What would the best RPG to portray the XCOM universe?

[Elurindel]

As it says in the title. Thinking of Only War, but that would have to be modified a fair bit. Can anybody think of anything closer to it?

[comicshorse]

Delta Green ?

[kyoryu]

GURPS, maybe Savage Worlds.

A D&D 4e hack would be pretty cool, especially emulating the modern remake of the game.

[Knaight]

GURPS would do. With that said, I'd probably use Nemesis (http://www.arcdream.com/pdf/Nemesis.pdf). It's easy to expand, it has a lot of ways for the technological differences to really come across, and it's available as a free .pdf.

[thorr-kan]

GURPS, maybe Savage Worlds.

A D&D 4e hack would be pretty cool, especially emulating the modern remake of the game.
SJGames just announce GURPS Mars Attacks (sjgames.com/ill) for 4ED. That combined with Monster Hunters or Dungeon Fantasy would do the trick.

[obryn]

If you're looking for mechanics, either a 4e D&D hack, or a similar game like Strike! might do the job.

If you're looking for setting, I really don't know. :smallsmile:

[Partysan]

There is a German system called Contact that's heavily inspired by X-Com. Its initiative system is based on time units, it has base building and upgrade mechanics and it expects you to research alien tech to get access to better equipment or to have psi powers at all.
The difference is mostly that the standard scenario starts out a little more futuristic already, as in there's androids and biomods (although not to a huge degree). It owes a lot to shadowrun both in style and in design but doesn't use dice pools, it's d% based.
I've only played a single session as of yet, so I can't really judge how well the mechanics work (wasn't much technical stuff going on first session).
However as of yet I'm pretty sure it's not available in other languages than German. I can provide further info once I've experienced more of it if there's interest.

[Morrandir]

I recently found a system called Stars Without Number (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/86467/Stars-Without-Number-Free-Edition) that could fit the bill with a little tweaking. System's built more for things being a little more futuristic, but there's some inspiration to be had at least. The Core rules (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/94621/Stars-Without-Number-Core-Edition) feature systems for mechs that could be applied to power armor.

[JustIgnoreMe]

What, no mention of Conspiracy X? A more traditional X-Files/secret aliens RPG from the mid-late '90s, I think. It always seemed very XCOM to me. You put together a team of characters and pool resources to furnish your base and equip yourselves.

[Illogictree]

I suppose it depends more on what kind of game you're wanting to run in the XCOM universe, rather than the setting itself.

That said, I'm not familiar with the XCOM setting, but I did play a game in that setting at a convention once that used the Savage Worlds system. That game was fairly combat-heavy and involved a raid/rescue mission on an alien ship.

[shadow_archmagi]

Yeah I mean XCOM is a wonderful game, but the setting itself isn't particularly interesting. It's just Earth with some generic sciencey stuff and aliens invading.

(Unless you're talking about XCOM apocalypse that takes place in a dome city with warring factions. )

For a game that *feels* like XCOM, I'd suggest a heavily modified 4E.

If you just want lasers, monsters, and psychics, then I feel like *most* RPGs could encompass that.

[Beleriphon]

Yeah I mean XCOM is a wonderful game, but the setting itself isn't particularly interesting. It's just Earth with some generic sciencey stuff and aliens invading.

(Unless you're talking about XCOM apocalypse that takes place in a dome city with warring factions. )

For a game that *feels* like XCOM, I'd suggest a heavily modified 4E.

If you just want lasers, monsters, and psychics, then I feel like *most* RPGs could encompass that.

I agree here, a modified D&D 4E works pretty well, especially for the X-Com: Enemy Unknown and other modern takes on the game. The reaon being that each character has abilities based on their class, and their rank, with high ranked characters being much better. These abilities can be used frequently or once per mission (for the most part), which ties nicely to the AEDU power setup.

[Abemad]

Or you could use shadowrun for a more "original xcom" feel, reflavour magic as psionics, and make players choose wether to focus on bionics or cybertek (or leave it out completely). The combat of 5th edition is almost a perfect representation of ufo: enemy unknown

[Knaight]

Yeah I mean XCOM is a wonderful game, but the setting itself isn't particularly interesting. It's just Earth with some generic sciencey stuff and aliens invading.

The other thing is that there's the whole aspect of adapting technology from a vastly technologically superior opponent. That's one of the big things there - the system in question has to be pretty good at representing technological differences, particularly in the weapons, armor, vehicles, etc. that get used. That's part of the reason I suggested Nemesis, which can go into some detail about weapon damage, shooting through cover, explosives of variable power, etc.

[Elurindel]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to take a look into some of them.

I know there's not much exposition about the world in and of itself within the games, which I suppose comes with the game perspective of being the XCOM commander. But really there's a lot of potential for a setting that takes place after the first alien war, whether it's the original or the remake, or a mix of the two.