Jagged Alliance 3

I began playing Jagged Alliance at the age of 14 with the 2nd part. I was really hooked on it. I remember that the German version was cut and certain death animations, like exploding heads, were missing. As a response, I had to get the English version in other ways. What made Jagged Alliance so special were the unique mercenary characters. I'm very pleased that they've finally managed to recapture this in the 3rd part, after the previous attempts in the spin-offs were rather flops. The initial graphics glitches have also been fixed now and the nostalgic Jagged Alliance 2 feeling has returned.

Overall amusing sequel to JA2 that got most things right, a few are dubious and one egregious. For those who are not familiar with the series or genre, the game has real-time (with pause) strategic layer, where you manage squad(s) of mercenaries and send them on sort of missions, mainly to engage some enemies, and tactical layer, where they do so in turn-based combat. Mercenaries can sneak, run, climb to roofs, take cover, make aimed/unaimed shots (using various guns from pistols to rocket launchers), burst shots, throw grenades and other stuff, punch, stab with knives, bandage wounds etc. Aside from enemies to kill, there is sometimes an NPC to talk to or minor quest to do. What the game got right? Aside from aforementioned combat rich with options, the game gives correct Jagged Alliance vibe, banana republic (albeit at times borderline post-apo) setting is fitting, characters hilarious, as is sometimes their voice acting (Livewire's in particular is impressive). Music and visuals are top notch. There are a few dubious elements like OP overwatch, skill/stat checks etc., but I will not elaborate on these and instead take out The Thing, the egregious one: the perk system. Initially, you play a game of loadout and who will move where and do what of the many possible actions I mentioned above, and it is super fun. As mercs level up and get more and more (and more extreme) perks, however, you stop playing that and start playing perks. Whatever you do you do to trigger or get most of perks, which is very, very different game and...it is okay, but just okay and much less fun than the one it gradually replaces, for several reasons, namely because a) managing perks (as opposed to loadout) is making of permanent choices about things you do not know/understand before making them (common design antipattern), and b) perks cause rather massive power creep. Still, I highly recommend the game, but seriously consider no-perk run with only recruit or veteran tier mercs.

JA3 takes the good from JA2 and builds upon that. This game is fun and plays very well. For me it is one of the best turn based tactic games on the market.

I tried them all. Of course JA2 is good and it will stay good. But I found JA3 more fun to play. I felt more satisfaction when my well prepared toons were 'connecting' with their targets, melee or far away. I hope for DLCs but game is already complete as is.

I need to type 30 characters!!