"XCOM 2" has launched today on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game developers revealed the development details of the video game from the PC to the consoles.
To celebrate the release of the console version of the video game, a new trailer was released by the game developers. The video, which can be viewed below, shows off some gameplay from the console version and some information of the enemy alien race.
Lead producer Garth DeAngelis wrote on the official blog of the PlayStation the details on the development of the video game. He revealed that when they decided to take on developing an "XCOM" game, they knew that everything will start with the original one. They were aware and humbled by the impact of the classic game and its impact on the industry when they created "XCOM: Enemy Unknown" and the second game.
DeAngelis revealed that the challenge with their first video game was how much they would carry over from the classic "UFO Defense," and how much they will reinvent. The developers wanted to make their own unique style of the series, but they also wanted to deliver a true XCOM experience to the players. He also said that the early prototypes of the first game were a more literal translation of the classic game to their new game.
The developers wanted the players to fight an uphill battle throughout their campaign. They wanted the gameplay where the odds were against the players, but they win in the end somehow. When they figured out what the core of the gameplay was, they added in new ideas and modernizing game mechanics.
The response to the first game was overwhelmingly positive, and that inspired the game developers to continue to develop the series. To create the second game, they had to face a whole different set of challenges. They had to start fresh with new ideas to really make the franchise their own and create a true sequel.
The developers found an idea of starting the story of the sequel after losing the original game. This inspired them to build a new world upon. This polished the game's tactical mechanics, and established a new open-ended strategy layer.
DeAngelis's favorite improvement was the aliens. They symbolize the bolder direction of the sequel both narratively and artistically, he said. The sequel has more terrifying version of the alien roster, whose DNA has been mixed together with human DNA.
The improvement made the aliens stronger and smarter. The developers also shifted the gameplay from the defensive, reactionary style from the first game to a more offensive one.
The development team is excited to continue the franchise on the consoles with the second game, which has launched this week. According to the official PlayStation page of the video game sequel, players can avail the standard and the Digital Deluxe Edition. The latter contains the full base game, and the Reinforcement pack that contains most of the themed add-on packs.
Check out the video game's official console launch trailer below: