{
  "id": 4306728,
  "title": "PSA: Swap the radial ability menu in Star Wars Zero Company for more of a trad XCOM-style experience",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/psa-swap-the-radial-ability-menu-in-star-wars-zero-company-for-more",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-30T00:06:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PC Gamer",
    "slug": "pc-gamer",
    "url": "https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/psa-swap-the-radial-ability-menu-in-star-wars-zero-company-for-more-of-a-trad-xcom-style-experience/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Star Wars Zero Company, frequently referred to as ZCOM, shares many similarities with XCOM. However, there are certain aspects that do not align well with the XCOM experience for some players. One such difference lies in the radial menu used to select each character's actions. This controller-friendly system presents all abilities in a circular arrangement around the active character, similar to a medieval jailer's ring of keys. When trying to locate an enemy to attack and subsequently choose an attack from the radial menu, players may find themselves frustrated with the need to pan away from the selected character to pick an attack. This experience led to the desire for a more traditional gameplay style. Fortunately, the option to switch from Radial to Linear Ability Selection is available in the options menu. By selecting Linear at the bottom of the General area within the Gameplay section, players can move and shoot, overwatch, and perform other actions through a numbered row of boxes at the bottom of the screen. This adjustment is said to bring the game closer to a more conventional setup, making it feel better, especially for those using a mouse and keyboard. Despite still being in the early stages of the game, players who prefer a mouse and keyboard find Linear Ability Selection to be more comfortable. Alongside other factors, such as the option to command a gonk droid, the game may already be considered a near-perfect masterpiece.",
  "summary": "It's the Runa-approved way to play.",
  "key_points": [
    "Star Wars Zero Company offers XCOM-style gameplay with radial ability menu.",
    "Linear Ability Selection option available in options menu.",
    "Mouse and keyboard users prefer Linear for better comfort."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Switching to Linear Ability Selection makes Star Wars Zero Company feel more like a traditional XCOM experience, especially for mouse and keyboard players, by replacing the radial menu with a numbered row of actions.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}