On steam.

If anyone has problems downloading it, if when you click on the download demo button your steam freezes for a few seconds and nothing happens, just restart your steam client. About 5 GBs.

Wow! Thanks!

5.5GB download....

Off to get it now.Bye!!!!!

Thanks, will download it when I get home from work. I am looking forward to this....alot!!!!!

I loved the original and played it to death.

downloading.

I can't, too big. Darn

See you guys next year...

5 gigs for a demo?!?!?!?! insane.

Yeah hopefully that is a the sign of a good demo!

Rumour is that it allows 2 missions and a view of the base ant farm (~30mins)... so it would seem so, at least we are getting a demo which is more than most games these days.

And yet another reason why i should upgrade. Dammit

Aaand finished. Quite small demo, doesn't excuse the 5GBs.

Well you just can't say that and NOT tell us poor folk what the experience was like. C'mon and tell us all about it. Does it live up to expectations ?

Sounds and looks interesting based on some of the videos on the official game site (including "making of" style commentary from devs). I'm looking forward to reviews from SimHQ members.

The Demo is very scripted. You get an introductory tutorial mission where you follow orders in what to do, then
are sent to the base view and finally get to choose between two missions where you'll get to have full control
of the squad.

There's a lot of cinematics done using the in-game engine and graphics. I'm guessing that's where the 5GB of data
comes from.

Very well done in the presentation and visual field, the graphics are top notch. The game play itself
reminds me of the original a lot but different in some aspects, such as moving. For example, you get
an overlay showing where you can go with the action points you have and you can move and shoot in the
same turn, unless you move beyond the default range and then you can choose a location in a extended
range overlay where you can dash but wont be able to shoot afterwords.

There is no strategic choices to be made in the demo except picking a project to research and which mission
you choose to go to.

Looks good. I might get it.

I can't wait to save up for a computer. I sunk so much on kitchen stuff and winter gear for my new duty station, I just don't want to go any deeper into my savings. I already broke my absolute bottom of my savings account.

Well, it's two missions, and I don't know if I can count the first one as it's heavily scripted/tutorial.

Gameplay wise, it certainly is a simplified version of the old game. No inventory, that I could find at least, the two action points that you have to spend, instead of the 10-40 you had in Enemy Unknown, gives you less tactical options, move and fire as many times as they allow you, move from your cover to shoot and then get back into cover, etc. Also, there are no stances, which affected your chances of being hit and to hit, you use cover and that's it.

Of course, since this works both ways, for you and the aliens, you can take that like the turns are becoming more like real time. And some things can change with modding.

Had a quick try during lunch and although the demo is large 5GB, if you have a decent download speed and it doesn't put you over any download bandwidth caps, then I think it is worth it to let you demo out how XCOM:EU will be, you get to see the base, squad skills, and take them on at least one tutorial and one full mission where you can control your squad see how it works and do what you want trying to take down aliens (didn't have time to finish the latter yet).

So for the purposes of letting you demo the game and see whether it is like the classic XCOM and something to buy, I think it does a good job.

I've pre-ordered and am really looking forward to this now.

Downloading still, halfway through and still 2 hours to go. Stupid Virgin capping speeds!

Just thought though, this isn't a turn based game is it? Might save me downloading it if it is.

Yeah it is definitely turn based (which I am glad for):

A pretty long playthrough stream (by some non-tactical guy) here if you are curious:
http://www.twitch.tv//2k/b/330155062

It is TBP.