Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2026)
Every game below overlaps with XCOM: Enemy Unknown on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The games like XCOM: Enemy Unknown on a map
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 24 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
24 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 24 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Mobile
- PC
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
The short version
- Closest match: X-COM: UFO Defense, which both science fiction, atmospheric, strategy and difficult.
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown is tagged Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based, Aliens, Singleplayer, Base-Building by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 2 are from the same studio: XCOM: Chimera Squad, Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth.
Why players value XCOM: Enemy Unknown
The five things Steam players tag XCOM: Enemy Unknown with most. This is the yardstick every game below is measured against: the closer a game matches these, the more it is likely to scratch the same itch.
- Turn-Based Strategy
- Tactical
- Strategy
- Sci-fi
- Turn-Based
| Reception | on Steam (93% of 58,594) |
|---|---|
| Watch-outs | no widespread problems reported by players |
| Price | $14.99 |
Tags, sentiment and reported problems come from Steam players; the story line is from Wikipedia. We do not add a written opinion of our own.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
X-COM: UFO Defense
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric, strategy and difficult; shares 11 player tags including Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy and Sci-fi; published by the same company; released around the same time (2008).
You are in control of X-COM: an organization formed by the world's governments to fight the ever-increasing alien menace.
X-COM: UFO Defense at a glance Released 2008 Studio MicroProse Software, Inc Player sentiment 95% positive of 3,992 Price $4.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.6/10 · Steam: (95% of 3,992)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Strategy, Classic, Turn-Based Strategy, Sci-fi, Aliens — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $4.99 — $10.00 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyTurn-Based StrategySci-fiAliensTurn-BasedTacticalTurn-Based TacticsDifficult
- 2
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric, strategy and difficult; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics and Sci-fi.
MECHANICUS II ANNOUNCED! Take control of one of the most technologically advanced factions in the Imperium: the Adeptus Mechanicus. In this turn-based tactical game, your every decision will weigh heavily on the outcome of the conflict. Will you be blessed by the Omnissiah?
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus at a glance Released 2018 Studio Bulwark Studios Player sentiment 91% positive of 14,603 Price $29.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.7/10 · Steam: (91% of 14,603)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Warhammer 40K, Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Games Workshop, Turn-Based Combat — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $29.99 — $15.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyTurn-Based TacticsSci-fiTurn-BasedTacticalTurn-Based StrategyRPGCharacter Customization
- 3
XCOM: Chimera Squad
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Firaxis Games; both science fiction and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics and Turn-Based Strategy.
XCOM: Chimera Squad delivers an all-new story and turn-based tactical combat experience in the XCOM universe.
XCOM: Chimera Squad at a glance Released 2020 Studio Firaxis Games Player sentiment 71% positive of 23,443 Price $9.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 6.4/10 · Steam: (71% of 23,443)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Turn-Based Strategy, Turn-Based, Singleplayer — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $9.99 — $5.00 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyTurn-Based TacticsTurn-Based StrategyTurn-BasedAliensSci-fiFuturisticTactical
- 4
BATTLETECH
Why it matched: both science fiction, strategy and difficult; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics and Turn-Based.
Take command of your own mercenary outfit of 'Mechs and the MechWarriors that pilot them, struggling to stay afloat as you find yourself drawn into a brutal interstellar civil war.
BATTLETECH at a glance Released 2018 Studio Harebrained Schemes Player sentiment 84% positive of 33,142 Price $39.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.5/10 · Steam: (84% of 33,142)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Mechs, Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Turn-Based, Sci-fi — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $39.99 — $25.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyTurn-Based TacticsTurn-BasedSci-fiTurn-Based StrategyTacticalCharacter CustomizationRPG
- 5
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Firaxis Games; both science fiction, atmospheric and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy and Sci-fi; released around the same time (2014).
Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth is a new science-fiction-themed entry into the award winning Civilization series. As part of an expedition sent to find a home beyond Earth, lead your people into a new frontier, explore and colonize an alien planet and create a new civilization in space.
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth at a glance Released 2014 Studio Firaxis Games Player sentiment 61% positive of 23,140 Price $39.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 6.3/10 · Steam: (61% of 23,140)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy, Sci-fi, Space, 4X — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $39.99 — $25.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyTurn-Based StrategySci-fiTurn-BasedFuturisticAliensTacticalReplay Value
- 6
Invisible, Inc.
Why it matched: both science fiction, strategy and difficult; shares 8 player tags including Difficult, Turn-Based Tactics and Strategy; released around the same time (2015).
Take control of Invisible's agents in the field and infiltrate the world's most dangerous corporations. Stealth, precision, and teamwork are essential in high-stakes, high-profit missions, where every move may cost an agent their life.
Invisible, Inc. at a glance Released 2015 Studio Klei Entertainment Player sentiment 91% positive of 5,778 Price $19.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.6/10 · Steam: (91% of 5,778)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Cyberpunk, Difficult, Turn-Based Tactics, Isometric, Strategy — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $19.99 — $5.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:DifficultTurn-Based TacticsStrategySci-fiTacticalTurn-BasedPerma DeathTurn-Based Strategy
- 7
Xenonauts
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Turn-Based Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics and Base-Building; released around the same time (2014).
Xenonauts is a strategy game in which you control a multi-national military organisation defending a Cold War-era Earth from alien invasion, using small squads of persistent soldiers to eliminate the extraterrestrials and recover their technology in turn-based ground combat.
Xenonauts at a glance Released 2014 Studio Goldhawk Interactive Player sentiment 87% positive of 5,069 Price $24.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.3/10 · Steam: (87% of 5,069)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Turn-Based Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Turn-Based Combat, Base-Building, Grand Strategy — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $24.99 — $10.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:Turn-Based StrategyTurn-Based TacticsBase-BuildingStrategyTacticalAliensSci-fiTurn-Based
- 8
Into the Breach
Why it matched: both science fiction, strategy and difficult; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy and Turn-Based Tactics.
Control powerful mechs from the future to defeat an alien threat. Each attempt to save the world presents a new randomly generated challenge in this turn-based strategy game.
Into the Breach at a glance Released 2018 Studio Subset Games Player sentiment 94% positive of 22,246 Price $14.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 8.2/10 · Steam: (94% of 22,246)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy, Indie, Pixel Graphics, Turn-Based Tactics — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $14.99 — about the same price
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyTurn-Based StrategyTurn-Based TacticsTurn-BasedSci-fiTacticalRPGReplay Value
- 9
The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos
Why it matched: both atmospheric, strategy and difficult; shares 8 player tags including RPG, Turn-Based Tactics and Turn-Based.
Step into the wacky heroic fantasy universe of the Dungeon of Naheulbeuk. Lead a team of unlikely and clumsy heroes in an epic and challenging tactical RPG. Live an adventure filled with humor, surprises and silly encounters.
The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos at a glance Released 2020 Studio Artefacts Studio Player sentiment 87% positive of 8,064 Price $5.24 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.2/10 · Steam: (87% of 8,064)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Turn-Based
Why players like it: RPG, Turn-Based Tactics, Adventure, Turn-Based, Singleplayer — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $5.24 — $9.75 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:RPGTurn-Based TacticsTurn-BasedStrategyTurn-Based StrategyCharacter CustomizationTacticalDifficult
- 10
Final Fantasy XIII
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric, strategy and difficult; shares 6 player tags including RPG, Sci-fi and Futuristic; released around the same time (2009).
Final Fantasy XIII is a fantasy RPG in which a band of brave humans struggle against fate in the utopian sky city of Cocoon and the primeval world of Pulse. Follow stylish heroine Lightning's fast paced battles and high adventure in a mysterious new world.
Final Fantasy XIII at a glance Released 2009 Studio Square Enix Player sentiment 75% positive of 19,914 Price $15.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 6.7/10 · Steam: (75% of 19,914)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 3 of 5 — Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: JRPG, RPG, Female Protagonist, Linear, Great Soundtrack — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $15.99 — $1.00 pricier
Watch-outs: players report crashes and freezes, performance and stutter, will not launch or install (details)
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:RPGSci-fiFuturisticTurn-BasedStrategyDifficult
- 11
Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric and strategy; shares 7 player tags including RPG, Turn-Based and Strategy; released around the same time (2014).
Harebrained Schemes' biggest Shadowrun game to date, and the definitive Shadowrun RPG experience available on PC. Now a standalone title with tons of new content & improvements!
Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut at a glance Released 2014 Studio Harebrained Schemes Player sentiment 89% positive of 6,570 Price $14.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.7/10 · Steam: (89% of 6,570)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: RPG, Cyberpunk, Turn-Based, Isometric, Story Rich — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $14.99 — about the same price
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:RPGTurn-BasedStrategySci-fiTacticalTurn-Based TacticsTurn-Based Strategy
- 12
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric and strategy; shares 6 player tags including Tactical, Sci-fi and Aliens; published by the same company; released around the same time (2013).
The year is 1962 and the Cold War has the nation gripped by fear. A top-secret government unit called The Bureau begins investigating a series of mysterious attacks by an enemy more powerful than communism.
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified at a glance Released 2013 Studio 2K Marin Player sentiment 70% positive of 12,080 Price $19.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 6.3/10 · Steam: (70% of 12,080)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Action, Tactical, Sci-fi, Third-Person Shooter, Singleplayer — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $19.99 — $5.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:TacticalSci-fiAliensStrategyRPGTurn-Based
- 13
ENDLESS Space - Definitive Edition
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, Sci-fi and Turn-Based Strategy; released around the same time (2012).
ENDLESS Space™ is a turn-based 4X strategy game, covering the space colonization age in the ENDLESS Universe™, where you can control every aspect of your civilization as you strive for galactic domination.
ENDLESS Space - Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2012 Studio AMPLITUDE Studios Player sentiment 81% positive of 9,598 Price $2.49 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.1/10 · Steam: (81% of 9,598)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Strategy, 4X, Space, Sci-fi, Turn-Based Strategy — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $2.49 — $12.50 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategySci-fiTurn-Based StrategyTurn-BasedFuturisticAliensReplay Value
- 14
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
Why it matched: both atmospheric, strategy and difficult; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, RPG and Turn-Based Tactics.
A tactical game combining the turn-based combat of XCOM with story, exploration, stealth, and strategy. Take control of a team of Mutants navigating a post-human Earth. Created by a team including former HITMAN leads and the designer of PAYDAY.
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden at a glance Released 2018 Studio The Bearded Ladies Player sentiment 90% positive of 20,534 Price $34.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.7/10 · Steam: (90% of 20,534)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Strategy, RPG, Turn-Based Combat, Post-apocalyptic, Turn-Based Tactics — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $34.99 — $20.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyRPGTurn-Based TacticsTacticalTurn-BasedTurn-Based StrategyDifficult
- 15
Blackguards
Why it matched: both strategy and difficult; shares 8 player tags including RPG, Turn-Based and Strategy; released around the same time (2014).
What happens when the only hope of a threatened world lies not with heroes in shining armor, but in the hands of a band of misfits and criminals? Blackguards, a new turn-based strategy RPG, explores this very question. You will discover over 180 unique hex-based battlegrounds within a dark and mature story of crime, drugs, and murder.
Blackguards at a glance Released 2014 Studio Daedalic Entertainment Player sentiment 62% positive of 3,917 Price $0.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 5.8/10 · Steam: (62% of 3,917)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Turn-Based
Why players like it: RPG, Turn-Based, Strategy, Tactical, Fantasy — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $0.99 — $14.00 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:RPGTurn-BasedStrategyTacticalTurn-Based StrategyCharacter CustomizationTurn-Based TacticsDifficult
- 16
Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric, strategy and difficult; shares 5 player tags including RPG, Turn-Based and Sci-fi; released around the same time (2015).
You've just unearthed the classic post-apocalyptic role-playing game that revitalized the entire CRPG genre. The Fallout® SPECIAL system allows drastically different types of characters, meaningful decisions and development that puts you in complete control. Explore the devastated ruins of a golden age civilization.
Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game at a glance Released 2015 Studio Interplay Inc. Player sentiment 94% positive of 25,164 Price $9.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 8.2/10 · Steam: (94% of 25,164)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 3 of 5 — Tactical, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: RPG, Post-apocalyptic, Classic, Open World, Isometric — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $9.99 — $5.00 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:RPGTurn-BasedSci-fiDifficultTactical
- 17
Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric and strategy; shares 6 player tags including RPG, Turn-Based and Strategy; released around the same time (2015).
Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition is the capstone title in Harebrained Schemes' Shadowrun series - and now includes the all-new, 6+ hr Shadows of Hong Kong Bonus Campaign. Experience the most impressive Shadowrun RPG yet, hailed as one of the best cRPG / strategy games of 2015!
Shadowrun: Hong Kong - Extended Edition at a glance Released 2015 Studio Harebrained Schemes Player sentiment 87% positive of 4,839 Price $19.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.4/10 · Steam: (87% of 4,839)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: RPG, Cyberpunk, Turn-Based, Isometric, Story Rich — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $19.99 — $5.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:RPGTurn-BasedStrategyTurn-Based TacticsSci-fiTactical
- 18
Dungeon of the ENDLESS
Why it matched: both science fiction, strategy and difficult; shares 6 player tags including Strategy, RPG and Sci-fi; released around the same time (2014).
Dungeon of the ENDLESS™ is a Rogue-Like Dungeon-Defense game, in which the player and their team of heroes must protect the generator of their crashed ship while exploring an ever-expanding dungeon, all while facing waves of monsters and special events as they try to find their way out...
Dungeon of the ENDLESS at a glance Released 2014 Studio AMPLITUDE Studios Player sentiment 85% positive of 14,040 Price $11.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.3/10 · Steam: (85% of 14,040)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 2 of 5 — Strategy, Sci-fi
Why players like it: Rogue-like, Strategy, Tower Defense, Pixel Graphics, Indie — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $11.99 — $3.00 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyRPGSci-fiPerma DeathDifficultReplay Value
- 19
Wasteland 2: Director's Cut
Why it matched: both science fiction, atmospheric and strategy; shares 6 player tags including RPG, Turn-Based and Strategy; released around the same time (2014).
From the producer of the original Fallout comes Wasteland 2. With over 80 hours of gameplay, deck out your Ranger squad with devastating weaponry, test the limits of your strategy skills, and bring justice to the Wasteland! The choices are yours…but so are the consequences.
Wasteland 2: Director's Cut at a glance Released 2014 Studio inXile Entertainment Player sentiment 83% positive of 8,104 Price $29.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.4/10 · Steam: (83% of 8,104)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 5 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi, Turn-Based
Why players like it: RPG, Post-apocalyptic, Turn-Based, Strategy, Tactical — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $29.99 — $15.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:RPGTurn-BasedStrategyTacticalTurn-Based StrategySci-fi
- 20
The Last Spell
Why it matched: both strategy and difficult; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, Turn-Based Strategy and RPG.
Defend the last bastion of humanity with your squad of heroes! Exterminate fiendish monsters with magic and brute force by night and re-build your battered city defenses by day in this tactical RPG with rogue-lite mechanics.
The Last Spell at a glance Released 2023 Studio Ishtar Games Player sentiment 91% positive of 13,649 Price $6.24 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.8/10 · Steam: (91% of 13,649)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Strategy, Singleplayer, Turn-Based Strategy, RPG, Turn-Based Tactics — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $6.24 — $8.75 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategyTurn-Based StrategyRPGTurn-Based TacticsTacticalTurn-BasedPerma DeathBase-Building
- 21
Gloomhaven
Why it matched: both strategy and difficult; shares 8 player tags including Turn-Based Strategy, Unforgiving and Strategy.
Lead your band of mercenaries in the land of Gloomhaven, work with unsavoury individuals, shape the fate of the region, fight your way through horrific places and get rich or die trying in this ruthless Tactical-RPG.
Gloomhaven at a glance Released 2021 Studio Flaming Fowl Studios Player sentiment 82% positive of 16,097 Price $34.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.4/10 · Steam: (82% of 16,097)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Turn-Based
Why players like it: Online Co-Op, Dark Fantasy, Turn-Based Combat, Card Game, Turn-Based Strategy — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $34.99 — $20.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:Turn-Based StrategyUnforgivingStrategyDifficultRPGTacticalTurn-Based TacticsTurn-Based
- 22
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters
Why it matched: both science fiction and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Turn-Based Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics and Tactical.
Lead humanity’s greatest weapon, the Grey Knights, in this fast-paced turn-based tactical RPG. Root out and purge a galaxy-spanning plague in a cinematic, story-driven campaign, using the tactics and talents of your own personalised squad of Daemonhunters.
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters at a glance Released 2022 Studio Complex Games Player sentiment 77% positive of 14,719 Price $44.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 7.1/10 · Steam: (77% of 14,719)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi
Why players like it: Warhammer 40K, Turn-Based Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Strategy RPG, Tactical — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $44.99 — $30.00 pricier
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:Turn-Based StrategyTurn-Based TacticsTacticalStrategyCharacter CustomizationSci-fiRPGFuturistic
- 23
FTL: Faster Than Light
Why it matched: both science fiction, strategy and difficult; shares 6 player tags including Strategy, Sci-fi and Perma Death; released around the same time (2012).
This "spaceship simulation roguelike-like" allows you to take your ship and crew on an adventure through a randomly generated galaxy filled with glory and bitter defeat.
FTL: Faster Than Light at a glance Released 2012 Studio Subset Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 78,616 Price $9.99 Verdict: GamingPickz Score 8.4/10 · Steam: (95% of 78,616)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 3 of 5 — Tactical, Strategy, Sci-fi
Why players like it: Rogue-like, Space, Strategy, Sci-fi, Indie — the tags Steam players apply most
Price vs XCOM: Enemy Unknown: $9.99 — $5.00 cheaper
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:StrategySci-fiPerma DeathDifficultReplay ValueTactical
- 24
The Last Remnant
Why it matched: both strategy and difficult; shares 7 player tags including RPG, Turn-Based and Turn-Based Strategy; released around the same time (2009).
Mitra, yama, qsiti, sovani... These four races exist in one world. A world filled with Remnants — mysterious artifacts from an ancient era. Who created the Remnant? How long ago? And for what purpose? With these questions left unanswered, the Remnants became beneficial tools used for the good of civilization. The world was at peace...
The Last Remnant at a glance Released 2009 Studio Square Enix Player sentiment 81% positive of 4,135 Price Not listed Verdict: GamingPickz Score 6.7/10 · Steam: (81% of 4,135)
Matches XCOM: Enemy Unknown on: 4 of 5 — Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Strategy, Turn-Based
Why players like it: JRPG, RPG, Singleplayer, Fantasy, Turn-Based — the tags Steam players apply most
Watch-outs: no widespread problems reported by players
Shared with XCOM: Enemy Unknown:RPGTurn-BasedTurn-Based StrategyStrategyTurn-Based TacticsDifficultTactical
Common questions
What game is most like XCOM: Enemy Unknown?
X-COM: UFO Defense, on the evidence we have. It both science fiction, atmospheric, strategy and difficult. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to XCOM: Enemy Unknown" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
What else did the makers of XCOM: Enemy Unknown do?
XCOM: Chimera Squad, Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth are also from Firaxis Games, and appear in the list below for that reason as well as on tag overlap.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.