Games worth discovering

An RTS that brings alien-busting mechs to your fingertips - Xeno Command Quick Review

10K View2022-11-14

When it comes to indie developers, they always have a special place in my heart. There’s nothing like seeing a group dedicated to the art of making a great game, even if it might not be a financial cash cow. ChillyRoom is definitely one of those developers. Since I checked out the prequel to their hit game Soul Knight, I’ve been impressed with this studio. When I heard they were releasing a real-time strategy (RTS) game for mobile when that genre is usually reserved for PC, I jumped for joy. I’m happy to say Xeno Command didn’t let me down!

THE STORY

In Xeno Command, heroes lead powerful armies against aliens while conducting a variety of mission-based objectives. You have four characters to choose from to conduct campaigns. Objectives range from destroying a brain bug—yep, just like Starship Troopers—to crushing a sentient AI rebellion. The narrative isn’t really linked across these different goals, but each campaign you initiate has a cool objective that fits with the game’s overall theme.

PLATFORMS

Xeno Command is available for iOS, Android, and PC. I played it on an Android phone.

TIME PLAYED

I spent around two hours playing Xeno Command. That may sound like a short amount of time, but the game’s campaigns are equally short. Depending on your strategy, you can beat a mission within twenty minutes. Optional secondary objectives add challenge to these campaigns, but they’re also usually on a timer of no longer than ten minutes.

WHAT’S AWESOME

• Offline gameplay. No need for a high-speed internet connection or even a strong Wi-Fi zone. It’s great to see some quality offline fun you can play anytime.

• Game mechanics. Building up your base, amassing a squadron of troops, and using hero skills to take out enemies is satisfying as hell. The maps are pretty large, and you can employ different strategies to take over areas in a way that I found satisfying.

• Simple controls. Moving around a map is as simple as pointing and clicking. Xeno Command does a great job organizing all the actions you can take, from building a science tower to healing your party. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy to navigate.

WHAT SUCKS

• Single-player only. Being entirely offline does come with disadvantages. I would love to see a multiplayer option so that you can strategize with your friends in co-op or even face off against them.

• Learning curve. I died so many times at the start of my time with Xeno Command, just because I kept leading my team on a death march into a sea of monsters. Even after playing through the tutorial, my first real campaign confused me. After a bit, I realized I needed to build my base, squad, and abilities before rushing to clear the first objective, and then it became easier, but the game could handle teaching players in a smoother way.

SHOULD YOU PLAY IT?

Xeno Command is a great game you should pick up if you like RTS titles. You can play the first two chapters for free before being prompted to make a purchase of $5 for the full version. This game could’ve easily been full of in-app purchases, forcing players to grind for gear or in-game currency to buy more towers. Instead, it’s some solid free content and a polished, well-done full game at a reasonable price.

💬 What’s your favorite RTS game of all time? Let me know in the comments section, and we can chat!

IntoSpace