Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • GTA 6 cover art revealed
  • Summer Preview
  • Prime Day deals
  • Best gaming tech
  • New Games 2026
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Strategy Games

Fight aliens and humans alike in XCOM: Enemy Within

Features
By Ryan Taljonick published 9 October 2013

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A new enemy approaches

A new enemy approaches

Some people manage to find the good in even the bleakest of scenarios. Take, for example, the members of the Exalt, a covert organization new to XCOM: Enemy Within. Where normal people might view the attempted genocide of the entire human race by hostile aliens as problematic, the Exalt looks at it as the perfect opportunity to perfect mankind's evolution using alien tech. Unfortunately, their devotion to human experimentation is sort of at odds with XCOM's mission of preserving human life--so it's up to you, Commander, to shut them down.

The Exalt operate from hidden cells around the globe, which you'll have to spend XCOM funds to track down--funds you could've spent on satellites, equipment upgrades, or other crucial resources. The more Exalt missions you complete, the closer you'll get to discovering their headquarters and stopping them for good. Choose to ignore them for long, though, and they'll send entire nations into panic, causing them to back out of the XCOM project.

What Exalt forces lack in firepower (which isn't much, truth be told), they make up for in numbers. You'll want to send your most experienced units to take them on, as they're quick about surrounding and overwhelming you. You'll have to use everything at your disposal, including new items like gas grenades, which poison enemies, and ghost grenades, which provide a few turns of stealth on whomever they're used on, if you hope to survive their onslaught. As if facing a relentless army of murderous aliens wasn't already hard enough.

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Gas grenades, a new addition to Enemy Within, are an AOE poison that damage enemies each turn.

Gas grenades, a new addition to Enemy Within, are an AOE poison that damage enemies each turn.

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Ghost grenades, on the other hand, will temporarily stealth your allies.

Ghost grenades, on the other hand, will temporarily stealth your allies.

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
You'll start each Exalt operation by sending in a covert operative. Some missions hinge on that soldier's survival.

You'll start each Exalt operation by sending in a covert operative. Some missions hinge on that soldier's survival.

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Exalt troops tend to swarm in huge numbers and will overwhelm your squad if you're not careful.

Exalt troops tend to swarm in huge numbers and will overwhelm your squad if you're not careful.

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
You can hack these little comm towers to interrupt the Exalt's communications, thus paralyzing them for an entire turn.

You can hack these little comm towers to interrupt the Exalt's communications, thus paralyzing them for an entire turn.

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PlayStation Xbox Platforms
PRODUCTS
XCOM: Enemy Unknown XCOM: Enemy Within
Ryan Taljonick
Ryan Taljonick
Social Links Navigation

Ryan was once the Executive Editor of GamesRadar, before moving into the world of games development. He worked as a Brand Manager at EA, and then at Bethesda Softworks, before moving to 2K. He briefly went back to EA and is now the Director of Global Marketing Strategy at 2K. 

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter
Read more
Three models from the XCOM miniatures game against a CRT-style image of warriors fighting
Tabletop Gaming XCOM miniatures game revealed, with and upgradable base and co-op adventure campaign
 
 
XCOM
Tabletop Gaming A Warhammer-style XCOM miniatures game is on the way from developers of Fallout Factions
 
 
A Colonial Marine looking concerned stares off into the distance amidst sparks
Tabletop Gaming Alien RPG gets harrowing new campaign following a hapless team of Colonial Marines
 
 
Protagonist Jun in space gear during a flight in the sci-fi RPG, Exodus
RPGs Exodus: Everything you need to know about the sci-fi RPG from former Mass Effect devs
 
 
Six characters pose heroically in promo art for Star Wars: Zero Company
Strategy Games Star Wars Zero Company will kill story characters, Fire Emblem-style
 
 
Exodus screenshot of characters with Big Preview branding template
RPGs Exodus hands-on: "Carries the Mass Effect baton well into deep space with ambitious RPG mechanics that let me get tactical"
 
 
Latest in Strategy Games
Key art for Star Wars Zero Company, cropped to focus in on the main characters, with the orange GamesRadar+ Summer Preview 2026 frame
Strategy Games Star Wars Zero Company looks so good it has me wishing Metal Gear would make tactics games again
 
 
A Space Marine in worn blue armor and gold trim looking to his left in Total War: Warhammer 40K
Total War Total War: Warhammer 40K is getting a closed beta, and its latest gameplay has sold me
 
 
Star Wars Zero Company character looks sullen
Strategy Games Star Wars Zero Company confirmed for August release as former XCOM devs debut action-packed gameplay trailer
 
 
Screenshot of a Clone Trooper shooting their gun from Star Wars: Zero Company
Strategy Games Star Wars Zero Company release date leaks one day before Summer Game Fest
 
 
Civilization 7: a screenshot of a bronze man playing the violin during the trailer for Civilization 7.
Strategy Games Civilization 7 and Borderlands 4 had "missteps," Take-Two boss admits, but publisher 2K is still "crushing it"
 
 
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era view of a city.
Strategy Games With 1 million copies sold, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era reveals early access roadmap
 
 
Latest in Features
Grounded 2 Into the Abyss screenshot
Survival Games Grounded 2 interview: Obsidian's Chris Parker talks Into the Abyss, PS5 release, and a roadmap for future updates
 
 
Fallout 76 Screenshot
Fallout Fallout 76 interview: Bethesda talks Infestations and the impact of the Fallout TV show on its shared-world RPG
 
 
Claire Redfield is grabbed from behind in Resident Evil Veronica by a figure in a gas mask, with the orange GamesRadar+ Summer Preview 2026 frame
Resident Evil I'm glad Resident Evil Veronica will have a "reimagined story" – remakes need reinvention to survive
 
 
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2
Live Action Shows What time is Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 releasing on Netflix?
 
 
Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Marvel Movies Who is Spider-Man: Brand New Day's mystery villain? Our 5 biggest theories, from Mister Negative to Jean Grey
 
 
Image of a bunch of gaming accessories on a blue GamesRadar+ background.
Accessories You deserve to get in some gaming time this summer, and these travel-friendly gadgets will help with that
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Link looks shocked in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
    1
    Shigeru Miyamoto decided Zelda dungeons aren't "really that much fun" while making Ocarina of Time, but they're what I'm looking forward to in the remake
  2. 2
    Gears of War: E-Day brings back a feature the series hasn't supported in over 10 years, and The Coalition says making it work was "a huge investment"
  3. 3
    This 150-card MTG TMNT bundle box is finally seeing some discounts, but it looks set to sell out any time now
  4. 4
    FPS players! These are the gaming earbuds you need for premium precision, and for a few more hours they're at their lowest-ever price
  5. 5
    RPG veteran Josh Sawyer says sometimes game designers "go overboard in removing friction"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...