Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Thrilling sci-fi strategy game with violence and gore.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 19 kid reviews
Kids say this game is an excellent tactical strategy experience that's suitable for pre-teens and older, despite its M rating, which seems overly harsh according to many reviewers. While it features some mild violence and language, the overall content is manageable, especially with options to reduce graphic material, making it a good choice for younger players who enjoy strategic challenges.
- strategic gameplay
- mild violence
- inappropriate rating
- teach consequences
- good for pre-teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
Earth is under an extraterrestrial attack and so the Earth's governments unite to form a paramilitary organization, known as XCOM, to fight back against this unknown enemy. You're in control of this elite squad of super soldiers, to battle the aliens on our turf and prevent them from taking over the planet. Gamers do this by creating and defending an operational base, researching alien technologies, and planning and executing turn-based attacks against the aliens (including the deployment of air units like the Interceptor and Skyranger). Despite some differences in control, the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC versions of the game play out the same.
Is It Any Good?
XCOM: ENEMY UNKNOWN is a refreshing change compared to most other games available today. From Firaxis, the award-winning team behind Civilization, comes this action-heavy strategy game that delivers thrills and spills. The turn-based strategy spans more than 70 missions around the globe, which keeps things fresh, but choosing the right man or women for the job can be just as critical as following through with tactical combat. While the graphics can sometimes be a bit glitchy, the pacing and progression, single and multiplayer maps, and thoughtfully designed soldier depth all add up to an engrossing strategy game worthy of your time, attention, and money.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether it's a good idea to resurrect older computer game franchises, like XCOM, and create a new experience for the modern age. Or should classic games be left as is, and game developers should move onto new intellectual properties (IPs)?
This game contains a lot of violence and gore. What is the impact of this kind of violence on the player?
Game Details
- Platforms : PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360
- Subjects : Language & Reading : following directions , reading , Science : electricity , gravity , physics , Social Studies : government
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : applying information , decision-making , strategy , Self-Direction : identifying strengths and weaknesses , set objectives , time management
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : 2K Games
- Release date : October 9, 2012
- Genre : Strategy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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