X-COM: UFO Defense splits your attention between running a global defense organization and commanding turn-based squad battles against invading aliens. On the strategic layer, you manage budgets, build bases, research captured alien tech, and scramble interceptors when UFOs appear. When you engage, the game shifts to ground combat—you control individual soldiers in turn-based firefights across procedurally generated maps. Soldiers gain experience but die permanently if you mess up. Research unlocks better weapons and armor by reverse-engineering alien gear. Meanwhile, nations panic if you don't protect them, threatening your funding. You're constantly choosing: invest in new labs, expand your barracks, or rush that plasma rifle project? The dual-layer structure means every decision on the geoscape affects your odds in combat, and every casualty on the ground limits your strategic options.
