After a few failed spin-offs over the years I can say that we finally got the Jagged Alliance game that we have been waiting since the magnificent second installment.
Don't get me wrong. Long lasting faithful fans like me can still find some issues in JA3 but they are trivial issues at best. And I might also say that the many failed spin-offs like the one called "Jagged alliance Rage" helped for us fans to lower our expectations a bit so we could welcome JA3 even more.
So what makes Jagged Alliance 3 an excellent sequel? Almost everything about it. The feeling and the atmosphere from the older games is back:
1. The mercenaries we know are back with their unique personalities. And it is obvious that a lot of work went to find the correct voices that will get the players guessing if it is the same actors from the good old days.
2. The music that changes according to the situation is also back. And this time it is also giving us cool African culture vibes
3. Almost every sector is a unique playground to enjoy turn based combat.
4. The trusted story recipe is also back, where a third world country needs your help to be saved from an evil army regime.
5. The different factions of friends and foes.
6. Choices you make that can truly change the course of the story.
6. And ofcourse a few 90's twists in the story arc.
To sum up I also have to name the 3 things I did not like. They are small things but will be missed.
A. No vehicles to move around. JA2 had them and the community was waiting for more freedom with vehicles in the new game. Like tanks that could not only shoot but also move this time. Instead we got no vehicles at all.
2. Not many unique recruitable npcs. Excluding Larry who is actually a long time favourite, we only get to convince only 4 new mers from the world of Grand Chien to join. Jagged alliance 2 had fifteen! Maybe we get a recruitable hyenna on a future small update. Needs no additional voice acting. Also no antagonizing M. E. R. C. company.
3. Smallest issue but felt like a step backwards: When mercs speak in earlier instalments, their mouths move and even their expressions were visible changed according to their mood. In Jagged alliance 3 only get still portraits. Some who are still smiling even when speaking about something awful that is taking place. Should have got full animations instead and that feels lazy.
All in all Jagged Alliance is a game that was clearly made by developers who were also hearty fans of the series, and is a must play, for all players who enjoy a good turn based game.
