The new Phoenix Point mod for the XCOM-style strategy game hopes to provide a complete overhaul in the spirit of XCOM: Long War, which focuses on Lovecraft-style horror themes. The Phoenix Point: Terror from the Void mod evokes the spirit of a 1995 standalone add-on to the classic XCOM: UFO Defense game called Terror from the Deep.
Terror from the Void includes an overhauled storyline, as well as new characters, new dialogue options, rewritten lyrics, and new rewards. Of course, you'll face a plethora of new foes - from common enemies to deadly bosses - as well as a whole host of new tactical modifiers that can change the fight. To help you out, this is a complete overhaul of player classes, as well as a complete rebalance of weapons, items, and skills.
Of course, with the claimed inspiration for Lovecraftian themes, it's no surprise that paranoia and madness are strong points in Terror from the Void. The mod reintroduces the Oneiric Delirium, a mechanic that was previously introduced by the index, functioning as the game's "doomsday clock", signaling the Pandorian victory condition, which was removed from the base game in its 1.6 update.
Factions will react to your actions and may become concerned that you may not be here to protect them. Infected soldiers will begin to see monsters, and dead soldiers may return with horrific transformations caused by the infection, meaning you may even encounter your fallen comrades on the battlefield returning as Pandora's monsters.
You can choose how to fight the infection - do you want to use bionic soldiers that are immune to its effects, or do you want to use the potential of alien forces and mutate your soldiers to make them even stronger? Experimental mutagens can hit your troops with unique conditions that can give them new abilities, but can affect their effectiveness in other areas.
Terror from the Void promises to be "widely customizable" as the developers state that "if you don't like something, you can turn it off". However, they promise plenty of challenges for those who want it, claiming "a legend of difficulty lives up to its name" for the most seasoned Phoenix Point veterans and those who really want to embrace the horror.
Phoenix Point: Terror from the Void entered open beta on October 7, with the team stating that players should "expect bugs and balance issues" in the initial release. You can download it on steam, but note that all Phoenix Point DLCs are required to play. You can watch the trailer below:
