Side by side
Unicorn Overlord vs XCOM
Unicorn Overlord
7 positive (70%) · 3 mixed (30%) · 0 negative (0%)
Trust + time weighted: +70%
Top excerpts
Tactical RPG by Vanillaware. Reviewed very well, though might not be for everyone. Don't let the gorgeous art fool you. I suggest checking out gameplay clips first
Games like Hades, Dispatch, Clair Obscur, Metaphor, Slay the Princess, Hi-Fi Rush, Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, Unicorn Overlord, Lies of P and the Trails in the Sky remake were among my favorite recent releases and I wouldn’t describe them as graphically intensive.
Unicorn overlord at 24 bucks is a steal.
Unicorn Overlord -60% $23.99 – Tactical RPG by Vanillaware. Reviewed very well, though might not be for everyone. Don’t let the gorgeous art fool you. I suggest checking out gameplay clips first
Unicorn Overlord, Atelier Ryza 3 and Coral Island are all on my wishlist.
XCOM
7 positive (70%) · 2 mixed (20%) · 1 negative (10%)
Trust + time weighted: +58%
Top excerpts
Parent context: I personally think XCOM is massively better than it, but I guess it depends what you are after. I think it is extremely forgettable but it can be good for a target audience who likes the idea of XCOM but doesn't want it to be hardcore (or what you call "frustrating"). Reply: I think that's fair and I also think that you're objectively probably right in the assertion that XCOM is a better game, for some abstract measure of objective game quality.
I played a bit of XCOM, and while I definitely see why people like it, the permadeath was just too much for me. ... it retains much of the charm without bogging me down in the details like XCOM did.
Turn based games and games that don't require a long block of uninterrupted mental investment are where it's at. XCOM comes to mind.
I'm a big fan of Firaxis' XCOM games; their focus on tactics and conflict management felt puzzle-like, and the world events were streamlined enough to not be tedious but could still make or break a playthrough.
One thing about turn-based tactical games is the sheer length of some combat encounters that can drag, especially if there are no checkpoints mid-encounter and the player messes up or is surprised. The most prominent eg would be XCOM, but that design explicitly expects you to lose a couple of soldiers while being able to withdraw.