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Xbox LIVE Achievements

There are a total of 55 achievements in the game worth a total of 1100 Gamer GP (GP) split between the base game and its DLC so far. Unlocking all of the Achievements will require five or more full playthroughs, largely due to the requirement for winning a game from each of the five starting continents, plus maybe an extra playthrough for the DLC depending.

The overall difficulty for the Achievements is not high, but unlocking all of them will require a great deal of patience and determination.

Standard Achievements

A Continental Fellow (50 GP)

Win the game from each of the 5 starting locations.
This is not really an Achievement that comes naturally, because it requires you to play the game five times, once from each starting continent. That being the case you really have to want this pretty bad to unlock it. Anyone who does is clearly a hardcore fan of the game and series :)

Ain't No Cavalry Coming (50 GP)

Have a soldier survive every mission in a full game.
Just like it sounds, you will need to keep one soldier alive AND unwounded through every mission in the game to unlock this. Because of those requirements this will very likely be one of the Achievements for which you will want to play through the game an extra time on Easy Difficulty specifically to unlock it.

All Aboard (30 GP)

Complete Confounding Light with more than 3 turns left on the timer.
This is one of the Slingshot DLC Achievements. Simply complete the mission with 3 turns left on the timer when it is offered.

All Employees Must Wash Hands... (10 GP)

In a single game, complete every Autopsy.
The Autopsies that are required to unlock this Achievement are:

• Berserker
  
• Chryssalid
  
• Cyberdisc
  
• Drone
  
• Ethereal
  
• Floater
  
• Heavy Floater
  
• Muton
  
• Muton Elite
  
• Sectoid
  
• Sectoid Commander
  
• Sectopod
  
• Thin Man
  

All Together Now (10 GP)

Get satellite coverage over every country on one continent.
This will be easiest to unlock in North or South America. Simply build the infrastructure to launch and use additional satellites.

And So It Begins... (15 GP)

Complete the tutorial mission.
This should come naturally for your first playthrough assuming you chose to play the Tutorial Mission. You did, right?

As A Scalpel (25 GP)

Earn the "Excellent" rating in every performance category on a terror mission.
To unlock this Achievement you must be on a Terror Mission, you must not lose any of your troops, you must rescue at least 75% of the civilians, and you must kill all of the Aliens.

Bada Boom (10 GP)

Kill 50 aliens with explosive weapons.
This will come naturally in the game as you use the Rocket Launchers and Grenades of your Heavies and Assault Troopers.

Bait the Hook (10 GP)

Complete Confounding Light.
This is one of the Slingshot DLC Achievements. Simply complete the mission when it is offered.

The Bigger They Are (20 GP)

Complete Gangplank.
This is one of the Slingshot DLC Achievements. Simply complete the mission when it is offered.

Combat Ready (5 GP)

Build an item.
This will unlock naturally as you play the game.

Drums in the Deep (10 GP)

Gain access to the lowest level in your base.
This should unlock naturally during one of your Science or Engineering games.

Earth First (60 GP)

Beat the game on Classic difficulty.
Just as it sounds.

Edison (25 GP)

In a single game, complete every Research Project.
This is a rather complicated and time consuming Achievement to unlock, but you should be able to manage it in one of your early games if you make sure to complete each research project as soon as you can. For the easiest time of it you will want to try to complete it when you are doing the South America playthrough, since having the base on that Continent automatically gives you instant completion for Autopsies and Interrogations. The following are required to unlock this:

Aliens Autopsies

• Berserker
  
• Chryssalid
  
• Cyberdisc
  
• Drone
  
• Ethereal
  
• Floater
  
• Heavy Floater
  
• Muton
  
• Muton Elite
  
• Sectoid
  
• Sectoid Commander
  
• Sectopod
  
• Thin Man
  
• Alien Materials (all alien varieties provide these)
  
• Weapon Fragments (all alien varieties provide these)
  
• Xeno-Biology (all alien varieties provide these)
  

Aliens Interrogations

• Berserker
  
• Ethereal
  
• Floater
  
• Heavy Floater
  
• Muton
  
• Muton Elite
  
• Sectoid
  
• Sectoid Commander
  
• Thin Man
  

UFO/Crash Site/Base Tech

• Alien Nav Computer
  
• Elerium
  
• Fusion Lance
  
• Guided Fusion Launcher
  
• Hyperwave Communicator
  
• Outsider Shard
  
• UFO Power Source
  

Research Projects that depend upon previous Research to unlock

• Alloy Cannon
  
• Arc Thrower
  
• Archangel Armor
  
• Beam Weapons
  
• Carapace Armor
  
• EMP Cannon
  
• Ethereal Device
  
• Experimental Warfare
  
• Ghost Armor
  
• Heavy Lasers
  
• Heavy Plasma
  
• Light Plasma Rifle
  
• New Fighter Craft
  
• Plasma Cannon
  
• Plasma Pistol
  
• Plasma Rifle
  
• Plasma Sniper
  
• Precision Lasers
  
• Psi Armor
  
• Skeleton Suit
  
• Titan Armor
  

Eye in the Sky (5 GP)

Launch a Satellite.
This will unlock naturally when you launch your first satellite.

Happy to Oblige (15 GP)

Fulfill a Council request.
This will unlock naturally as you play the game.

The Hardest Road (10 GP)

Advance one of your soldiers to Colonel rank.
This will unlock naturally as you play the game once you learn how not to get your people killed :)

Humanity's Savior (30 GP)

Beat the game on any difficulty.
You will unlock this on your first playthrough on Easy Level. The differences in the difficulties have to do with the starting resources, funding, and payments as well as the effectiveness of the enemy in combat. The following represents a reasonably complete depiction of the differences for each difficulty level:

Easy Difficulty Level

• Officer Training School on your base.
  
• One Satellite available at start.
  
• Starting Funds: $175
  
• 50% Monthly Income Increase
  
• Starting Power: 35
  
• Starting Global Panic Level: 0
  

Normal Difficulty Level

• Officer Training School on your base.
  
• One Satellite available at start.
  
• Starting Funds: $175
  
• Starting Power: 35
  
• Starting Global Panic Level: 0
  

Classic Difficulty Level

• Starting Funds: $100
  
• Starting Power: 30
  
• Starting Global Panic Level: 1
  
• Panic Level Rises by 2 points when Abduction Events are ignored.
  
• Enemy receives a 10% aim bonus for critical hits.
  
• Engineers and Scientists awarded for each satellite cut in half.
  

Impossible Difficulty Level

• Starting Funds: $75
  
• Starting Power: 30
  
• Starting Global Panic Level: 2
  
• Panic Level Rises by 3 points when Abduction Events are ignored.
  
• Enemy receives a 10% aim bonus for critical hits.
  
• Engineers and Scientists awarded for each satellite cut in half.
  

Hunter/Killer (15 GP)

In a single game, shoot down one of each alien craft.
This will unlock naturally as you play the game, assuming you do not fail to shoot down each of the types of UFO when you are presented with the opportunity. The following are the six you must shoot down to unlock this:

• Small Scout
  
• Medium Scout
  
• Large Scout
  
• Supply Barge
  
• Abductor
  
• Battleship
  

Lone Wolf (20 GP)

Clear a UFO crash site with one soldier on Classic or Impossible difficulty.
Just as it sounds, one soldier must clear the UFO Crash Site mission - and you will likely find that doing this on Classic, and for a small UFO is easiest, though don't let our use of the word “easiest” convince you that this will be easy, because it won't. For the best results (meaning least grief) you may want to do this on the very first crash site mission, since it has a fixed number of enemy that is relatively low.

Man No More (10 GP)

Build a suit of powered armor.
This will unlock naturally as you work your way up the Tech Tree. It will unlock for building either Archangel, Ghost, or Titan armor.

New Friend (10 GP)

Complete Friends in Low Places.
This is one of the Slingshot DLC Achievements. Simply select and complete this mission when the Council offers it to you.

No Looking Back (100 GP)

Beat the game in Ironman mode on Classic or Impossible difficulty.
This will be one of the most challenging to unlock, and is best attempted as one of the last playthroughs you do for the game, largely so that you have acquired solid experience and a working knowledge of the strategies that work best for the different types of missions, since this will be the hardest playthrough for you.

One Gun at a Time (20 GP)

Staff the Engineering Department with 80 engineers.
This can be tricky, because it really requires you to focus upon the missions that award Engineers at the expense of Scientists. But you can complete a game just with the Scientists you normally receive for the different conditions from each member country.

Oppenheimer (20 GP)

Staff the Research Labs with 80 scientists.
This can be tricky, because it really requires you to focus upon the missions that award Scientists at the expense of Engineers. But you can complete a game just with the Engineers you normally receive for the different conditions from each member country.

Our Finest Hour (90 GP)

Beat the game on Impossible difficulty.
Just as it sounds.

Pale Horse (50 GP)

Kill 500 aliens.
This will unlock naturally as you play through the game. If you do not unlock it in your first playthrough it will certainly be unlocked in your second, since the stat is carried forward.

Rising Dragon (30 GP)

Take your new ally into the final challenge.
This is one of the Achievements for the Slingshot DLC. Bear in mind that you must keep Zhang alive through the game in order to have them in your squad for the final mission in order to unlock this.

Shooting Stars (35 GP)

Shoot down 40 UFOs.
Unlocking this Achievement will surely take more than one playthrough. The stat carries forward between playthroughs however, so it will come naturally as you work your way through all five.

Skunkworks (20 GP)

In a single game, complete every Foundry project.
You will want to combine this with the playthrough in which you obtain the 80 Engineers. You need to complete the following projects to unlock this:

• Advanced Construction
  
• Advanced Flight
  
• Advanced Repair
  
• Alien Grenades
  
• Ammo Conservation
  
• Drone Capture
  
• Heavy Weapons Platform
  
• Improved Arc Thrower
  
• Improved Medikits
  
• Improved Pistol I
  
• Improved Pistol II
  
• Improved Pistol III
  
• SCOPE Upgrade
  
• SHIV Laser
  
• SHIV Plasma
  
• SHIV Repair
  
• SHIV Suppression
  
• Stealth Satellites
  

Tables Turned (10 GP)

Shoot down a UFO.
This will unlock naturally as you play the game.

Theory... (10 GP)

Build a Laboratory.
This will unlock naturally during the playthrough in which you focus on Scientists. Or really during any playthrough since you are going to want to build a Lab anyway.

...and Practice (10 GP)

Build a Workshop.
Like the Theory Achievement this should come naturally as you play the game and begin building the infrastructure you need to boost tech.

Up and Running (5 GP)

Build a base facility.
This will unlock naturally as you play the game.

We Happy Few (10 GP)

Complete a mission without losing a soldier.
This is pretty easy to do once you get the hang of the basic unit tactics.

Welcoming Committee (20 GP)

Kill 150 aliens.
This will unlock naturally as you proceed through the game.

Wet Work (10 GP)

Complete a Very Hard abduction mission in five turns or less on Classic or Impossible difficulty.
Just like it sounds - specific effort is required to unlock this.

What Wonders Await (5 GP)

Complete a Research Project.
This will come naturally as you play the game.

Worth Every Penny (20 GP)

Acquire 1000 credits in one month.
The amount of money you receive each briefing is based upon a combination of the number of satellites you have up and the number of countries that are still in the Council of Nations. This should unlock naturally during your first playthrough.

You Have 5 Seconds to Comply (10 GP)

Build a S.H.I.V.
This will unlock naturally during the playthrough in which you have the 80 Engineers and complete the Foundry Projects.

Secret Achievements

Please be aware that reading the names, descriptions, and the hints for the following Achievements may provide information you were not meant to have as you play the game, and therefore potentially could serve as spoilers. Only read on if that is not an issue for you!

And Hell's Coming With Me (10 GP)

Successfully assault an Overseer UFO.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

Angel of Death (10 GP)

Kill an alien while flying. Single player only.
Use the Archangel Armor to fly above the battlefield and kill an enemy while doing so to unlock this.

Beyond the Veil (10 GP)

Find a soldier with the Gift.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

Flight of the Valkyries (10 GP)

Win a mission with an all-female squad. Single player only.
Just field an all-female team for a mission and win it.

The Gatekeeper (10 GP)

Stun an Outsider.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

Meet New People. Then Kill Them. (25 GP)

Win a multi-player match.
Simply find a friend to play with and beat them.

Off My Planet (25 GP)

Recover the Hyperwave Beacon.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

On the Shoulders of Giants (10 GP)

Build the Gollop Chamber.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

Poison Control (10 GP)

Cure poison on five soldiers in a single mission. Single player only.
This takes intentional effort. You are best off saving the game once you hit a mission in which there are several poison-wielding aliens and then intentionally infect and cure from the deployed clouds.

Prisoner of War (10 GP)

Capture a live alien.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

Ride the Lightning (10 GP)

Build a Firestorm.
This unlocks naturally after you build the advanced fighter.

See All, Know All (10 GP)

Build the Hyperwave Relay.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

The Volunteer (10 GP)

Make contact with the Ethereal hive mind.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

X Marks the Spot (10 GP)

Uncover the alien base's location.
This is story related and cannot be missed.

Xavier (10 GP)

Mind Control an Ethereal. Single player only.
Use your Psi Soldier to unlock this.