When it comes to tackling the topic of death, you could argue that XCOM is the spiritual successor to Cannon Fodder. You command a military unit tasked with protecting the planet from an alien invasion. As the distinctly defined 'commander' of the whole operation, the game casts you in a role where you feel directly responsible for your troops. These XCOM troops aren't just faceless pixellated soldiers either. They're characters who you upgrade as the games go on, specialising them in certain skills that make them crucial members of your team. You command them through so many dangerous missions, and subsequently build bonds with them. If they fall in battle then you feel like you not only lose a crucial tool in your war against the aliens, but also a character who you shared exhilarating experiences with, and for whom you probably concocted a personality. This makes it all the tougher when you inevitably lose them in battle. It's the mechanic of featuring death as a 'point of no return' that really gives it weight in XCOM. The game does a great job in making you feel responsible for the lives of your squad, as well as all of humanity, making death an event you accept as necessary in the war, but something you want to avoid as much as possible.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
