So recently, this relatively inexpensive line of linux handhelds got a massive update to a current linux kernel and some substantial bugfixes to their previously buggy graphics drivers. As a fun little project I ported OpenXcom over, wrote some controller support in, etc. It’s a lot of fun playing it on the funky little milled aluminum RG350m.
Anyway, that’s not the cool thing. While working on this I was going through the forums and it turns out there’s a whole world of total conversion mods for OpenXcom that build on the original game. I’ve been poking around with The X-Com Files, a sorta drastic expansion over the original game that starts you out with two agents and a car, a couple of scientists, and that’s about it. You go around, investigate cults, gangs, cryptids, werewolves, etc. As the name implies it’s heavily inspired by the X Files as well, so if you enjoy that show, this is probably the closest you’re going to get to it in a management-simulation type of package. Lot of expansions on the original game: dogs, flashlights, lower-tech weapons, etc. Very cool imo. Obligatory screenshot:
There’s also The World of Terrifying Silence, an expansion on the sort of half-baked Terror From the Deep that stays true to its themes while also providing a more complete game experience.
Probably most famous of the total conversions though is X-Piratez, which is basically like if Xcom were a movie franchise that kept going on for way too long. The premise is that the Xcom organization from the original game has failed, it’s the far future, you are a band of mutant woman pirates trying to survive in the postapocalypse. It’s one of those things that has been quietly developing for several years with a devoted fanbase and even-more-devoted developers. It’s got some pretty horny art direction.
There’s a lot of other stuff out there too. Some rebalance mods, a warhammer 40k inspired one, one where aliens attack during World War 1, soundtrack rearrangements, etc. It’s cool stuff. There’s also my RG350m port if anyone’s got one of those knocking around. Doesn’t support the mods that require OpenXcom Extended (yet), but it’s still pretty good imo.