Phoenix Point

Item: Phoenix Point
Rating: 57
Author: VaporLens

Last updated: 2025-07-10

Summary

Engaging XCOM-like tactical strategy gameplay
Innovative aiming system with body part damage
Improved significantly by updates and mods
Unpolished, repetitive, and inferior to XCOM
Inconsistent and punishing difficulty spikes
DLCs often detract from the experience

Emotions

Satisfaction24%Frustration23%Disappointment20%Enjoyment6%Excitement4%

Reviews (sample size): 722
Helpful reviews: 77%
Unhelpful reviews: 22%
Protest reviews: 1%

57%
Helpful reviews with positive sentiment
43%
Helpful reviews with negative sentiment

Positive points: 1525
Negative points: 2322
Gameplay points: 1606
Perf. points: 45
Rec. points: 427
Misc points: 319

Point	Description	Importance
Excellent XCOM-like Experience Description Many players praise the game as a worthy spiritual successor and alternative to the XCOM series, often highlighting its improvements and unique elements compared to the Firaxis XCOM titles. It successfully scratches the 'XCOM itch' while offering a fresh experience. Importance 57%	Many players praise the game as a worthy spiritual successor and alternative to the XCOM series, often highlighting its improvements and unique elements compared to the Firaxis XCOM titles. It successfully scratches the 'XCOM itch' while offering a fresh experience.	57%
Engaging Core Gameplay Description The game is generally well-received for its core design, interesting mechanics, and overall enjoyable gameplay experience. Many players find it highly replayable and addictive, appreciating its depth and the thought put into its design. Importance 49%	The game is generally well-received for its core design, interesting mechanics, and overall enjoyable gameplay experience. Many players find it highly replayable and addictive, appreciating its depth and the thought put into its design.	49%
Innovative Aiming System Description The free-aiming and body part targeting system is a highly praised innovation. It allows for precise, tactical shooting, reduces frustration from RNG misses, and adds a significant layer of strategic depth to combat by enabling players to disable specific enemy limbs or weapons. Importance 23%	The free-aiming and body part targeting system is a highly praised innovation. It allows for precise, tactical shooting, reduces frustration from RNG misses, and adds a significant layer of strategic depth to combat by enabling players to disable specific enemy limbs or weapons.	23%
Improved by Updates & Mods Description The game has significantly improved over time due to patches, DLCs, and especially the 'Terror from the Void' (TFTV) mod. The TFTV mod is frequently cited as essential for a superior experience, fixing many base game issues and enhancing balance, pacing, and content. Importance 18%	The game has significantly improved over time due to patches, DLCs, and especially the 'Terror from the Void' (TFTV) mod. The TFTV mod is frequently cited as essential for a superior experience, fixing many base game issues and enhancing balance, pacing, and content.	18%
Robust Faction System Description The game's faction system is a strong point, offering diverse factions with unique technologies, soldier classes, and narrative paths. This system adds strategic depth, encourages alliances, and provides varied gameplay experiences. Importance 11%	The game's faction system is a strong point, offering diverse factions with unique technologies, soldier classes, and narrative paths. This system adds strategic depth, encourages alliances, and provides varied gameplay experiences.	11%
Deep Strategic & Tactical Layers Description The game offers significant strategic and tactical depth, particularly on the global map and in combat. The strategic layer provides meaningful choices, and the tactical combat layer is extensive, requiring careful planning. Importance 5%	The game offers significant strategic and tactical depth, particularly on the global map and in combat. The strategic layer provides meaningful choices, and the tactical combat layer is extensive, requiring careful planning.	5%
Compelling Story & Lore Description The game features a compelling and well-developed story, presented through engaging narrative elements and atmospheric visuals. The overarching narrative and lore contribute to an immersive experience. Importance 5%	The game features a compelling and well-developed story, presented through engaging narrative elements and atmospheric visuals. The overarching narrative and lore contribute to an immersive experience.	5%
Sandbox Gameplay & Depth Description The game offers a sandbox-style gameplay experience with significant depth, especially when combined with mods. Features like destructible terrain, vehicles, and varied level design contribute to a free-form and enjoyable experience. Importance 4%	The game offers a sandbox-style gameplay experience with significant depth, especially when combined with mods. Features like destructible terrain, vehicles, and varied level design contribute to a free-form and enjoyable experience.	4%