XCOM 2 Reminded Me That Details Matter in Life

Gaming reflections from the pause menu of life.

This summer, I have been revisiting an old favourite in XCOM 2. When I set out to relive my old glory on this game, I didn’t expect a reminder of an important life lesson to become so blatantly obvious while playing – details matter. Sure, on the surface of XCOM 2 there are cool aliens, squad members and interesting squad stats to delve into. However, the real beauty of this game is a message that is hidden far deeper in this game. It isn’t about being bold and making risky moves to achieve an objective, but instead, it is about making the right small moves that add up over the course of a mission, and eventually (hopefully) result in victory.

These small moves can involve aspects of the game that are so small, but make all the difference over time, including, overlooked angles, initiating soldier turns in an order that maximizes objective progress, or even just holding tight until the situation develops into one that is more favourable.

But, if we are hasty, then all of our progress can unravel quick.

Anyone who’s played XCOM 2 knows this feeling: You leave the safety of cover to move closer to the enemy. You line up the shot. Hit percentage is heavily in your favor. You fire. You miss. And now your best soldier is exposed in the open, and they are one enemy turn away from not making it back.

That’s what re-hooked me to XCOM 2. Not so much the firefights, but instead, the fallout and consequences of each mission. XCOM 2 does an excellent job punishing poor decision making, and it does so with brutal honesty. There’s no rewind, no redo. Your move. Enemy’s move. You live with your choices, and their consequences. And it depends on your decisions as to whether your squad gets to return to base at all.

This reminds me of real life, except, you know, minus the aliens, sci-fi weaponry and constant life and death circumstances. The missed detail in an email. The unread fine print. The moment I rushed through something “just to get it done” at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday just to get to the weekend, only to have it come back and haunt me the following week. XCOM 2 reminded me that the smallest decision or incorrect judgement can ripple into our future, and can disrupt whatever we had planned to follow.

In XCOM 2, slowing down is survival tactic. Before each move, a diligent player should scan the battlefield. It is during that scan the player should be checking for cover, enemies, enemy sight lines, proximity to the objective – and then initiating their soldiers’ orders.

It was during this process that I wondered: When is the last time I slowed down like that outside of the game and thought this carefully through my own life circumstances? Paying attention to details isn’t just saved for tactical video games, although it does pair nicely with the genre. Paying attention is also a form of caring. It is evident in how we show up in our work and relationships, whether it is remembering a friend’s special event and showing up on time, or noticing the change in a coworker’s tone during a conversation—details aren’t trivial. They matter.

Years ago, I used to think that “the big picture thinking” was all that mattered. Details were just small stuff that could be ignored. This summer, XCOM 2 reminded me that the big picture is just the sum of small turns. Tiny, deliberate actions that all add up to the present day and formulate the “big picture” that exists at that time. In XCOM 2, every soldier counts. Every move matters. Every turn is a choice to stay sharp—or slide into neglect and the consequences that can follow it. That is the same in everyday life, too. We move forward one decision at a time. It is in how we deliberately act and respond to details that matters, and makes our story what it is.

If you’ve played XCOM 2, you’ve probably been frustrated and glared at your screen a few times. I know I have. But maybe, like me, you’ve also walked away thinking about more than hit percentages and tactical loadouts, and reflected on what lessons the game offered you. And maybe, like me, you’ve realized that the care you bring to the small stuff, the details, in the game, is a helpful approach that is entirely translatable into every day life.

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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.