Xenonauts 2

Xenonauts 2 is the sequel to Xenonauts, made by the same studio and published by Hooded Horse. It was announced in 2016, entered early access in July 2023, and reached version 1.0 in April 2026. It is not a continuation of the first game's story: it uses a new alternate timeline, again set during the Cold War.

Its structure is the original X-COM's. You build bases, intercept UFOs in an air combat layer, research and manufacture, and send soldiers into turn-based ground battles on destructible maps. Unlike the first game it is in full 3D.

It is the most complete modern version of the 1994 X-COM structure, with time units, interceptions, multiple bases and all. Players who found the Firaxis games too simplified will find the full system here, with the conveniences of a current game.

Its long development shows in places, and its look is functional rather than striking. It is a game for players who already know they want X-COM's full complexity.

Xenonauts 2 is X-COM itself, rebuilt with care rather than reinvented. It has the air war, the time units and the bases that the reboots cut. If you loved the original and want more of it, this and its predecessor are the safest recommendations in this library.