New strategy game Chains of Freedom mixes XCOM combat with survivalist crafting

XCOM’s greatest trick is how it manages to make menus and numbers feel like life and death. The explosive gun battles of Cyberpunk 2077? The blow-out heists in GTA 5? No. The tensest experience in PC gaming is when your XCOM 2 Ranger has a 61% chance to hit an attacking Muton, which in turn is about to inflict six points of damage on your Sharpshooter. Blending the statistical tension of Firaxis’ finest with the scrounging, crafting, and apocalyptic aesthetic of survival games, if you’re hungry for XCOM 3, Chains of Freedom is likely your next best option.

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