XCOM 2 might only be coming to PC next year, but those in search of a squad-based strategy fix should look no further than Massive Chalice; Double Fine's unique take on the genre. Instead of giving you a team of super soldiers that can be thoroughly modded and specced accordingly, MC puts you in the shoes of an omnipotent force trying to look after the 'Nation', but rather than forever worry about how you're going to fare in the field (something that does still matter), there's a far bigger emphasis on stopping The Cadence, a mystical antagonistic force threatening to take over your land. That means fortifying encampments in key areas and filling them with soldiers; the endgame being to breed your best warriors and provide more units for the future of the battle. The whole campaign takes place over 300 years, so every one of your specialist-trained fighters should retire and pass their genes on at some point, but knowing when to do so provides a risky push n' pull, as you can't then use them in combat. Double Fine's signature humour is in full effect, and although it can take on a very dark Game of Thrones-ian edge when you're telling citizens of barely legal age to make with the rumpy-pumpy "for the good of the realm", it all comes together in a package that's ultimately very refreshing in its execution.
