X-COM: Interceptor

Moby ID: 570
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Description official descriptions

The year is 2067, and the Earth's resources are nearly depleted. In search of raw materials essential for the survival of the humans, powerful corporations send explorers into a region of space known as the Frontier. However, upon arriving there, the humans find out that they are not the only ones needing resources. The alien races who had invaded Earth nearly seventy years ago have their own claims for the Frontier, and it looks like there can be no peaceful solution for the situation.

X-COM: Interceptor has elements of strategy, but its primary gameplay style differs from most previous installments in the X-COM series, focusing on space combat simulation and resource managing. The player commands an elite force of starfighters sent to protect the human corporations in the Frontier. As the X-COM commander, the player must manage space stations, resources, and finances of the organization. Researching alien technology is also necessary to ensure the safety of the humans.

When an enemy craft is spotted, the game's mode switches to space combat simulation. The player pilots starfighters, co-ordinating their wingmen, similarly to Wing Commander: Prophecy. Mission objectives usually involve destroying or capturing enemy ships, sabotaging alien trade routes, escorting friendly ships to specific locations, and raiding alien bases.

Spellings

  • 幽浮:太空攔截者 - Traditional Chinese spelling

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Credits (Windows version)

160 People (82 developers, 78 thanks) · View all

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 75% (based on 19 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.1 out of 5 (based on 24 ratings with 4 reviews)

Not quite the traditional X-Com style, and not quite a good space combat game.

The Good
The game story does fit quite nicely into the X-Com universe, and is some-what likeable just for its X-Com-ness, hmm...

The Bad
Interceptor aims to change the style of the X-Com games, and IMO that is its fatal mistake, I would much prefer to have had another Apocalypse engine game, with a new story than this. The tech-tree and research are not as rewarding as past games, the space combat system is a Tie Fighter wanna-be at best. The game simply fails to excel in any single area of itself, and this makes it dull overall.

The Bottom Line
The game is trying to expand the X-Com name, but misses what made the other X-Com games what they were. It fails to excel in any area, and makes for a lackluster, disappointing game overall.

Windows · by deepcut (1845) · 2001

Not the best, but for fans and newcomers alike, it is an enjoyable addition to the X-Com series.

The Good
This game is a decent space flight simulation. It is the first X-Com game not to be a third person turn-based strategy game. The plot is a bit simpler than the first three but it is good to be fighting the Sectiod hierarchy once more. The interface is simple and the new campaign screen is a very Imperium Galactica/Masters Of Orion-eque looking but fun. The sound FX are very nice.

The Bad
The graphics are a bit dated for their times and the 3D support is flaky at best. It was a bit too short, beat it in the course of a week and that is saying something when X-Com: UFO Defence took me a summer, X-Com: Terror From The Deep took me around three seasons, and X-Com Apocalypse took me a good season and a half.

The Bottom Line
This game is a simpler less plot oriented addition to one of the greatest series in the history of PC gaming. It is the perfect point for a new comer to jump into the series if they cannot find the first two.

Windows · by Gene Davison (801) · 2001

Good, but could have been better.

The Good
Nice Graphics, Nice Flgiht-simmie-bits, nice cut scenes, and excelent on the "Mood"

The Bad
Research tree too 1-dimensional, Sourcebook had a lot of Irrelivent pictures, and needed more meat

The Bottom Line
X-COM interceptor is a good, but not outstanding SpaceFlightSim/Stratergy by Microprose. While it does stay true to the Storyline, so far, it is a little lacking in some areas.

First, the rearch tree, essentally, theres no point researching half of it, theres no benafit in immediate research of little nick naks (where as X-COM 2 did this too much, requiring you to get the Lobsterman Navigator before you can get anywhere Decent).

However, the fact that you no longer have to worry about pesky Scientisits and Engineers does appear to spoil the mood, you soon totaly forget you had to buy em in the first two games.

Its SpaceFlight Sim is where this realy shines, very smooth.

However, there is an Excelent (from a gamers point of view) bug in this system. The manual declares that the Mouse cannot be used for spaceflight. Thats a load of Crap, the game is barely playable by keyboard, too fast on the turns, but for those of us whom dont have $100+ to spend on a stick, the Mouse use option is excelent (even if some could consider it cheating....)

Overall, if your into X-COM, or Spaceflight sims, get it, if not, or your looking to enter the genres, there are better places to start (X-COM 1/UFO Defense for X-COM wannabes, or Wing Commander for Spaceflight wannabes). 7.2/10

Windows · by Chad Henshaw (27) · 2001

[ View all 4 player reviews ]

Trivia

All music from X-Com: Interceptor is available on the CD as Redbook Audio.

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Related Games

X-COM: Apocalypse
Released 1997 on DOS, 2008 on Windows
X-COM: Enforcer
Released 2001 on Windows
X-COM: Terror from the Deep
Released 1995 on DOS, 1996 on PlayStation, Windows
X-COM: UFO Defense
Released 1994 on DOS, 1995 on PlayStation, Windows...
Interceptor
Released 1975 on Arcade
Interceptor
Released 1982 on TRS-80
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X-COM Collection
Released 1999 on Windows
X-COM: Unknown Terror
Released 1996 on DOS

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  • MobyGames ID: 570
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by faceless.

Additional contributors: Narf!, Jason Musgrave, Paulus18950.

Game added December 15, 1999. Last modified January 28, 2024.