I had to register an account to post about this episode because it was absolutely infuriating. They apparently don't remember how one note the strategy layer of 2012 was and complaining there are actually choices and multiple systems to interact with in the strategy layer now is one of the weirdest criticisms ever. They made it a strategy game instead of a puzzle game and now you don't like it? I had zero problems understanding the strategy layer. The game tells you the basics of everything going on, it's not the games fault if you don't pay attention. Simple stuff, red missions obviously affect avatar score since they are both red. You don't start a major base invasion with basic gear, that's common sense. And the game rates missions with a difficulty you don't go in blind. Their tactical problems talking about getting hit by too many groups and bad starts. That was just frustrating, they obviously were just bad at the game and hadn't used all the new gear they give you to handle the new systems. Accidentally pull too many groups? You don't reload you throw a mimic beacon. Lizards/Sectoids rip you to shreds? A ranger sword one shots them before they even move. I won my first game and never even knew lizards had a grapple because they never got an attack off my entire game. Enemies too close at the start? Throw a battle scanner before you move and don't sprint at the start like a crazy person. The technical stuff is an issue, but that fire talk. If your dudes are sitting in the same spot long enough to get fire to spread to them your playing the game wrong. Load times are too long and multi-level movement can be annoying, but it worked better for me in this game then EU. I really like 3MA and I don't think I have seen them just completely whiff on a game discussion like this ever before. Being bad at a game and impatient doesn't mean it's a bad game David Harin.
