Jagged Alliance 2 Gold

About

Jagged Alliance 2 Gold is a tactical role-playing game that takes place in the small country of Arulco, which has been taken over by a ruthless dictator. As the player, you must lead a group of mercenaries to liberate the country through strategic battles and interactions with over 150 characters. The game features a customizable mercenary and a blend of tactical combat, role-playing, and strategy, with the added challenge of playing the campaign twice.

Genres & Tags

Strategy

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 107 reviews

stability3 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Jagged Alliance 2 is a classic turn-based strategy game that offers deep gameplay, character interactions, and a high level of tactical management, making it a favorite among fans for over 20 years.
The game features a rich variety of mercenaries, each with unique personalities and skills, allowing for diverse strategies and replayability.
Despite its age, the game remains addictive and engaging, with a strong community that supports mods and patches to enhance the experience on modern systems.

The game can be difficult to get running on modern systems, often requiring various patches and tweaks to resolve compatibility issues, such as black screens and crashes.
Many players find the initial learning curve steep, with complex controls and mechanics that can be overwhelming for newcomers.
The graphics and animations are dated, which may detract from the experience for those accustomed to modern game visuals.

gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
27%
The gameplay is praised for its innovative mechanics, such as the ability to steal weapons from enemies and extensive mod support that enhances the experience with new content. Despite its age, the game offers deep tactical combat and a variety of gameplay options that encourage hundreds of hours of playtime, making it feel fresh and engaging compared to modern titles. While the graphics may be dated and some interactions can be clunky, the overall charm and depth of the gameplay remain unmatched in the genre.
- “The voice acting, the gameplay, the depth, the details, the art style, and the variety of weapons to choose from make this game have its own charm.”
- “I could offer a million reasons I love this game, but at its most basic: this game wasn't designed for 10-20 hours of gameplay, but for hundreds of hours of gameplay.”
- “This is an old game, so the graphics are ugly and interacting with the environment, like a locker, can be clunky, but this game still has some of the most innovative and groundbreaking mechanics in one game!”
- “I find myself thinking, it's 2020 and I can't find any game to incorporate all the mechanics this game offers.”
- “The mechanics and things you can do in this game still haven't been duplicated properly.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
The game's story is praised for its depth and complexity, featuring a compelling plot centered around the liberation of a small country, enriched by character backstories and player choices that lead to varied consequences. While the main storyline is linear, the extensive world with over 200 sectors and 50+ mercenary characters offers numerous side quests and interactions, enhancing the overall narrative experience. Players appreciate the game's management elements, likening it favorably to classic XCOM titles but with a more engaging story.
- “The plot in this game is amazing.”
- “Not even modern XCOM comes close to the level of management this game offers nor the level of character backstory.”
- “Despite its linear main storyline, the game still offers you choices to do things in different ways, which lead to different consequences you can enjoy.”
- “And on top of this, there's a story about the liberation of a small country.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of the game are considered somewhat dated, yet they still hold up well within the indie game landscape, complemented by a unique art style and engaging aesthetics. While some players note the presence of graphic violence, the overall visual presentation, combined with high-quality voice acting and a rich gameplay experience, contributes to the game's charm and depth.
- “Graphics still look decent, especially in today's indie game world, and the gameplay feels not really aged (feels better than XCOM style for turn-based games for me).”
- “The voice acting, the gameplay, the depth, the details, the art style, and the variety of weapons to choose from make this game have its own charm.”
- “I have always been captivated by the aesthetics of this game since the first day that I saw it (I love isometric games) and later realized that it's a well for the mind to drown in.”
- “The graphics are outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “The art style feels inconsistent and doesn't match the overall tone of the game.”
- “Character models and environments look bland and uninspired, making it hard to stay immersed.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is described as a "coder soundtrack," which some players find engaging and never boring, while others experience issues such as crashes related to the music during the intro. Overall, it contributes to the game's atmosphere but is marred by technical glitches.
- “It is micromanagement heaven, but glitchy no matter which version you pick, the music is a coder soundtrack and the dice are thoroughly loaded against the player.”
- “There is a file rename fix on the forums that helped me bypass the intro splash screen/music that crashed my game.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game is noted for being somewhat buggy, but it generally runs well on modern hardware and operating systems, providing a unique playing experience despite its dated appearance.
- “A classic game that still runs great on modern hardware and operating systems.”
- “The game maintains a smooth performance without any crashes or glitches.”
- “I've played for hours without any issues; the stability is impressive.”
- “Super buggy”
- “It looks dated (of course) and it's a bit buggy, but the playing experience is still unique.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is unexpectedly abundant, featuring witty and often politically incorrect dialogue that adds a layer of satire. Many players find it genuinely funny, suggesting that this aspect enhances the overall enjoyment compared to later entries in the series.
- “I wasn't expecting the large amount of humor you can find in the dialogue.”
- “Some of it is just downright funny, even if it is a little dated and politically incorrect -- that kind of satire is what made it so much more fun than any of the games in the series that came after it.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players note that the unofficial 1.13 stable patch significantly enhances replayability by introducing new features and options, allowing for varied gameplay experiences.
- “Playing with the unofficial 1.13 stable patch adds many new flavors and options for optimal replayability.”
- “The variety of choices and paths in the game makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With multiple endings and character builds, I find myself coming back to explore different strategies.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its vibrant 80s action movie atmosphere, enhanced by intense shooting and explosive gameplay, creating an engaging and nostalgic experience for players.
- “Fantastic squad-based RPG with lots of shooting and explosions in an 80s action movie atmosphere.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Many users perceive the monetization strategies of newer games as exploitative and lacking creativity, labeling them as soulless cash grabs that prioritize profit over quality.
- “I've tried a few newer ones, but they felt hollow... soulless, cookie-cutter cash grabs.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users suggest that to enhance performance and stability, utilizing "dgvoodoo 2" is highly recommended for optimal game optimization.
- “For better performance and improved stability, I strongly recommend running the game with 'dgVoodoo 2'.”