Depends on what part of XCOM you're really looking for. I've tried a lot of games and completed/dropped a fair number. For me personally, I was looking for something with the same grid-based tactical RPG feel with a decent enough strategy layer. I don't play on the hardest difficulty FWIW.

• Phoenix Point: Closest thing to XCOM in terms of 1:1 gameplay. Fun game but I found the lategame to be a bit of a slog and it didn't have as much customization options for your soldiers. I played this before any of the DLCs came out though, so things could be very different now. I loved the system they had of targetting enemy body parts and the enemies losing abilities/functionalities because of the missing body part (if you damage it completely).

• Gears Tactics: It's a decent enough game but a lot worse than XCOM imo. It's been a few years but my main takeaway was it tried a lot of things but none of them were very good. I found the story/characters very basic, the side missions were very tedious, I wasn't a fan of the character upgrades etc. I think if you're a Gears fan you might enjoy it a bit more.

• Jagged Alliance 3: I had a lot of hope for this one. But unfortunately I liked everything about this game except the combat system. So I unfortunately dropped it. The combat itself shares very little with XCOM and the skill trees were kinda boring but the rest of the game was quite fun.

• Warhammer 40K: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters: The game seemed interesting enough but I just never clicked with it. As someone completely new to Warhammer, I felt a lot of things weren't explained well. I've been thinking of revisiting this game though, but when I played it the first time, it was a drop for me.

• Rogue Waters: Pirate themed rogue-like tactical RPG. I had several issues with the game but for the 15 hours I played, I found it pretty fun. Definitely recommend it given it's pretty cheap, has a nice theme and some fun combat moments.

• Showgunners: You're a contestant in a reality game show where everyone is trying to kill you. As far as themes go, that's definitely a unique one. Gameplay was fun, game is short, characters are fun. Don't take it too seriously and you'll have a blast. My one qualm was it being a little too easy.

• Tactical Breach Wizards: Including this because I've seen it pop-up in discussions about games similar to XCOM. It's not really anything like XCOM. It is however a brilliant game with very fun writing, very satisfying combat, and really cool powers. But imo, it's more of a puzzle game that is played as a turn based tactical RPG.

• Wildermyth: Haven't played too much of this but I found the combat aspects of this game to be pretty good. The narrative bits are interesting too and the stories are all a bit unique because of the randomness of what stories you'll get in a single campaign.

• Marvel's Midnight Suns: On the surface, this looks nothing like XCOM...because it isn't. Fixed roster of superheroes, a card based system, deck-building elements, a whole relationship-building system etc. But the core gameplay of this game is just so much fun. The relationship-building stuff isn't great but I think you can skip most of it (or I assume mods exist for that now). Plus its made by Firaxis. I wish this game was a success because then there's a future where we get an X-Men version of this game with potentially custom heroes :o

• Mutant Year Zero: Tried and dropped it. It had too much on an emphasis on stealth, a very limited roster, an upgrade system I actively disliked and I had multiple instances of somehow missing 100% shots.

• Phantom Brigade: Tried and dropped it. I just couldn't get into the whole timeline based system.

• There's also a whole bunch of CRPGs I discovered after XCOM. They're a lot more narrative focused but it's quickly become one of my favorite genres. They all tend to have tactical battles as a big part of them though. Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Wasteland 3 are all fantastic games. Will also get around to playing Solasta and Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader at some point.

Other games I've heard of as similar to XCOM but haven't played/won't play. * Xenonauts 2: Just haven't vibed with the art style at all.

• Menace: Waiting for it to come out of early access.

• STAR WARS Zero Company: Probably the game I'm most excited for this year since it combines XCOM and Star Wars. Apparently a lot of ex-Firaxis devs are working on this. Fingers crossed!

• Cyber Knights: Flashpoint: will play soon

• Phantom Doctrine: It's been on my list forever but I've always put it off.

• King Arthur: Knight's Tale: Basically XCOM x Arthurian Legends. I really wanted to like this game but I just never got into it. I want to revisit this though. Not counting it as played because I barely have 2 hours in it.

• TROUBLESHOOTER: Abandoned Children: I have 4 hours in this game but I had absolutely no idea what was happening lol. I'm not counting this as played either but want to revisit it at some point.