War of the Chosen is a significant expansion to XCOM 2, a tactical turn-based strategy game developed by Firaxis Games. The expansion introduces new gameplay mechanics, enemies, allies, and story elements, enriching the base game’s experience with additional depth and challenge. Here’s a breakdown of the main elements in War of the Chosen:
1. The Chosen
- The Chosen are three powerful, unique enemies created by the alien Elders to hunt down the XCOM forces. Each Chosen has distinct abilities and personalities:
- The Assassin: Specializes in stealth and close combat, often ambushing and damaging soldiers.
- The Hunter: Uses long-range attacks, sniping XCOM troops from a distance.
- The Warlock: Wields psionic powers, summoning spectral enemies and using mind control.
- The Chosen adapt over time, learning new abilities and becoming tougher as the game progresses, making each encounter increasingly difficult.
2. New Factions and Heroes
- War of the Chosen introduces three human resistance factions, each with unique hero units and objectives:
- Reapers: Skilled in stealth, with a powerful sniper known as the Shadow, Reapers are excellent for scouting and taking down enemies without being detected.
- Skirmishers: Former ADVENT soldiers who have rebelled against their alien masters. They specialize in mobility and close-range combat, using a grapple and flexible tactics.
- Templars: Wield psionic energy and focus on melee attacks. Templars build up “Focus” to enhance their powers, delivering devastating attacks and defensive abilities.
3. New Gameplay Mechanics
- Bonding: Soldiers can now form bonds with one another, granting them unique teamwork abilities that allow for powerful tactical combinations. Bonded soldiers can support each other on the battlefield and improve their morale.
- Fatigue: To manage soldier fatigue, players need to rotate their troops more frequently, as sending fatigued soldiers on missions can lead to reduced performance or negative traits.
- Negative Traits: Soldiers can develop traits like phobias or aversions to specific enemies after traumatic missions. These traits affect performance and can be addressed in the Infirmary.
4. New Mission Types and Locations
- War of the Chosen introduces mission types such as “Ambush” and “Lost & Abandoned,” requiring different strategies.
- One of the notable changes is the Lost, zombie-like enemies that appear in large numbers, often disrupting both XCOM and ADVENT forces. Dealing with the Lost adds an unpredictable element to missions.
5. Photobooth and Legacy Operations
- The Photobooth feature allows players to create posters featuring their soldiers, capturing memorable moments or honoring fallen heroes.
- Legacy Operations provide scenarios set in XCOM 2‘s world, showcasing battles and missions from the time of XCOM’s resurgence.
War of the Chosen enhances XCOM 2’s replayability, adds storytelling depth, and introduces new strategic layers that keep players engaged with evolving challenges and a wider range of tactical options.