One More Run Before Bed: XCOM 2 and the Pull of “Just One More Mission”

Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life.

You know that lie we tell ourselves: Just one more before bed.

One more episode. One more scroll. One more mission. But it never really is just one more.

In XCOM 2, that lie feels almost noble. Its because “one more” isn’t just a casual round. It’s life or death for a squad you’ve named, trained, and grown attached to over many missions. You tell yourself you’ll shut it down after this run, knowing full well that “one more” has a way of multiplying.

The clock says midnight. The dropship rattles. And you’re live. Game on.

XCOM 2 thrives on tense choices. Sprint a rookie into the open for a better shot? Or hold back and risk losing the objective? You’re always giving something up. There is always a tension between what you do, and do not do.

💭If you enjoy gaming reflections about XCOM 2, you may enjoy reading another gaming essay I wrote about it. In that one, XCOM 2 reminded me about the weight of details and why they matter. Read it here.

I remember one moment like this earlier this summer. A rookie named Amelia Dixon was assigned to deploy the skulljack against an officer. I had put this task off for a few missions, and it had to happen this mission. The chance to use the skulljack came mid-action, but doing it meant leaving Amelia exposed with enemies nearby. I didn’t like it, but I took the risk anyway. The next turn was tense—I watched her get lit up by enemy fire. She took a hit, and I thought that was it. But somehow, she dodged what came next, and survived. Battered, shaken, but still standing. It felt less like a lucky break and more like a narrow escape I carried with me long after the mission ended.

That’s why the game grips so hard. It convinces you that the next decision could be the one that changes everything. That maybe, just maybe, the next mission is the one where it all turns out right.

Life works the same way. We stretch the day a little longer, telling ourselves “just one more thing.” But the truth is, rest is usually what we’re sacrificing. Sure, we can frame it more positively that we are prioritizing “x” but it almost always comes back to giving up valuable rest.

The problem with XCOM 2 is that it lingers with you. You shut it down, but the mission doesn’t leave you. You replay choices in your head, regretting the soldier you lost, reviewing strategies used, and imagining what waits beyond the fog of war.

Amelia stayed with me, too. Yes, she lived, but she almost didn’t. I caught myself replaying her steps, wondering if I’d been reckless or lucky, debating whether I would make the same call again. That’s what XCOM 2 does well, it turns digital pawns into people you can’t forget.

Our own lives carry the same weight. We take unfinished conversations and tasks to bed with us, lying awake in the dark, running scenarios like an endless turn-based strategy through our mind. The day doesn’t stop just because the lights do.

And here’s a hard truth: There will always be one more mission.

I believe the boldest move in XCOM 2 isn’t a desperate grenade toss or a flawless flank. Although, those are exciting. The boldest move is actually quitting the game, and saying goodnight while you’re ahead. Closing it down before you’re ready and you begin to borrow from tomorrow.

That’s the discipline life asks of us, too. To push back against the pull of “one more.” To shut the laptop. To turn off the console. To put the phone away. To say, “That’s enough for tonight. Goodnight.”

Sometimes the smartest play isn’t to press forward, it’s to just pause and rest.

XCOM 2 makes “one more” feel irresistible because it never really ends. But neither does life if you let it. There’s always another task, another scroll, another mission. The wisdom isn’t in stretching the night thinner, it’s in choosing when to pause.

💬Before you close the tab, what is your “just one more” game? The one that keeps you up later than you meant to.

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Thank you for pausing with me 🙏.

Disclaimer:

This post contains commentary on XCOM 2, a game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. This newsletter is not affiliated with or endorsed by Firaxis or 2K. All trademarks and game content referenced are the property of their respective owners. This article reflects personal commentary and analysis, and is transformative, and in alignment with fair use/fair dealing copyright laws guidelines. Image created using DALL-E by Open AI(2025). Not affiliated with or representative of any official game assets.