[THQ Nordic] Jagged Alliance: Rage!

[Smoove_B]

Has any other series had this many attempts to revive? It's hard to get excited after the last effort, but here's a trailer with just a tiny bit of what I am assuming is in-game footage added to the end:

[Paingod]

It looks like they might still be using the same animations from the original, at least. That last guy that was shot went down exactly like they used to. The rest of it could be any generic tactical game, so far.

[coopasonic]

It's hard to get excited after the last effort

Just try and stop me!

I will basically give any game trying to revive JA2 a chance and get excited over every one. I tried to replay JA2 a little while ago and I think we've finally hit the point where I can't go back there. XCOM2 has thoroughly replaced it. I would love for it to have another shot.

[Smoove_B]

I think that's what my issue is -- I've also tried going back and it's just not working for me anymore. I'd love for someone to truly re-capture whatever magic was in the original.

[NickAragua]

"No, I busy, go away!"

"I forget. I forget again."

etc.

[Paingod]

"Elliot, you IDIOT" /slap /slap

[jztemple2]

"Elliot, you IDIOT" /slap /slap

Ah, good times

[Blackhawk]

I don't think there is any game I'd like to see come back as much as JA, but I don't think there is any game I have less confidence in succeeding.

Hell, I'd kill just for a straight port of the old audio, mechanics, stats, and gameplay to a modern engine.

[coopasonic]

Hell, I'd kill just for a straight port of the old audio, mechanics, stats, and gameplay to a modern engine.

I'm not going to get homicidal about it, but otherwise I agree.

[Blackhawk]

Hell, I'd kill just for a straight port of the old audio, mechanics, stats, and gameplay to a modern engine.

I'm not going to get homicidal about it, but otherwise I agree.

[Brian]

I'm here. I ate every bug along the way.

There were many.

[Max Peck]

So it turns out Jagged Alliance: Rage is not-terrible

Y’know what? I don’t hate it. Which, after 19 years of hurt (the remarkable JA2 mod scene aside), is happy progress for once-beloved turn-based mercenary combat series Jagged Alliance.

There’s a whole mess of things wrong with newly-announced latest comeback-apparent Jagged Alliance: Rage, but a few hours with early code has me thinking there’s a lot right with its core.

Rage makes the two decades since Jagged Alliance 2, the last time this series truly found its way into hearts and minds, a plot point. Its gang of quipping, ill-tempered mercenaries are now 20 years older, with all manner of weaknesses and tics to reflect their long years in the field. Borrowing a cue from Darkest Dungeon, working around their deficiencies and propensity to pick up new injuries and ailments is all part of how to survive a guerrilla run through the jungle.

This isn’t a roguelike, but it does borrow a few concepts – you take your damage with you, you’re dependent on loot found semi-randomly during combat, and you need to make tough choices about what to fix or improve during your brief downtime.

Rage is recognisably Jagged Alliance, which is to say you exact turn-based control of a squad of grumbling but blood-steeped mercs sent to deal with warlords and drug-runners in an exotic locale, but with two major changes. The first is a certain degree of streamlining. There is a ruder way of saying the same thing, which I expect is being employed with grim regularity in Jagged Alliance communities right now.

In any case, Rage is clearly striving to be XCOM to the 90s JAs’ X-COM – focusing on the core loops of combat and strategy, discarding some of the nuances of micro-management in favour of a tight focus on moment-to-moment decisions. Me? I’ve always taken the view that XCOM doesn’t replace X-COM: I dig both. I feel the same way here, in that we’ve still got JA2 and all its marvellous mods – this is exploring something different. Narrowing the field of possibility to move/shoot/sneak/use might amputate complexity, but it increases intensity.

[gameoverman]

The art style turns me off. I'd like a new JA as much as anyone, but I want it to look realistic. It reminds me of TF2's art, which works for that game but is not something I wanted for a new JA.

[Tampa_Gamer]

The art style turns me off. I'd like a new JA as much as anyone, but I want it to look realistic. It reminds me of TF2's art, which works for that game but is not something I wanted for a new JA.

Absolutely agree. I know I sound like an old fart saying this, but what is up with all the freak'n cartoons these days - I feel like I am back in the 70s watching Saturday morning cartoons. Everyone keeps trying to copy TF2's art style (e.g. Fortnighte, latest X-Coms, etc.). Enough already...

[Blackhawk]

The art style turns me off. I'd like a new JA as much as anyone, but I want it to look realistic. It reminds me of TF2's art, which works for that game but is not something I wanted for a new JA.

Absolutely agree. I know I sound like an old fart saying this, but what is up with all the freak'n cartoons these days - I feel like I am back in the 70s watching Saturday morning cartoons. Everyone keeps trying to copy TF2's art style (e.g. Fortnighte, latest X-Coms, etc.). Enough already...

Because it sells. Create an art style that appeals to a large audience, and you've already caught the attention of that audience. And let's face it - the realistic looking military action genre sort of died everywhere but in games. They have to bring in the new audience somehow.

I also hate it, but I get why they do it.

[Smoove_B]

About 8 minutes of game play from Gamescom

[LordMortis]

That gameplay looks good. Can I still train my strength to ridiculous levels by camping crow spawn and punching them?

[Carpet_pissr]

That gameplay looks good.

Agree. Reminds me very much of good times with the JA franchise. Sounds good, and I don't even mind the cartoony graphics. But why does the screen look like it's smeared with Vaseline? I hate that effect, whatever is. Is that bloom? Hopefully they have not tweaked it completely for the final version, or if they have, I hope it's an option in graphical settings.

[Blackhawk]

That gameplay looks good.

Agree. Reminds me very much of good times with the JA franchise. Sounds good, and I don't even mind the cartoony graphics. But why does the screen look like it's smeared with Vaseline? I hate that effect, whatever is. Is that bloom? Hopefully they have not tweaked it completely for the final version, or if they have, I hope it's an option in graphical settings.

It seems to be some extreme depth-of-field effect. And it is horrible.

[LawBeefaroni]

The art style turns me off. I'd like a new JA as much as anyone, but I want it to look realistic. It reminds me of TF2's art, which works for that game but is not something I wanted for a new JA.

Absolutely agree. I know I sound like an old fart saying this, but what is up with all the freak'n cartoons these days - I feel like I am back in the 70s watching Saturday morning cartoons. Everyone keeps trying to copy TF2's art style (e.g. Fortnighte, latest X-Coms, etc.). Enough already...

Because it sells. Create an art style that appeals to a large audience, and you've already caught the attention of that audience. And let's face it - the realistic looking military action genre sort of died everywhere but in games. They have to bring in the new audience somehow.

I also hate it, but I get why they do it.

Also because:

It's easier to do effectively (textures, color pallettes, etc) for both artists and GPUs. Fewer resources required.

It's easier to trademark characters that are original artwork rather than just realistic humans.

[Freyland]

"Throw Lethal Knife"

As opposed to, say, "Throw Butter knife"?

[morlac]

The art style turns me off. I'd like a new JA as much as anyone, but I want it to look realistic. It reminds me of TF2's art, which works for that game but is not something I wanted for a new JA.

Absolutely agree. I know I sound like an old fart saying this, but what is up with all the freak'n cartoons these days - I feel like I am back in the 70s watching Saturday morning cartoons. Everyone keeps trying to copy TF2's art style (e.g. Fortnighte, latest X-Coms, etc.). Enough already...

Because it sells. Create an art style that appeals to a large audience, and you've already caught the attention of that audience. And let's face it - the realistic looking military action genre sort of died everywhere but in games. They have to bring in the new audience somehow.

I also hate it, but I get why they do it.

Also because:

It's easier to do effectively (textures, color pallettes, etc) for both artists and GPUs. Fewer resources required.

It's easier to trademark characters that are original artwork rather than just realistic humans.

And...

Cartoon violence is less realistic than realistic violence! Because pretty colors or something.

Im ok with this change because the OG was pretty tongue in cheek anyhow. Tactically sound but it was pretty goofy

[Blackhawk]

I still say, more than anything: It catches the eye of the Fortnite crowd.

[Butterknife]

"Throw Lethal Knife"

As opposed to, say, "Throw Butter knife"?

Nobody tosses a Butterknife!

[Freyland]

"Throw Lethal Knife"

As opposed to, say, "Throw Butter knife"?

Nobody tosses a Butterknife!

How insensitive of me!

[Max Peck]

We have a release date.

Jagged Alliance: Rage will be launching on September 27th, and will cost $20/€20.

That's just 2 days after Kingmaker launches, so I'll be keeping an eye on this but not dropping the double-sawbuck out of the gate.

[coopasonic]

We have a release date.

Jagged Alliance: Rage will be launching on September 27th, and will cost $20/€20.

That's just 2 days after Kingmaker launches, so I'll be keeping an eye on this but not dropping the double-sawbuck out of the gate.

If I've finished Tomb Raider by then, which is possible, then I will be all over this.

[Max Peck]

We have a new release date: 6 Dec 2018.

“So it turns out Jagged Alliance: Rage is not-terrible,” our Alec declared in his cheery way after playing the latest revival of the venerated real-time tactical combat series. It was surprising, seeing as many other attempts have ended up bleh, but even more surprising is that it was due to launch barely six weeks after being announced. Well, that part at least was too good to be true. Having previously planned to launch it tomorrow, September 27th, publishers THQ Nordic today announced Jagged Alliance: Rage is now due December 6th. I’ve asked, and they say the delay is for “Balancing and fine-tuning.” To tide folks over, they have blorped a new trailer.

[coopasonic]

We have a release date.

Jagged Alliance: Rage will be launching on September 27th, and will cost $20/€20.

That's just 2 days after Kingmaker launches, so I'll be keeping an eye on this but not dropping the double-sawbuck out of the gate.

If I've finished Tomb Raider by then, which is possible, then I will be all over this.

Dammit. I *was* finished with Tomb Raider. The delay is fine. I have a bunch to play and more in the pipeline.

[Grifman]

That looks pretty decent but I'll have to wait for reviews to be sure.

[Carpet_pissr]

Gah, why does it look like it's running at 10x speed? That's terrible! Hopefully (but again, why?!) they just sped it up so it looked more actiony? If that is the normal speed, I will be passing for sure. Also seemed very herky-jerky.

I like my Jagged Alliance slow, methodical and full of sweat-inducing tension, thankyouverymuch.

[Blackhawk]

I got the feeling that it was intentional in order to show lots of gameplay in a minute or so.

[Max Peck]

Yeah, if you compare the trailer to the Gamescom 2018 gameplay videos floating around out there, it appears that they sped up the action segments and mostly cut out the parts where the player is actually plotting out commands. The trailer almost completely obscures the fact that the game is turn-based.

[Fardaza]

Wow! Looks pretty good to me. I don't think the graphics are as cartoony as some of you indicated. I think they should have created all new soldiers though. These guys and gals are way too old to still be doing this. (Er...wait a minute. Who am I to be talking? I'm still playing video games.)

I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for this one!

[Rip]

https://clips.twitch.tv/JollyDarkPuppyStinkyCheese

[Paingod]

Jolly Dark Puppy Stinky Cheese

I'm not all that certain I want to click that link.

[Rip]

It is on twitch so usually safe.

Just a clip of a streamer there.

[Max Peck]

I love Twitch's clip URLs; five random words that come tantalizingly close to conveying meaning.

[Carpet_pissr]

I clicked the link, and have no idea what that was. It was cut off, for one, and was about 4 seconds. WTF.

Link to video you wanted to show us moved maybe?

[Max Peck]

In addition to answering rhetorical questions, one of my hobbies is mansplaining jokes.

Twitch clips are very short videos, usually used to commemorate stream highlights or memes.

In this case . . .

I think they should have created all new soldiers though. These guys and gals are way too old to still be doing this. (Er...wait a minute. Who am I to be talking? I'm still playing video games.)

. . . was followed by an "I'm too old for this" meme clip from a game stream.

https://clips.twitch.tv/JollyDarkPuppyStinkyCheese