Jagged Alliance: Rage!

55%
Game Brain Score Based on 276 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Jagged Alliance: Rage! Game Cover
Although there’s fun to be had, Jagged Alliance: Rage has many small issues that bring the entire experience down.
Starting at $2.37Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Xbox Games Store

Jagged Alliance: Rage! is a turn-based tactical RPG, taking place 20 years after the original Jagged Alliance. Players lead a team of seasoned mercenaries in a hostile jungle environment, battling enemies and managing resources. The game features strategic combat, character development, and a new story in the Jagged Alliance universe.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

55%
Audience ScoreBased on 276 reviews
story11 positive mentions
graphics10 negative mentions
  • Tactical combat is engaging and fun, with a proper stealth system that enhances gameplay.
  • The game introduces interesting survival mechanics, such as managing thirst and inventory scarcity, which adds depth to the experience.
  • The character models and their unique 'Rage' abilities provide a fresh take on mercenary gameplay, making each character feel distinct.
  • The game strays too far from the traditional Jagged Alliance formula, lacking strategic depth and meaningful RPG elements.
  • Technical issues abound, including bugs, poor AI behavior, and a clunky inventory management system that detracts from the overall experience.
  • The story and character development are weak, with many returning characters having unappealing backstories that feel overly grim.
  • story101 mentions

    The game's story is generally considered basic and linear, lacking depth and intrigue, with many missions revolving around straightforward objectives like eliminating enemies. While some players appreciate the survival elements and tactical features, the overall narrative fails to offer significant choices or exploration, leading to a repetitive experience. Despite some engaging graphics and voice acting, the plot does not stand out, often feeling derivative of '80s and '90s action movies.

    • “The personalities of the mercenaries, the balance of the combat, story elements that mimic the other games, and equipment management feel true to the series.”
    • “It has a very good story, excellent voice overs, solid battle mechanics.”
    • “It might lack the plethora of choices and the in-between mission 'camping' could use a better UI, but the overall experience is good, making you want to finish the story.”
    • “Let's start with a plot that really won't impress anyone.”
    • “Terrible story, terrible level design, terrible dialogs... I chose Shadow and Vicky... gee... Vicky made me mad after 10 minutes of playing this 'unique' game.”
    • “There are a few dialogue choices and variations when you use different characters, but they do not really lead to puzzles and quests and exploration; the guardrails of the campaign are too steep for that, and the map is a perfunctory way of shuttling you from one mission to the next.”
  • gameplay83 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its fun mechanics and engaging combat, while others criticize its clunky interface and tedious elements like the loot system and survival mechanics. The introduction of stealth and the "rage" mechanic adds some depth, but many feel it lacks the complexity and quality of earlier titles in the series. Overall, while there are enjoyable aspects, the gameplay is often described as inconsistent and not fully realized.

    • “The gameplay is fun and keeps one engaged, and it's always nice to coordinate attacks with a buddy or figure out ways to kill the enemy in different ways.”
    • “I don't like the cartoon aesthetic and I could have done without the humor, although it doesn't bother me either. To me, this game shines where it matters: the gameplay systems are great, the difficulty is just right, and there are enough little twists to the XCOM/Jagged Alliance formula to keep it fresh.”
    • “We're back to using action points instead of the oversimplified two-action system, and the tactical gameplay and inventory management is great.”
    • “The gameplay is bland and feels like something I would expect from a mobile game.”
    • “Whilst it keeps the core mechanic of turn-based and action points, it's just clunky as hell with a very poorly considered interface and it lacks the ability to do many of the actions that before gave a nice array of combat options.”
    • “You don't really experience 'empire-building' in the campaign, just survival gameplay, which is pretty well developed, but again, not really the focus desired from a product named 'Jagged Alliance', which deserves a proper sandbox-and-optional-quests feel.”
  • graphics57 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players finding the cartoonish art style a step back from previous entries in the series. While some appreciate the character models and certain visual elements, others criticize the overall quality as average or substandard, noting issues like poor performance and a lack of realism. Overall, the visuals are seen as adequate but lacking the depth and detail that fans of the franchise expect.

    • “Graphically speaking, I totally enjoyed the fact you can see what a merc is wearing and which weapons he is carrying by checking his character model.”
    • “It has some nice graphics, good potential, room to employ different tactics, and various missions and sub-missions (not just clear all sectors of all enemies).”
    • “Although it could use some tweaking here and there and the graphics are a dead giveaway for the limited budget the company had, the game is fun nonetheless, and you'll be spending a good couple of hours finishing all the missions with your first pair of mercenaries, and maybe a few extra hours with another pair.”
    • “A few nice features that had they been implemented well would have been great, but overall this game is tedious and poorly designed, and the graphics are jarring on the eyes.”
    • “On the minus side: the game doesn't look like much but it does consume a lot of CPU/graphic card power. I was planning to play on the laptop plugged into the big TV, but it was so slow and impossible to play; I had to give up and install it on the gaming computer.”
    • “Why do companies have to take a perfect game and do a new version with cartoonish graphics and bad voice acting?”
  • stability27 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous glitches and frequent freezes, particularly during enemy AI turns and while skipping dialogues. Players are advised to save often due to the game's buggy nature, which can lead to frustrating experiences. Despite some initial positive feedback, the lack of timely patches has left many feeling that the game is unplayable without considerable patience and troubleshooting.

    • “Sometimes the game just freezes at enemy AI turn; we reloaded and tried the game for 1 hour to make one stage work.”
    • “Sometimes even game-breakingly buggy; however, I was willing to overlook this because the devs said they were working on patches. The game has been out for about a year and a half and there has only been one bug fix patch.”
    • “Even if you’ve exhausted all other options and are desperate for another turn-based strategy game on PS4, don’t give the sluggish, buggy, and downright ugly Jagged Alliance: Rage a second thought.”
  • grinding19 mentions

    Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, primarily due to frustrating inventory management and looting processes that detract from the overall experience. Bugs, clunky controls, and a lack of engaging dialogue further exacerbate the monotony, leading many to abandon the game altogether. Overall, the grinding mechanics are viewed as poorly designed and overly repetitive, significantly impacting enjoyment.

    • “We really couldn't play anymore, as the game got way too tedious to play as you had to do stuff over and over again, just to get past some point that crashed the game.”
    • “Biggest fault so far is the inventory management, in particular how tedious it is to loot after battle.”
    • “A few nice features that had they been implemented well would have been great, but overall this game is tedious and poorly designed, and the graphics are jarring on the eyes.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by hilarious and interesting characters, complemented by funny voiceovers. However, some players feel that the humor can come off as forced rather than natural, and while it adds a lighthearted touch, others believe it detracts from the game's core strengths, such as gameplay mechanics and character management. Overall, opinions on the humor are mixed, with some enjoying it and others preferring a more serious tone.

    • “The characters are hilarious.”
    • “Humorous and interesting characters, fully voiced.”
    • “Funny voiceover.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some users finding the game very replayable, while others argue it offers little to no replay value. Suggestions for improvement include adding features like unlocking random playable characters to enhance replayability. Overall, the consensus indicates that while some players enjoy replaying the game, many feel it lacks sufficient incentives to do so.

    • “Very replayable.”
    • “To keep the replay value, they should add the ability to unlock a random playable mercenary every time we finish the story.”
    • “Very replayable.”
    • “There is no replay value.”
    • “Very little replayability.”
    • “Not intended for replayability.”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is noted for its engaging and immersive quality, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the variety and composition, which effectively complements the game's atmosphere and themes. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that adds depth to the gaming experience.

  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviews indicate a mixed perception of the game's monetization, with some players feeling it may be a cash grab, while others believe it hasn't received a fair evaluation. Overall, opinions on the monetization strategy are divided.

    • “This game feels like a cash grab, regardless of whether it deserves a fair chance or not.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Players have reported significant optimization issues, particularly with mercenaries frequently appearing on dehydrated lists, which negatively impacts their performance and overall gameplay experience.

    • “This was a serious issue, and it was very annoying that most of the time my mercs were on very dehydrated lists affecting their performance.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

57% average critic score

Buy Jagged Alliance: Rage!

Play time

9hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
9-9hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News