| Jagged Alliance 2 | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Sir-Tech Canada |
| Publisher(s) | TalonSoft (Windows) Titan Computer (Linux) |
| Version | 1.12 (JA2) 1.01 (JA2: UB) 6.04 (JA2: Wildfire) |
| Platform(s) | AmigaOS, Linux, Windows |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Tactical role-playing game[2] turn-based tactics |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) |
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| System requirements
Pentium 133 or better, 32 MB of RAM, 16-bit capable video card, 2x CD-ROM |
|
Jagged Alliance 2 is a tactical role-playing game for PC,[2] released in 1999 for Windows, and later ported to Linux by Tribsoft. It is the third game in the Jagged Alliance series, and was followed by two expansions: Unfinished Business (2000) and Wildfire (2004). Jagged Alliance 2 and the Unfinished Business expansion were combined in the Jagged Alliance 2 Gold Pack, released on August 6, 2002.[3]
The game takes place in the fictional country of Arulco, which has been ruled by a ruthless monarch Deidranna for several years. The player is put in control of several hired mercenaries and with aid of local citizens and militia must reclaim Arulco's cities and ultimately defeat Deidranna.
The game uses a strategic map screen of Arulco where player may issue high level strategic orders for their troops, such as travelling or prolonged training. Combat and individual location exploration takes place in tactical screen, where player can issue individual direct commands to their mercenaries, such as run, shoot, talk and so on. The game features a wide variety of guns, armour and items that the player may use.
The game received positive scores from reviewers. It was praised for its non-linear gameplay, freedom of action, memorable characters and tactical gameplay.
Contents |
Jagged Alliance 2 takes place in the fictional nation of Arulco, ruled until the late 1980s by a unique democratic monarchy – a monarch led the nation, but elections were held every ten years to assert their legitimacy.[4] In 1988, election candidate Enrico Chivaldori took a wife, Deidranna Reitman of Romania, in order to boost his popularity and consequently was victorious.[5][6] However, Deidranna proved to be far more than a simple pawn; showing an unquenchable thirst for power, she soon framed Chivaldori for the murder of his father.[7] Enrico managed to escape, faking his own death.[8][9] Removing all other obstacles from her way, she soon consolidated her power and converted Arulco into an authoritarian state.[10]
When the game begins, Chivaldori has hired the player to remove Deidranna by whatever means necessary. He puts the player and his team of mercenaries in contact with a rebel movement in the northern town of Omerta.[11][12] Omerta suffered a massive raid shortly before the events of the game, leaving the town damaged and nearly deserted.[13][14][15] The rebel leader Miguel Cordona, former election candidate and opponent of Enrico,[16] guides the player to the city of Drassen.[17][18]
The game also features a sci-fi mode that introduces an enemy not present in realistic mode – the "Crepitus", a species of giant insect living underground and occasionally emerging to the surface.[19]
The game puts the player in control of several mercenaries that must explore and reclaim towns and territories from enemy forces. As the game advances, the player can hire new mercenaries and acquire better weapons and armour to combat opponents. The game utilizes a map screen to show the map of Arulco and issue high-level orders to the troops. There is also a tactical screen, where the player takes control of individual mercenaries during real-time interactions and turn-based combat.
The map screen displays the world map of Arulco in a square grid (called sectors) and the forces deployed by the enemy and the player.[20] This is the strategic side of the game, as the player directs his forces, and controls the progress of time, which may be sped up or paused.
From here, the player can also access the game's laptop function, allowing the player to receive emails from characters in the game, buy weapons and equipment, and hire and fire mercenaries.[21]
This screen is also used to give mercenaries tasks.[20] Mercs with a medical kit and medical skill can be set to tend to wounded mercs; this significantly quickens their recovery. Mercs with a tool box and mechanical skill can be set to repair damaged weapons, tools and armour. Mercs can "practice" a skill by themselves or work as a "trainer" or "student". Training a student increases his or her chosen skill. A trainer may also train local citizens to become militia to defend sectors while the mercs are away.[22]
Mercs can be ordered to travel on foot between the sectors.[23] If the player acquires a ground or aerial vehicle in-game, he may load his troops into it to travel between sectors much faster.[24]
The tactical screen shows a sector from an isometric viewpoint. Here the player can view the terrain, explore buildings and find items.[25] Although the game does not feature a visual fog of war, the NPC characters can only be seen if a player-controlled or allied character sees them. The game time advances in real-time on the tactical screen unless a battle is initiated, then the game switches to a turn-based combat mode.
The player can control an individual merc or group of mercs, issuing move, communication and various interaction commands. Mercs can run, walk, swim, crouch or crawl.[26] Mercs may also climb onto the roofs of flat-roofed buildings.
Battles occur whenever the player's and enemy forces occupy the same sector. This can happen if enemy or player forces arrive at a hostile sector or the player's actions cause a previously friendly or neutral force to become hostile. The game proceeds in real-time until a member of one force spots an enemy. The game then switches to turn-based play.[27] The battles are played on the tactical screen.
Each force takes alternating turns to move, attack, and perform various other actions. Each character has a limited amount of action points, which are spent to perform actions. The action points are renewed at the beginning of each round, depending on the physical state of the merc. Some unspent action points will also be carried over to the next round. If a combatant has some action points left over during the enemy's turn and spots an enemy, they stand a chance of interrupting[28] the enemy turn and performing actions.
The game may be played using stealth elements. Mercs may move either in normal or stealth mode.[29] In stealth mode, the merc attempts to move without making any noise. Moving stealthily costs more action points, but may successfully hide their position from enemies. The game also features weapons that do not cause loud noise and camouflage kits, which when used may disguise the merc in his environment. Merc attributes and some special skills affect how stealthy they are.
Mercs can attack enemies in many different ways.[27] Firearms such as handguns, machine guns, rifles, close combat and thrown weapons like knives and hand grenades, heavy weapons such as mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and light anti-tank weapons and explosives like mines, and bombs. When a merc attacks, he or she has a certain chance to hit the target depending on the appropriate skill, obstacles in the line of fire and the amount of action points spent aiming. Walls, doors, and many objects can be destroyed using explosives or heavy weapons.
Some battles may be automatically resolved if the player chooses to do so.[30]
The characters in Jagged Alliance 2 are mercenaries, enemies, allies and the townsfolk; many of the NPC characters may be interacted with.[31]
The game is played almost entirely through the mercenaries chosen. Mercenaries can be hired from private military company websites, or recruited from the local citizenry. The player may also create one personalized, unique mercenary.
Characters are defined by their skills expressed in character points.[32][33] Every character has an experience level, five attributes (agility, dexterity, strength, leadership, wisdom) and four skills (marksmanship, explosives, mechanical, medical). A character's level is increased by actively participating in the game. Skills are increased by performing actions based on these skills or by training. Attribute points may be lost if a character is critically wounded. Apart from this, a mercenary can also have two (or one highly developed) special skills enhancing a certain aspect of his or her performance such as night operations, or lockpicking.
Each character has a certain amount of health points, which are reduced when he or she takes damage. Wounds can be bandaged by using first aid kits. This prevents the character from bleeding and losing more health but doesn't restore health points.[34] A wounded mercenary is given less action points proportionally to his or her wounds. Health can be restored by resting, being treated by another mercenary with 'doctor'-'patient' pair of commands or visiting a hospital. When a mercenary runs very low on health, the character falls to the ground slowly dying, unable to do anything until medically treated. If a character dies, he cannot be resurrected.
Characters have an energy level, restored by sleep, rest, fluids or injections.[35] Moving, using stealth and getting hit saps energy. Tired mercs who have not rested for a long time become exhausted faster. Exhausted characters will fall to the ground until they regain some energy.[36]
Mercenaries also have a morale level, mainly increased by victories and successful kills and decreased by the opposite. Happy mercs perform better, while unhappy mercs will complain and may leave the player's forces altogether.[36]
Mercs who like each other and work together will have a higher morale than others. Mercenaries who dislike each other will complain often and eventually one of the two mercenaries will quit. Mercenaries may also refuse to be hired if the player has already hired someone they dislike.
The game features a large array of various items. These include weapons, armour, tools and miscellaneous items.
Items can be traded between mercs, picked up, dropped or thrown. If a merc dies, he drops all his items. Enemies will sometimes drop items upon dying. Mercs can be hired with their own combat equipment. As the game progresses, the online shop[37] offers a larger and better variety of weapons, armour and tools for sale.
Mercenaries can equip and carry various items in their inventory.[38] The mercs can wear armour on their head, chest and legs. Certain skills and interactions require a certain tool or object to be held in the hand.[39]
Almost all weapons in the game exist in real life. Each weapon has a brief description. The descriptions are informal and often humorous. Each weapon's main strengths and weaknesses are pointed out. Both expansions feature additional weapons not seen in the original game.
The mercs can hold one large weapon or dual wield two small weapons. Weapons may be improved via special attachments, for instance a silencer or bipod.[40]
The player needs money to pay the mercenary hire fees and to purchase equipment. At the start of the game, the player is given a set amount of money. The main source of income in the game are silver and gold mines located in several towns.[41] The player has to reclaim these town sectors and convince the local miners to work for the player to receive a daily income.[42] Weaponry, equipment and miscellaneous items may also be sold to local merchants.[36]
Although the player is directed by rebels to head to Drassen first, the player may choose to capture the towns and explore the countryside in any order he or she desires. In fact, it is not required to capture any towns. Additionally, almost every sector may be entered via two or more entry points.
The player may choose between a very large array of different mercs, allowing combinations for specific purposes - e.g. stealth combat, night-time combat, close-quarter combat and so on.
The game features random treasure chests, characters and certain events that differ from game to game.[36]
After the release of the original Jagged Alliance 2, two sequels and various mods have been released.
Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business, alternatively known as Jagged Alliance 2.5 is a short, mission-based standalone sequel released by Sir-Tech in 2001. This release adds some tweaks to the combat engine, as well as a scenario editor,[43][44] yet the gameplay remain largely unchanged.[45]
A new plot is introduced in Unfinished Business. The original owners of Arulco's lucrative mines have returned and established a missile base on the nearby island of Tracona, demanding the mines are returned to them. They destroy the Arulco's now empty Tixa prison to show an example for if their demands are not met. The player must put a team of mercenaries together to infiltrate Tracona and disable the missile base. Alternatively, the player may chose to use the characters from a previously saved Jagged Alliance 2: Gold savegame.[46] Unfinished Business is notably harder than the original.[47][48][49]
The product appears to be rushed as the gameplay is virtually the same as the original's, the play-time of Unfinished Business is much shorter, and the plot is linear and thus lacks replayability value.[47][48][49] Sir-tech was experiencing financial problems at the time, most significantly trouble finding a publisher.[50][51][52]
Jagged Alliance 2: Gold Pack was published by Strategy First on August 6, 2002[3] and adds the improvements of Unfinished Business to the final release of Jagged Alliance 2. The Unfinished Business and a scenario editor are also included in the package.
Gold Pack introduces notable changes to the difficulty setting. The player choosing an advanced difficulty level may also decide to make the player turns timed and whether to disallow saving during combat, as opposed to the original Jagged Alliance 2, which set these settings automatically.[46]
As of July 2006 it is available via the Steam content delivery system,[53] as well as Turner Broadcasting's GameTap.[54] This version originally had a bug which caused the player to have infinite money rendering financial strategy irrelevant, however, an updated version released a while later fixed this issue. Unfinished Business contains a bug which can result in the player being unable to save his or her progress. Strategy First has acknowledged the issues but has failed to provide a fix.
Jagged Alliance 2: Wildfire was published by i-Deal Games in 2004 as an official expansion pack by Strategy First.[55] The game's source code was also published in the package, albeit under license.
Comparing to the original Jagged Alliance 2, Wildfire has not altered the game engine or controls. The focus was instead directed into designing revamped environments, new items and stronger enemies.[56] This presents players with a more challenging campaign, however the goals and progression remain the same. In terms of the gameplay features, the game remains almost unchanged.
A renewed commercial release of Wildfire, dubbed version 6, through European publisher Zuxxez Entertainment in the spring of 2005 saw the Jagged Alliance series staying on shop shelves more than five years after the debut of its second iteration.[57] WF6 contains changed sourcecode, a tweaked graphics engine that allows for a higher resolution, introduces new mercenaries and increases squad size from 6 to 10.
Jagged Alliance 2: Gold has seen numerous community mods after its release. Most notable include, but are not limited to: v1.13,[58][59][60] Urban Chaos,[61] Deidranna Lives,[62] and Renegade Republic.[63]
v1.13 is a complete rewrite of Jagged Alliance 2 Gold and partial conversion mod of the game. The main change from the original code is the "externalisation" of many previously hardcoded variables to editable XML files, allowing users a great level of modding flexibility. It introduced many new features and items, as well as a multiplayer mode.[64] Since July, 2007, 1.13 has been successfully ported to Linux and is available via GPL license.[65][66]
| Reception | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 85.09%[67] |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| GameSpot | 8.8/10[68] |
| IGN | 8.5/10[69] |
| PC Gamer UK | 88/100 |
| PC Gamer US | 74/100 |
| PC Zone | 80/100 |
| Just Adventure | A[70] |
| Game Vortex | 90%[71] |
| Total Video Games | 7/10[72] |
Jagged Alliance 2 received high scores from many reviewers.[68][69][70][71][72] The game was praised for its non-linear gameplay, freedom of action and variety of tactics, mercenary character traits,[68][73] story-telling and role-playing, detailed world, challenging opponents and excellent audio.[69]