Phoenix Point Reviews
Phoenix Point's more complex take on the classic X-COM formula has some great ideas, but most of them feel experimental and in need of fine-tuning and balance.
In terms of core design, turn-based tactics games don't get much better than Phoenix Point.
Phoenix Point carries Gollop's legacy forward capably, if conservatively.
The creator of XCOM returns with some interesting new ideas, but without the budget or time to refine them Phoenix Point struggles to offer a viable alternative to its more established rival.
Phoenix Point takes a good shot at revitalizing the XCOM formula.
Phoenix Point fits firmly on the foundation of modern XCOM, but rethinks combat with an action point system and the ability to free aim. While the latter seems like a gimmick, it's actually a wonderful tactical option that pushes the strategy forward. It's a shame then that a reliance on procedural generation leads to a lack of variety, weapon balance isn't great, and the technical execution is rough. Phoenix Point is a great starting point for something amazing, but it's not quite there yet.
Phoenix Point is a good try at capturing some of that XCOM magic, but it falls short of being great. I found myself enjoying the experience, but at the same time, couldn't help feel that something was missing. Hopefully it's something that can improve in a sequel, if it ever comes.
Phoenix Point expands upon the XCOM formula brilliantly, offering a fantastic campaign that leaves you twisting and turning.
Surely an interesting game, Phoenix Point nevertheless suffers from some opaque mechanics and too much micromanagement. Julian Gollop is proposing a valid spin on the X-COM formula, but Firaxis' War of the Chosen remains a bridge too far.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Like XCOM, then, Phoenix Point is a gripping tactical strategy game.
Die hard fans of XCOM will likely fall in love with Phoenix Point, a hard-as-nails challenge that offers procedurally-generated replayability and a suite of tactics to help you thrive on and off the battlefield.
There’s slow-burn greatness in Phoenix Point. It’s a game where you might be exploring a site, bracing for ambush, but instead find an abandoned theme park dedicated to a novelty boy band of hedge fund managers called the Lucrative Lads.
When the dust settles, a year has been extraordinarily helpful to Snapshot Games. The AI is sharper, the animations are better, the fight feels more fair, and the game takes risks that make it feel fresh. While there are still some bugs to iron out, and the UI can be confusing at times, there's a lot to enjoy in Phoenix Point: Year One Edition.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one as a tactics player, but for anyone interested in getting in now, I caution you to save often and take your time. It can be a joy to play at times, but it can also quickly become a real slog.
The granular gameplay in this post-apocalyptic strategy game becomes an administrative headache, and the story is presented with all the drama of an engineering textbook
Phoenix Point is a great tactical game with interesting diplomatic features and a user-friendly interface, which suffers from the same type of missions closer to the final and incredible peaks of difficulty due to an artificial intelligence system that adapts to your battle tactics and in combination with randomly created stages turns some maps into impossible challenges. I hope that in the console release this brutal level of difficulty will still be fixed.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Despite a bunch of interesting ideas, Phoenix Point rarely offers a viable alternative to the many other games of the same genre. Greatly unbalanced, unpolished and poorly optimized, the game by the creator of the X-Com series is but a shadow of Gollop's past.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you are familiar with the genre, you know what to expect with Phoenix Point. Little flourishes, like letting you manually aim your shots, inject some new life into a fairly predictable genre.
In the long run, this is a great game and one that is well worth spending your time with.
Phoenix Point has some amazing gameplay ideas and even fun fluff, but it needs to work on quality of life and balance.