first two X-COM games, and enjoy the tactical shootouts of the newer ones, by the terms of complexity of the gameplay, Apocalypse still has no rival.”
  • music62 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience with both energetic action tracks and ominous background scores. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to create tension and a sense of danger, reminiscent of classic titles, while some note that it can become repetitive during extended play. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's unsettling tone and engaging atmosphere.

    • “The music and design of the aliens are fantastic!”
    • “The 'action music' is energetic, but it's the atmospheric background music, also heard when no alien fight is happening, that really wins me over.”
    • “The soundtrack is probably the most memorable part for me, and I really wish it had received a modern remastering in some shape or form.”
    • “The combat music is also tense, but tends to get kinda annoying late in the game with 'auuuuuggghhh's in your headphones.”
    • “The soundtrack is mid-tier.”
    • “I usually play with the sounds on and the music off.”
  • stability38 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting a range of bugs from minor glitches to game-breaking issues, particularly in the DOSBox port. Many players have experienced freezes, softlocks, and other frustrating technical problems that detract from the overall experience, making it difficult to recommend despite its nostalgic value. While some acknowledge that it runs well on newer machines, the persistent bugs and glitches significantly hinder gameplay.

    • “Runs great on newer machines.”
    • “I've encountered dozens of all sorts of glitches from minor to game-breaking ones.”
    • “Game freezes on new day on 'superhuman' difficulty; loading saved game will not stop this from happening, lost 30+ hours of play to this.”
    • “The anti-UFO combat is nearly game-breakingly buggy, as your tanks and planes often clip into the ground and die whenever terrain around them gets shot.”
  • atmosphere26 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and unsettling qualities, enhanced by a haunting soundtrack that captures a dystopian and cyberpunk aesthetic. Reviewers note that despite its age and dated graphics, the game's ability to evoke a sense of danger and vulnerability against powerful alien foes remains unmatched, even by modern entries in the franchise. Overall, the unique blend of horror and tension contributes significantly to the game's lasting appeal.

    • “25 years later and the atmosphere of this game is still unmatched - best X-COM game of all time, even if only for the optional real-time combat (aka fun mode).”
    • “One of the oldest games worth playing (they made this in 1997? jeez), immensely satisfying to marathon through, absorbingly dystopian and atmospheric as you struggle to find any way to get an advantage against aliens more sinister than in any other entry in the franchise.”
    • “The graphics may look odd at first glance, but this game has a really nice and deep atmosphere, great creepy music, and the overall feeling that you are just a weak group against something really powerful and there's danger anywhere all the time.”
    • “Atmosphere, that's what's gone.”
    • “I do love this game, I do prefer it to UFO or TFTD and I really wish it could be remade with a modern engine, but I do accept it is easy, lacking atmosphere and aliens.”
    • “The bad things are that the alien design and atmosphere of the game is weird, bad-weird.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity and playful satire, particularly in the interactions between players and quirky enemies that resemble candy monsters. Players find amusement in the game's chaotic mechanics, such as powerful enemies fleeing in comically illogical ways, and the humorous commentary on corporate struggles. Overall, the blend of funny visuals, unexpected scenarios, and a lighthearted tone contributes to an entertaining experience, despite some technical glitches.

    • “The squad tactics is rather satisfying with quite a variety of nasty enemies, fully destructible environments, and hilariously inappropriate amounts of high explosive ordinance.”
    • “Also, another thing that made me laugh about this game is that if you're powerful enough, you will make the biggest ship in the game run away from you, not in the portal they came from, oh no, that would be too hard with my own alien tech for them, but they will run outside of the city to the wastelands where they will die without your help.”
    • “*somewhat funny enemies (they look like candy monsters, more adorable than terrifying)”
  • replayability12 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with dynamic elements and randomization that keep each playthrough fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the extensive customization options, strategic depth, and the satisfaction of mastering its complexities, often leading to hundreds of hours of gameplay. Overall, it is regarded as a highly replayable experience with limitless potential for exploration and enjoyment.

    • “This game is highly advanced and takes time to master, but has literally unlimited replayability.”
    • “Immensely replayable and customizable, excellent strategy and tech trees, and the satisfaction of graduating from just barely hanging on to utterly unstoppable... yup, one of my favorite games of all time.”
    • “This game is highly advanced and takes time to master, but has literally an unlimited replayability.”
    • “Massive replayability with a game that can easily take over a hundred hours to complete.”
    • “- very dynamic with a lot of replay value (some fixed enemy progression and city plans, everything else random)”
  • grinding10 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and time-consuming, particularly due to sprawling maps and large-scale firefights. While some may enjoy the challenge, many reviewers feel that the lack of in-game explanations and the overwhelming micro-management detract from the overall experience, making it difficult to complete a full playthrough.

    • “However, the sprawling maps and huge firefights of the apocalypse make this a time-consuming and tedious prospect.”
    • “As much as I love this game and its quirks, the tedious finale kept me from ever completing a full playthrough for literal decades.”
    • “To some people this might be fun, but once again, it is never explained in-game and is very tedious.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The optimization of the game has been criticized for performance stutters and an unpleasant mouse/scroll experience, indicating that the DOSBox port is not properly optimized.

    • “This DOSBox port is not properly optimized.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players express significant disappointment with the emotional payoff of the game, feeling that after investing over 50 hours, the conclusion lacks any meaningful resolution or celebration, merely presenting a static screen with a text message. This lack of emotional engagement, coupled with frustrating gameplay elements, leaves many feeling that their time was wasted.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

500hMedian play time
500hAverage play time
500-500hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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