Jagged Alliance 3 from Haemimont Games

[Fatberg Slim]

I finished the game recently (v1.4) and generally agree with the good-for-what-it-is comments that others have already made. My team (leadership IMP, Nails, Fox, Tex, Ivan, and Magic) was balanced and never got too annoying. If I play it again it would be years from now with a completely different team and approach to working through the map.

Some random observations:

- I never found a use for SMGs. Run and Gun was inaccurate every time I used it, and assault rifles or a silenced pistol for stealth seemed to be a better option in every case (not to mention rifles)
- Giving my IMP merc the Night Vision trait was probably a waste compared to how powerful it is in JA2
- Was there any unique gun variant that was an improvement over a modded generic version?
- It was fun to enable Tex’s reverse-weeb LARPing by only giving him a Winchester rifle with a basic optic scope
- The game was stingy with lockpicks. I went the last 1/4 or so of the game without one, and went the BLM route by giving Magic a crowbar and making him do all the looting peaceful demonstrating. Next time I’d force doors open and save my lockpicks for containers to avoid breakage
- Looking back, I’m not sure how worthwhile it is to actually spend time and resources to train militia compared to how it is in JA2 (or guards in JA, although they are a lot easier to manage). Next time I might try not doing that and see how much it matters
- Most enjoyable battle was my team of 5 against 20 – 25 enemies in the Old Diamond mine, and ambushing them while they were marching through the narrow pass of the map by raining dynamite on them Sunset Riders-style
- For the recently added features, I only used Bobby Ray's to order magazines whenever available and a mortar at the end of the game since I couldn’t find one. It’s less convenient compared to JA2 since the delivery areas is limited to one side of the map and there’s no Skyrider to quickly ferry your shipment to you, so I usually just picked up my stuff whenever my team was in the area. The U-Bahn questline was OK but not worth starting a new game to try out. I have mixed feelings about the setup (unfrozen Nazis developing supersoldaten is a bit tired, although doing it by experimenting on the African unterrassen is a new approach). I like that there were more interior fights, skill checks involving multiple attributes which I don’t think I saw elsewhere, and some impact on the larger world, but there wasn’t much variety in exploring and fighting in each sector

 

[Old One]

The game was stingy with lockpicks.

That's one thing newbies should be informed of. Hoard your lockpicks and use them judiciously, because there aren't very many in the game.

 

[GloomFrost]

Started playing this over the weekend. Thumbs up so far. My squad is Custom Merc, Igor (only recently added), Livewire, MD, Barry and Buns. Buns and the custom dude are the most effective in combat. Barry is my favorite and still undetected.

The quality of life update I'd most like to see is the addition of mine sweeping the current map to the Operations menu. Leave in possibility of injury and everything but FFS don't make me do it manually.

What, no Ivan? Igor disapproves. Decline.

 

[Saduj]

What, no Ivan? Igor disapproves. Decline.

Ivan is out of my price range for the time being.

 

[Beowulf]

The game was stingy with lockpicks.

That's one thing newbies should be informed of. Hoard your lockpicks and use them judiciously, because there aren't very many in the game.

One way to solve the lockpick problem is to hire Vicky - she has a repairable lockpick. And you can gain a repairable crowbar from the crazy engineer in Ille Morat.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

And you can gain a repairable crowbar from the crazy engineer in Ille Morat.

 

[Old One]

"May damage the contents of containers"

 

[Fatberg Slim]

"May damage the contents of containers"

Yes, this is true (if unrealistic) for all crowbars in the game. That's why it's better to save the lockpicks for chests etc, and pry open the doors.

 

[Saduj]

Last night I tried attacking the prison. Did not go well.

I sniped all the outside guards except for one melee dude who doesn't seem to know how to exit the pit he's in. Then I had the brilliant idea to take a few potshots at the main building to see if anyone would be foolish enough to rush out. AI was solid enough not to be baited but what did happen is the game got stuck in turn based mode. Kept getting messages that enemies were hearing gunshots when nobody was firing. I moved all my guys around the entire map in turn based stealth to the front of the complex, bypassing the underground path I was obviously supposed to take. Sniped the boss through a window, which took half a dozen head shots. At this point, I get cocky and start sending mercs up to windows to see if I can get a good angle on anyone. I had mercs up in the towers covering the door and I even pulled them down to participate. Managed to kill another enemy or two but then machete rape squad comes rushing out the door and windows. During same turn, snipers take position on rooftop and use pin ability. Machete guys can move a long way before attacking twice, at which point the target dies. I had no way of dealing with them all in one turn, let alone the snipers (one had the ability that makes him go prone instead of taking first hit in combat, so I wasted a headshot there). Checkmate, AI wins. This was like turn 36 and there had been shorter combats and real time sneaking before that. Probably wasted an hour an a half.

What I did was akin to walking up to a hornet's nest and poking it with my finger. But I was still impressed with the AI in this case. When it was mostly safe to turtle, that's what it did. And once I put my mercs at risk, it launched a very effective counter attack. I wasn't too impressed with the AI before this and wonder if the prison guards have specific instructions.

 

[Strange Fellow]

I wasn't too impressed with the AI before this and wonder if the prison guards have specific instructions.

I suspect they do, because I had the same experience that you had, and was similarly impressed. Just goes to show that the best AI was scripting all along.

 

[Saduj]

I suppose when I try it again, I should check out the underground path. But I really want no part of fighting inside the building. My squad is not kitted out for close quarters stealth. And a firefight inside the building should produce similar results to what happened last night. So unless there is some cheese option like poisoning the vents or whatever, I don't see it as being all that attractive a path for me.

I've had Barry lugging around C-4 and remote detonators since the tutorial island. I think this is the spot to use them.

 

[razvedchiki]

can you operate 2-3 squads parallel to each other?

 

[Abu Antar]

can you operate 2-3 squads parallel to each other?

Sure. I have three 4 man squads.

 

[Saduj]

Cleared the prison. C-4 plan worked best with my squad but I did try the underground path....

Spoiler

Went underground, killed the guards down there and then saved. I knew I wanted to try the C-4 thing but I also wanted to see the other path.

Let the prisoners go, Luigi agreed they would help me fight the guards. Took the stairs up to the building and they lead to a a door leading into Jackhammer's office. Prisoners, armed with pistols, spawn in big pile outside the building and start fighting some outside guards that weren't there before. I open the door and..... Igor whiffs on the Jackhammer stealth kill . Now my team is cornered in a building full of alerted enemies. I knew this wasn't a good idea. I guess what is supposed to happen is stealth kill followed by guards all rushing outside to deal with prisoners....

Reloaded and went back outside the way I came in, without releasing prisoners yet. Some of the enforcers I had killed previously respawned but not the grenadiers in the front towers. Put the two best shooters up in the towers. Igor, MD and Livewire are hiding in nearby cover. Barry put a remote charge against the long wall on the side where Jackhammer's office is. He also put a proximity C-4 charge just outside the doorway on the same wall. Then I equipped him with molotovs and hid him behind a pillar near the doorway. When the remote charge went off, Jackhammer and the enforcers started heading to the doorway. The shelving and whatnot on the other side of the explosion made passing through impossible but I could shoot through that wall a little bit. One of the enforcers set off the other C-4. Then Barry set Jackhammer and two enforcers on fire with a molotov and started heading for cover. One of the snipers joined in and used pin on the next turn but from there it was pretty easy to kill the enforcers and Jackhammer as they rushed out. Sniper was easy to shoot from positions in towers. From there just had to clean up the last sniper and respawns.

 

[Cyberarmy]

can you operate 2-3 squads parallel to each other?

You need at least 2 squads in this game because of enemy retaliations. I had 3 by the end game but 3rd one was mostly for training and other stuff.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

how's the gunporn? keep in mind my first experience with the whole series has been with ja2 + 1.13, and found it adequate.

 

[spectre]

how's the gunporn? keep in mind my first experience with the whole series has been with ja2 + 1.13, and found it adequate.

The attachment system is wack, because they're not really attachments but fixed upgrades which you buy using loot "wildcards" - you found a lens, it means
you can now turn it into a scope using the scraps currency which is gained by dismantling guns.
And there's an occasional factual error llike the infamous dragunov chambered in 7.62x39, featuring burst fire mode.
Also, can-suppressors on kar98. yeesh.

In short - in dire need of a mod to overhaul it.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

i didn't say "realistic" gunporn.

 

[Old One]

how's the gunporn? keep in mind my first experience with the whole series has been with ja2 + 1.13, and found it adequate.

A bit disappointing from that point of view. I agree that JA2 + 1.13 was about right.

That seems like something that will be improved by modders, given time. For now your choices are somewhat limited.

It didn't bother me all that much, but I would certainly welcome more gunporn to the game.

 

[Silva]

I finished the game recently (v1.4) and generally agree with the good-for-what-it-is comments that others have already made. My team (leadership IMP, Nails, Fox, Tex, Ivan, and Magic) was balanced and never got too annoying. If I play it again it would be years from now with a completely different team and approach to working through the map.

Some random observations:

- I never found a use for SMGs. Run and Gun was inaccurate every time I used it, and assault rifles or a silenced pistol for stealth seemed to be a better option in every case (not to mention rifles)
- Giving my IMP merc the Night Vision trait was probably a waste compared to how powerful it is in JA2
- Was there any unique gun variant that was an improvement over a modded generic version?
- It was fun to enable Tex’s reverse-weeb LARPing by only giving him a Winchester rifle with a basic optic scope
- The game was stingy with lockpicks. I went the last 1/4 or so of the game without one, and went the BLM route by giving Magic a crowbar and making him do all the looting peaceful demonstrating. Next time I’d force doors open and save my lockpicks for containers to avoid breakage
- Looking back, I’m not sure how worthwhile it is to actually spend time and resources to train militia compared to how it is in JA2 (or guards in JA, although they are a lot easier to manage). Next time I might try not doing that and see how much it matters
- Most enjoyable battle was my team of 5 against 20 – 25 enemies in the Old Diamond mine, and ambushing them while they were marching through the narrow pass of the map by raining dynamite on them Sunset Riders-style
- For the recently added features, I only used Bobby Ray's to order magazines whenever available and a mortar at the end of the game since I couldn’t find one. It’s less convenient compared to JA2 since the delivery areas is limited to one side of the map and there’s no Skyrider to quickly ferry your shipment to you, so I usually just picked up my stuff whenever my team was in the area. The U-Bahn questline was OK but not worth starting a new game to try out. I have mixed feelings about the setup (unfrozen Nazis developing supersoldaten is a bit tired, although doing it by experimenting on the African unterrassen is a new approach). I like that there were more interior fights, skill checks involving multiple attributes which I don’t think I saw elsewhere, and some impact on the larger world, but there wasn’t much variety in exploring and fighting in each sector

It's on my wishlist. Is it worth full price, or should I wait a sale?

 

[Beowulf]

For me it was totally worth it. But I guess it should go on some small sale soon, since it's already a couple months after the release.

 

[Strange Fellow]

The game is absolutely worth full price.

i didn't say "realistic" gunporn.

Aside from the realism concerns spectre brings up, the attachment system has another problem in that it makes different weapons too similar, and gives you access to cool toys too early and too easily. A tin can suppressor can be put on the basic shitty first rifle in the game, and boom, you now have a suppressed sniper. Fitting scopes that decrease AP cost when firing, or that increase crit chance, or that give you night vision (!) is a simple matter of scrapping a few of said shitty rifles or whatever other crap the enemies happen to be carrying - and these scopes can be fitted to most weapons. They can be had before even getting off the tutorial island, and will carry you through the whole game. There are no new attachment recipes to be found or anything like that, it's all available from the word go.

The selection of weapons is all right. The game could have benefited from having a few more weapons in each category, but it's decent overall, and finding more powerful guns is still exciting. But it's somewhat undermined by the attachment system. You'll mostly be fitting the same selection of attachments onto every single weapon of each type, which means that even though they're distinct in terms of AP cost, range, accuracy etc., they become much more similar than they should be.

 

[Silva]

Just to clarify it's already on a mild sale for PS5 but prices there are steep. I think I wait for a better one then. Thanks folks.

Btw, any word on DLCs?

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Nothing so far but considering that the game became a small hit and is probably the only JA games after 2 to get both commercial and critical success, I am 100% damn sure that there will be one

 

[3 others]

The selection of weapons is all right. The game could have benefited from having a few more weapons in each category, but it's decent overall, and finding more powerful guns is still exciting. But it's somewhat undermined by the attachment system. You'll mostly be fitting the same selection of attachments onto every single weapon of each type, which means that even though they're distinct in terms of AP cost, range, accuracy etc., they become much more similar than they should be.

Yeah, thinking back on my JA3 playthrough, it seemed like the mercs' weapons improving was even more important than improving the merc roster itself. Livewire with a high-end G36 (or even a properly-specced Winchester hunting rifle) is more deadly than Magic with an unmodified M16.

To be honest, the same applies to JA2 too. There are distinct jumps from the pistol-centric early game to longer distance Mini-14s & low end assault rifles, and then finally to AUGs and M14s with scopes and whatnot. Still feels like it made more of a difference whether Wolf or Reaper was pulling the trigger in JA2 compared to JA3, at least once you got to the powerful guns.