Xenonauts 2’s Major Update: Milestone 3
2 min read
Xenonauts 2, the critically acclaimed strategy game developed by Goldhawk Interactive, has recently received its biggest update yet, named Milestone 3. This update brings a plethora of new features and improvements to the game, enhancing the player’s experience and extending the campaign’s playtime significantly.
The most notable addition to Xenonauts 2 with Milestone 3 is the new Cruiser UFO. This UFO is not only a new target for players to infiltrate and loot for technology but also comes with two different interior layouts. This means that if players encounter the Cruiser UFO multiple times or play through the campaign again, they may not be able to use the same strategy twice.
Upon successful infiltration of the Cruiser UFO, players will gain access to a variety of new weapon types. Two types of fusion weapons have been introduced, providing players with new and powerful options to combat the alien invaders. Additionally, a new interceptor and dropship, as well as an improved version of the robot buddy MARS (named ARES), have been added to the game.
Apart from the new Cruiser UFO and its contents, Milestone 3 also includes several smaller improvements. Aliens can now suffer bleed wounds, making the game more balanced and fair. The developers have made better efforts to help tutorialise specific mission types, making the game more accessible to new players. Crucially, there have been “significant AI upgrades,” meaning that enemies are now more intelligent, and civilians are much less suicidal.
One thing in the patch notes, however, may give some players pause. The AI can now open doors, even if the tile on the other side is blocked by another unit. This means that camping around door entrances is no longer an effective strategy, and players will need to adapt to this new mechanic to survive.
It is important to note that by updating to Milestone 3, players will break their existing saved game. If they wish to keep playing their existing campaign, they will need to switch over to the legacy branch where Milestone 2 is still available.
Xenonauts 2 continues its early access journey on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store and is currently on sale until March 4th. The game’s development team, Goldhawk Interactive, has stated that there are still two more UFO types waiting in the wings before Milestone 5, which will fully complete the campaign.
In conclusion, Milestone 3 is a significant update for Xenonauts 2, bringing new content, improvements, and challenges to the game. Players will need to adapt to the new AI behavior and the addition of the Cruiser UFO, but the rewards are worth the effort. With the promise of more UFO types and content in future updates, Xenonauts 2 remains an exciting and engaging strategy game for fans of the genre.
