Free X-Com: Enforcer PC Game Walkthrough

Free X-Com: Enforcer PC Game Walkthrough
Page content

Free X-Com: Enforcer PC Game Walkthrough

Infogrames’ 2001 PC game, X-Com: Enforcer, revives the classic 1990s sci-fi strategy series as an action-packed shooter title. The game features a host of levels, each part of a larger storyline of humankind’s battle against extra-terrestrials. We’ll talk you through what to expect from each area and level of the game, but before that, a few cheats that might help you on your way.

During gameplay, press the “~” key on your PC’s keyboard (referred to as “tilde”) to bring up a drop-down console. In this console, you can type several commands to make your progress easier: enter “xgod” to become invincible, or “open map[#]” (in the “[#]” section, enter a number between one and forty) to unlock the level of your choice. To turn off these cheats, enter “walk.” Now that you’ve got those cheat codes to help you on your way, on with the free walkthrough for X-Com Enforcer!

Opening Levels: Lab to Las Vegas

X-Com Enforcer starts in the lab

X-Com: Enforcer opens slow, with tutor-figure Professor Standard setting you up in a controlled lab environment and teaching the basics of control - as demonstrated by killing as many aliens as possible. Follow the instructions given and have some fun.

From there it’s on to “Kanyon Kaos,” an easy bug-hunt where several easily-found transporters are scattered throughout the landscape. The best strategy here is to take out all transporters except the first one you see, then bullseye aliens for easy bonuses until you get bored. Then just take out the last transporter to finish the level.

A twist on this theme is provided by “Trailer Park Trouble,” in which the same transporter-destruction is broken up by rescuing trailer-park denizen locals. Just run into them to rescue them.

The first boss rears its head in “Bowling Alley Rage:” the Reaper is a pretty tough enemy at this stage in the game. To wear it down, stay in the corridor leading to the battle arena and plug away without it being able to hit you. Enter the area with guns blazing when the Reaper’s health is low.

“Danger on the Rocks” and “Hover Boat Havoc” provide minimal variations on the theme of “just keep shooting.” The first requires you to move toward a goal while shooting, the second just asks you to stay still until all aliens have been vanquished.

“Block Rockin’” challenges you to defend a batch of caged humans: once you reach them, just stay close and shoot all aliens. When you’ve killed enough of them, you’ll move onto “Expand Your Head” and “Breakfast in Vegas,” both of which offer minimal variations on the “find and destroy generators” theme. Just run about and keep shooting.

Downtown Invasion

Take the action downtown

The action moves to an urban arena with “City Street Cleanup,” whose bosses are a pair of new enemies that may pose a challenge. The key is a straight-shooting weapon and a fast hand on the Strafe key.

“Parking Garage Mayhem” is a run-and-gun with the emphasis on rescuing as many humans as possible. Stick to the stairwells: aliens avoid these areas, and there are hostages hidden there.

Move slowly through “Mall Massacre,” because there are multiple entrances for aliens and lots of blind corners. Conservative play will see you through.

“Screamin’ Streets” and “Sewer Skirmish” are standard run-and-gun levels, but the intermediary level, “Getty Bashing,” contains some enemies too tough to take on face-to-face. Use the Thermopylae Manuever: lure them into the level’s narrow corridor and plug away from a distance.

“New Market Maulers” and “City Crasher” are business as usual, with hostages hidden in green pods throughout. Shoot the pod to open it and touch the hostage to rescue them.

Blowing Town

Take the fight to the rooftops

Time to make your way out of X-Com: Enforcer’s urban areas. “Downtown Ascension” is a boss battle against an armored enemy who’s pinned you in a lift. The key is to keep moving while plugging away with whatever weapon you’re most comfortable using.

This takes you to “Rooftop Rumble,” where the key is to move slowly enough that you won’t fall off the building. That’s instant death, but as long as you stay standing and keep an eye out for the heavy-set enemies bent on knocking you down, you’ll get through.

“Rural Ripper” and “Freeway Splatter” are the standard run-and-gun fare, but “Stadium Smasher” breaks the action up with a boss fight in a stadium. Use your blade launcher to cut the way to the opposite end of the field, where there’s a big bonus for you.

Find the hole in the floor of “Graveyard Diggin’” to reach the catacombs, then run and gun your way through this subterranean level. You’ll surface in “Country Corn Shuckin’,” a battle against large numbers of aliens with decreased visibility. Use jumpjets to remove this disadvantage. The same strategy holds for “Crop Circle Surprise:” the jets will help you find your way to the alien ship you need to destroy to progress.

“Runway Riot” and “Air Force Enforcer” are variations on the standard theme of finding transporters and shooting aliens. Greater enemy numbers make these levels slower going, but by now you should have built up enough artillery to make the going easier.

Arctic Battles

Aliens fill the base

From here on in, X-Com: Enforcer subjects you to a gauntlet of five Arctic levels, each standard run-and-gun fare. The only exception is the final level, where a boss requires you to keep up the strafing and keep an eye on your peripheral vision. If you’re playing on “Easy,” this boss ends the game

“Helltown” continues the fight with a mission to save as many humans as possible, but it’s impossible to clear this level without your base being destroyed. “Assault on the Mothership” and “The High Ethereal” round off the game’s main story with proactive assaults on the aliens: make sure to equip your nukes as you go in for the kill against unprecedented amounts of enemies. On “The Final Ethereal,” the force fields must be destroyed before the final boss can be finished off: reach them with your jumpjets, then go in for the kill and you’ll finish the game!

Bonus Rounds

Collect purple orbs for bonus rounds

During the main game, you’ll occasionally be granted access to secret bonus rounds. The appearance of these levels depends on how many of the purple orbs dropped by aliens you’re able to collect. The name of the game in a bonus round is building up a massive score while collecting data points - a 3D shooter variation on the Pac-Man theme of game design. Keep moving and don’t let your finger leave the trigger - the more data points you collect, the better off you’ll be at the end of the round. But don’t feel bad when you’re defeated: these rounds are designed to kill you!

The exception is the final bonus round, “Extra Spicy.” The goal here is to defeat a series of bosses. If you win, you get bragging rights and a big score bonus - so put the tactics learned in the main game to use in this survival battle.