Now available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the new XCOM 2 update today fixes an issue with extremely long load times when ending tactical missions after extended play, adds waypoint functionality, reduces stutter when saving during tactical missions, and fully implements the My2K service.
Here’s the full list of patch notes:
Gameplay
- Waypoint functionality added.
- World stats are now displayed at game end.
- Fix for extremely long load times when ending tactical missions after extended play.
- Reduced hitches when saving during tactical missions.
- Rendering optimizations for retaliation missions, night missions, and aiming view in all missions.
- Improved Fog of War and Screen Space Ambient Occlusion.
- The flashing health bar from the Fire Weapon action no longer persists after being targeted with other abilities on the Shot HUD in mission.
- Fixed an issue where a building’s walls will fail to cut away when attempting to throw a grenade near or into a building through a window or door within a mission.
- Unit status flyover icons will no longer remain on screen during the enemy action cam animation after revealing the squad during any tactical mission globally.
- Soldier and Staff portraits no longer appear with corrupt textures when viewed in the Avenger.
- The Shot HUD / Action Menu no longer loses functionality when making a one action move during another soldier’s pathing animation in game.
- Long soldier names in tactical are now correctly sized and do not scroll
- The Commander is no longer invisible when picked up by Central in the tutorial of a new game.
- Unconscious VIP’s no longer appear standing up and conscious when viewing them the turn after using the “Carry Unit” ability in a “Neutralize VIP” mission.
- Unconscious soldiers no longer t pose when entering the final room during the Alien Fortress mission.
- Fixed In-game lighting appearing corrupt when entering a mission on a City Center map after starting a new game from the Main Menu
- Fixed an issue where the Weapon Color would incorrectly display when the User changed the color, exited the character editor, then re-entered the character in the Character Pool.
- Camera rotation and elevation is now possible when in the Shot HUD when selecting AOE weapons.
- Fixed an issue where the Loot Recovery is prompted twice when a Psi Op soldier picks up loot from a Viper during gameplay.
- Enemy units within line of sight are now no longer invisible when aiming at them throughout the title.
- Fixed an issue where line of sight on targets will be lost after creating a map asset explosion in tactical gameplay.
Multiplayer
- The Shieldbearer’s Energy Shield will now apply to other Squad units when activating the ability in Multiplayer gameplay.
Anarchy’s Children
- The user is now able to edit characters that have been created with Anarchy’s Children DLC within the Character Pool.
Resistance Warrior Pack
- The user is now able to edit characters that have been created with a Resistance Warrior DLC helmet/hat within the Character Pool.
My2K
- Implementation of full My2K service.
When asked if XCOM 2 will get a PS4 Pro performance patch, the XCOM Twitter account directed the user to this update, but, as you can see, there was nothing mentioned in the patch notes about PS4 Pro.
In our XCOM 2 review, we said, “Great strategy games are few and far between, and XCOM 2 is an absolute treat for anyone craving a challenge on every level.”
PS4 Strategy Games
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PS4 Strategy Games
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Anomaly 2
Out Now?
Yes, Anomaly 2 was released in 2014.
What's the Hook?
The sequel to Anomaly: Warzone Earth provides a lot of affordable fun on PS4. The game adds a morphing feature that adds a new layer of strategy to the game, and its a blast to play. Just don't expect much from the story as it doesn't have much substance.
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The Banner Saga
Out Now?
Yes, both The Banner Saga and its sequel are available now.
What's the Hook?
This tactical role-playing game series has been a hit with fans since its first entry was successfully crowdfunded. Its blend of Norse mythology and satisfying tactics is well worth playing.
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Battle Worlds: Kronos
Out Now?
Yes, Battle World: Kronos is available both digitally and physically.
What's the Hook?
This turn-based strategy game is solid, if unspectacular on PS4. It features a generic sci-fi theme, but the core gameplay is pretty fun. It also has pretty easy trophies to get, so if you're a trophy hunter there's some extra incentive for you.
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Bladestorm: Nightmare
Out Now?
Yup, Bladestorm: Nightmare
released on PS4 in 2015.What's the Hook?
It's a blend of Dynasty Warriors and a real-time strategy game. That sounds awesome in theory, but sadly Koei Tecmo missed the mark here. Unless you enjoy beating up on poor AI, and playing monotonous battles then you better avoid it.
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Blood Bowl 2
Out Now?
Yes, Cyanide's Warhammer spin-off came out in 2015.
What's the Hook?
Despite looking an awful lot like a game of American football, Blood Bowl 2 is actually a strategy game. It's also a pretty darn good one, as the gameplay is highly satisfying. If you enjoy sports, or just the world of Warhammer, then I'd recommend giving it a go.
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Cannon Brawl
Out Now?
Turtle Sandbox Games' Cannon Brawl came out in August 2015.
What's the Hook?
This fun, competitive strategy game is a great time for two players. Players are purchasing new towers and placing them in order to defeat their opponents, and it leads to a lot of laughs. It's definitely worth checking out, especially if you're a fan of Worms.
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CastleStorm: Definitive Edition
Out Now?
CastleStorm: Definitive Edition made its way to PS4 in 2014.
What's the Hook?
This version of CastleStorm runs more smoothly and looks better than on older consoles. That's good news as this physics-based strategy game is a pretty great time. The game's multiple campaigns offer up an enjoyable story, and fun levels that provide a castle to destroy. It's certainly more light-hearted than a lot of games on this list, so give it a look if you're looking for something more casual.
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Dungeons 2
Out Now?
Dungeons 2 released earlier this year.
What's the Hook?
What's great about the Dungeon series is that its basically a dungeon crawler, but in reverse. Instead of players controlling a hero trying to defeat monsters, the player is controlling monsters and sending them at the heroic savior. It makes for a really interesting gameplay experience, and the game's narrator (Kevan Brighting) does a great job of keeping the experience enjoyable. Definitely worth a look due to its unique premise.
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Grand Ages: Medieval
Out Now?
Kalypso Media's Grand Ages: Medieval came out in 2015.
What's the Hook?
Grand Ages: Medieval is a very serious real-time strategy game that is probably a good time on PC, but just doesn't work all that well with a controller. The control scheme is overly complicated, and a lengthy tutorial largely does more to confuse players than to alleviate any misunderstandings. Check it out if you're willing to crack its shell, but it's a little too hardcore to work on a console.
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Ironclad Tactics
Out Now?
Yes, it's out now.
What's the Hook?
Ironclad Tactics' main mechanic is that players are using cards to determine their actions. This is a refreshing take on the genre, and players get to enjoy all the fun of deck building on top of strategic battles. It also takes place in an awesome alternate history of the Civil War, where each side had giant mechs.
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Neopolis
Out Now?
No, Neopolis isn't out yet, but is due out later in 2016.
What's the Hook?
Few settings are as cool as cyberpunk, and the developer behind Neopolis clearly knows this. They're using a cyberpunk future as the game's backdrop, and this real-time strategy game blends it with an anime-style. Since RTS games don't typically work on consoles, Omni Systems are attempting to retool the genre. Find out more about it here.
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Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence
Out Now?
Yes, Sphere of Influence came out in Japan in 2014, and North America in 2015.
What's the Hook?
This hardcore historical simulation is all about resource management. Players will have to manage military forces, all while running a kingdom and making sure their political standing is intact. It's a bit rough around the edges (particularly graphically), but there's a rewarding experience if you're willing to put in the work.
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Plague Inc: Evolved
Out Now?
Yes, it came out earlier this year.
What's the Hook?
It's not uncommon for a strategy title to have a focus on taking over the world, but Plague Inc does it in a different way. Instead of dominating the world, the player's goal is to infect it with a plague. This continues until every single human in the world is dead. It's one hell of a twist, and Ndemic Creations are able to deliver on it.
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Pocket God vs Desert Ashes
Out Now?
Yes, Pocket God vs Desert Ashes is available now.
What's the Hook?
This is (sadly) as close as PlayStation owners are going to get to playing an Advance Wars game. While Intelligent Systems' series is the cream of the crop, this comes across as more of an imitator. It lacks a lot of the charm and strategic balance as what clearly inspired it, but there's still some fun to be had here. Just know that you'd be better off playing one of the GBA's best titles instead.
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Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII
Out Now?
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII came out this July.
What's the Hook?
Koei Tecmo's real-time strategy title takes place during the same time period of Chinese history that their beloved Dynasty Warriors games do. It's a pretty solid RTS, but it's sadly plagued by controller issues as this tries to be far more complicated than something that worked on consoles like Halo Wars.
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Skulls of the Shogun: Bone-A-Fide Edition
Out Now?
Yes, 17-BIT's turn-based strategy title came out in 2015.
What's the Hook?
Skulls of the Shogun is a fantastic strategy game that hides a difficult game behind a rather cute exterior. The Bone-a-Fide Edition adds four new campaign levels, a new character, and developer's commentary. It's the best way to experience what was previously a Microsoft-exclusive title.
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Space Hulk: Ascension
Out Now?
No, it's set to release this October.
What's the Hook?
Based upon the Warhammer board game of the same name, this strategy title looks to bring that same fun to gaming systems. For those that don't want to wait for its console release, it's worth noting that it is already out on PC. It received very positive reviews, so it looks to be one worth checking out.
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SteamWorld Heist
Out Now?
Yes, the 3DS hit came to consoles earlier this year.
What's the Hook?
This fantastic turn-based title takes the dice rolls out of combat and actually has players aiming guns in order to do damage. It creates a satisfying risk/reward mechanic where players can attempt difficult shots and actually pull them off if they are good enough. Everything comes down to skill here, and that is so refreshing. SteamWorld Heist is a must-play.
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There Came an Echo
Out Now?
Yes, it came out in June.
What's the Hook?
This real-time strategy game is probably worth passing on despite its neat concept. Players command a squad of characters and issues orders by voice commands (although this can be turned off). Beneath a really awesome voice recognition system is a pretty shallow experience.
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Tropico 5
Out Now?
Yes, Tropico 5 came out last year.
What's the Hook?
This management simulation has players taking the role of dictator as they try to make their country thrive. It's a pretty solid game, and there's a good chance that you already own it. This is due to the game being free on PlayStation Plus, so boot it up if you do.
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Valkyria Series
Out Now?
The remake of Vaklyria Chronicles is available now. Valkyria: Azure Revolution is still in development.
What's the Hook?
The Valkyria series blends real-time and turn-based action. This creates some really satisfying gameplay. While the remaster of Valkyria Chronicles was rather pedestrian and didn't fix any of the game's issues, hopefully the sequel will build upon its solid framework.
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Worms Series
Out Now?
Both Worms Battlegrounds and Worms W.M.D are available now.
What's the Hook?
This turn-based strategy game is as wacky as the genre gets. Team17's signature series is still a ton of fun after decades of releases, and W.M.D is the most refreshing version of the series in years. Grab some friends and a good time is guaranteed.
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XCOM 2
Out Now?
XCOM 2 is now available on consoles.
What's the Hook?
The sequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown is another great game from Firaxis Games. New additions include a mobile base, and a bunch of new enemy types to battle. It's some of the finest turn-based strategy gamers can find, so check it out.
