The ranks of the Jagged Alliance collection, with its myriad sequels, remakes, growth packs, mods-gone-pro, cancelled MMOs and unofficial spin-offs, rival solely the So Solid Crew when it comes to headspinning numbers and impossible-to-remember names.
After a frankly turgid couple of many years, it’s again as soon as once more for the one-time king of turn-based mercenary argy-bargy. Can Jagged Alliance: Rage rating the Arnie-does-X-COM collection a essential and/or business hit for the primary time since 1999?
Announced at this time, it’s due out later this 12 months, and appears like this…
For reference, it’s not made by anybody concerned in any of the unique 90s JA video games, however does mark a return to the collection for the builders of the unloved Jagged Alliance Online.
If, after watching the above, you’re considering “this is trying to be XCOM to JA 1/2’s X-COM” you’re heading in the right direction. I’m taking part in preview code of JA: Rage proper now, and I’ll bash my ideas into some type of half-legibility tomorrow, however briefly, yeah. It’s attempting to streamline and adrenalise turn-based unhealthy dude-bashing, equally to how Firaxis remixed alien aggravation for extra mass-market sensibilities.
I’m too early in to make a judgement simply but, so let’s go for official phrase till tomorrow:
“Set 20 years after the primary Jagged Alliance, this spin-off permits you to expertise a highway journey right into a jungle hell to check your thoughts and physique to the boundaries.
“In Jagged Alliance: Rage! you might be consistently on the point of breakdown. Badly geared up and outnumbered, it’s as much as the participant to guide their seasoned mercenaries in tactical turn-based missions and to gentle the spark of a revolution.”
Which… isn’t terribly useful, is it? JA: Rage is TBS through-and-through, however the primary twist is that your ageing mercs are actually on a little bit of a back-foot, liable to choose up the likes of infections and long-term accidents, and depending on scavenging weapons, ammo and bandages of insalubrious origin from the battlefield.
It’s not a survival sport, however there’s a little bit of a make-do-and-mend survival vibe. There’s additionally an ongoing alternative between stealth and all-out gun-fun, and the occasional PYO dialogue choice.
Oh, and ‘Rage’ talents, particular assaults and whatnot that cost up as your mercs get knee-deep in blood – once more, drifting this barely nearer to XCOM.
You’ll discover from the above video that it’s concurrently working to be contemporary’n’flashy and carry over olden JA faces to appease the previous guard. Having and consuming one’s cake is rarely straightforward, is it?
Jagged Alliance: Rage is due for launch for $20 this autumn, printed by Handy Games, which is a recently-acquired new fork of THQ Nordic, and developed by Cliffhanger Productions, they of the ill-fated Jagged Alliance Online and the not-terrible Shadowrun Chronicles. There’s a web site with extra particulars and screens here. More from me on this tomorrow, as soon as I’ve sunk some correct hours in.
