Almost perfect complement to the main game

Enemy Within expands the campaign of the main game to a number of new features - it is not is thus a completely new campaign.
The fight against aliens is the "Enemy Within" - a kind of terrorist organization that has access to alien technology - more difficult. For this small pinholes (cash withdrawal, Research delay etc ...) be set against XCOM, which can be permanently discontinued only by infiltrations sometime again. To this end, a single soldier is losgesandt which then needs to be extracted a few days later of a squad. Here, then back with a EXALT mercenaries opponents on the fur, which consist of the known classes. Contact with a Heavy can therefore provide at close together standing soldiers for the acquaintance with a missile. Unfortunately, these missions (at least on Classic + Iron Man) as well as any challenge. This is because the EXALT troops come running at certain times in the still quite small cards or jump from a helicopter. Usually wait their own men here already in the Overwatch mode and also after any real problems with the initial unfunded often standing opponents. Unfortunately, here was quite wasted potential, since the fighting against EXALT are quite fun (so because they can defend themselves because).

Expansion of the role play part

The possibilities for customization of your team have been substantially extended - definitely the added value of the add-ons. As a relatively simple innovation can now be giving medals to bring the soldiers each lasting several bonuses. Much more interesting are two entirely new modification forms that are made possible by using the new resource MELD. In the two missions MELD canisters are for hiding that explode after a certain time. The MELD greedy player has in the missions so sometimes go higher risk and advance more quickly. This makes the total emissions even more dynamic.

XCOM meets Mech Warrior

The own soldiers can now be in man-machine turn and can subsequently take place in Slayer large mechs. The MEC-soldier thus represents the 5th grade, and of course brings its own skill tree with. The MEC's ​​per se can be also available after certain research stages up to two times upgrade and will get new weapons, and more health.
Basically, it makes a lot of fun with these robots in Transformers-style among the alien visitors clean up - whether you're a Muton via uppercut (and thanks to PhysX) beats in the next house wall or a group Thin Man with the flamethrower roasts - makes this new class just a lot of fun. Unfortunately, there are also here a few balancing problems since the MEC's ​​work because of its high hit points just at the beginning of the campaign a little overpowering. Until the arrival of a new alien species (a kind Sektoiden-Mech) dominated the MEC the battlefield.

Stem cell research with a difference

The MELD can also be used for Deux Ex-like implants. From the top there is this one's own skill tree with 5 modifications to the legs. The soldiers can then possibly jumping to heights or regenerate itself. Basically put implants (similar to the medals) is another way to enhance its own troops - but without an MEC-like impact on the game to have.

What else?

In addition to the main innovations the add-on contains a number of additional features:
- More items such as gas or stun grenades
- Many new and revised maps
- New story missions
- Rebalancing of skills and in some cases adjustments in the Aliens
- Seeker aliens who can disguise themselves

Conclusion

XCOM: Enemy Within is a must for all owners of Enemy Unknown. The add-on fixes some problems of the main game - so the campaign is now, for example, both longer and more varied. The replay value does not rise due to the many new customization options and of course card also immaterial. I had the original thus given a 88%, the game incl. Add-on would now arrived at the 91. Why not even higher rating?

1. Balancing
Similar to example Dragon Age: Origins bring new (DLC) content issues for balancing with it, the basic game should not be adjusted accordingly. Unfortunately, even Enemy Within such a case: by MEC's, implants, medals and the design decision that now every soldier must carry two objects, the game will be quite a bit easier. EXALT turns out to be due to the Spawnproblematik not be the hoped opponents and the aliens do not have much more to offer to a new MEC Gegnert than before. Only before Sectopod you should take now in eight, as this has been massively upgraded.
Even the order of the missions is now partly questionable - so I should defuse a bomb again shortly before the end of the game and came with fully equipped MEC's ​​against Thin Man. In contrast, their own base was attacked relatively early by a large number Mech Sektoiden - the difficulty can therefore sometimes vary significantly.

2. Bugs
Unfortunately, even in dim Enemy Within Bugs again the big picture. From non-ending Alien down sightline problems to invisible "Rift" attacks to Firaxis has again allowed some blunders.

* SPOILER * 3. The End
The very unspectacular last mission the main game has been revised in any way. Not even the new Aliens have their appearance - wasted chance.

Pro:
Driven mercenaries individualization on the peak -
- MEC's ​​!!!
- Campaign much more varied (new maps, new mission types (base defense), new side missions!)

Cons:
- Balancing Problems
- Fluctuating difficulty
- Bugs