The game does work when you install Stracciatella or some other mods. Hence only three stars. The game is a classic and I bought it out of nostalgia. It still has good tactical depths, however it's an extreme grind. If you thought, X COM has an annoying accuracy calculator, play JA2. Don't get me wrong: the game is 23 years old and still fun but it can be extremly frustrating, ie when you need 12 shots at an enemy, despite very high marksmanship and despite the enemy being in range. that really kills the fun. A challange is nice but needing 15 minuets and an enourmous amount of turns to hit an enemy that is not covered just does not live up to todates standard of a game anymore.
The headline sums it up, what else can I say? It's fun building the town and the supply chain is less complex than in other games like The Settler or the Anno Series, but it is still challenging nonetheless and real fun. But while a game like The Settlers provides you with an automatic combat systems, here you need to point and click. Sounds great, right, but it's simply terrible! Units start to move after a few seconds or so, are never holding their marching formation and sometimes don't do anything in combat, even the enemy unit is next to or they are under fire of archers. oh yes, archers btw, probably the worst AI I have ever experienced. Instead of attacking from distance, as they are meant to do, they move towards the enemy most of the time. I know that this game is not meant to be RTS but this is simpley frustrating and kills all the fun, unfortunately.
