XCOM: One Does Not Simply "Shoot" a Cryssalid...

[BRC]

Sure, big whoop you have an uber-ethereal. I have blaster launchers. This is not a discussion.

This is wonderful, and I may have to sig it.


I just beat the game and

Spoiler

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Yes, they kind of dropped a lot on us at the end, but I didn't buy XCOM for the deep and insightful storytelling.
Although the behavior of the Ethereals was kind of strange.

So If I understand it.

The Etherals think it's their job to find and/or build the next race of super psychics. They go around the galaxy, but all they get is failure, until they come to earth. They send their previous projects down to gather up Humans for testing (The Abductions). They then proceed to start their normal routine of genemodding and cybernetic implants, until the upstart locals actually fight back and develop their own psychics first.

Then, they're all giddy with glee, up until the moment when the humans reach the end of the temple ship and start shooting at them. At which point they're all "BUT WE WERE GOING TO BE BROOOOOOOOOOOS".
Then you kill them (with a sniper shot and a blast from one of their own bodyguards, who then jumped on his own grenade), and their ship starts to turn into a black hole for some reason, allowing for the big, showy finale.

And now to begin my Classic playthrough. Things to do

1: Start in Africa, for that sweet, sweet +30% monthly cash bonus.
2: Focus on getting some satellites ready early on.
3: Live-Capture enough Thin Men to outfit a squad with Light Plasma rifles, thus saving the alloys and money I previously spent building Lasers (Which is kind of a shame, nothing says "XCOM" like a bunch of dudes with laser rifles)