Choose XCOM® 2
Choose XCOM® 2 if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 85.8% positive across 44,276 reviews.
XCOM® 2 vs Phoenix Point
XCOM® 2 and Phoenix Point both land in Strategy on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Strategy games on Steam. XCOM® 2 (2016) is 4 years older than Phoenix Point (2020). XCOM® 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (85.8% positive) than Phoenix Point (71.3% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Phoenix Point
Choose Phoenix Point if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 3,001 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both XCOM® 2 and Phoenix Point sit in Strategy on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 XCOM® 2 |  Phoenix Point | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 85.8% positive (44,276 reviews) | 71.3% positive (3,001 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Firaxis Games, Feral Interactive (Mac), Feral Interactive (Linux) | Snapshot Games Inc. |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- XCOM® 2 (2016) is 4 years older than Phoenix Point (2020).
- XCOM® 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (85.8% positive) than Phoenix Point (71.3% positive).
- XCOM® 2 is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Phoenix Point (19.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: XCOM® 2 is Deck Playable, Phoenix Point is Deck Verified.
XCOM® 2 vs Phoenix Point — FAQ
- Which is better, XCOM® 2 or Phoenix Point?
- On Steam reviews XCOM® 2 scores higher (85.8% positive) than Phoenix Point (71.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, XCOM® 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play XCOM® 2 or Phoenix Point first?
- If you want chronology, XCOM® 2 (2016) came out before Phoenix Point (2020). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are XCOM® 2 and Phoenix Point similar?
- They overlap on Strategy on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.