X-COM: Apocalypse

X-COM: Apocalypse is the third title in its series, following the events of Terror from the Deep. The setting is Mega-Primus, a solitary, self-sufficient city that now contains most of humanity after the depletion of Earth's resources. This fragile stability is broken when a portal opens, releasing UFOs and necessitating the reactivation of the X-COM organization.

Gameplay operates across two primary modes. The strategic layer, known as the Cityscape, involves managing finances to hire personnel, purchase weapons and equipment, and maintain vehicles. The player must also navigate relationships with various human factions, which range from corporations and security forces to alien-worshipping cults and gangs; keeping them content is vital to prevent them from becoming hostile. In this mode, the player directs vehicles to intercept threats across the city.

When a vehicle reaches a site of alien infestation or a landed UFO, the game shifts to the tactical Battlescape. Here, combat can be conducted in either a turn-based or real-time format, a notable addition to the series. Squads engage directly with alien forces using their equipped gear. Success in these encounters allows for the capture of alien technology and specimens, which can then be researched and potentially replicated by scientists for the player's own use.

This installment introduces several evolutions from its predecessors, including enhanced graphics, more expansive maps, and a more complex game world. The core experience remains a blend of research, resource management, and combat, now expanded to include conflicts with both extraterrestrial and human adversaries.