🚀 go-pugleaf

First of all, it should be set in our era, like the original.

Terror missions in well known city should have a distinct feel.
New York should look like New York, Paris should be different from London
etc...  There could even be special terrorists actions where those pesky
aliens try to blow monuments that have a symbolic interest to the concerned
country (like the pyramids or the Louvre museum). The aliens could even
target nuclear plants and such.

There should be a pro-alien organization (like in APOCALYPSE). They were
cool (to blast to pieces)

Governments could get into political games to insure that you build your
bases on their territory, and offer you some advantages in exchange (like,
increased funding, Air support from the army)

There should be policemen and soldiers fighting the aliens.  In fact, at
first, you could be in competition with the army to prove your superiority
as a fast response team who can handle aliens.

Speaking of competition, there could be a rival organization, and we could
be forced to deal with them (exchange technology? Mm, no, I want to keep my
edge so I can get more funding.  What about raiding my rivals?etc...)

Aliens should be more spooky, and closer to the ''real'' alien mythology.

What about integreting the Men in Black in the story?

I want more variety in the weapons (assault rifle, LMG, sniper, LAWs, SMG,
pistols etc... Same goes for advanced weapons)
It shouldn't work by ''generation''  anymore.  One new advent in technology
shouldn't make obsolete all the previous weapons.

Attachment that go on the weapons (silencer, grenade launcher, laser sight,
bayonet...  and futuristic gadgets, of course)

Keep the Real-time/turnbased from apocalypse.

More personality for troopers. Random quirk could be added for example.

New aliens that either look like humans or are small and can attach
themselves to humans to control them.  

different climate calling for different equipment. (winter gear, mountain
gear, underwater gear...)

More realistic civilian reactions (and more civilians).  An hysterical
crowd can pose some interesting problem.

Different kind of ammo for same weapons (I mean like, armor percing,
hollowpoint, tracer... and futuristic options like high heat particules or
Disruptive cartridge (or whatever)

More support cast.  Vehicules (like in the original XCOM) should use a
trooper as driver (thus introducing new skills like driving and gunnery)
Maybe airstrike or artillery fire too. And the aliens could have this too.

That'S about all I can think of.

Vincent Lemire