Is XCOM 2: War of the Chosen a Sequel? Unpacking the Expansion
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The short answer is: no, War of the Chosen is not a sequel to XCOM 2. It’s crucial to understand that War of the Chosen (WotC) is a significant expansion pack, not a new game in the series. Think of it as a massive overhaul and enhancement to the core XCOM 2 experience, rather than a narrative continuation. While it offers a wealth of new content, mechanics, and challenges, it fundamentally plays out within the same overarching story and timeline of the base game. It’s designed to reimagine and deepen the player’s journey through the resistance against the alien occupation, rather than take you to a completely new setting or plot point. The relationship between XCOM 2 and War of the Chosen is akin to XCOM: Enemy Unknown and its expansion, XCOM: Enemy Within. While both Enemy Within and War of the Chosen add substantial content and gameplay, neither is a direct sequel, but a significantly richer and more comprehensive version of their respective base game.
Understanding the Difference: Expansion vs. Sequel
To clarify further, let’s distinguish between an expansion and a sequel. A sequel typically presents a new story, characters, settings, and often builds upon the mechanics of the previous game, offering a fresh start. In contrast, an expansion is designed to supplement an existing game, adding new features, content, and often significant changes, without deviating from the core narrative. WotC perfectly fits into the latter category. It doesn’t move beyond the core XCOM 2 storyline; instead, it integrates seamlessly into it, enhancing and enriching the experience at every level.
Why War of the Chosen Isn’t a Sequel
Here’s why War of the Chosen isn’t a sequel:
- Same Core Campaign: You’re still liberating Earth from ADVENT, the alien puppet government. The core plot points and overall arc remain consistent.
- No Carry-Over: You don’t carry over progress from an XCOM 2 save into WotC. You start a new game entirely. This indicates an evolution of the game, rather than a continuation of a previous save.
- Enhancements, Not Replacement: WotC doesn’t replace XCOM 2; it augments it. The new features, enemies, and classes integrate into the existing game mechanics, rather than creating a wholly different game.
- Expanded Universe, Not New One: While WotC has canonical implications for the XCOM timeline, it isn’t presenting a new timeline, but rather building on top of the existing one that started in XCOM: Enemy Unknown and continued in XCOM 2.
The Additions that Make WotC Unique
While not a sequel, War of the Chosen is far from just a minor update. It introduces a host of significant additions that drastically change how the game is played:
- The Chosen: These are three unique and formidable mini-bosses with their own personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. They appear throughout the campaign, adding a new layer of challenge and complexity.
- New Factions and Classes: Three new resistance factions (Reapers, Skirmishers, and Templars) provide three unique and powerful classes to enhance your team, greatly expanding tactical flexibility.
- Expanded Strategic Layer: WotC introduces new mechanics on the Geoscape, like fatigue, bonds between soldiers, and covert operations, adding depth to the strategic decisions made outside of tactical missions.
- New Enemy Types: The Lost are a new zombie-like threat that swarms the map, forcing players to adapt their strategies.
- Quality of Life Improvements: Many changes were also made to streamline the gameplay experience, improving the flow of both battles and the strategic layer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some commonly asked questions to provide a comprehensive understanding of XCOM 2 and its expansions:
Is War of the Chosen the same game as XCOM 2?
While it’s fundamentally based on the same structure and story, WotC is a massively enhanced experience of XCOM 2. It adds numerous new elements, making it a significantly different, and arguably much better, game. They share the same core campaign but differ significantly in content and gameplay experience.
Should I start with War of the Chosen or XCOM 2?
It’s highly recommended to play the base XCOM 2 first to understand the core mechanics and experience the game as intended before the expansions. WotC layers many complexities and added difficulty on top of that. A first run through the base game is essential for new players.
Does the XCOM 2 Collection include War of the Chosen?
Yes, the XCOM 2 Collection typically includes XCOM 2: War of the Chosen along with other DLC packs like Shen’s Last Gift, Alien Hunters, Anarchy’s Children, and the Resistance Warrior Pack.
Is XCOM 2: War of the Chosen canon?
Yes, XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is considered canon within the XCOM video game universe, along with XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM: Chimera Squad.
What is the most powerful weapon in XCOM 2?
The Plasma Bolt Caster is considered one of the most powerful weapons, but it has the drawback of needing to be reloaded after each shot.
Is XCOM Enemy Within a sequel?
XCOM: Enemy Within is an expansion pack, not a sequel, for XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It adds new gameplay elements and themes of transhumanism.
What order should I play the XCOM 2 games?
The recommended order is to start with XCOM 2, then move to War of the Chosen. You may also want to play XCOM: Enemy Unknown first as that’s where the XCOM timeline first began.
Are XCOM and XCOM 2 connected?
Yes, XCOM 2 is a direct sequel set 20 years after the events of XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM: Enemy Within, exploring the aftermath of XCOM’s defeat and Earth’s surrender to the alien invasion.
Is XCOM 2 better than XCOM 1?
Generally, XCOM 2 is considered the better game, offering more variety in enemies and playstyles. Both are excellent games in their own right, however, especially with their expansions.
Is XCOM 2 never ending?
The game has a final mission, but you can choose to postpone it indefinitely, allowing you to continue playing through side missions and building your team.
Is the original XCOM worth playing after XCOM 2?
Yes, the original XCOM and XCOM Enemy Within offer a unique experience not entirely replicated by XCOM 2. It offers a good sense of what the franchise was built on.
Is XCOM 3 confirmed?
Firaxis have confirmed that XCOM 3 is still in development , which many fans eagerly await.
Who is the strongest soldier class in XCOM 2?
The Reaper class is often considered the strongest due to their stealth, damage output, and ability to act outside of the typical turn-based system.
How big is XCOM 2: War of the Chosen in terms of storage?
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen requires approximately 65 GB of available storage space.
Do you need to play the XCOM games in order?
Playing them in order will help follow the story, but it’s not strictly required. You can play XCOM: Enemy Unknown/Enemy Within first and then play XCOM 2 and WotC, or you can begin with XCOM 2 and then go back if you want.
In summary, while XCOM 2: War of the Chosen significantly enhances the XCOM 2 experience with a plethora of new content and challenging enemies, it is an expansion and not a standalone sequel. It builds upon the foundation of the base game, offering a richer and more intricate strategic and tactical experience. New players will do well to start with the base game first before diving into the more complex and challenging experience offered by the expansion.