New squad-based real-time strategy game, M.E.R.C. revealed, coming to Early Access next year

In many ways, XCOM: Enemy Unknown revitalized the real-time strategy genre by bringing it to a much larger audience with the console crowd. Naturally, PC players have been addicted to these types of games for years, and they're about to get another one with the upcoming Early Access game, M.E.R.C. The game is developed by TinyMob Games, consisting of developers who have previously worked on the X-COM series.

Here's the official description of the game via its Steam Page.

"Experience non-stop, real-time tactical combat with a 4-person squad. Upgrade and recruit units, enhance special abilities, while acquiring better weapons and gear. Take your toughest recruits into action in single player or co-op multiplayer to kick some serious Manta butt and save the world."

M.E.R.C. sure sounds like it consists of the basics of XCOM, but it does have one feature that makes it stand out, co-op multiplayer. The co-op mode sees two players take their best two units and combine them together into one elite team of four, before throwing them into the game's campaign. It's a pretty neat feature for players who get really into the units they develop over the course of these types of games.

Players can develop their teams using multiple classes types, including traditional roles such as Assault, Sniper, Heavy, and Engineer. M.E.R.C. takes place in the near-future dystopia of Neotopia where greedy corporations have divided the city with their corruption.

TinyMob Game Director Jamie Toghill said:

"I was fortunate early in my career to work on the original X-COM series. I've always felt that the real-time play we introduced in the third installment was a great twist on the genre. With M.E.R.C., we're combining deep, strategic real-time action with cooperative gameplay for a rich sense of suspense and excitement."

M.E.R.C. releases into Steam's Early Access program on January 17th, 2017.