Best Games Like XCOM, otherwise also known as XCOM: Enemy Unknown, was released to both critical and commercial acclaim back in 2012.
Featuring turn-based tactical gameplay where the fate of the world was literally in your hands and every move you made had both immediate and far-reaching consequences, it didn’t take long for XCOM to see a sequel in XCOM 2 and eventually, a bunch of other games that were looking to hop on its success and try to replicate what it did. And, that’s exactly why we’re here.
Below, we rounded up 10 of the best XCOM-like games that are available on all platforms that you can play today.
1. Strike Team Hydra
XCOM’s plot and themes are pretty much unparalleled as far as games in its genre go. But, there are other things that the games that it inspired did just as well if not better.
Case in point, Strike Team Hydra.
This mobile game, which is available on both iOS and Android devices, boasts a wide range of creative customization options, allowing you to make all of your squad composition dreams come true and test them against an enviable range of difficulty levels.
Not to mention, while the plot and theme are a little bit thin, the campaign scenarios as strategically planned to make you think about what you’re going to do next and how you’re going to do it.
If you’re looking for your X-COM fix on the go, then Strike Team Hydra is it.
2. Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
What do you get when you breed XCOM with anthropomorphic soldiers and real-time stealth?
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, that’s what you get.
The amount of polish that this game, which is based on a Swedish board game, is amazing. But, then again, it shouldn’t be that surprising. When you’ve got guys from both the Hitman and Payday franchises playing a role in a game’s creation, it’s kind of expected.
In Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, players will collect information to try and hedge their chances of winning as much as possible.
However, even when those “favored” battles do come, all bets are still off, because you’ll never know who the percentages are going to favor, regardless of how smartly you play things.
From variables that are out of your control to variables that you can work your way around, Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden will have you micromanaging as you’ve only done a few times in your life.
3. Valkyria Chronicles
Mixing shooting and real-time strategy always goes well together, especially if you throw in anime-like graphics while you’re at it.
Valkyria Chronicles is pretty much XCOM if it was made for anime fans.
Also, if its plot revolved around two fictional factions warring against each other instead of the human race fighting against some alien invaders. If you liked XCOM, then you owe it to yourself to at least try what Valkyria Chronicles has to offer.
4. Phoenix Point
Phoenix Point takes the original idea for XCOM and adds a grittier, Lovecraftian-inspired tone to it, which may or may not appeal to you. While Phoenix Point isn’t shy about saying what its influences are, it’s also different from XCOM in a variety of ways.
5. Wasteland 2
Deep, immersive, and wildly entertaining, Wasteland 2 isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, even for those who love XCOM and its sequel.
6. Civilization VI
You might not think that the Civilization franchise is similar to XCOM, and that’s okay, but both are, without a doubt, some of the best turn-based strategy games out there.
Sure, their approach may differ. However, at the end of the day, if it’s a strategy you’re looking for, then both franchises have it in spades.
Complicated and engrossing all the same, while also being available on several platforms, including iOS, Civilization VI, the latest title in the Civilization franchise, is perhaps the best title of the long-standing turn-based strategy series yet.
7. Darkest Dungeon
What exactly is Darkest Dungeon? Is it a turn-based strategy game? What about an RPG? Is it a city-building game?
At this point, we don’t really care.
What we only care about is that Darkest Dungeon is a damn good game that, on one end, lets you control adventurers going into dungeon expeditions and on the other, has you in charge of a town that you’ll have to find a way to sustain, the lives of your adventurers be damned.
8. Battletech
At its very core, BattleTech is a turn-based strategy game that features big, hulking machines, and really, what’s wrong with that?
That alone would have made the game sell, not to mention the fact that it is an adaption of the classic tabletop game of the same name. But, BattleTech also has more to offer, including a surprising amount of depth to go along with its giant robots.
BattleTech will have you making the hard choices at every turn, including whether or not it’s worth risking your mechs on a mission that could get it destroyed with very few returns.
Phantom Doctrine does away with the risks commonly associated with turn-based strategy games and goes all-in on its story.
Then again, it’s probably all the better. Because, as much as there’s zero randomness as far as the combat goes, you’ll soon find that a lot of the things that you’re going to learn from the game’s story and all three of its campaigns will come at you right out of the left field.
If you like your turn-based strategies with a dose of conspiracy theories, then the Phantom Doctrine is for you.
10. Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
Whereas the XCOM games featured aliens, the 40K games go all-in on the alien concept. However, Warhammer 40,000: Merchanicus is different in that it lets you play as the Adeptus Mechanicus.
But, if you do know just how big of a deal that is, then you’re probably already looking to buy the game if you haven’t already bought it.
It’s safe to say that, if you like Warhammer 40,000 and turn-based strategy games, then Mechanicus is right up your alley. There you have it, 10 games that, like XCOM, will satisfy your craving for turn-based strategy games. Given the wide variety of games that we have rounded up on our list, we’re sure that you’ll find an XCOM-like experience that you’ll enjoy.
