Interrogating high-ranking alien captives reveals that the various species are being manipulated by a master race. The Revelation
In the original 1994 game (released in North America as X-COM: UFO Defense ), the story unfolds through a mix of scripted events and emergent gameplay as you lead a secret paramilitary organization defending Earth from an extraterrestrial threat. The Outbreak (1998)
Soldiers must fight through the Martian surface and into the underground alien complex. UFO: Enemy Unknown
Once X-COM develops the (a powerful interstellar craft), they launch a final mission to Mars.
As the Commander, you start with basic human ballistics while fighting various alien species, such as the physically frail but psionic and the brutish Mutons . The "story" is largely driven by your research: Once X-COM develops the (a powerful interstellar craft),
The story begins in 1998 following a massive spike in UFO sightings, mysterious abductions, and localized attacks. After individual nations like Japan fail to contain the threat independently, representatives from the world's most powerful nations meet secretly in Geneva on December 11, 1998. They establish the , providing it with funding, base facilities, and a mandate to identify and eliminate the alien menace. The Escalation
The modern XCOM: Enemy Unknown reboots this story for a new timeline. In the timeline of XCOM 2 , it is revealed that X-COM actually lost the war early on, and the "victory" from the previous game was a simulation run in the Commander's mind while they were held captive. After individual nations like Japan fail to contain
If X-COM goes bankrupt, loses all its bases, or fails the Mars mission, the Council of Funding Nations surrenders. In the PlayStation version's defeat cutscene, the aliens violently murder the negotiator sent to discuss terms. Legacy and Continuity