JA: Back in Action - Preview @ The Armchair Empire

The Armchair Empire has a preview up for this game. It is based on an alpha build of the game. A quick snip:

As the demo continued, I admired how the developers had gone beyond the tile-based maps of JA2 and were working with more organic structures and landscapes. While JA2 didn’t look bad, and still doesn’t, there were some inherent limitations which occasionally led to some problematic issues relating to line-of-sight and target identification. The new maps will certainly feel less cheesy than their predecessors when it comes to hidden enemies. More than that, however, the maps bring Arulco to life all over again.

More information.

Sure does look pretty. The lack of Sci-Fi mode doesn't bother me as I never really cared for it anyway. The coordination system sounds intriguing though not sure how useful it would be in a realtime environment but loads of fun in turn base I would suspect. Not sure how useful it would be but allow snipers to act at the last possible moment while a melee character positions themselves could be useful and might encourage more use of the melee types in my games.

The plan and go system they have may not be as bad as it sounds initially if its more like waypoints. Only time will tell I suppose. I didn't mind the Fallout Tactics system for phased real-time but still desire something resembling full turn based when under heavy fire.

Gamersglobal did a good preview on this title some weeks ago. Unfortunately, the game has one feature that is a major turn-off for me: terrain is only destructable and climbable at pre-determined spots. so you can only blast a hole in the wall where the game gives you the option, and only climb at a number of spots the game allows you to.

To say I'm wary would be putting it mildly. I'm learning towards colossal flop on this one. It's Jagged Alliance! Changing the combat mechanics would be like turning Chess into an RTS. The only people who are going to be interested in a new JA title are fans of the old JA titles. So why mess with it? Everyone remember Settlers 5? It was hated, why? It wasn't a bad game per say, but it wasn't a Settlers title. Return to Krondor? Same thing. I'm sure we could do this all day if we tried.

Ugh, sorry, I get angry when developers buy the name rights from a classic franchise they had nothing to do with creating and then completely change it, turning out a crap game with barely lip service to the gameplay that made the originals great. *cough*Bethesda*cough*

I can fully understand. I simply don't get why you should buy an old franchise with a small, but dedicated fan core and change the core gameplay element. I am also looking at you, X-COM.

The reason they do it is pretty straightforward: it provides instant recognition for what (in this case) would otherwise be a nothing project that was forced to stand on its own merits. As others have pointed out, what they don't take into account is that the fans of the old game are going to dedicate huge man hours to trashing the game and picking it apart at every opportunity.

If they had done a tb recreation, they would have the good will of thousands of people right off the bat, and if it was done right a massive free promotion machine. I think in the end a small outfit like the guys doing JA: Back in Action have gained exactly nothing by calling it a re-whatever of Jagged Alliance.

I have to admit (grudgingly) that it doesn't look as bad as the last effort (Jagged Alliance 3D?), but that's not saying much.

Well, so far the the previews were rather positive. At least it's not a half-assed effort. It really comes down to their "updated" combat system. If it allows for enough control, all will be fine.