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    • Aleksandrs Cernavskis [Atom Team] (Swordhaven: Iron Conspiracy)
    • Alexandre “Galdred” Boureau [Studio Draconis] (Zodiac Legion)
    • Andrew & Cory Trese [Trese Brothers Games] (Cyber Knights: Flashpoint)
    • Brotherhood, The (Stasis, Beautiful Desolation)
    • Chris England [Goldhawk Interactive] (Xenonauts)
    • Fernando Pereira [Ularis Badler] (Archrebel Tactics)
    • Kevin Zhang [Dead Monarchy Studios] (Dead Monarchy)
    • Realms Beyond: Ashes of the Fallen – Interview with the lead writer
    • White Pond Games (Urban Strife)
  • The X-com Command
    • Cyber Knights: Flashpoint – Impressions
    • Forgotten but Unbroken – The Revenge of Martin
    • Lamplighters League, The – Kitchen Sink Adventures
    • Phoenix Point – It Came From the Sea
    • Ultimate X-com Experience, The
    • XCOM: Chimera Squad – Prepare for Anarchy
    • Xenonauts – Illegal Aliens
    • Xenonauts 2 – Early Access Impressions
      • Xenonauts 2 [Early Access] – Round Two
      • Xenonauts 2 [Early Access] – Round Three
      • Xenonauts 2 [Early Access] – Round Four
      • Xenonauts 2 [Early Access] – Round Five
      • Xenonauts 2 [Early Access] – Round Six (concerns)
      • Xenonauts 2 [Early Access] – Round Seven
      • Xenonauts 2 [Early Access] – Round Eight (THE END)
    • Extras!
      • Brutal AI for OpenXcom Extended
      • 2024, the year of X-com-likes
      • Xenonauts 2 with a PS4 controller [Steam]
  • Cosmic Horror Zone
    • Abscission – Deworming Time
    • Alpha Polaris – The Crevasse of Madness
    • Alone in the Dark – Black Goat Country
    • Call of Cthulhu – Prepare for Madness
    • Dark Rites of Arkham – The Swearing Detective
    • Dreams in the Witch House – Rat Trouble
    • Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
    • Excavation of Hob’s Barrow, The – Cave Doom
    • Phoenix Point – It Came From the Sea
    • SKALD: Against the Black Priory – Tentacle Island
    • Stasis: Bone Totem – Atlantean Rumble
    • Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones – Cosmic Snorer
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        • Occam’s Sponge: Mapping the Timelines of the Command and Conquer Canon
        • What is Tiberium?
      • Complete Project Zomboid Lore Story, The
      • Resident Evil: The Lost City of America
    • Animations & Films
      • Fallout
        • Fallout: Invasion Of New Vegas [Film]
        • Fallout Operation: Sunburst [Film]
        • Fallout – The Revenant Series [Machinima]
      • Half-Life
        • LZ – Sparrow (Half-life animation)
        • AFTER WAR & PATIENT ZERO (more Half-life videos)
      • Resident Evil
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        • Resident Evil: Requiem – Evil Has Always Had A Name [Short movie]
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      • Fallout TV show – Episode 1 & 2
        • Fallout TV show – Episode 3
        • Fallout TV show – Episode 4 & 5
        • Fallout TV show – Episode 6
        • Fallout TV show – Episode 7 & 8 (Season 1 final)
        • Fallout TV show – The real villains
      • Halo – Episode 1 impressions
      • Halo TV show season 2 – some thoughts
        • Halo TV show: Episode 3, season 2
        • Halo TV show: Episode 4, season 2 – Burning Reach
        • Halo TV show: Episode 5, season 2 – Paintball time
        • Halo TV show: Episode 6, season 2 – Women!
      • Rings of Power [Season 1, Episode 1 & 2 – This cost 1 billion]
      • Rings of Power [Season 2, Episode 1-4 – Back to dullness]
        • Rings of Power [Season 2, Episode 5 – We got rings!]
        • Rings of Power [Season 2, Episode 6 – The Kraken]
        • Rings of Power [Season 2, Episode 7 – The Siege of Weird]
        • Rings of Power [Season 2, Episode 8 – The End]
  • The Book Bank
    • Command & Conquer: Tiberium Wars by Keith R.A. DeCandido
    • Crysis: Legion by Peter Watts
    • Crysis: Escalation by Gavin Smith
    • Deus Ex: Icarus Effect by James Swallow
    • Deus Ex: Black Light by James Swallow
    • Homefront: The Voice of Freedom by John Milius & Raymond Benson
    • Kraken Wakes, The by John Wyndham
    • Resident Evil
      • Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy by S.D. Perry [Book 1]
      • Resident Evil: Caliban Cove by S.D. Perry [Book 2]
    • Xcom 2: Resurrection by Greg Keyes
  • Tom’s Top Tens
    • Top 10 RPGs with Custom Parties on PC
    • Top 10 RPGs with Fixed Parties on PC
    • Top 10 Solo RPGs on PC
    • Top 10 Tactical Games (X-com-likes) on PC
    • Top 10 ZOMBIE games on PC
    • Top 10 Saddest Game Cancellations
  • Tip-Jar

Tag: X-com-like

Galactic Space Guard – Demo Impressions

Suit up, marine, it’s time to defend humanity’s space stations against alien incursions. The trade and profits must flow, so get to it, private! The Galactic Space Guard demo has you clearing one of these stations from the vermin of space. While not a looker graphically, as it visually looks like a 90s MTV music video, the twist on the turn-based combat makes up for it.

Continue reading “Galactic Space Guard – Demo Impressions” →
Posted on 25 February 2026 by ThomasPosted in PC, Strategy, Turn-BasedTagged Aliens, Brutal, Demo, Impressions, Sci-fi, Squad-based, Steam Next Fest, Strategy, Tactical, Turn-Based, X-com-like. 3 Comments

Every Day We Fight – Demo Impressions

It was time that I finally got to play the X-com-like Every Day We Fight, and I’m not disappointed. To be completely honest, I didn’t expect much going on. However, soon after trying the shooting mechanics, and getting to experience the story setting, I’m hooked. Except for one thing. A thing the game hangs heavy on, both gameplay-wise, and narratively. And that is: time-shenanigans. I have always struggled with time-travel plots, since for the most part the story ends up in an unsolvable mess of paradoxes. It’s way too early to say for Every Day We Fight, but it’s in here!

Continue reading “Every Day We Fight – Demo Impressions” →
Posted on 13 June 202513 June 2025 by ThomasPosted in PC, Turn-BasedTagged Aliens, Demo, Games, Gaming, Impressions, Sci-fi, Simulator, Tactical, Turn-Based, X-com-like. Leave a comment

Future War Tactics: SOF vs. Alien Invasion – Demo Impressions

The game with the longest name ever (Future War Tactics: SOF vs. Alien Invasion), is what I can best describe as a Xenonauts clone. But instead of being based on NATO (with the help of the Soviets), it’s entirely a Russian endeavor. It’s a bit of an oddity, since it’s very rough around the edges. The game seems to have a linear mission structure with only a few soldiers to pick from, and it’s set to be released in a month, which limits the amount of polish that can be done. Yet, somehow it’s still charmingly playable and I found the setting compelling. 

Continue reading “Future War Tactics: SOF vs. Alien Invasion – Demo Impressions” →
Posted on 12 June 202512 June 2025 by ThomasPosted in PC, Turn-BasedTagged Aliens, Demo, Games, Gaming, Impressions, Sci-fi, Tactical, Turn-Based, X-com-like. Leave a comment

My Top 10 Tactical Games (X-com-likes) on PC

Welcome to yet another top ten list! This time we are leaving the RPG genre behind and going straight for intense tactical combat in the form of X-com-likes, with the X-com games included. Specifically, this means: The games on this list must have some kind of base/camp management, where the player will upgrade, equip and recruit units for the campaign. The game must also involve tactical combat, with an overlaying strategic map where decisions are made like where to attack. And finally, the most important requirement: It must be sandbox-orientated—even if it has a story, where the deaths of soldiers, agents, or mercenaries don’t result in an instant game over.

The X-com genre is one of my absolute favorites. The gameplay is dynamic, has natural high tension thanks to permanent deaths, cool sense of progression, and sweet tactical action when tasks must be accomplished. But it’s not exactly a well-defined genre on its own. However, I will try to keep it in line with the original that started it all. With that said, let’s start the list with the most obvious entry:

Continue reading “My Top 10 Tactical Games (X-com-likes) on PC” →
Posted on 01 June 202511 October 2025 by ThomasPosted in Tom’s Top TensTagged Games, Gaming, List, PC games, Real-Time, Strategy, Tactical, Top-10 list, Turn-Based, X-com-like. Leave a comment

Star Wars embracing Xcom?

I just noticed on Steam that there is a turn-based Xcom-like game set in the Star Wars universe called Star Wars: Zero Company. According to the information available, it’s planned for a 2026 release. So, some time until then. At first, I didn’t think much about it, since I was sure it would be set in the new Disney era – the era of cringe. But it is not so. Instead, it’s set during the twilight of the Clone Wars, which should be a damn cool setting for a clandestine Xcom-style squad. A group of specialists put together to tackle the toughest of missions the republic can think up. However, what has me curious is that one of the team members is a Jedi. It has me concerned that this will eventually play out with the typical “Are we the baddies?” scenario with an allegiance switch. Considering Order 66 (the betrayal of the Jedi), and with the game being set late in the war. I really hope this isn’t the case, but it’s too early to worry about that now. Check out video announcement below:

Continue reading “Star Wars embracing Xcom?” →
Posted on 20 April 202520 April 2025 by ThomasPosted in PC, Turn-BasedTagged Aliens, Futuristic, Gaming, News, Sci-fi, Star Wars, Trailer, Turn-Based, Video Games, X-com-like. Leave a comment

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Latest Comments

  1. Thomas's avatar
    Thomas on NORSE: Oath of Blood – Viking Retribution [Review]04 March 2026

    Yeah, I was hoping for something more open form, but instead it's entirely linear, with what I believe not a…

  2. Tipa's avatar
    Tipa on NORSE: Oath of Blood – Viking Retribution [Review]04 March 2026

    I saw this in the Steam Next Fest, and was initially pretty excited for it, same reasons you were talking…

  3. lightdeliciously5639c626cc's avatar
    lightdeliciously5639c626cc on Galactic Space Guard – Demo Impressions01 March 2026

    Hi Thomas, thank you, also for your valuable feedback! Shooting enemies will affect the morale when hitting your units, also…

  4. Thomas's avatar
    Thomas on Galactic Space Guard – Demo Impressions01 March 2026

    Hi Martin. Thanks for posting here, and I'm glad you liked the article. Nice to see kneeling will make it…

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