X-Com: The Board Game – First Thoughts

Just got my first play of the X-Com board game in and it was really interesting. For those not in the know this coop boardgame requires the use of an app that is accessible via web, iOS or Android and has caused much hubub among the Board Gaming community: some see it as anti-board gaming essentially whilst others embrace the integration of technology and tabletop gaming.

Put me firmly in the later camp after my first play through. The app has a Tutorial mode that neatly takes you through the game and I honestly don’t think I’ve encountered a smoother way to introduce a game to new players. I would love to see more of this kind of thing, even for games that don’t rely on an app.

The app also acts as Games Master, it’s instructions and threats being relayed by one of the players at the table whilst the others research science, defend your base of operations, defend continents from UFO invasion and balance the budget, Yes that’s right you too can experience the excitement of balancing the books as the Commander Role (it’s really important by the way). It’s a really interesting way to do the Co-op style game, and the timed element of the app means there is very little chance for any one player to dominate if they ‘know what they are doing’ like you can get in other games. I hope they do more with it, updating it with new game modes and such like.

Really looking forward to getting the game on the table on a non-tutorial setting and it looks like it will have a lot of replayability with loads of different missions and difficulty settings.