Jagged Alliance: Rage! is a continuation of the turn-based RPG series with tactical elements, the plot of which tells about mercenaries. Torture, slaughter, shooting – this is just a small part of what awaits you. You will have to immerse yourself in the role of mercenaries to kill the bad guys, start a rebellion, and overthrow an evil dictator.
Jagged Alliance: Rage! is an adventure turn-based tactical role-playing game, a spin-off of the first Jagged Alliance.
The gameplay is similar to classic X-COM: UFO Defense and requires the player to complete a series of tasks at the level by giving various commands to a squad of 4 special forces operatives, each with their unique tactical abilities. The arsenal of tactical options is no worse than competitors: cover, secret paths, tactical tricks (throwing grenades, shooting, guarding, and so on), stealthily eliminating enemies or constant shootouts.
Among the new gameplay mechanics are weapon and armor wear, looting dead enemies, single-shot shooting with greater accuracy and bursts for suppression, and various manipulations with the environment. You are given 10 action points for each turn.
Role-playing is ensured by the equipment system – as you progress further in the campaign, the player receives new gear. However, there are no characteristics; instead, there are perks that can be chosen over time. Thus, a soldier with a strength perk will carry more items.
The action of Rage! takes place on a fictional tropical island, presented as a global map with a web of points featuring unique missions and empty spots for rest. Moving sequentially between them, the player, like in a corridor shooter, reaches the ending.
The design of the maps is quite primitive and is based on a combination of small wooden sheds, numerous awnings, patches of grass, and open spaces. There are minimal background objects specifically designed for each mission.
There are enough ways to sneak forward, eliminating enemies one by one, but it undermines the scale of what is happening. The maps are so small that shootouts occur almost at point-blank range, and a sniper from one corner can shoot through the entire map, sometimes even completely.
Each map is divided into cells that play a specific role in gameplay. Thus, an enemy with their back turned will not notice a fighter moving, and during a shootout, the direction of fire is taken into account. Area damage depends on the point of explosion; the closer the target, the more damage it will receive.
At the time of release, Jagged Alliance: Rage! offered 5 characters, chosen from popular heroes of previous games:
- Ivan Dolvich – a major in the Soviet army who handles any heavy weapon excellently, and behind his broad back, another teammate can find cover;
- Sharlene Higgins – an experienced sniper, coldly shooting enemies and capable of climbing higher, or running to flank the enemy and shoot them;
- Kyle Simmons – a ranger who has elevated stealth to an absolute. He can move right in front of enemies so stealthily that no one notices him. He kills with throwing knives;
- Victoria Waters is a technician capable of repairing weapons and ammunition. Not the most experienced fighter during a shootout, but her shotgun can deal critical damage;
- Helmut Grunter confidently engages in combat at night and inspires allies with his eloquence, and his bullets have armor-piercing effects.
In the future, there will be more characters.
The events of Rage! unfold 20 years after the first part, as a result of which all the heroes have aged, and the employer in the form of A.I.M. has found replacements for them. Seeking to earn some money, they embark on a dangerous adventure — to save some oligarch on an island taken over by a drug lord and an army of outcasts.
No plot twists or anything exciting — a linear obvious story, with sparsely drawn cutscenes before and after battles, short dialogues, and comments.
To emphasize the difficult situation of the heroes, the writers added personal drama to each of them. For instance, Ivan has become an alcoholic after the death of his nephew, Kyle was poisoned by gas and became a paranoid psychopath, and Helmut suffers from coordination and attention issues.
This has a certain impact on the plot (Ivan cannot fight on empty tanks, Victoria fears enclosed spaces and may panic), but it does not develop in any way.
The single-player game boils down to completing story missions, with no alternative tasks in the game. The missions on the map are banal — kill a mini-boss, get intelligence from locals, turn off a generator, sabotage, or simply move forward.
The hardcore aspect is enhanced by the absence of a base, where in games of this genre soldiers regain strength, change equipment, or simply rest. Everything needed for progression must be carried (obviously, you can't carry much), and unnecessary items must be discarded.
- On consoles — for the first time in the 25-year history of the series!
- Jagged Alliance: Rage! offers solo and co-op campaign play, without changing the core gameplay.
- Soldiers need to sleep, eat, and each has their own morale. For example, random civilian casualties can upset Charlene.