Graphics and Sound

MY EYES!

Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business, is possibly the ugliest game we've played since 1997. The 640x480 resolution, the blocky sprites and low level of visual effects put JA2 way behind the times. Although there isn't much detail in the game, that is slightly made up for by the fact that there is a great deal to show in JA2. Villages, cities, mines, caverns, jungle and mountains are among the various kinds of terrain you find yourself fighting in.

That's gotta hurt

That effect sucks

There are a great many characters in the game as well. From common soldiers and thugs through the citizenry of Tracona, all the way to the individual Mercenaries you hire, there is no lack of various models to differentiate among the characters. In fact, the models might lack cosmetic details, but they possess necessary details. Load a character up with a submachine gun and a pistol, and he'll display both. Have him get shot up pretty bad, and he'll be limping around - only as severely as his wounds dictate, however. If nothing else, the graphics are functional, and if we had to choose between form and function, we'd definitely pick the latter.

Coward

All I have to do is get close enough

The screams of the dying

The sound effects at first seem almost as disappointing as the graphics. The problem is their muted, dull quality; pistols sound more like cap guns, and submachine guns remind us of popcorn popping. Grenades sound far too weak compared to our regular expectations. Those and similar combat and GUI effects are not anywhere near acceptable fare for a modern game.

The musical score, however, is top-notch, feeding the player catchy tunes that complement the environment and situation. The recordings are a bit primitive, but they have a distinctly pseudo-military feel that's just right for the game.

The 12 gauge shotgun has a picture under the definition of 'pain'

Bend over and ride the pine tree!

Speech is a fair bit above average. The characterizations are dead-on for the various mercenaries, although the choices for the player-character's voice are rather lackluster. The speech is complemented by an excellent dialogue - the writing in the game is above reproach. Characters interact with the player and each other quite well - often stating their situations in a colorful way. Despite the shoddy combat effects, Unfinished Business managed to hold up quite well compared with recent offerings. It's no Giants, but it is at least 'good enough'.