X-COM: Terror from the Deep

First off, this the UN-PATCHED V1 same as the original CD. (Which I also own). So it does still have the deep one research bug. If you don't know about that, not hard to find out. Anyway, if you go into the game folder after the install and modify the dosbox config file, and set the display mode to "ddraw" and the memory size to either 64 or 128, it should work as good as it was intended, just like my dad's old 486/66 with dos 6.22. brings back memories. Anyway, the display mode default makes screens blur with random colors, and this is how I fixed it. Enjoy!

To be honest I think that playing this game is more of a chore than actually fun! Yes when the game is good it is really fun XCom action but then there are the times that the missions just drag on an on... In the first game the levels were really good if not even perfect. Maps were large enough for the aliens to hide in but still not too large to take ages to cover. All this is thrown to the wastebasket on TFtD where even the small alien crafts are fought on a map that is the size of the first ones final mission! And the less I say about the alien bases (6x6 with 4 floors with lifts in pretty much every room!) the better. Alien AI has also taken couple lessons as this time the aliens actually roam around a lot instead of just waiting like in the first game. Now on normal maps this is fine but then there are the alien bases and other large maps... Oh and this game includes the missions in ships. Everything you have heard about them is true. They are that annoying. So the more I play the game the less I really enjoy it as the large maps along with really tough enemies (Lobstermen can rot in hell!) means that you'll be sweeping tons of space and thanks to roaming aliens you can never be sure of your rear until the end when you get the bigger ships. It just gets really annoying having to clear every nook and cranny as aliens can hide even in closets! I ranked this 3 stars as while it is a chore to play lots of times the times when it isn't it is an XCom game still and those are really fun. Buy if you want the whole package but don't expect this to be as good or polished as the first one.

This game will kick your ass, over and over again. But once you succeed, you will feel like the king of the world. And that feeling is worth it - no one will rip it away from you. To finish this game once is honorable. To finish it more than once is madness. That ugly cyan/blue color of everything underwater will forever be imprinted on your retina...

If you're looking at this page, chances are you already know what's going on so I'll throw in something not so well known. First of all, the research tree is busted and if you research in a wrong order, you will NOT get to the end of the game, check some Wiki. Second, play it with OpenXcom engine for better performance and gameplay improvements. If you haven't played this game before, don't even think about taking on an alien base on your first attempt. Wait until you find one, research thermal shock launcher and get to the first stage of the base, where you can quite easily capture a live Tasoth (even before they start coming up regularly in USOs) and research mind control. It will be very worth the wait to train your soldiers to control minds because, otherwise you'll go nuts in the base, and save time ultimately. Also unless you REALLY need points, skip ship terrors, they take too much time, you can rack points up elsewhere on USOs). I like this sequel a lot despite its shortcomings as it expands in many ways, like more terrors, close up weapons, different alien bases and (much) tougher aliens, I mean, God, go and try to take on Biodrone, it has near 100% accuracy. A true challenge to a tactical mind.

As is abundantly clear by other reviews, this game is unforgiving... but not impossible. In fact, once you understand the mechanics, they can easily be exploited. That said, you will loose those soldiers. This game introduces more options to tackle the aliens (buildning bases on/off land), better management skills (don´t expect under-water-guns to work topside) and more time fighting (maps are much bigger than before). New music, new aliens, cool under water environments, and that healthy smell of fish.