Xeno Command Review Summary

Last updated: 2025-09-12
  • Hybrid RTS/Roguelike gameplay with high replayability
  • Diverse factions and heroes, accessible for new players
  • Simplified resource management, strategic locations
  • Distinctive art style and high content value
  • Simplistic controls and UI, lacks depth
  • Not for traditional RTS players, limited enemy variety
Xeno Command header

Emotions

What players like:

Common complaints:

Gameplay feedback:

Performance notes:

Recommendations:

Other player notes:

Review evidence

Why players say this

What players like

Distinctive art style and polish: The game boasts excellent art direction, particularly with its mech designs, and shows a lot of care in its animations and gameplay elements. The interface is convenient and well-designed.

High content value for price: Players feel the game offers substantial content, unique commanders, and detailed craftsmanship, exceeding expectations for its price point. It's seen as a great value compared to many larger, more expensive titles.

Similarities to other popular games: Players note resemblances to games like StarCraft 2's co-op mode, Red Alert, and Iron Marines. While initially similar to Ironhide's games, players also recognize its unique differences.

Good language support: The game supports a good number of languages, enhancing accessibility for a global audience.

Unique control logic: After familiarization, the control logic provides a 'command' feeling, reminiscent of software like AUTOCAD, suggesting a unique and precise interaction method.

Common complaints

Simplistic Controls & UI: Players find the controls overly simplistic, reminiscent of mobile games, leading to issues like misinterpreting attack commands as movement. The user interface is also perceived as lacking detail and polish, contributing to a less engaging experience.

Unfinished & Unpolished Feel: Many players feel the game is unfinished and lacks polish, citing issues like black screens, unclear transitions, and a general sense of being unrefined. This contributes to a perception that the game is not worth its price on PC.

Lack of Depth & Progression: The game is criticized for its lack of depth in various aspects, including buffs, tech trees, and overall progression. Players desire more variety in resources, factions, and achievements to enhance replayability and strategic options.

Not for Traditional RTS Players: The game's mechanics and simplified controls are not suitable for players expecting a traditional Real-Time Strategy experience. It blurs the lines between RTS and tower defense, disappointing those looking for deep strategic gameplay.

Gameplay and performance

Hybrid RTS/Roguelike Gameplay: The game blends real-time strategy (RTS) elements, such as base building and troop management, with roguelike mechanics like random levels and permanent progression. It's often compared to StarCraft 2's co-op mode or a simplified RTS with tower defense aspects, emphasizing aggressive expansion over static defense.

Diverse Factions and Heroes: Players can choose from four distinct factions, each featuring a unique hero, skillset, troop types, buildings, and upgrade paths. This variety significantly impacts gameplay and strategy, offering different experiences across playthroughs.

High Replayability: The game offers substantial replay value through three difficulty levels, randomly generated levels, and varied hero level-up bonuses. The fourth campaign also utilizes random levels and modifiers, ensuring each run feels fresh.

Accessible for New Players: With its simplified mechanics and automatic formation system, the game is easy for RTS newcomers to pick up and enjoy. Experienced players can find challenges by increasing the difficulty.

Simplified Resource Management: The game features a streamlined resource system, primarily relying on a single resource type. While this simplifies macro-management, it still requires strategic investment in troops versus workers, especially on higher difficulties.

Limited character customization: Players desire more options for character appearance, including hairstyles, facial features, and body types, to enhance immersion and personalization. The current selection feels restrictive and doesn't allow for unique player expression.

Repetitive quest design: Many players found that quests often follow similar patterns, involving fetch quests or simple kill objectives, leading to a sense of monotony. More varied objectives and narrative depth are needed to keep the gameplay engaging.

Unbalanced combat difficulty: The combat difficulty spikes inconsistently, with some encounters being too easy and others feeling unfairly challenging, even for experienced players. This inconsistency disrupts the flow and enjoyment of combat.

Lack of meaningful player choices: Players feel that their decisions within the game, particularly in dialogue and questlines, have little to no impact on the story or world. This diminishes the sense of agency and replayability.

Recommendations

Great value for money: Players consistently highlight the game's low price as a major positive, making it an easy recommendation for those looking for affordable entertainment. It's seen as a good option for casual play or as a time-killer.

Desire for more content: There's a clear interest in future updates, with players hoping for new units, commanders, and campaigns to expand the game's longevity and replayability. This suggests a positive core experience that players want more of.

Other review notes

PC controls need improvement: Players find the current PC control scheme, which is heavily optimized for mobile, to be clunky and confusing. Specific suggestions include implementing conventional RTS right-click movement, adding middle mouse button drag, and a one-key camera return to base button.

Future content and features desired: Players express interest in long-term game evolution, specifically hoping for the addition of a co-op mode and more commanders to enhance replayability and strategic depth.