When comparing Hatred vs XCOM 2, the Slant community recommends XCOM 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best Top-Down games on Steam?” XCOM 2 is ranked 13th while Hatred is ranked 30th. The most important reason people chose XCOM 2 is:
One of the main aspects of XCOM 2 is preparing your squad for each mission. You need to consider the terrain, objective, and enemy types. Based on these you'll select the appropriate soldiers, weapons, and gadgets. A lot of the missions have some leeway, so you'll be able to form a squad that fits your playstyle. It can either be a group of stealthy rangers, running in with machetes to surprise the enemy. Or it can be a group sharpshooters, allowing you to systematically clear the area from afar with sniper rifles. After each successful mission/kill your soldiers will earn experience. With enough experience you'll be able to promote them and earn learn new skills. You can also research new weapons and build them. A lot of it comes down to looting alien technology and reverse engineering it back at the base. All these things add up and it's really exciting watching your soldiers grow into unstoppable killing machines.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro No mistaking the games intentions
Unlike many games that give a reason as to why the main character is killing "bad guys" over and over, Hatred is themed that the main character is a serial killer, killing to cleanse the world of humanity. While this is not far off from games like Destroy All Humans!, where you are tasked with wiping out the human race, the tones are completely different in that Hatred is a very dark and disturbed game. It can be refreshing to some to see a game be honest about what it sets out to do with little apology while being seen as a critique on the current state of gaming.
Pro Challenging twin-stick gameplay
The game is a punishing twin stick shooter and it is difficult to survive, it will take a lot of practice but can be rewarding for those that like a challenge. While the controls do work best on keyboard and mouse the core gameplay lends itself to using two sticks to control the character such as what are found on a controller. The game can be frustrating, but that is part of its charm.
Pro It's fun to manage your squad
One of the main aspects of XCOM 2 is preparing your squad for each mission. You need to consider the terrain, objective, and enemy types. Based on these you'll select the appropriate soldiers, weapons, and gadgets. A lot of the missions have some leeway, so you'll be able to form a squad that fits your playstyle. It can either be a group of stealthy rangers, running in with machetes to surprise the enemy. Or it can be a group sharpshooters, allowing you to systematically clear the area from afar with sniper rifles.
After each successful mission/kill your soldiers will earn experience. With enough experience you'll be able to promote them and earn learn new skills. You can also research new weapons and build them. A lot of it comes down to looting alien technology and reverse engineering it back at the base.
All these things add up and it's really exciting watching your soldiers grow into unstoppable killing machines.
Pro Makes you feel more for your characters than most character driven games
One of the more fun parts about this game is managing your squad. You can customize the looks, voices, and even names of your soldiers. As you take your soldiers on missions you'll get attached to them. This will create a lot of tense moments when your soldiers are about to die and you desperately try to save them.
If you decide to input the names of your friends or family, multiply the tension by ten.
Pro Excellent suspense
Throughout the campaign you'll always be running against the clock. You have a limited window of time to save humanity before the aliens take over completely. Successful missions only set them back slightly. Unsuccessful missions set you back significantly. It always feels like you're in an uphill struggle and failing means the end. It always feels like you're not gaining an advantage and the aliens have something else in store. This is reinforced in the missions. You never know what type of aliens there will be or what their reinforcements will bring. Encountering new species makes you fear for the well-being of your squad. It's rare for a game to keep you feeling like this.
Cons
Con Poor A.I.
The A.I. for the cops in the game is not great and often get stuck on objects or will not go up stairs. This leads to exploits as well as frustration due to the A.I. not doing what one would expect it to.
Con Difficult controls
Using a controller can be tough with the game as the accuracy is not great, so it is recommended to use a keyboard and mouse. Even then the movement of the main character feels as though they are moving on ice, sliding around a lot. This makes it very difficult to be accurate even though a mouse is helpful in precision targeting.
Con Demanding on hardware
Will not run on low-end graphics cards like the GeForce GT 740M or the HD Graphics 4600 / 5600.
Con Complaints about the new launcher
Sadly the Steam rating has dropped because of the new launcher, problems can be solved however: XCOM 2 How to Bypass the 2k Launcher without External Files or Configuration Guide.
Con Steep learning curve
XCOM 2 is not just about managing a squad of soldiers, you also have to manage your base and operations on a global scale. This includes managing your resources, identifying which missions you should prioritize, and allocating research for new technologies. It might take a while to learn everything needed to fully enjoy this game, especially on higher difficulties.