Since the time of the Star Wars Zero Company announcement, I’ve been thinking — what other franchises could benefit from an X-COM type game? I mean, let’s be honest – SWZC took a lot of ideas from that series – turn-based tactical fights with global assignments that connects them, a base that player builds and enhances, units that develop new abilities with experience, even intelligence progress that would give your side advantages just like research in X-com did.
Of course, we already had many examples of turn-based games based on titles that had previously nothing to do with turn-based mechanics or even strategy. Remember Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and Super Mario RPG, which were spin-offs of a typical platformer?
And just recently, we had a turn-based TMNT game announcement. But, in this list, I wanted to name not just franchises that could have an entry with gameplay similar to X-COM (or XCOM, since classic games had quite a few kinks that are better left in the past) but the ones that would actually benefit from such formula having their setting explored in greater depth than in some action game.
1. Stargate
The plot of the “Stargate SG-1” TV show has a lot in common with XCOM. In the beginning, soldiers from Earth had just the standard contemporary tech and weapons. Aside from Stargate itself, that is. But even that device is used just as a simple transport between planets, which (as shown later) is far from its full capabilities.
However, as teams go on various missions, they bring new artifacts and new knowledge, put new worlds on the Stargate Command map, and form alliances with the nations of those worlds. Gradually, a decent arsenal of weapons from the Goa’uld, Ancients, and other civilizations is accumulated at the base. And, of course, American scientists began to study all of this.
Over time, heroes gain experience, their weapons improve, and even they themselves receive “enhancements” (Teal’c becomes able to live without a Goa’uld symbiont, Jack O’Neill receives perks related to the DNA of the Ancients, and so on). By Season 6, Earthlings (or Tau’ri, as various aliens call them) get their spaceships (first, fighters, and then carrier ships capable of interstellar flights). And eventually, as in any X-COM campaign, with better gear and knowledge of the enemy, Stargate Command manages to turn the tide of war.
So, if anyone wants to make a game based on the series, especially the entire series, and not its small segment, as in Stargate: Timekeepers, then the X-COM format will suit perfectly. Of course, this would require sacrificing some plotlines — a campaign with freedom to choose what technologies to study and who to send on which missions certainly cannot follow the events of the show episode by episode. However, some stories of individual episodes can be implemented as random events.
2. Wing Commander
The Wing Commander was once a cutting-edge series of space simulators in terms of graphics, production, and even plot presentation. There were even choices in dialogues between missions that made the story a bit non-linear. But games didn’t offer much in the “commander” part. Only a few basic instructions to your wingman. Which is understandable to some extent, because the player’s main focus in battle was on the radar readings. There is no time to think about the squadron’s combat formation when you are trying to shake off enemies from your tail.
Of course, it would be an entirely different matter if the game were made turn-based! Yes, strategies and especially tactics about aerial combat are a rare beast, but that means only more reason to make a project for a niche that has not yet been oversaturated. Moreover, battles in space that a lot more freedom in three-dimensional maneuvering than typical battles of airplanes, so that’s an additional unique selling point.
Of course, it would be very natural for a Wing Commander setting to have its spacecraft carriers offering various upgrades. And just like in Star Wars Zero Company, there can be an intelligence office that makes all sorts of reconnaissance to acquire intel on enemies or new ships and technologies for the advantage on the battlefield. Materials and influence can be just another type of resource needed for battle upgrades.
The plot of the game can repeat the one from existing games, or tell about a new war between humanity and the Kilrathi or another hostile civilization. Regardless, it should not be far from the experience that Battlestar Galactica Deadlock already offers to the fans of turn-based combat.
3. Ghostbusters
The Ghostbusters franchise definitely had its ups and downs. However, it seems to be doing well lately. And it already has quite a few decent games with ghostbusting action. Some of those games even have upgrades for the crew, their “base”, and equipment. Even the very first game had a “strategy layer” where you drove around the city to find houses where spirits had run amok.
All that is needed for the strategy layer is to make it more nuanced, so your funding and reputation gradually change depending on how many people you saved from otherworldly terror and how fast you responded to the calls for help from different organizations. And as for the battles, well, I understand that making them turn-based can be quite a challenge.
Still, I think that a talented game designer could pull that off and make fights with the ghosts similar to what happens in Into the Breach, where a lot of emphasis is put on the special abilities of your units. After all, in many Ghostbusters films and TV series, there are special ghosts that require a unique approach or special equipment aside from proton blasters and traps. If each mission were designed like a puzzle for players to rack their brains over positioning, so no one would cross their streams, and so on, they could be quite engaging.
Considering that the Ghostbusters franchise already has several alternative timelines, the game’s plot can be about anything, as long as the player has the opportunity to develop own “Ghostbusters” office relatively freely.
4. Harry Potter
As Hogwarts Legacy has already shown, a game set in the secret world of wizards can be successful even without Harry himself or direct ties to the books. And if so, why not make a game about the “First Wizarding War” or any other similar conflict? Such a game, instead of studying alien weapons, will probably have more focus on stealth and intrigue. Probably, like Phantom Doctrine, just with magic.
Various artifacts and exotic rules of the lore created by J.K. Rowling will help to add even more nuance and unique challenges both in global mode and tactical battles. In combat, it is logical to focus on spells and counter-spells, and all sorts of side effects that trigger with 95% certainty.
And, of course, do not forget about the preparation of potions and all sorts of magical rituals. All this will be ideal for activities at the base.
5. Metro 2033/Metro: Exodus
While you can convert combat encounters into turn-based for any Metro installment, the story of Exodus would fit especially well for “X-COM in the post-apocalypse” format. Mobile camp, which Artyom and others use to establish a new settlement, can have all sorts of upgrades for safety, efficiency, or comfort. Or the new game can start with establishing the settlement itself, and then building improvements for it would be just natural.
As for the battles, games like Jagged Alliance or 7,62 High Calibre already provide a good template for encounters with realistic weapons and in a modern setting. They also already covered how upgrades for the soldiers and dealing with the locals can work.
The Metro 2033 universe already has books about different regions, characters, and time periods. Not all of them are equally canon, though. However, that only means that if an XCOM-like Metro game were to be made, it wouldn’t have to adhere to the established events strictly and could offer a lot more freedom, potentially even different endings.
Speaking of endings, a game can also be set underground and tell about some large-scale conflict in the metro itself. Or maybe there can be some new mutant threat, like in Enemy Infestation (though in turn-based form, not real-time), requiring research to stop the spread of the mutation. Add to that already scarce resource management and the need to watch over the other factions, and that would be a great dish for the hardcore player to chew on.
6. The Secret World
Maybe today this franchise isn’t as well-known as previous ones on the list, but The Secret World was one of the most anticipated games of 2012. And despite the loss of popularity, this MMO (and its free reboot — Secret World Legends) is probably one of the most immersive, deep, and storywise great games still.
“Secret World” is a world of urban legends, conspiracies, and Lovecraftian horrors. The action takes place around 2012 (that is, contemporary at the time of release) and we play as a “bee” – that’s how people, who were given magical abilities by bees from the World Tree, are called. That includes the ability to resurrect at the “wells of anima” if they die. Yes, even MMO conventions are explained in the lore. And, of course, the three most powerful secret societies — the Templars, the Illuminati, and the Dragon — are now recruiting “bees”. Players join one of the factions and investigate mysterious incidents that have occurred on Solomon Island (off the coast of the United States), the forbidden Valley in Egypt, and the forests of Transylvania.
As you can imagine, all those things are connected by a great conspiracy, and then the plot for the later game leads to Tokyo and even Africa. But that’s just minor details. The important thing is that we already have three powerful organizations (and several smaller organizations) with bases, weapons, and recruits that can have upgrades and special abilities. Everything to create a squad and send it to investigate some suspicious activity on the world map.
What will our squad encounter during the investigation? The TSW lore is full of various creatures and evil spirits, from classic vampires, demons, and zombies to more unconventional stuff, like genies, crazy robots, Cthulhu, and mutated mushrooms. To complete their mission, agents may need to clear the area, capture samples for experiments, investigate the causes of an incident, extract an artifact, or create a new base.
Since you do not play as an ordinary recruit from MMO, but as a mid-level commander, you may have your own plans and directives from your superiors. By the way, in Secret World Legends (I remind you, this is a free reboot of TSW), players have a bonus activity – to take care of recruits and send them on missions. You do not see the recruits and missions themselves, but based on the description, you must select the best candidate and equipment for the task (which increases the likelihood of success and reward bonuses). Just like sending your charges on special missions in XCOM: Chimera Squad!
All that remains is to have your own base of operations (a new one that our squad established or the one that was already shown in other games), and you become quite an X-commander. Oh, yes – games! Note, that in addition to The Secret World (and its reboot), Funcom has released horror adventure games The Park and Moons of Madness, a scare action game for two, Hide and Shriek, as well as puzzles The Black Watchmen and Cyrano Story — all based on the “Secret World” universe.
So the expansion of the universe into other genres is already underway. And given that Funcom’s projects include Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, an attempt to do something with turn-based combat won’t be a stretch.
7. Pirates of the Caribbean
As Tortuga – A Pirate’s Tale had already shown, turn-based pirate action can be quite engaging. Granted, it has only naval battles, but adding fights on land won’t be a problem, even such encounters will be more like FF Tactics than XCOM. Some wacky hijinks that movies are known for may be added through various intractable objects on the battlefield that would push or damage the enemy.
Upgrades to the player’s flotilla and/or a land base of pirate operations will also come naturally. After all, in games like Sea Dogs or Sid Meier’s Pirates! (and Tortuga – A Pirate’s Tale, of course) Amassing wealth and acquiring better ships and gear was already well-integrated. Various mystical stuff will also expand the possibilities both on a global map and during the sea battles and land fights.
What’s left? Yes, the story. Now, hear me out (well, read me out). Disney wants to reboot the franchise anyway, so some campaign where you gather pirate captains from all over the Caribbean under your banner for some greater cause, while hunting for treasures, plundering, and taking contracts from various factions, is as good a place to start as any. And developers can integrate all sorts of stories and lore as site activities.
The end goal of the game may be vanquishing some awakened sea horror, or taking down a power hungry politician, or saving the love of your protagonist’s life – what’s important is the booty and bad-ass reputation you make along the way. Of course, well-known characters like Jack Sparrow and other references to the movies would be welcome.
8. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
This is another case where I saw potential due to an already existing game – The Lamplighters’ League. In it, you had a team of colorful characters on the payroll of a secret society (League) chasing another secret society (Banished Court), trying to stop them from acquiring powerful artifacts and conquering the world through the mystical Tower.
All the XCOM elements were there – a global map where you had to choose various missions and track the progress of your enemies, a base of operations where you could research upgrades for your team, and turn-based tactical battles with all the usual rules.
Too bad that The Lamplighters’ League didn’t achieve its full potential due to all the elements being undercooked and the tone of the story being inconsistent, jumping from gritty and dark to almost cartoonish. But if developers already had an established lore and style of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comics, at least the latter won’t be an issue.
And yes, it doesn’t take a genius to see that developers were inspired by the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comics. So, everything in their game fits the franchise perfectly. And as for the actual main story, it can be either an adaptation of some part of the comics or something original. Anything would be better than the rushed and straightforward line of the movie.
So, here are eight franchises, eight universes that could benefit from a turn-based game with XCOM elements. Do you know any other IPs that could be better explored through that type of game as well?
