What Happens When the Avatar Project Completes in XCOM 2?

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The Avatar Project in XCOM 2 is a ticking time bomb, a constant threat hanging over the player’s head. It represents the alien’s progress towards achieving total domination of Earth, and its completion spells disaster for XCOM. If the aliens manage to fill all 12 blocks of the Avatar Project progress bar, the consequences are dire: the display is replaced by a countdown timer. This timer is not just a visual cue; it represents the final stages of the alien’s victory. Once this countdown reaches zero, XCOM is defeated, and the game ends. It’s a hard loss, pushing players to reload an earlier save or accept their fate. The only way to avert this game-ending scenario is to proactively reduce the Avatar Project’s progress before the timer runs out.

Understanding the Avatar Project

The Avatar Project is essentially the aliens’ primary victory condition in XCOM 2. Unlike traditional games with explicit objective bars, this system requires you to actively thwart the aliens’ insidious plan. Think of it as a race against time: the aliens are actively trying to reach a point of no return, and you are working against it by slowing down, reversing, and ultimately defeating them. The progress bar fills up as the aliens make headway with their operations. It is influenced by various factors like the completion of alien facilities and the passage of time.

The Countdown Timer: Your Final Warning

When all 12 blocks on the progress bar are filled, the ominous countdown timer appears, replacing the progress display. This timer is usually around 20-25 days, giving you a brief window to make things right. This countdown is your last chance. It’s a dramatic representation of the imminent doom facing Earth, adding significant tension to every strategic decision you make in those final, frantic moments.

How to Stop the Countdown

Luckily, the countdown timer isn’t a death sentence from the outset. It can be halted and even reversed. The key is to reduce the Avatar Project’s progress before the timer hits zero. The timer will revert to the progress bar when the progress is decreased. You can do this in a few ways:

• Destroying Alien Facilities: In the global map view, these structures are highlighted. Each destroyed facility reduces the progress by an amount that is shown by the dots under the facility itself. These are often challenging missions, so you need to be prepared for a strong fight.
• Completing Story Missions: Missions like Blacksite, Forge, and those related to Codex Brain Coordinates are vital for decreasing the alien’s progress. Success in these missions generally reduces the counter by one or two pips each time.
• Maintaining Global Operations: Your strategic decisions on the Geoscape directly impact the Avatar Project’s progress. By expanding your network, creating contact with other regions and preventing alien operations from going unchecked, you can effectively slow down the alien’s overall progress.
• Taking down Chosen Each Chosen has their own facility. Taking them down reduces the progress bar for the Avatar project.

Failing to Stop the Project

If the countdown timer reaches zero, it’s game over. The aliens succeed in their invasion plans, and you’ll be presented with an end-game cutscene demonstrating the victory of ADVENT, after which the game takes you back to the main menu, and you’ll either have to reload a save, or start again. This end-game scenario forces you to plan carefully, balance mission objectives, and prioritize eliminating the Avatar Project’s progress as much as you can.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to clarify more details about the Avatar Project and related gameplay mechanics:

1. Can you continue playing XCOM 2 after ending?
   No, when the Avatar project completes and the timer reaches zero, the game is over and you are returned to the main menu. However, after a successful completion of the campaign, you can start a new game with Ironman mode enabled, or simply restart a new campaign using your previous settings.

2. Can you play XCOM 2 endlessly?
   Yes, you can continue playing side missions indefinitely if you choose to ignore or postpone the main story missions and the final assault. However, the game difficulty will increase over time, with tougher enemy encounters happening more frequently.

3. Is XCOM 2 a never-ending game?
   While you can play endlessly by putting off the main missions, XCOM 2 has a final storyline mission: The Alien Fortress Assault (Operation Leviathan). This will end the game, once completed, with a victory for you.

4. Is the Avatar Project the only way to lose XCOM 2?
   No, you can also lose by failing missions, which can lead to the scattering of the resistance, loss of contact, decreased income and other penalties.

5. How long does XCOM 2 usually last?
   Focusing on the main objectives will take about 33 ½ hours. If you strive for 100% completion and explore every aspect of the game, you could easily spend around 78 ½ hours. The gameplay can be much longer depending on how you approach the game.

6. What happens at the end of the “Avatar” mission?
   This question confuses the “Avatar project” with the film Avatar. In the context of the game, the “Avatar” refers to the alien’s progress towards their victory on Earth. This is not an XCOM mission, but the final stages of the campaign’s loss if the aliens achieve total victory. If referring to the movie Avatar, the Na’vi sustain great losses in their population and environment after RDA pillages their home.

7. How do you prevent the Avatar Project in XCOM 2?
   You can prevent the Avatar Project by destroying Advent Facilities, completing story missions like the Blacksite, Forge and Codex Brain Coordinate missions, and preventing alien operations from going unchecked across the world.

8. What are the best classes to beat the game?
   Many players agree that Reapers are among the most effective units for stealth and reconnaissance. Other excellent classes include the Grenadier, Ranger, and Sharpshooter.

9. Can you evac from the game even after moving and shooting?
   Yes, if you are standing in the designated evacuation zone, you can evacuate your unit, even if you have used all action points in the turn.

10. Can you lose chosen weapons permanently?
    Yes, if a soldier equipped with a Chosen weapon is killed and not evacuated, the weapon will be lost permanently.

11. Does XCOM 2 manipulate the hit percentages?
    Yes, XCOM 2 is known to ‘lie’ about the actual hit percentages. Players sometimes experience a string of missed shots at seemingly high percentages, and vice-versa. This is intentional to keep the game difficult and unpredictable.

12. Can you beat XCOM 2 without losing any countries?
    Yes, this is possible but requires a strong focus on satellite coverage, a strategic selection of countries to prioritize, and luck regarding the alien’s focus of abductions. However it is very difficult.

13. How are nicknames determined in XCOM 2?
    Soldiers are assigned a random nickname when they reach the rank of Sergeant. The nicknames come from pre-made lists.

14. What does a yellow icon mean in XCOM 2?
    A yellow shield icon indicates that a target has no cover against a given soldier. This can be due to flanking or the target’s cover being ineffective against the attack’s angle of approach. This icon means you are granted +50% critical chance and are able to bypass the aim penalty of cover.

15. Are there any sequels to XCOM 2?
    Yes, XCOM: Chimera Squad is a sequel set five years after the events of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, where you control a squad of both human and alien soldiers. Additionally, Firaxis has confirmed that XCOM 3 is still in development. Also, there are several mods such as Long War 2 which significantly change and extend the game experience.

By understanding the Avatar Project and how to manage it, you will improve your chances of victory in XCOM 2 and prevent the aliens from achieving total domination. Good luck, Commander!