I just read a 4-page long preview of the game in the French version of PC Gamer.
Apparently, despite being an FPS the game will include base building, research andchoices between different missions.
2 NPCs will also accompany you on missions, but you won't be able to control them directly.
The game is also meant to be a prequel to the original, taking the player through the origins of the X-COM agency in the 50s (you're playing an FBI agent who founds it, basically).
All in all, it doesn't seem quite as bad as it could have been, and certainly sounds better than Enforcer.
I'm still not quite convinced about it though.

The exact same way they implemented it in the originals, the After* games, and UFO:ET? Have a tactical mode (FPS in this case, instead of TBS) and a strategic/geoscape mode.
Now, the depth is obviously going to be questionable. But that would be true regardless of what genre the tactical mode was.

Um no. There are no different modes involved, everything's in first person.
From what the journalist wrote (it's in French so I'm paraphrasing), you'll do research through talking with scientists you recruit, and you explore the base in first person as well.
You choose missions through a map of the US (the rest of the world is ignored apparently).
It wasn't said how you build new rooms or expand.
That's why I'm still not convinced how much strategy will be involved, but it's still more than I was expecting from an FPS.
I wish I could scan the article and translate it, but that would take time I don't really have atm.
Besides, I expect other media will put the same information online soon enough, since I doubt 2k would give an exclusive preview to a French magazine.

It will be interesting to see what the PC control system and interface will be like, seeing as they are releasing this for the XBox360 as well. I would be more than a bit annoyed if we get a bad port on top of a genre shift.

*headdesk*

Can't comment too much without seeing the article in question, but all it takes is a menu screen. So you look at a computer in "first person" and get access to the strategic/geoscape view. Maybe not real-time, but whatever.
And honestly, it makes sense for this to be focused on a single region (and the US was picked for obvious reasons :p). This is supposed to be the founding of XCOM, so it would make sense that it would start off as a somewhat local organization that gets transformed into the global organization.
From what I have gathered (from what little info there is), it sounds like it will start with first contact and go from there. So UFO lands in US, you investigate. Other stuff happens, maybe you hear about other events occurring around the world. End the game with a nice partial victory (maybe have a drunken farmer crash an F16 into something), transition into the global organization.

But X-COM is a multinational organization. It's funded and supplied by the majority of the world's countries. This is again just pissing all over the original franchise. The US only version wouldn't even be called X-COM it would be something like Majestic 12 or Project Bluebook. X-COM is supposed to be all those individual organizations pulled together.

Also, it seems the FBI was picked because of the X-files rather than X-com, since surely alien stuff would require either a new organisation (hence X-Com) or NSA or something.
It would make sense if you're only an FBI agent to begin with, then become an X-Com agent via the Men In Black hiring procedure.
Would have been interesting (for me) if it had been Interpol then X-Com, but that's my EU bias.
Really need to hear some more info about this, asap. All this speculation is making things worse for me, any potential good will requires information so that I can make a reasoned judgement rather than my current knee-jerk "it's going to be bad cos it's an FPS".

Yes, but judging by what the guy with the mystery article said, this is the predecessor to XCOM. So think of it as XCOM -1.
Honestly, would it make sense for the entire international organization to pop up instantly the moment a single UFO lands? No, it would have started with the local agencies trying to handle it themselves.
To put it in the context of Rainbow Six (more novel than games): John Clark was just a "normal" CIA-trained super-assassin. But when it was determined that an international counter-terrorism unit was needed, he was put in charge of RAINBOW. Thus, a prequel to that (like Clear and Present Danger :p) would emphasize his origins with the US.
Same thing here. They aren't guilty of completely disregarding canon (that was already pretty flimsy :p) yet. They are just making a prequel. But since it is in the "same universe" as XCOM, it makes sense to use that name. I personally would have given it a subtitle (XCOM: Origins or XCOM: First Contact or something equally as cheesy), but I would do a lot of things differently :p
Would it make sense to use an Interpol agent or a KGB agent instead? Maybe. But they decided to have one of the core founders be an American, so it needs to go into his origins.

There's a bit more information on the 2K forums...
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68166
Not sure what to make of it yet, haven't read it all. Seems far more X-Files than X-Com, but again, need to wait and see. This stuff is all just background info, plot setting etc.. Haven't seen any game mechanic info.
(not sure if this has been posted before, if it has, sorry!)

In the original X-COM it was implied that each country had it's own organization investigating UFO's which is based on actual fact. The US had Project Bluebook, The UK had it's own as did the Russians. It was only when the threat escalated that X-COM was formed pooling all those agencies into one entity. I don't have an issue with this being a prequel, my problem is in them using the XCOM name when it has nothing in common with the original X-COM.
Basically what 2K are doing is making a Battlestar: Galactica. It's a completely different show that just shares the same name.

So you are Project Bluebook :p. And the game is about the threat escalating to the point that XCOM is formed. Why do they call you an FBI in the preview? Chances are you ARE FBI until you get popped into Bluebook.
What does it have to do with the original X-COM: It is a prequel as opposed to a remake or a sequel.
Why does it use the name: Because it is in the same universe and it is supposed to end with the foundation of XCOM. It would be MORE confusing if they didn't use the XCOM name.
What is wrong with this (ignoring the likelihood that the implementation will make us all cry :p)?
As for the comparison to the recent BSG series: That probably IS a very apt description. From what I recall/have heard (I forget if I ever actually watched the first mini :p), the very first miniseries/movie was more of a reboot of BSG, then it went on a completely different angle (while still keeping the Jesus-factor).
Chances are that this will do something similar. Same basic universe, but different emphases. But we don't know that yet, so hold off on the hate until we find out. There IS a chance that we will all be pleasantly surprised.

Well if it was of quality of new BSG, I would actually be pretty damn happy :D