While the idea of a co-op XCOM board game sounded great, the fact it required use of an app turned a lot of people ā myself included ā off. Well, maybe I was being premature, because it turns out calling it an āappā is doing it a disservice.
PC Gamer got some hands-on time with the game, and what they write about the app makes it sound like a chess clock. If a chess clock could talk, and make up new rules every few minutes.
http://www.pcgamer.com/previews/xcom-the-board-game-hands-on-aliens-apps-and-anxiety/
While the gameās officialannouncement was a little vague about the appās role, in practice itās actually a fifth player of sorts, called a āCentral Officerā. The CO is in some ways running the game, telling each player what to do and when to do it.
Hereās how it worked in practice, in my demo game:
āCommander, assign your interceptors. You have 15 seconds.ā
Africaās about to fall into panic. Europeās no better. I have six inbound UFOs, and six interceptors, but Iām short on cash. If I move to defend, Iāll have nothing to give my ground troops, who are repelling a base-invasion at XCOM HQ. And the Science Officer wonāt shut up about wanting to get more salvage.
āFive seconds!ā screams my Central Officer.
I let Africa fall, assigning three interceptors to Europe.
So, yeah. Tense! Unpredictable! Unless your gaming setup makes it impossible to get a laptop or iPad or whatever somewhere near the table, this sounds amazing.
XCOM: The Board Game hands-on: aliens, apps, and anxiety [PC Gamer]
