Characters are insufferable, buzz feed blogger types.

Makes it unplayable

The worst game in the whole series. Selection of soldiers is artificially limted, character upgrade perks are useless, and the general feeling is of a board game where you just roll the dice and write down damage points. And of course, the staple of unimaginative game design - plain stupid enemy spam. Don't even bother.

XCOM: Chimera Squad is a perfectly acceptable entry in the XCOM series. If you've haven't played the mainline games, play those instead, but if you've finished both mainline entries and need something to scratch that itch, this game works well.

Compared to the mainline series, the combat is fine. I prefer the mainline series' combat, but I wouldn't call Chimera Squad's combat a downgrade. It's the classic XCOM fare, blasting your way through hordes of enemies in tense tactical combat. The strategic element is really deep and a great to sink your teeth into.
Compared to most other game's combat, XCOM's is insanely enjoyable, giving the visceral feeling of finally cracking a crossword clue when you land a risky shot with one of your soldiers. Even not at it's greatest, Chimera Squad still delivers some of the best tactical combat out there.

The worldbuilding is probably the second-best part of this game (just behind the combat), with great dedication being given to make City 31 a lived-in place. The art style accentuates the lighthearted theme of the game, with cutscenes being rendered in a luscious cartoon style.

However, I do have some problems. The game is a bit buggy, with models clipping through walls and teleporting around. Also. the outbreak missions make no sense. When a district is panicking at max level, some random baddies show up and then just start killing civilians for no reason (to cool off, maybe.)

The villains of the groups that you have to chase have no character at all and die about 15 minutes after they get introduced. The story is paper-thin, serving exclusively as an excuse to move from one mission to another, but I can forgive that because the gameplay is where this game shines.

I do like how the game gives your soldiers more character, but I think that not allowing them to permanently die is a bit self-destructive. The game lets you pimp and preen and feel attached to these characters, which opens you up for a great emotional moment when your beloved ♥♥♥♥ snek gets beaned in the head by a blast of plasma, killing them forever; a staple of the series. However, I understand why Firaxis wouldn't implement this, as I imagine they want to make a more casual game that's accessible to newer players.

Additionally, the map diversity is pretty small. Every arms deal/hostage situation/meeting in town happens at either a busted industrial lot, a drab nightclub or a munted modern apartment. The lack of diversity makes the game feel like you're playing the same missions on the same maps over and over and over.

In conclusion, if you want to scratch that XCOM itch without replaying a previous game, definitely pick up Chimera Squad . However, play the mainline games first, if you still haven't. Also, this game goes on crazy special (for reference, I picked this game up for $1.69). If you feel a bit apprehensive, I'd wait for one of these giant sales before buying. Thank you for reading, I hope you have a good day.