As the Commander, you start with basic human ballistics while fighting various alien species, such as the physically frail but psionic and the brutish Mutons . The "story" is largely driven by your research:
The story begins in 1998 following a massive spike in UFO sightings, mysterious abductions, and localized attacks. After individual nations like Japan fail to contain the threat independently, representatives from the world's most powerful nations meet secretly in Geneva on December 11, 1998. They establish the , providing it with funding, base facilities, and a mandate to identify and eliminate the alien menace. The Escalation UFO: Enemy Unknown
Once X-COM develops the (a powerful interstellar craft), they launch a final mission to Mars. As the Commander, you start with basic human