Jagged Alliance 2

[Jason]

Okay, so I might be a bit on the late side with this one (the last official patch for the game was apparently released in 2002), but I happened to be idly browsing the Steam store and saw that the newest incarnation of this series is coming out in a few weeks and looked interesting (a turn-based game that from appearances I could probably best describe as the gameplay of the first two Fallout games combined with the setting of the second Far Cry game), so I did a little bit of hunting and found JA2 on GOG.com for $10 with some very good and in-depth reviews.

Decided it looks interesting enough to fork out for, and I'm downloading it now, but as it seems to be something of a cult hit that I missed out on first time round, I'm wondering if there's anyone here that's familiar with it? The way I'm seeing it from what I've read, it looks like Fallout 2 had a baby with the Commandos games (remember those? They were facking hard!) and raised it as a rebel in the Tropico universe.

The GOG page (http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/jagged_alliance_2) if you're interested - suggest getting it here rather than on Steam, as it's considerably cheaper.

[Gixugif]

GOG actually gave it away for free a while ago and I got it then. It looks pretty interesting, but I haven't had the chance to try it out yet.

[Jason]

Doh. That would have been a lot cheaper. :p

From my first hour or so of playing, the comparisons (at least in gameplay) to Fallout seem the most accurate - in fact, I'd be mightily surprised if the games didn't at least use a... similar engine.
It's good fun though, and there's a real streak of humour running through it that's had me snarfing away a couple of times. The only complaint I've got so far is that the learning curve is more of a learning wall. Several times I've had to alt-tab to either google or the manual to find out what the hell I'm supposed to do or how the hell I'm supposed to do it.

[Greenie]

As a devout Fallout (1&2) fan, I can speak very fondly of Jagged Alliance 2 as well!

I remember when a friend of mine had it and was showing it off when it was released. It was: AWESOME. I had him burn a copy to a cd, and I got so hooked on the game I skipped school. Yes.

Very interesting game with very different ways of approaching the objectives. Basically you are fighting for a control of the towns on the map, but you got random and secret locations as well, and to win you can use martial arts, guns, sneaking during night, bazookas during day...


There is also a later game which was made in the same spirit of Jagged Alliance, but with later game technology. They pulled it off real well, I think.
http://au.gamespot.com/silent-storm/

[Kozahk]

I think they had the first one set up at a Harvey Norman in Midland and I got to try it out there. That was quite a few years ago, but was quite fun nevertheless.

[Jason]

I've decided to start again, as the game's unusual (but very innovative) way of handling injuries has caused me some troubles. Basically, if you're unlucky enough to get shot (and it will happen sooner rather than later), there's a pretty good chance you'll end up bleeding. That's bad.
While you're bleeding, you'll lose 1hp every 20-30 seconds or so (or every couple of turns) until you get someone with first-aid skill to bandage you up. That won't restore any health - all it's going to do is stop you bleeding to death. The only way you're going to restore lost health is by setting a member of your team as a doctor and treating the patient for several hours. If you've not got any medkits... well, you're kind of screwed.
Also, leave wounds untreated for too long without proper healing, and your health starts to permanently decrease.

I seem to remember us having a discussion on healing systems in games, and this is probably the best example I've ever come across, even if it did take me ages and a bit of googling before I figured it out.

[Kozahk]

Just wondering, I assume that if someone dies on mission; they are gone permanently?

Plus I really like Turn Based Strategy, I do not have the finesse or patience for RTS.

[Jason]

Yeah, screw up and lose a merc on a mission, and that's it - they're gone.

Also, in a neat twist, because you obviously won't hire every merc all at once, the ones you've not hired will seek employment elsewhere, and there's a possibility that they might die whilst on that assignment.

[Kozahk]

Or could possibly end up fighting you? That would be an awesome twist.

[Greenie]

Hopefully that's something they put in to the new upcoming game! I am starting to get quite excited about it.

And now off to try JA2 again. :P

[Kizzim]

There's a Jagged Alliance online browser game. I've never tried it so have no idea what it's like.

http://jaggedalliance.gamigo.com/en/home/

[Kozahk]

Just pre-purchased Back In Action, looks good; shame there is no multiplayer though. Anyway with that whole, fighting against your former mercenaries thing mentioned earlier. It would be pretty cool if you could dismiss them, but use them as sleeper agents in an enemy unit if you happen to fight each other; would cost a pretty penny but would be an epic gank.

[Jason]

Huh. Typical. There's 50% off Jagged Alliance 2 on GoG.com. Still, it's well worth a purchase if you're considering Back in Action.

[Kozahk]

I just thought I'd throw this out. BIA is not a turn based strategy but rather a 'pause-able real time tactical' game. So it all plays out in real time, but goes for a 'plan and go' kinda of approach as opposed to being a true TBS. Personally, I do not mind. I find RTS' to be too cumbersome for my liking and prefer the ability to stop, think and plan my approach. This kinda of gameplay still allows for the tactical depth needed to complete your missions, but without having to resort to a stilted TBS format. Naturally there are cries of "RUINED FOREVER" by fans who have never played the game, but hey; its better than another FPS right?

[Greenie]

All right.

So I got myself Jagged Alliance: Back in Action. It's as good as it gets. I am getting addicted to it in the very same way I got addicted to the second Jagged Alliance around a decade ago.

It is almost poetic how the game has mostly just changed the engine, art and flow of the fights. The story is the same (!?), which I was slow to realize, because it starts off slightly different. This, in my opinion, was a brave move, but while playing it got me thinking that this was probably more close to the original idea, and they finally managed to make it more so.


It really is good to be playing the old friend once again. Addicted.

[Jason]

Argh. I really didn't need to hear that! I'm already way too busy and have no money this month as it is, so hearing that the game I was looking at buying really is as awesome as it looked is a very bad thing indeed. :p

[Greenie]

I could send some screenshots and videos about how much fun I am having with the game. No? :lol:

:hammer::hammer::hammer::hammer:

Don't worry. I'm just building your anticipation for the next month.

[TechnoRaven]

Im trying the demo for back in action, it seems it dosent explain alot, as soon as i started the demo mission i had to bind save/load keys.

[SpoonedAvenger]

Hi.

First post by me! Just signed up after seeing this topic (but I'll probably frequent this forum again :p).

Just thought I'd let those who have Jagged Alliance 2 know that there is still, after all these years reasonably dedicated modders. The unofficial 1.13 patch for the game is fantastic, it adds much more features, tweaks and items. Although it'll probably be a bit awkward to get to grips with at first its definitely worth at look at some at least :).

[Jason]

Hi, awesome username! :D

Yeah, I've been aware of the existence of 1.13 for a while, been meaning to check it out, but life has a habit of kicking me in the arse whenever it looks like I might get some quality gaming time recently! Didn't I read somewhere that they even managed to get some kind of rudimentary multiplayer working?

[SpoonedAvenger]

Hi, awesome username! :D

Yeah, I've been aware of the existence of 1.13 for a while, been meaning to check it out, but life has a habit of kicking me in the arse whenever it looks like I might get some quality gaming time recently! Didn't I read somewhere that they even managed to get some kind of rudimentary multiplayer working?

Ah fair enough! :p

Yeah I think they have something going with multiplayer on it. I've not actually played the mod for a good while now since I left the game at home at that's really far away.... But yeah, I think I read on the forum last time I was on there about getting multiplayer on it. Sounds good to me! Like a more awesome multiplayer Fallout Tactics :p.