XCOM Board Game

FrenchTart · 3 Feb 2015 at 22:32

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/02/03/xcom-board-game-review-1

This review makes it look interesting...then a few of the comments make it look *really* interesting (though also raise a few points about the whole 'app' side of the game).

Personally I'm pretty sold. Has anyone already played it?

Tunney · 3 Feb 2015 at 23:05

Not yet. My copy turns up tomorrow.

Bickaxe · 4 Feb 2015 at 00:29

It's on the wishlist. Will probably buy next month

FrenchTart · 4 Feb 2015 at 08:37

Awesome - I look forward to hearing how you find it

Woogie · 4 Feb 2015 at 08:54

I had a look at this, It just doesn't seem to sit well with me, I am not sure why but it just doesn't.

FrenchTart · 4 Feb 2015 at 09:10

Woogie said:
I had a look at this, It just doesn't seem to sit well with me, I am not sure why but it just doesn't.

I'm coming at it from the angle of someone that has only a passing knowledge of the computer games - were you more into them? I get the impression that it's more of a respectful nod to XCOM rather than a reproduction.

Or is the the requirement for an app side of things? I was put off by that but it does sound like it makes for an interesting game.

Muz333 · 4 Feb 2015 at 12:20

I'm not sure if I'm into the whole app side of it but my friend is going to get it.

Tunney · 4 Feb 2015 at 19:45

Here's a few pics as promised...

There's no rulebook in the box! Instead, you're directed towards the app. Apparently there's a tutorial included in it.

Damnations Fury · 4 Feb 2015 at 21:10

Just to warn you, the tutorial can be a little vague in places and can make the first game a little slow unsurprisingly, the in app rule book is pretty useful though. Anyway it's excellent with 4.

FrenchTart · 4 Feb 2015 at 22:29

To be honest most rulebooks in games can be pretty vague/badly worded too. I imagine for this I'd play through a tutorial game where I was the only player (or emulated two) by myself to get a feel for it.

Damnations Fury · 5 Feb 2015 at 09:18

FrenchTart said:
To be honest most rulebooks in games can be pretty vague/badly worded too. I imagine for this I'd play through a tutorial game where I was the only player (or emulated two) by myself to get a feel for it.

True, though Fantasy Flight's rule books over the last year so (since Eldritch Horror with the 2 book system) have been some of the best. I suppose you could treat the tutorial as the quick start and the in game rule book as the reference, but it still feels like in a couple of places it leaves out key information and the rule book is a less useful reference.

FrenchTart · 5 Feb 2015 at 09:39

I'd prefer to have a rule book in addition to the tutorial too tbh - though that's just based on me wanting to have some kind of written reference as that's what I'm used to.

Woogie · 5 Feb 2015 at 10:56

Sorry thought I had replied yesterday but turns out I did not. I was a massive fan of the games and have played them all but looked at the board game with an open mind. Admittedly I have only seen the preview plays and am waiting for some proper reviews before I decide if I want it or not.

Bickaxe · 7 Feb 2015 at 10:31

Seems pretty good going by boardgame geek.
Tempted to buy now, missus is reading the app.

Bickaxe · 7 Feb 2015 at 14:31

Bought anyway. Away next week with friends so it'll go on the pile.

Review to follow eventually.

Chicken #16 · 7 Feb 2015 at 19:35

Shut up and sit down have done their video review:

http://www.shutupandsitdown.com/blog/post/review-xcom-board-game/

Tunney · 10 Feb 2015 at 13:01

Got to play XCOM over the weekend. The tutorial is very much needed as the game has a lot of moving parts. Each player only needs to concentrate on their own mini-game but it takes a couple of turns to understand the game. First (tutorial) game took us 2 hours to play through. Subsequent games took about an hour.

I pretty much agree with the Shut Up & Sit Down review. It's a good but not great game that will appeal mostly to existing XCOM fans. It really makes me want to go back and play the PC game more.

Bickaxe · 18 Feb 2015 at 18:46

^ This
Played earlier and the first part is quite sedate. Then the timer comes into play and you have 20 seconds or so to decide what you are doing and allocate resources. It's hectic stuff but I really enjoyed it.
Teamwork is essential and the mechanics work quite well.
We won the mission eventually and intend to play again tomorrow now we know what's involved.

Must play PC game again.

Bickaxe · 13 Jan 2017 at 15:49

There is an expansion out now as well, it adds mechs and EXALT (like Enemy Within)

XCOM (TBG) is one of my favourite games to date.