When comparing Star Wars RPG by Fantasy Flight Games vs XCOM: Enemy Within, the Slant community recommends XCOM: Enemy Within for most people. In the question“What are the best turn-based strategy games for Android?” XCOM: Enemy Within is ranked 7th while Star Wars RPG by Fantasy Flight Games is ranked 15th. The most important reason people chose XCOM: Enemy Within is:
The gaming genre of turn based strategy lends itself very well to touch screen devices. It is actually easier to interact with the characters on screen with ones fingers instead of a mouse.
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Pros
Pro Story focused instead of combat focused
Rather than focus on combat encounters and character stats, Fantasy Flight Games system allows the group to focus on telling a great Star Wars story. The players and the GM alike are major contributors due to FFG's unique system and dice mechanics.
Pro Drives improvisation through its die roll mechanics
The die roll mechanic leads to more than just a simple success and failure. The result often requires positive and negative side effects; sometimes dramatic ones! Very rewarding with a GM who's good at making stuff up on the spot.
Pro Super-customizable character creation system
The Star Wars RPG's point-buy system allows characters to easily gain skills outside their career while still making each build feel unique. Focused builds are rewarded, but, in the narrative system, min/maxed characters are no more overpowered than their (equally rewarded) all-around counterparts. Players can easily create a bounty hunter, ambassador, or mystic, or even all of them in one character. Rigid classes ("I am a cleric") are a thing of the past. Your character is no longer defined by such constraining borders—he is what you want him to be. The level-less system places literal millions of possibilities at your fingertips.
Pro Set in the Star Wars Universe
The Star Wars Universe is arguably one of the largest and most beloved in the world, and this RPG captures it's depth and diversity very well. Players can choose from hundred of class and specialization combinations for creating unique characters and stories set in classic Star Wars settings, or create entirely new worlds and stories.
Pro Now available in setting free format with Genesys
Pro Easier to play online
Because the Star Wars RPG focuses more on story and role play and less on combat, maps and hard stats, it is easier to play online using Voice Software like Skype, Google Hangouts or Discord. There are also online platforms such as Roll20 that allow for digital dice rolls and resources.
Pro Turn based strategy works well on touchscreen devices
The gaming genre of turn based strategy lends itself very well to touch screen devices. It is actually easier to interact with the characters on screen with ones fingers instead of a mouse.
Pro Enjoyable gameplay
XCOM sets the standard as to what to expect in turn based strategy gaming. Players use soldiers to fight off an alien invasion by utilizing cover, flanking and other strategy tactics to defeat the alien baddies on each level of grid based environments.
Pro Hardcore strategy gaming at it best on a mobile platform
For a series that is regarded as hardcore gaming even on PC, to see this franchise come to mobile is a godsend.
Pro New upgrade resource
There is a new resource known as Meld that allows the user to purchase upgrades.
Pro Cheaper than PC version
Epic game, same as PC version, for lower price.
Pro Expansion on what was already a fantastic game
Enemy Within is and expansion on the classic Enemy Unknown. With Enemy Withing players are given new options such as maps, missions, enemies and of course the new Mech Suits.
Pro Ethical choices effect long game
The choices the player makes from what kind of upgrades to use to what soldier to send where on a battle map will effect later game play.
Pro Online multiplayer
There is support for asynchronous online multiplayer built into the game over Google Play Services.
Pro Unexpected storyline
A strategy game such as this is often not expected to have a storyline, or if so, a good one. But this game has an interesting and surprising one.
Pro Many upgrades
Many possibilities for upgrades are available in the game, which is impressive. Cybergenetics and genetics mods are some of the options you can use as upgrades in the game.
Cons
Con You need custom dice, and they take some getting used to
This game doesn't use the regular dice so common in most RPGs, but requires the use of a special set of dice that only Fantasy Flight sells. It's kinda pricey, and it takes some getting used to the weird symbols on the dice. There is a die roller app. Of course, some people come to love the custom dice (no more automatic 1-or-20 successes or fails).
Con All the worst money-grabbing faults in RPG design incorporated here
Multiple, nearly redundant corebooks. Supplements are high on price and low on content. It even has custom dice. Fans should be able to apply for a second mortgage at the fantasy flight website.
Con Very little digitally distributed content
While Fantasy Flight has added a few digitally distributed(PDF) resources that are all free; such as character sheets, pre-generated characters and campaigns; there are no official digital versions available for any of their print materials.
Con Three flavoured "separated" subvariants for smuggler theme, rebel stories and Jedi path
A lot of redundant text in the there "corebooks". The rest of the subgames lines are similar structured with in depth class type rule books. Patterns of the lines are very similar: Core book, beginner box, class types expansions and adventures books. You can mix the variants. Rules are compatible.
Con The old WEG edition is so much better
This is clunky and doesn't create a heroic STAR WARS feel.
Con Many crashing bugs
It may crash often when loading missions.
Con Too expensive
Con Second half of game lacks as many options as first half
The second half of the game feels a bit lack luster in options when compared to the first half.