List of X-COM: UFO Defense races
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The video game X-COM: UFO Defense has eleven fictional races of alien beings. Each race has various strengths and weaknesses, and some races are dependent on other races. The aliens come to Earth from a large base on Mars, but their original origins are unknown. Many of the races from X-COM: Terror from the Deep parallel these races, and some are supposed to have common ancestors.
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[edit] Sectoid
Their appearance seems to be based on the Greys of popular culture.
Sectoids are typically the first aliens the player encounters and among the easiest to kill. Sectoids are typically armed with standard alien weaponry and while Sectoid Soldiers have no special abilities, Sectoid Leaders and Sectoid Commanders can have psionic abilities. Sectoids are neither particularly resistant or vulnerable to any specific form of attack. When the player encounters Sectoids on Terror missions, base attacks or at large UFOs they are usually accompanied by at least one Cyberdisc.
An aquatic offshoot, the Aquatoid, appears in X-COM: Terror from the Deep, although in-game details suggest the Sectoids may have been the offshoot.
Sectoid also appears as a Level 7 rank on CNET Networks GameSpot.
[edit] Snakeman
They are humanoid, but with a thick snakelike tail/foot upon which they move.
Though Snakemen are somewhat tougher than Sectoids and Floaters, they have no special abilities aside from being armed with standard alien weaponry (though they are more proficient in their use than Sectoids, Floaters and Mutons). Snakemen are not vulnerable to any specific form of attack, but are particularly resistant to incendiary attacks. On Terror missions, base attacks and larger UFOs, they are found with Chryssalids.
[edit] Ethereal
As masterminds behind the alien invasion, they are among the most powerful creatures in the game, and appear as hooded brown-robed humanoids, similar to monks. An Autopsy reveals them to be extremely thin and tall underneath their robes. They carry weapons and use them, but all Ethereals are endowed with offensive psionic abilities.
Ethereals are particularly resistant to incendiary and stunning weaponry, and are not overly susceptible to any alternative method of attack. The capture of a living specimen will allow the player to research the Ethereals' abilities and duplicate them. They do not appear until later in the game. On Terror missions, base attacks or on larger UFOs, the Ethereals are accompanied by Sectopods.
[edit] Muton
They are purple-skinned humanoids in green armor, the same aliens that appear in the opening sequence of the game.
They do not appear until the mid-game and are much tougher than Sectoids, Snakemen and Floaters, often taking several shots to kill with heavy weaponry. However, they have no special abilities and are psionically vulnerable. Mutons are particularly resistant to armor piercing ammunition. They can appear alone, but on Terror missions, base attacks and larger UFOs they will be accompanied by Celatids and Silacoids.
There are no commanders on alien bases populated by mutons, due to the mutons' dependency on the telepathic link to the Ethereals for orders.
[edit] Floater
Their name is derived from their ability to float through the air. They may have been inspired by the tales of floating aliens some supposed UFO witnesses have reported.
Aside from their avionic ability, Floaters have no special abilities, and are armed with standard alien weaponry. They are usually encountered early in the game and are relatively fragile, often dying after a single shot. On Terror missions, base attacks or larger UFOs, they will be accompanied by at least one Reaper.
[edit] Celatid
They appear as floating pink globules and may shoot powerful venom at the player's soldiers. The venom moves like a low speed projectile (similar to a grenade toss) and cannot go far in an area with low ceilings, but can be shot over obstacles such as fences.
Aside from their venomous attack, Celatids have no weapons, no particular resistances or vulnerabilies. They are, however, capable of copying themselves quickly, making them a danger to the player. They are only found on Terror missions, base attacks and larger UFOs, accompanied by Mutons and Silacoids.
[edit] Silacoid
Physically, they look like purple blobs and are very similar to the Star Trek race Horta.
Silacoid are immune to incendiary attacks and are also resistant to high-explosive ammunition and weaponry. While not armed with weapons, the Silacoid simply crush their opponents. They are found on Terror missions, base attacks and larger UFOs, with the Muton and Celatid races. They are not found alone.
[edit] Chryssalid
They are dark-coloured and vaguely humanoid, but with claws and misshapen insectoid-like features.
They have no long distance attacks, but do have a very high speed and unique melee attack which turns soldiers and civilians alike into zombies. If a Chryssalid attacks a tank, the unit is instantly destroyed. (In the European version of the game the tank receives a large amount of damage, but is not necessarily destroyed.) The newly formed zombie will attack other units hand-to-hand, and after a few turns or on death a new full-health Chryssalid is instantly born from the remains, except if the killing blow was dealt with incendiary weapons.
The Chryssalids are resistant to human projectile weaponry, but particularly vulnerable to high explosive and stunning weaponry. Transformed zombies, on the other hand, are resistant to all forms of attack other than incendiary. The threat Chryssalids pose makes them perhaps the most reviled of all the races in X-COM, and some players have resorted to deliberately targeting and/or stunning civilians on terror missions to avoid the potential birth of new Chryssalids.
Chryssalids are found with the Snakeman race, and will only appear on terror missions, base attacks or on larger UFOs.
[edit] Reaper
They are bipedal, brown-furred and much larger than humans. Reapers are unintelligent but ferocious and are used as living weaponry, especially against civilian targets.
They have no long distance attacks and are not armed; however, they move quickly and can cause very serious damage if directly next to the player's units. Reapers have considerable redundancy in internal organs and thus can take high amounts of damage, but the fur makes them vulnerable to incendiary ammunition. Their size of 2x2 grid squares makes it impossible for them to walk or attack through single-square entrances. Reapers are always found with Floaters, and appear on terror missions, base attacks and with larger UFOs.
[edit] Sectopod
They are bipedal robots, armed with very powerful plasma weapons that can seriously harm even the most resistant tanks, especially since they can fire on auto.
Sectopods are resistant to plasma-based weapons and high-explosive attacks, although they are particularly vulnerable to laser-based weapons. They are larger than the soldiers commanded by the player, occupying 2x2 spaces on the map, making them unable to fit through narrow doors and passages, though they may still fire through them. Sectopods do not appear alone, they are always accompanied by Ethereals. They only appear on Terror missions, base attacks, alien bases, and on Terrorship and Battleship class UFOs.
[edit] Cyberdisc
They resemble the classic flying saucer shape, though only about the size of a Reaper.
Cyberdiscs are a formidable threat. They are armed with very dangerous, high-grade plasma weapons and cannot be stunned. The shell is especially resistant to armour piercing and high-explosive attacks and is capable of flight. Furthermore, Cyberdiscs tend to explode when destroyed. They are only found with Sectoids, appearing on Terror missions, base attacks and on larger UFOs; and they do not appear on their own.
[edit] See also
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