Metavira, a land rich in resources, is in dire need of a savior. To liberate this tropical paradise, you must employ a variety of mercenaries to explore, secure, and maintain control over different territories.
The objective? To allow the native population to harvest valuable trees, the source of a revolutionary medicinal sap. Holding more territories means reaping greater profits. As your coffers swell, you’ll have the financial muscle to hire more mercs, including native defenders, ultimately giving you the upper hand in your battle for supremacy.
A Mix of Strategy and Tactics
Jagged Alliance is an excellent turn-based tactical combat game. Its strategic gameplay is reminiscent of X-Com, offering a unique blend of strategy and tactical battles. The strategic layer reveals the vast landscape of Metavira, starting with just one sector and a few trees to generate income.
Your mission is to capture additional sectors to increase your income by controlling more trees. The ability to hire and fire mercenaries is key to your success. However, each mercenary is a distinct personality, some synergize well with others, while others clash.
You will need a diverse team of shooters, explosive experts, mechanics, and doctors as you navigate the intense tactical battles in the game.
The role of each merc is crucial: shooters provide firepower, explosive experts handle bombs and traps, mechanics repair and modify equipment, and doctors heal wounded teammates. Balancing cost and necessity is essential, as each mercenary has a different price tag.
The Tactical Face-Off
As you venture into enemy-controlled territory, the game shifts into combat mode. A gripping turn-based tactical encounter unfolds, based on action points that limit each merc’s actions. The choices are strategic but constrained: you must decide whether to move, shoot, or perform other actions, with action points governing the number of moves you can make.
The action intensifies until the sector is no longer contested, with one side emerging as the victor, retreating to another sector, or both.
After successfully liberating a sector, you can station native guards to maintain control while hiring additional natives to harvest the newfound trees. Wounded mercenaries must be transported to the home base for treatment by the doctor or nurse.
Mercenaries not in combat can undergo training to enhance their skills. Scripted and random events, such as poisoned water sources, tree-damaging viruses, and kidnapped civilians, add complexity to your mission.
A Unique Blend of Personalities and RPG Elements
What sets Jagged Alliance apart is its memorable cast of mercenaries. Each character has a distinct personality that significantly influences the gameplay. Some mercenaries work harmoniously, while others are incompatible. Their reactions in combat, such as bravery or cowardice, dictate their performance.
The fascinating dynamics between mercenaries, including rivalries and friendships, add depth to the game.
A Symphony of Tactical Gameplay
Jagged Alliance doesn’t just deliver strategic depth; its tactical battles are engaging. With action points dictating your moves, planning and execution are critical. Leaving a few action points unused allows a merc to respond when spotting an enemy during the enemy’s turn.
The game offers the perfect blend of strategy and tactics that will keep fans of X-Com and RPGs thoroughly engaged.
Conclusion: A Must-Play DOS Era Classic
Jagged Alliance is an iconic strategy game that seamlessly combines squad-level gameplay, much like X-COM, with rich RPG elements. The storyline sets the stage for your mission to recapture the island of Metavira, rich with valuable tree sap.
The game’s unparalleled personality-driven gameplay, deep strategic options, and top-notch enemy AI ensure an experience that’s hard to match. Managing mercenaries, finances, and tactical combat in a lush tropical landscape is a recipe for an incredibly immersive gaming adventure.
If you’re seeking a game that improves upon X-COM’s formula, look no further.
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