Cholera Squad is about 10-20 hours of dull, unpleasant experience. In this world, XCOM won and you now fight re-used enemy assets and game-breaking bugs using a bunch of pre-generated characters. I expected nothing and I’m still let down. This new thematic entry carries all the drawbacks of XCOM 2 while adding a lot of original ones to boot.

The main USP here is the breach mechanic where you select from the number of pre-determined entry points for attack. This addition that should supposedly expand on the game’s tactical potential. Taking on an enemy on your own terms: pretty good, right?

Not even close. Choosing an entry point gives you bonuses and penalties to units going through it. At the start of the turn a character is very likely to activate with some HP missing or their gun disabled. Close quarters fighting got mixed with claustrophobic camera angles from the previous title. The satisfying turn-based action is botched by the fact that a unit’s seemingly good positioning does not guarantee high to-hit chances.

The new Timeline system is a great tool if you are a tactician, a minmaxer, or anything in between. It makes close quarters battles fresher and more intense. On the other hand, enemies get high base stats, and characters’ shooting animations are long. The operations’ length overstates its welcome.

The issues Chimera Squad solves are strictly business specific. It’s all well and good, but it is not a pleasant game to play. But hey, fans will eat it up, and workshop community will make it playable.

Cholera Squad is about 10-20 hours of dull, unpleasant experience. In this world, XCOM won and you now fight re-used enemy assets and game-breaking bugs using a bunch of pre-generated characters. I expected nothing and I’m still let down. This new thematic entry carries all the drawbacks of XCOM 2 while adding a lot of original ones to boot. The main USP here is the breach mechanic where you select from the number of pre-determined entry points for attack. This addition that should supposedly expand on the game’s tactical potential. Taking on an enemy on your own terms: pretty good, right? Not even close. Choosing an entry point gives you bonuses and penalties to units going through it. At the start of the turn a character is very likely to activate with some HP missing or their gun disabled. Close quarters fighting got mixed with claustrophobic camera angles from the previous title. The satisfying turn-based action is botched by the fact that a unit’s seemingly good positioning does not guarantee high to-hit chances. The new Timeline system is a great tool if you are a tactician, a minmaxer, or anything in between. It makes close quarters battles fresher and more intense. On the other hand, enemies get high base stats, and characters’ shooting animations are long. The operations’ length overstates its welcome. The issues Chimera Squad solves are strictly business specific. It’s all well and good, but it is not a pleasant game to play. But hey, fans will eat it up, and workshop community will make it playable.