Jagged Alliance: Rage!

Jagged Alliance: Rage! takes the squad tactics idea of the series and pushes it into a smaller, harsher package. By our assessment, the appeal is the turn-based positioning, the use of mercenaries with distinct roles, and the pressure of managing a battered party under stress. The downside is that the rougher presentation and narrower scope make it feel less generous than better-known strategy entries, so patience matters more than spectacle. In play it is about cover, angles, and squeezing value out of each move, with the usual careful accounting that tactical fans expect. Compared with richer tactics games, it has less breadth and polish, and that is hard to ignore. It is for players who already enjoy hexes, turns, and team management, not for anyone looking for a clean entry point into the genre.