For a game that is reusing several assets, XCOM: Enemy Within sure is adding a ton of of new content. Cyborg soldiers and Psi-enhanced operatives are just a few of the new personnel that you’ll be commanding. But don’t expect your enemies to not bring something new to the party either. Say hello…to the seeker.
Developer Firaxis have cooked up something new to terrorise players with, according to their blog. The Seeker is a flying unit that was originally meant to appear in the first game, but was kept in storage. Until Firaxis saw how good people were at the game. “One of the things we wanted to do in Enemy Within was to get the player looking over her shoulder more often,” Lead Designer Ananda Gupta wrote on the blog.
Making the Seeker a flying unit made a ton of sense; an assassin has to have a lot of mobility, especially if we want it to make hit and run attacks with a close-quarters ability. Stealth would also help it approach the player’s squad without getting chewed up before it can get to grips.
But stealth proved very difficult to get right; in a turn based game, there are defined windows for player action, and we needed to make sure that players didn’t spin their wheels hunting the last cloaked enemy on the map.
The Seeker’s stealth was initially unlimited, but this was quickly changed to a fuel-like system both for multiplayer balance reasons and so that “hunt the Seeker” didn’t become a problem during abduction and terror maps once it was clear the player had a strong advantage.
Seekers appear in pairs; this is pretty tightly controlled. Originally, Seekers could appear in moderate numbers, but one too many missions where the entire XCOM squad was simultaneously strangled led us to change that.
To compensate for their small numbers, they will often defer combat until XCOM encounters another alien group; this keeps the player suspicious, and offers a choice: try to locate and destroy the Seekers immediately, or move on and hope you can deal with them when they combine with other aliens on the map?
Sounds like a challenging adversary. Enemy Within is out November 15, so go stomp some bugs before the game is out. Do you want to know more?
Last Updated: September 18, 2013
That Dark Twit
September 18, 2013 at 07:56
I am yet to play XCOM. :<
Rainman
September 18, 2013 at 08:03
You twit, you don’t know what you are missing.
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 08:04
Seconded
CrasH
September 18, 2013 at 09:43
Third
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 08:04
What Rainman said
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 18, 2013 at 08:05
Don’t listen to them, they’re just envious of our mental strength & resistance to temptation.
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 08:05
Another non-believer
Mark Treloar
September 18, 2013 at 08:38
i’m not resistant i’m just broke
RincemySniperKittEH0-O
September 18, 2013 at 09:15
Burn the heretic!
Anon A Mouse
September 18, 2013 at 08:47
I also need to play it yet. However my backlog of games and lack of Randelas is a major hindrance.
That Dark Twit
September 18, 2013 at 08:47
I am in the same situation, no Randelas. :<
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 09:06
1. Put on Steam wishlist
2. Save
RincemySniperKittEH0-O
September 18, 2013 at 09:16
Do yourself a favour. Sell whatever children/family you have and get it. Well worth it.
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 08:05
Are they really psi enhanced? I thought they were genetically enhanced?
(As you already get Psi soldiers?)
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 08:07
What do the seekers do? Strangle you?
Pfff, my Assault troopers will grant them A SHOTGUN TO THE FACE!!!!
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 18, 2013 at 08:17
I don’t think it’s the assault troopers that have to worry so much, it’s the sniper that’s hanging back in a fight heh
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 08:45
Yeah, wonder if you can mind control them or if they are robotic?
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 18, 2013 at 09:09
They look robotic, like those things from the Matrix.
Kromas
September 18, 2013 at 10:07
Half my troops are usually snipers with the friendly LoS ability sitting waayyyy back.
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 10:10
I have one to two with the “In the zone” perk, then one to two Assaults, a support and a heavy
The Noble TiMsTeR
September 18, 2013 at 08:14
I wonder what this XCOM is all about…
Lardus-Respect the beard
September 18, 2013 at 08:34
I wants this NAOW!!!!
WernerE
September 18, 2013 at 08:58
Normally I am very disciplined when it comes to buying games, I would wait for about a year for the price to drop. However, when it came to XCOM EU, I bought it on launch day and I was not disappointed. I will do the same with Enemy Within. I can’t wait! 😀
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 09:06
I only got EU a few months ago, and fo’ damn sure will get EW ASAP
RincemySniperKittEH0-O
September 18, 2013 at 09:03
Man oh man! MOAR awesomness to come! Exhausted after last nights GTAV session! WHAT A GAME!
Admiral Chief of Rivia
September 18, 2013 at 09:06
Glad you got it dude
RincemySniperKittEH0-O
September 18, 2013 at 09:15
Me too man. Was rather pathetic. OVG and I were playing at the same time, while I’m dragracing, he’s in a strip joint getting his hands dirty. LOL.
hubble19
September 18, 2013 at 12:14
Oh I can’t wait for this! Even if I have to murder Mr Piggy Bank I’m getting it at launch!