Is Long War 2 the XCOM 2 Experience You've Been Missing?

XCOM 2. Even years after its release, it remains a titan of the turn-based strategy genre. But let's be honest, veterans: after a few campaigns, the formula can start to feel… predictable. That's where mods come in, breathing new life into familiar territory. And among the myriad XCOM 2 mods out there, Long War 2 stands apart. This isn't just a tweak; it's a complete overhaul. As a long-time member of the PC gaming and modding community, I've spent countless hours knee-deep in its intricacies, and I'm here to give you the unvarnished truth about whether it's worth your time.

What Long War 2 Actually Does

Long War 2 doesn't just add a few new weapons or classes; it fundamentally rewrites the XCOM 2 campaign. It's all about strategic depth and resource management, demanding a level of planning far beyond the base game. Prepare for a long campaign – the name isn’t kidding.

The Infiltration Game: Patience is a Virtue

Vanilla XCOM 2 missions are largely "go here, shoot that." Long War 2 introduces the Infiltration mechanic, which dramatically changes how you approach mission selection. Sending in a squad immediately triggers the mission, but if you allow them to infiltrate for a few days your combat readiness will increase. Shorter infiltration times mean fewer soldiers, higher enemy counts, and a greater chance of being detected early. Proper squad composition and careful planning become crucial to success, forcing you to prioritize which missions are worth the risk.

Bigger Squads, Bigger Brains

The increased squad size – up to 10 soldiers – is a game-changer. While it offers more tactical flexibility, it also demands greater soldier management. Each soldier needs training, equipment, and healing. Managing ten soldiers effectively requires a well-thought-out roster and strategic rotation to avoid fatigue. This is a huge change from XCOM 2's base gameplay, where 4-6 soldiers are generally the norm.

Fresh Blood: New Soldier Classes

Long War 2 introduces new soldier classes, like the Technical, offering fresh tactical options. The Technical, with their flamethrowers and support abilities, can completely change the flow of combat, but you will have to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each class. This forces you to rethink squad compositions and develop new strategies.

The Geoscape Shuffle: Resistance Management

The strategic layer receives a massive overhaul. You're not just scanning for missions; you're managing Havens, establishing resistance contacts, and tracking ADVENT strength in each region. Neglecting Haven management can lead to devastating ADVENT retaliations, crippling your resources and slowing your progress. A single supply raid can set you back weeks.

For example, assigning enough rebels to Intel in a region can reveal an incoming ADVENT supply train. If you don't act, the local ADVENT strength will increase. Assigning soldiers to the job of recruiting also has a significant impact on how quickly you find new soldiers to fill your ranks.

Research and Development: The Long Game

Forget rushing plasma weapons in a few months. The research tree is significantly expanded, and research times are dramatically increased. This forces you to carefully prioritize your research and make tough choices about which technologies to pursue.

Gameplay Impact: From Tactical Shooter to Strategic Masterclass

Playing XCOM 2 with Long War 2 feels different. The heightened challenge forces you to think several steps ahead. Every decision, from squad composition to research priorities, has significant consequences.

Imagine this scenario: ADVENT is tightening its grip on a region. Your Haven is struggling to maintain supply lines. You've assigned a skilled advisor to manage the Haven, boosting rebel recruitment and intel gathering. As ADVENT strength increases, you assign a few soldiers to defense. ADVENT prepares a raid on your supply lines! Because of your efficient Haven management, your rebels have enough firepower to assist your defending soldiers, turning what could have been a crippling supply raid into a successful defense. This kind of strategic depth is what Long War 2 brings to the table.

Completing a difficult mission after meticulously planning every detail is incredibly rewarding. But be warned: fatigue becomes a primary limiter in the mid-to-late game. You will be forced to rotate your soldiers, meaning you'll need to level up multiple squads to ensure your best soldiers don't become fatigued and unavailable.

Technical Deep Dive: Installation and Performance

Installing Long War 2 is relatively straightforward via the XCOM 2 launcher. The workshop makes the mod accessible; however, you will need to add the following command line parameters through Steam: "-allowconsole -log". These parameters are crucial for enabling console commands (essential for debugging and troubleshooting) and generating log files (helpful for identifying and resolving issues).

Stability-wise, Long War 2 isn't perfect. Expect occasional UI glitches and, rarely, crashes. It's a complex mod, and some bugs are inevitable. Compatibility with other mods can be hit-or-miss. Do your research and read forum discussions to determine which mods play nicely with Long War 2.

On my mid-range gaming PC (Ryzen 5 3600, RTX 2060, 16GB RAM), I experienced noticeable frame rate dips, particularly during large-scale battles with numerous enemies. Load times are also significantly longer than in the vanilla version.

Community Buzz: A Love-Hate Relationship

Long War 2 commands a dedicated following within the XCOM 2 community. The /r/LW2 subreddit boasts tens of thousands of subscribers, a testament to the mod's enduring appeal. Prominent XCOM 2 YouTubers and Twitch streamers have featured Long War 2 extensively, and their feedback is generally positive. While quantifying the exact percentage of XCOM 2 players who have installed Long War 2 is difficult, forum discussions and mod download counts suggest that a significant minority (perhaps 10-15% of owners) have given it a try.

However, it's crucial to acknowledge the elephant in the room: Long War 2 is notoriously difficult. Even experienced XCOM 2 players can find themselves struggling to survive. This high barrier to entry undoubtedly scares away more casual players. The difficulty has been a source of controversy within the community, with some arguing that it's excessively punishing.

Verdict: Worth the Plunge?

So, is Long War 2 worth trying? Absolutely, but with caveats. This mod is tailor-made for players who relish turn-based strategy games with a heavy emphasis on resource management and long-term planning. It’s not for players seeking a casual or easily digestible XCOM 2 experience. If you enjoy being challenged and are willing to invest significant time and effort into mastering its mechanics, Long War 2 will provide countless hours of rewarding gameplay. Be prepared to have your understanding of XCOM 2 challenged and expanded. It transforms the game from a more action-focused strategy title into a full-blown tactical resource management simulation.

Ultimately, Long War 2 isn't just a mod; it's a reimagining of XCOM 2. It's a testament to the power of modding to extend the life and deepen the complexity of our favorite games. If you're ready for a challenge, dive in. Just don't say I didn't warn you.