We sadly didn't get to play the game ourselves, but 2K Marin led us through a frenetic E3 demo of their upcoming reimagining of the classic PC series XCOM. It was quite an experience, so check out our thoughts below.

I never played the original XCOM back when it was released in 1994 during what was something of a halcyon period for PC gaming. Therefore, the Xbox 360 version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown was my first foray into this popular franchise.

Buy XCOM, it's a belter. I know it's Big Game season, but this is so good I've chalked up 43 hours in four days and want more in the near future. XCOM absorbs you into a universe of Tonka toy soldiers and B-movie science-fiction, a rich and smartly streamlined strategy experience that's a hell of a...

But I'm getting a little ahead of myself, at it's core XCOM is tough, and it does not apologise for that one bit. The game begins with your small force of rookie soldiers first encountering, and then being decimated by, a small group of Sectoid aliens wielding plasma pistols.

, which is widely regarded as one of the best turn-based strategy games of all time.

Turn-based games have a thin line to walk in order to keep players engaged. XCOM: Enemy Unknown pulls players in so many different directions with both threats and opportunities that making the tough choices it demands is as difficult as stepping away from the nail-biting situation onscreen.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown Review: When UFO: Enemy Unknown (later renamed XCOM: Enemy Unknown) was released on the PC and PlayStation, it was a huge hit that spawned five sequels and two cancelled games.

Beautiful graphics and UI throughout; Turn-based tactics combat at its finest; The open-ended structure of the game allows for you to play differently each time; Online multiplayer is exceptional and fits the nature of the game

Minor graphical errors like clipping; The extreme difficulty of the game might not be welcomed by all players; especially those new to the genre

A polished turn-based shooter that harks back to the golden era of strategy games. Rich, customisable, and fiendishly addictive.

Tactically rewarding; Satisfying; tactile combat; Hugely customisable

Lacks visual punch; Micromanagement can be stressful

In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, victory is sweet--but it's so much sweeter when it arrives after a heart-wrenching standoff. With each turn, the newest entry in this beloved strategy series heightens the sense of tension, and each defeat of a hovering alien craft thus becomes cause for celebration.

Tension-filled turn-based matches; Great sense of progression makes you feel increasingly powerful; Complex interconnected economy makes each decision important; Soldier perma-death gets you invested in the fate of your veterans

Map repetition; Camera foibles and other visual glitches

Firaxis' reboot of XCOM, Enemy Unknown, is one of the most logically sound alien invasion games you'll ever play. It accepts that if ex...

Satisfying; difficult tactical battles; The lengthy campaign and robust multiplayer; Incredibly deep customization

Camera and control problems; Random difficulty spikes; Watching your loved ones die to incredibly bad luck