If you’ve begun to feel like the ragtag soldiers of your guerrilla insurgency against the alien-controlled Advent government are looking a bit too square, Firaxis has you covered. The first of three announced DLC expansions for XCOM 2, Anarchy’s Children, arrives on March 17, according to a post from the developer. It will add over 100 new customization options to give your troops a distinct look.
As the name implies, the soldier customizations added in Anarchy’s Children are a bit more extreme than those included in the base game. These include new hair styles, face paints, armor, lower face props, decals, helmets, masks, and more, “with menacing tactical styles that run the gamut from post-apocalyptic to the downright deranged.” Paint-splattered and sporting spiky hair, gas masks, and goggles, the exemplary soldiers revealed in the announcement look to be right out of Fallout’s wasteland (or at least Burning Man).
Anarchy’s Children is included with two additional upcoming DLC expansions in the Reinforcement Pack, which can be purchased for $20. Arriving this summer, Alien Hunters will add new weapons, armor, and missions, including a confrontation with the “Ruler” aliens. Later in the summer Shen’s Last Gift will follow, introducing a new soldier class “with unique upgradeable weapons, armor and customization features,” along with a new narrative-driven mission. Both Alien Hunters and Shen’s Last Gift will also add more soldier customization options. Anarchy’s Children can be purchased à la carte for $5.
Can’t wait until March 17? Thanks to Firaxis’ fantastic support at launch, XCOM 2 has a vibrant modding community that has already produced some great additions to the game. For instance, you can give your troops all manner of helmets and accessories, make them look like Storm Troopers and anime characters, sound like Zap Brannigan and GLaDOS, or wear dapper top hats. My personal favorite is this selection of custom face paints that can give your soldiers the signature looks of Princess Mononoke, Imperator Furiosa, or David Bowie as Aladdin Sane, among others. If you play XCOM 2, but haven’t taken the plunge into mods yet, check out the Steam Workshop and you’ll be tweaking the game to your liking in a matter of clicks.