Turn-based tactical strategy where you command a guerrilla resistance against an entrenched alien occupation. Twenty years after Earth's surrender, you're rebuilding XCOM from scattered remnants, operating from a mobile base while evading enemy hunters. Missions involve squad-based combat with permadeath soldiers you customize and upgrade between deployments. You'll research alien tech, manage limited resources, and make timed decisions that shape the campaign. The strategic layer has you choosing which global missions to tackle while expanding your resistance network. Combat emphasizes cover positioning, ability synergies, and adapting when plans collapse. Procedurally generated maps mean no two firefights play identically. Expect to lose veteran soldiers to bad dice rolls or miscalculated risks. The difficulty doesn't apologize for punishing mistakes, but success feels earned when your ragtag squad pulls off an extraction under fire.
