So incase you missed it XCOM 2 was announced just prior to E3. but Firaxis aren't resting on their laurels, Before the hype can fade they're working hard to keep our interest piqued. This latest trailer above, shows us a bit more of the gameplay.

Firaxis really did the unexpected with their first game XCOM Enemey Unknown. They managing to meld most of the fun aspect of the original XCOM, with many improvements that brought it into line with modern expectations for video games.
Yes there were a few little things like: only one base, no base defence missions, obscure weapon restrictions, being restricted to one mission at a time etc.. that ticked off some of the hardcore fans (inc me), but XcomEU is deservedly a very well loved, and played game.

From this new footage we can see the addition of some new features like:stealth, and hacking mechanics, as well as new weapons and aliens, but graphically it has to be said things don't look much different to XcomEU.
Indeed apart from a few small features the main difference it seems, is just the story line. The Xcom team are now fighting a guerilla war and scrabbling for survival in an earth all but conquered by the aliens.

Is this all the change we are going to see? is it worth making a sequel that's so similar to the first game? well if we look at XCOM's history then I'd have to say yes.

The first Xcom game I played, was actually Xcom Terror from the Deep, and as such I have a deep love that game and still dig it out from time to time to see my aquanauts slaughtered or implanted with Calcinite eggs.
After somehow making it to the end of TFTD, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the first game, and although I still enjoyed XCOM Enemy Unkown (as the first euro version was called, just to confuse matters) I found it a far different (and easier) experience, even if the mechanics were the same.

Now it seems that Firaxis may be going a similar route. Some might frown on the idea of a sequel that's mechanically no different to the first game, and if asked I would say Yes there are mechanics in XCOM that need improving (see fanboy whining above) but in reality even if all they do is change up the story, then I'll still be buying it and enjoying it, and actually what they're doing with the story, as far as I can tell, is pretty cool.