I love the design of the Alien universe. It takes that classic ’70s and ’80s vision of the future where we’re still using floppy discs and giant computers, but perfectly marries this with a great sense of reality. Everything feels lived in, used, and ancient, despite it being our future. This is the exact visual identity Xenopurge, a newly announced tactics game, is pulling on. While we’ve got to wait a short while for launch, you can sign up for a playtest right now on Steam.
Xenopurge is a strategy game with a twist. Like XCOM 2, Gears Tactics, and myriad others, you take on the role of a commander issuing orders to your squad, but not from some ethereal point above the battlefield. Instead, every decision you make takes place in a remote command center, with some excellent visual design. All the technology is a blend of old-school computers and futuristic sci-fi, with developer Traptics drawing clear comparisons to James Cameron’s Aliens film.
Everything about Xenopurge looks incredibly tense and tactile. Whether you’re hearing the buzz of the computer as you cycle through combat actions, catching the quiet screams of your troops over the radio as they’re gutted by an alien menace, or watching each soldier navigate combat on a neon-lit screen, everything in Xenopurge looks fantastic.
While you engage in turn-based tactics in XCOM, with full control of your squad, Xenopurge is about autonomy. Once you’ve tailored each soldier’s loadout, behavior, and tactics, you set them off to complete the mission. You can still intervene with timely instructions, though, so try and make sure you don’t lose your entire team to the red dots on your screen, which represent the aliens. Think of it like Five Nights at Freddy’s in a tactical, alien coat.
If your squad does wipe, however, that’s not the end. Xenopurge has roguelike elements and uses these to make sure that no two missions are the same. Dead soldiers stay dead, sure, but every level is a separate challenge, and you’ll want to engage with the persistent progression elements if you intend to survive.
Xenopurge is set for launch in Q2 2025 with a Steam playtest you can register for now; all you need to do is request access to get involved. You can learn more here. The Xenopurge Kickstarter is also scheduled to start next year as well.
If you’re looking for more we’ve also got all the best roguelike games and grand strategy games, both of which will keep you busy.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.