Reflections: XCom as an RPG

While it’s normally categorized as a tactical strategy game, I like to believe that XCOM is also an RPG. Whenever I start a new game, I get very connected to my units. It’s quite interesting how this game becomes an RPG, actually. Certain types of players may just see their units as expendable with no personalities or histories. However, when you’re like me this changes drastically. As I use characters more and more, they begin to hold a special place in my heart. One of my units, “Pixie” Das Gupta, is my go to soldier. She is honestly one of the best units I have, and I value her being around and fighting for me. As the commander, I feel responsible for all of my units. They have earned special places in my hearts, and have sacrificed much to help fight the alien menace as well as the opposing human faction. While Pixie has allowed us to genetically modify her to make her a type of super soldier, another soldier named Richard Pink (better known as simply “Pink”) has given up his human existence to become mostly robot. When I see his giant pink mech suit on the battlefield, I know that I can count on him to protect his fellow soldiers, especially some of the rookies who are trying to make names for themselves.

When a soldier dies in an especially difficult mission, I do not restart (unless it’s Pixie or Pink. Because they are my babies). These people sacrificed themselves for the greater good, often to kill a difficult enemy so they can’t kill one of my soldiers or a civilian… or even worse turn them into a zombie or an alien themselves. These soldiers put others before themselves. The game doesn’t need to script these characters other than their barks when you give them orders in order to make them interesting. In fact, some of the scripted characters I really couldn’t care less about. The science and research leads can be annoying, and I much prefer the company of my soldiers. Through my unique experience, these soldiers tell the real story of the game. You end each battle with a war story, and not just what is taking place in the official story of the game. I often trade tales of heroism in battle with my friends who also play the game, and we will talk about our favorite units and how amazing they are and what they’ve done that makes them so special.

In this way, I believe XCOM is definitely an RPG. I am playing the role of a commander of these heroic soldiers. The story of the game becomes rich when I add the personal stories of my units. While other players may not think this way, my friends and I find this to be one of the most important and special aspects of XCOM.

#reflections #rpg #xcom #strategy