XCOM 2 takes everything that was good about the reboot of the game and kicks it up a notch. If you want even more from the game, though, you’ll need to look into getting mods. If you don’t want to wade through the masses of mods out there, you can start by taking a look at the best of the best.
What do you think are the best Xcom 2 mods?
Stop Wasting My Time
There are a lot of great things about XCOM 2, but the pace can often be a little off-putting. The game just tends to run slowly when you’re making moves, with a lot of extra time put in for flavor. This mod reduces the amount of time taken between moves, greatly speeding up the pace of the game.
It’s Just A Scratch V2
Troop downtime is a consistent problem in the game. It wouldn’t be so bad if so many troops didn’t go down for what should really be minor issues. It’s Just a Scratch V2 recalculates how troop healing time is determined, allowing some troops to get right back to their feet for another mission if the damage taken wasn’t greater than their armor rating. This is a real game-changer and one of the best XCOM 2 mods.
Evac All
Another great mod for those who want to speed up the game, Evac All does exactly what the name describes. It’s a good way to speed up the end of any map and allows you to move on towards the action with much more speed. It’s a very stable mod that doesn’t do much to change the game, but it does really enhance the overall experience when you plan on playing a lengthy session of multiple missions.
Full Character Customization From Start
One of the coolest features of XCOM 2 is being able to customize your troops. Unfortunately, doing that usually takes a long, painful process of leveling individual troopers up. This mod simply unlocks customization from the beginning, allowing you to make your perfect team from the word go. It doesn’t give the troops any extra abilities or really change the way the game is played, but it does give you a bit of cosmetic freedom.
Better Advent 2
Once you get deep enough in XCOM 2, you begin to want a bit more of a challenge. If you really want to up your game, try the Better Advent 2 mod. It not only puts a host of new aliens in the game, but it also forces you to contend with much more difficult enemies. This is not a mod for the faint of heart but it will allow you to pit your skills against better opponents.
LOS Preview
This fantastic quality of life improvement allows you to better figure out the line of sight of the enemies. Being able to see what they see allows for better planning and ultimately even allows you to better figure out how to use your squad. While it might seem like a minor change, this mod will totally change the way you play the game. If you keep getting in trouble by being seen when you thought you were safe, this is the mod for you.
Upgrade Reminder
Do you constantly forget to upgrade your squad even when you’ve got new research ready to go? If so, this is the mod for you. It adds a simple reminder when you have upgrades available, allowing you to kit out your team with the best possible gear. It might not make a huge difference to some players, but those who have a tendency to forget to pack the best stuff will find this mod to be a lifesaver.
BleedOut Mod
One of the most frustrating things that can happen in the game is seeing one of your troops automatically killed. BleedOut changes this mechanic up a bit, giving you a chance to save your squad members before they are killed. While this can change up the balance of some missions by a bit, it does remove a mechanic that makes the game a lot less fair than it should be.
The mods listed above are those that tend to make the smallest changes for the biggest impact. There are plenty of other great visual mods that don’t change the game at all or major overhauls that completely alter the style of the game. Try the mods listed here first and then give a few others a shot – you might be surprised by what you find.