X-COM: Interceptor

About

In X-COM: Interceptor, protect Earth's space mining operations from devious aliens threatening to destroy the planet. Combining real-time first-person combat with strategy, players must equip X-COM fighters, amass an arsenal, research new tech, and even pilot their own attack ship in this thrilling, fast-paced space battle.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 174 reviews

story4 positive mentions

gameplay4 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of space flight simulation and X-COM style base management, providing a fresh take on the franchise.
Despite its age, the game retains a certain charm and can be enjoyable for those who appreciate retro gaming.
The strategic elements of base building and resource management are engaging, making it appealing for fans of the X-COM series.

The game is plagued by frequent crashes and bugs, making it nearly unplayable on modern systems without extensive workarounds.
Controls are often described as confusing and unresponsive, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
Many players report that the game lacks polish, with issues such as graphical glitches and a cumbersome interface.

story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
79%
9%
The story is noted for its unique approach to expanding the narrative, effectively bridging the plots of the previous games in the series, particularly with X-COM: Apocalypse. However, players have expressed frustration with numerous glitches and mission bugs that detract from the experience, making it more appealing primarily to fans of the original who seek additional lore rather than a robust gameplay experience. Overall, while the story has its merits, it is overshadowed by gameplay issues and a lack of guidance in missions.
- “An unexpected and very different take on expanding the story, and a fairly enjoyable game, albeit with some heavy annoyances.”
- “Also, the story is nice; it does a decent job of establishing a bridge between the plots of the first two games and that of X-COM: Apocalypse.”
- “You build bases, expand them with modules, research techs (story-wise you download them from Galactic Science Corps), hire pilots, buy craft, weapons, and equipment, and send them to intercept UFOs.”
- “I'm giving this a recommended rating, but I honestly wouldn't recommend it to anyone other than fans of the original who would like a little more plot and lore and don't mind the lacking gameplay.”
- “Having repurchased it on Steam, I was very frustrated that the probe mission was glitched and could not be completed.”
- “This focuses on strategy, not the storyline or final stages.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
65%
20%
The gameplay combines base building mechanics from earlier XCOM titles with space flight simulation, allowing players to pilot ships in dogfights rather than managing individual soldiers. While the mechanics are easier to grasp than in previous entries, the experience is primarily recommended for fans of the original series who appreciate the added plot and lore, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay depth. Overall, it offers a fun and engaging experience, especially for those familiar with the franchise.
- “The game takes the base building mechanics from the first three entries and instead of having you manage individual soldiers and have tactical battles, you pilot a ship in space and have dogfights.”
- “I found the mechanics much easier to grasp than earlier games in the franchise.”
- “You build bases, expand them with modules, research techs (story-wise you download them from galactic science corps, gameplay-wise it's just like research in every other such game), you hire pilots, buy craft, weapons and equipment, and send them to intercept UFOs.”
- “I'm giving this a recommended rating, but I honestly wouldn't recommend it to anyone other than fans of the original who would like a little more plot and lore and don't mind the lacking gameplay.”
- “Balanced might be veteran and permadeath restrictions if you want to be challenged without getting annoying gameplay.”
- “The core gameplay is a space flight sim, which if you can convince it to play well with modern controllers can still be fun if silly time.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The graphics of the game are widely criticized for being outdated and prone to stuttering, especially after user interactions like clicking or alt-tabbing, which can lead to irreversible scrambling. While some players report that the game runs fine on modern systems with updates, the overall consensus is that the visuals have not aged well, making it difficult to recommend to new players.
- “Works fine for me on my new rig for those having issues with the rainbow graphics that's easily fixed by downloading an updated version of DOS and replacing the.”
- “Not really a game to recommend to people, at the time it was new and different, a space shooter with research and some basic strategy, in a modern world there is very little to cause any comment other than the now very dated graphics.”
- “The graphics start to stutter after you click on something.”
- “Sure, the graphics aged poorly and the Xbox port doesn't help.”
- “It's hard to play nowadays with the dated graphics and controls.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally considered to be quite buggy, with frequent glitches and crashes, particularly on Windows 7. Despite these stability issues, many players still find it enjoyable and easy to pick up, indicating that the overall experience remains positive despite the technical shortcomings.
- “Buggy mess on Win7... jammer probe light years away... game crashes.”
- “It glitches with probes, but apart from that, it's good.”
- “A bit buggy but still worth it.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is notably poor, with players experiencing significant loading issues and limited resolution options, often maxing out at 1080x720. Despite its enjoyable gameplay, these technical shortcomings hinder overall recommendations, especially for modern computer users.
- “It isn't too well optimized for modern computers, and I think the resolution has a maximum of somewhere around 1080x720, but it is still a great game.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that the release of version 1.2 significantly enhances the game's playability, suggesting improved replayability due to the updates and refinements made in this version.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing comments made by pilots, which add a lighthearted and entertaining element to the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the comedic timing and wit of these remarks, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The game is filled with hilarious comments from the pilots that keep you laughing throughout the missions.”
- “I love how the pilots crack jokes during intense moments; it adds a unique charm to the gameplay.”
- “The humor in the pilots' dialogue is top-notch, making even the most serious situations feel light-hearted.”

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X-COM: Interceptor
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X-COM: Interceptor

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