Literature

By: Zombie

Strategy Guides

 

X-COM UFO Defense: The Official Strategy Guide (1995)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 Considered by many to be the official "Bible" of X-COM, the OSG is rich with tables, statistics and data. This is advanced reading folks, not for the faint of heart. Besides the usual UFOPaedia information present in most guides, this book includes a research tree, alien deployments for each mission type and UFO floorplans among other things. A whole chapter is devoted to the final mission on Mars and there are notes from lead programmer Julian Gollop along with a glossary and an index for ease of navigation. Some minor issues exist concerning the validity of certain statistics (the alien tables are a glaring example), and complaints arise due to the supposed lack of strategic tips, but overall, this is a well-written guide and a must-have for any fan of the game.
1-55958-764-4
Lib of Cong.
94-068409
Author
David Ellis
Publisher
Prima


 

X-COM Strategies And Secrets (1995)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 Whereas the OSG is all about the cold, hard, stats for X-COM veterans, this guide is intended for a completely different audience: the novice. It still has some data, but explains the details and offers more strategic help - a perfect companion piece to the OSG. There are five main sections: interfaces, Geo and Battlescape operations, Endgame and Appendices. Sprinkled throughout are notes, useful tips and pictures. The air combat window, equip squad screen and Battlescape controls are explained inside the front cover and an overview of the aliens resides at the end, while the Appendix describes how to read the graphs in the Geoscape and talks about the internet. If you aren't concerned with the stats and just want to know how to play the game, this may be the book for you.
0-7821-1671-X
Lib of Cong.
95-067376
Author
Neil Randall
Publisher
Sybex


 

X-COM Terror From The Deep: The Official Strategy Guide (1995)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 Much like the OSG for UFO, the sequel does not disappoint if you are looking for statistics. In fact, a good majority of the tables are retooled versions of the originals. However, that's not to say the entire book is a reprint. To appease the people clamoring for more strategies, there are tips throughout the entire text. Fresh segments include information about the bladed weapons, new mission types and interception concerns. The research tree and v1.5 update sections are indispensable, while the interview with the game's designer (Stephen Goss) rounds everything out in the appendix. By and large, you can see this guide really tried to be different and for the most part it succeeded, but so much more could have been done to make this a truly exceptional reference.
0-7615-0074-X
Lib of Cong.
95-068600
Author
David Ellis
Publisher
Prima


 

Totally Unauthorized X-COM: Terror From The Deep - The Ultimate Guide To Alien Destruction (1995)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10

Surprisingly, this book is reminiscent of X-COM Strategies And Secrets by Neil Randall as it prefers to focus more on the strategic element rather than the statistical. That's great news for players who are seeking tactical aid. Some things which set this guide apart are the weapon quick reference card which can be detached from the manual, information on editors and websites (these sections are a must-read), plus the interview with Julian Gollop about developing X-COM, TFTD and Apocalypse. Unfortunately there are some concerns to mention: the research tree seems to be flawed in a few areas and the text can be hard to read in the tips and notes boxes due to the graph paper background. Otherwise, this is a great supplement to the OSG for TFTD.

The LCCN link does not work anymore for some reason.

1-56686-302-3
Lib of Cong.
95-079737
Author
Jeff James
Publisher
Brady


 

PlayStation Game Secrets: The Unauthorized Edition Vol 1 (1996)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 This paperback is a compilation of approximately 30 games for the Playstation platform. One would think that this guide would give some unique strategies for this version of X-COM, but unfortunately it falls far short of even giving an overview. The biggest problem is of course the limited space and consequently the UFO Defense section consists of only 4 pages. Most of that is taken up by pictures and empty formatting areas. To it's credit, the section is well written and provides some tips but in the end all of this could be gleaned from the manual. However, if you want a summary for many of the original games for the PSX (such as Kileak, Loaded, Lemmings 3D and Warhawk), this is a great guide to get. It even offers a history of this popular console, the technical specifications and a list of accessories.
0-7615-0200-9*
Lib of Cong.
95-071999
Author
Vince Matthews, Doug Brumley
Publisher
Prima

* This is for Volume 1 only. There are actually 5 more volumes covering various games for the Playstation each with a different ISBN. See the LCCN link for more information.


 

Prima's Computer Strategy Games Bible: Unauthorized (1996)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 N.A.
0-7615-0846-5
Lib of Cong.
96-069123
Author
Michael Rymaszewski
Publisher
Prima


 

X-COM Apocalypse: The Official Strategy Guide (1997)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 Like its older X-COM Official Strategy Guide siblings, this book delivers all the stats you could envision, and some that you couldn't. For whatever reason though, the data is arranged alphabetically in the tables instead of how they are defined in the files which makes modding a difficult undertaking. Nevertheless, due to the complexity of the game, Apoc's OSG includes equations in almost every chapter (a rare occurrence in the first two guides) and a five (yes, five) part research tree. Furthermore, strategies are actually plentiful now and skillfully worked into the text itself as an alternative to tip boxes. All this plus the mandatory UFOPaedia info and the dimensional end-game missions makes this a comprehensive encyclopedia on Mega-Primus.
0-7615-0277-7
Lib of Cong.
95-072233
Author
David Ellis
Publisher
Prima


 

X-COM III Apokalypse (1997)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 N.A.
3-929247-09-7
Lib of Cong.
N.A.
Author
Carsten Borgmeier
Publisher
NBG


 

X-COM Apocalypse & Terror From The Deep Lösungsbuch (1998)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 N.A.
3-932823-75-3
Lib of Cong.
N.A.
Author
Christian von Mellenthin
Publisher
Hint Shop Komplettlösungen


 

X-COM Apocalypse Tips Book (?)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 N.A.
N.A.
Lib of Cong.
N.A.
Author
Andrew Wright
Publisher
Dennis


 

How To Conquer Civilization II and other MicroProse Games (1996)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 N.A.
N.A.
Lib of Cong.
N.A.
Author
John Houlihan & Andy Butcher
Publisher
Future


 

X-COM Interceptor: Official Strategies & Secrets (1998)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 Rarely will the designer of a game be asked to write the strategy guide for it, but that's exactly what happened here. Dave Ellis pulled out all the stops in the 4th installment and managed to author a brilliant book complete with every imaginable stat, table and equation. Not to be outdone, there is a six page research tree for human topics and a listing for the alien ones as well. Chapter 10 (entitled The Making Of X-COM Interceptor) should be on everyone's list to read as it describes the process of game design from inception to the final mastering and honorary mention goes to the appendix about editing the data files (easy since everything is in a text format). If you are planning on playing Interceptor anytime soon, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book ASAP.
0-7821-2376-7
Lib of Cong.
98-085826
Author
David Ellis
Publisher
Sybex


 

XCOM: Enemy Unknown Official Strategy Guide (2012)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10  
0-7440-1390-9
Lib of Cong.
2012289505
Author
Tim Bogenn & Kenny Sims
Publisher
Brady

 

Unpublished Literature

 

X-Com III: PC CD-ROM (1995)

Front Back Information Description
Not Available ISBN-10

While exploring the online Library of Congress for X-COM literature, I ran across this entitled simply as "X-COM III". At first I assumed it was another Apocalypse strategy text (hence the III), but further searches revealed the cover art looks exactly like the Totally Unauthorized Terror From The Deep guide except for a few small features. Debra Kempker (editor of the TA: TFTD title and now the head of Prima Games) was contacted to resolve these issues but we did not receive a reply to our query. Apparently, this is a digital CD-ROM version of the text itself so the author is likely to be Jeff James. Nevertheless, this adaptation was never released to the public so this is all conjecture until the information is authenticated by someone like the author.

Just to note, the LCCN link doesn't work anymore, maybe they realized this isn't going to be published anytime soon and removed it. Also, there are certain online retailers still trying to peddle this title on (eternal) backorder. Be warned.

1-56686-535-2
Lib of Cong.
95-083408
Author
Unknown
Publisher
Brady


 

X-COM Alliance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide (2000)

Front Back Information Description
Not Available ISBN-10 Much like the other official strategy guides in the series, David Ellis was supposed to write this one as well. It's uncertain how far along into the guide he was before the game was canceled, but there was cover art plus this excerpt: "X-Com Alliance" is a brilliant first-person shooter/strategy game set in the wildly popular X-Com universe. After the war on Earth in the first X-Com game, a mission to Mars was sent to the aliens Cydonia base to recover alien artifacts. An unexpected dimensional gate hurls the intrepid earthmen sixty light years away, leaving them smack in the middle of an ongoing alien war between the Grey Alliance and a new, friendly race called the Ascidians. The X-Com team joins up with the Ascidians and promptly attacks. This is from Prima: You're a peaceful earthman, unexpectedly hurled into another dimension sixty light years from Earth, smack in to the middle of a vicious alien war. Who do you trust? X-com Alliance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide may be your only chance for survival. Essential strategies, weapon stats, and combat tactics will guide you safely through this brilliant first-person shooter/strategy game. The world of X-Com is all too realistically unforgiving. Trust Prima.
0-7615-2667-6
Lib of Cong.
00-100156
Author
David Ellis
Publisher
Prima

 

Novels

 

X-COM: UFO Defense - A Novel (1996)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10  
0-7615-0235-1
Lib of Cong.
95-074905
Author
Diane Duane
Publisher
Prima


 

The Enemy Is Unknown (1997)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10

With a circulation of just 10,000 copies, this Russian novel is impossible to get (I acquired mine from Amazon.com after an exhaustive 9-year search). You could try searching the internet with the author's name (Владимир Васильев) or the title (Враг неведом) for further information but your best bet is the ISBN number. Here's a short description (loosely translated) from the back cover: "Hard to believe that, in the very beginning, there were only eight of them. Eight tough, reckless guys, who couldn't care less who to fight - terrorists, mafia, or... aliens. And then a war hell, warships, combat robots, secret labs and hangars. And ruthless conquerors from space, who for thousands of years have been subduing thousands of inhabited worlds".

Click here to view a topic in the forums about this book.

5-15-000499-5
Lib of Cong.
Unknown
Author
Vladimir Vasilyev
Publisher

AST LTD, Terra Fantastica


 

Commander-In-Chief (2001)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10

With a circulation of just 13,000 copies, this Russian novel is tough to get (I acquired mine from Amazon.com after an exhaustive 8-year search). You could try searching the internet with the author's name (Николай Гуданец) or the title (Главнокомандующий) for further information but your best bet is the ISBN number. Here's a short description (loosely translated) from the back cover: "The aliens show up on Earth without warning. They did not bother negotiating or demanding anything. They simply turned our planet into their hunting grounds, where the role of the prey is played by innocent humans. Of course, humanity is not about to accept this fate. Only one man can command the defense of this planet - the Russian General Berezin, Commander-in-Chief. But even he has a hard time figuring out where the main enemy is hiding".

Click here to view a topic in the forums about this book.

5-04-088141-X
Lib of Cong.
Unknown
Author
Nikolai Gudanets
Publisher
Eksmo-Press


 

XCOM 2 Resurrection (2015)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 N.A.
978-1-60887-712-6
Lib of Cong.
Unknown
Author
Greg Keyes
Publisher
Insight Editions


 

XCOM 2 Escalation (2017)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 N.A.
978-1-60887-992-2
Lib of Cong.
Unknown
Author
Rick Barba
Publisher
Insight Editions


 

Other

 

Alien Liaison: The Ultimate Secret (1991)

Front Back Information Description
ISBN-10 N.A.
0-7126-2194-6
Lib of Cong.
Unknown
Author
Timothy Good
Publisher
Century