X-COM: UFO Defense was a fantastic turn-based strategy game developed by Microprose back in the mid-1990s. Now, one of the developers from that game has announced a new Fig crowdfunding project for Phoenix Point, a "spirtual successor" to the game. Just don't get it confused with the excellent reboots from Firaxis Games.

“We are creating Phoenix Point by taking influences from the famed X-COM franchise," said Julian Gollop, CEO of Snapshot Games and the principle designer on the original Microprose title. "We are updating our favorite gameplay features from X-COM titles such as UFO: Enemy Unknown and X-COM Apocalypse that I designed, and mixing them with some of the amazing ideas Firaxis Games executed brilliantly in their franchise reboots, to create an entirely new game whose essence lies in the XCOM genre.”

The dev team is seeking $500,000, with $300,000 of that being available through Fig's unique investment system that gives individuals a chance to receive returns on whatever they invest based on game sales. Phoenix Point has been in development for a year already, with Snapshot already having a story and art created, as well as a combat system and AI. The game is being targeted for a Q4 2018 release.

So how are aliens involved this time around? You will play a member of the Phoenix Project, a group of operatives that activate when the world is in trouble. In this case, the trouble is an alien virus that attacks human DNA an nearly wiped out all life on Earth. Those that weren't killed were either mutated in alien abominations or settled into smaller colonies, some controlled by powerful factions. As with all the X-COM (and XCOM) games, you will be tasked with wiping out the alien threat while also dealing with these human factions that have their own motives and plans as well.

Snapshot's previous game was Chaos Reborn, a successfully Kickstarted title based on the classic Chaos: The Battle of the Wizards game from 1985.

Phoenix Point is being targeted for a Q4 2018 release on PC, Mac and Linux.