These ramshackle Shanty Towns, despite being tucked away from the more densely-populated areas of the world, are always susceptible to attack, and so the citizens within live in a constant state of fear, and must be willing to pick up and run at any time.

This life on the run from ADVENT has taught these individuals a deep appreciation for freedom – and that freedom gives them something to hold on to, a reason to keep going.

These areas are a combination of residential neighborhoods and businesses, and are havens for folks looking to live like they did before the arrival of the aliens. XCOM’s goal is to protect these people by going after ADVENT here.

Glowing billboards bombard the people with propaganda, while ADVENT soldiers patrol the streets to keep “order”. Crumbling churches and quaint diners offer citizens a taste of the freedom they once had. These Small Towns also offer XCOM a stark reminder of what we’re all fighting for: our home.

Wilderness maps in XCOM 2 are easily recognized by their dilapidated buildings and overgrowth. You may encounter some ADVENT architecture, but the administration’s hold on the Wilderness areas is tentative at best.

These maps encompass temperate climates, more arid locales and even snow-covered terrain. Wilderness maps will often offer open and clear lines of sight during engagement, but keep in mind this won’t be the case during every Wilderness encounter as the forests and rundown buildings remain prime locations for an ambush.

Behind each City Center’s alluring veneer lurks ADVENT’s sinister agenda. Dissenters are snatched off the streets and vanish without a trace, never to speak out again. Checkpoints regularly violate citizens’ privacy through arduous inspection. No one is safe, despite ADVENT’s efforts to sway hearts and minds otherwise.

It should come as no surprise that some of those living on the fringe find themselves situated in impoverished neighborhoods where crime and dissent run rampant. These are the Slums.

There is a sharp dichotomy at work in the Slums, where vandalized buildings directly contrast the pristine Unification statues and glistening skylines of the nearby ADVENT City Centers. The Slums provide an upfront view at the lies told by ADVENT, where the people are promised a bright future and instead given a dark and dismal present.