2K Marin Announces “Re-Imagined” XCOM

2K Marin, the studio behind Bioshock 2, is now working on a new XCOM title.

The original XCOM: UFO Enemy Unknown, released in 1994, was one of several superb games created by Julian Gollop. It combined isometric, turn-based battle sequences with base building, research and squad development, as players controlled an elite organisation and tried to keep Earth safe from hostile alien invaders (often with mixed results.)

Two other XCOM strategy titles (Terror From The Deep and Apocalypse) were released, followed in 1998 by Interceptor – a space combat sim.

2K promise to maintain “the strategic core of the groundbreaking franchise” by combining it with “a suspense-filled narrative” and distilling that into, err, “a tense and unique first-person shooter experience.” Quite different from the original games, then.

We’re not to worry though, because “by setting the game in a first-person perspective, players will be able to feel the tension and fear that comes with combating a faceless enemy that is violently probing and plotting its way into our world.” Hurrah, we love faceless enemies who violently probe us.

The big question is this: will Corporal Jonlan be in the game?

XCOM is being developed for PC and Xbox 360. As yet there is no release date.