2K Marin, who recently released the very-solid-but-not-quite-as-good-as-we-hoped sequel to Bioshock, are working to bring back X-Com. The classic PC series has already had its share of sequels, all of which most people admit are not as good as the original X-Com; UFO Defense, but they’re going in a new direction this time.

The new XCOM (no dash) is in development exclusively for Xbox 360 and PC, and will take the strategy aspects of the series and mix it into a first-person shooter. Yes, that sound you just heard was a million PC gamers crying out in horror, but wait- they’re making this more of a narrative-based story, and there’s a ton of potential here. The official synopsis:

“XCOM is the re-imagining of the classic tale of humanity’s struggle against an unknown enemy that puts players directly into the shoes of an FBI agent tasked with identifying and eliminating the growing threat. True to the roots of the franchise, players will be placed in charge of overcoming high-stake odds through risky strategic gambits coupled with heart-stopping combat experiences that pit human ingenuity – and frailty – against a foe beyond comprehension. By setting the game in a first-person perspective, players will be able to feel the tension and fear that comes with combating a faceless enemy that is violently probing and plotting its way into our world.”

On a personal note, I got back into X-Com recently (courtesy of a ridiculous Steam sale) and while the years have only made the graphics and interface look antiquated, the core gameplay is still top-notch. It will be interesting to see if this new game can retain some of that.

Check xcom.com (say that five times fast) for more.