Jagged Alliance

[SacremPyrobolum]

Ever since the new X-Com turned me on to turn based tactical games, I have also become interested in the Jagged Alliance series. Luckily for me, this old series seems to be getting much the same treatment, with the release of Jagged Alliance - Back in Action and Jagged Alliance - Flashback.

From what I gather, the former is a remake of the popular Jagged Alliance 2 while the latter game is unique.

I would have picked up Back in Action already, but I have heard some foul things about it, mainly that it removed a lot of features that made JA2 great. For someone who has never played the original, will I be missing out on these features?

As for Flashback, why would I pick it up over Back in Action? It seems simply by contrast, but that might just be because it is in Early Access (a phrase that I am growing to loathe these days).

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Back in Action is a phased/real time strategy game, and has more in common with a game like Frozen Synapse than Jagged Alliance 1 and 2, who find their closest relative in the original XCOM. I never played Back in Action, largely due to tepid reviews and outright censure from fans of the original series.

While the original XCOM likely stands as the finest hybrid strategy/tactical game ever made, I have a hard time arguing for anything else but Jagged Alliance 2 as the finest purely tactical exercise. There is a strategic overlay, but it is perfunctory at best. The meat of the experience is the combat, and it is incredibly deep, rich and challenging. While the game has aged, has an old-school UI and doesn't support modern resolutions, it still holds up pretty well today (I highly, highly recommend the fan 1.13 "mod", which supports some higher resolutions and adds a host of small improvements). The new XCOM is a bit slicker and more immediately intuitive, but it gives up a lot of sophistication to Jagged Alliance 2.

Flashback is an attempt to kickstart a proper spiritual successor to the original games, but I recall the funding they received was very low. I don't have particularly high hopes for it.

Grab JA2 off GOG and download the 1.13 mod. It's been a while since I've played, but I can try and answer any questions you might have about the game while you get started. Avoid the Steam version, last I checked it had some serious glitches.

Seriously, cannot recommend JA2 enough for turn based tactics fans. Pinnacle of the genre.

 

[EXos]

Seriously, cannot recommend JA2 enough for turn based tactics fans. Pinnacle of the genre.

I've got the same opinion. Don't touch BIA it is just a cash grab trying to get by on the name Jagged Alliance. If it was named otherwise no-one would have bought it.

As for Flashback; I backed it and have access to Alpha/Beta and they are getting there. It probably won't be as vast in features as JA2 but it looks like it will be a solid base for the modding community to go completely crazy with.

Now back to Jagged Alliance 2.
Why haven't you bought it from GoG yet! Get the 1.13 mod and prepare to walk into a learning curve that could best be called a frigging wall. Though all you need to know for the start is.

'c' is for crouch.
'Z' toggles stealth/sneak mode uses more AP when used in combat.
'Right mouse' in creases the aim and AP spend.
That should get you through the first map.

Just prepare yourself to fail... A lot... and save often.
If you have question just head over to "The Bear's pit" and ask.

 

[josemlopes]

I liked Back in Action but never played the originals so yeah...

Still I like Frozen Synapse and its very close to that, there are some issues with it, combat sometimes feels a lot like trial and error if there are simply way too many enemies on the map and if you take your time the enemie forces keep getting stronger and more numerous, I got around the middle of the game and couldnt keep going because every area was filled with the most advanced types of enemies, add to that they constantly attack back so you then start loosing areas.

The other expansion seemed to fix that though.


You also have 7,62 High Calibre, its very hard to get into and the levels have some weird colision issues but it has a shit ton of weapons and details.

The weapons in this trailer arent even all of them

 

[CannibalCorpses]

I've just been playing Jagged alliance 2 again and i've got to say it's still one of the best games of it's type out there. You don't need the cash grabbing rubbish that came after it, just go straight to the best and ignore the rest

If you've only played the new x-com then get JA2 and get the original x-com...find out why i condemn most modern games for being simplistic simple trash. To anyone else, if you can name any other games that are similar to the 2 genre busters then please let me know...i need something to play with substance to it!