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The search for tactical games: Aliens not necessary.

Snarkman3Snarkman3 Registered User regular
edited May 2010 in Games and Technology
So. X-com is great. No doubt there. Sexy as hell.


But some new flavours wouldn't hurt. What games in that vein could you wise folk recommend me? Excluding all those UFO: AfterX, which I've heard are buggy and not-too-good. Of course, if you have experience with them, it'd be nice to know. Nothing current gen, I don't have that kind of moneys :(

Snarkman3 on
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Posts

  • XagarathXagarath Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Abomination: The Nemesis Project.

    Xagarath on
  • BasticleBasticle Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Jagged Alliance?

    Basticle on
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  • DiannaoChongDiannaoChong Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Theres actually a warhammer 40k tactics game called chaos gate. It is amazing if you can get it running on new systems.

    DiannaoChong on
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  • MagitekMagitek Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Xagarath wrote: »
    Abomination: The Nemesis Project.
    Abomination got alot of bad rap, but it's really great once you get into it. Has some form of coop multiplayer also I believe.

    Silent Storm for the obvious!

    Magitek on
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Silent Storm.

    And it's expansion (if you can find it).

    Axen on
    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • -SPI--SPI- Osaka, JapanRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Jagged Alliance 2 is the greatest turn based tactical game ever made. So go get that.

    -SPI- on
  • vsovevsove ....also yes. Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Commandos was a fun game.

    vsove on
    WATCH THIS SPACE.
  • SpannerXSpannerX Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Fallout Tactics, but it has (maybe had) a serious memory leak. I wonder if GOG fixed that.

    SpannerX on
    PSN: spannerx1970
  • Snarkman3Snarkman3 Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Jagged Alliance. Is it the one that also appeases to all the gun nuts in the world with minuscule details on every weapon?

    Because, I could get into that.

    Snarkman3 on
  • korodullinkorodullin What. SCRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Snarkman3 wrote: »
    Jagged Alliance. Is it the one that also appeases to all the gun nuts in the world with minuscule details on every weapon?

    Because, I could get into that.

    The base game doesn't really have it, but the major 1.13 fan-patch does. 1.13 also completely overhauls the gameplay. It's grand.

    Jagged Alliance 2, that is.

    korodullin on
    ZvOMJnu.png
    - The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2017, colorized)
  • InquisitorInquisitor Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Laser Squad Nemesis is amazing but I don't know if people still play it online.

    Inquisitor on
  • JudgementJudgement Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Final Fantasy Tactics is also a great turn-based strategy game, if you can live with the Judges random dickery.

    Judgement on
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  • KlatuKlatu Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi OiRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    SpannerX wrote: »
    Fallout Tactics, but it has (maybe had) a serious memory leak. I wonder if GOG fixed that.

    I remember a great (not great) bug in this game where if you had 2 of your units within 2 squares of one another and someone with one of the big guns of doom, I can't remember their names atm, shot man A at range and had a small % chance to hit, he'd miss all shots, but man B would get hit by 100% of the bullets and die in a bloody mess.

    Now the obvious solution to this was not have your mans close to each other, but it was unavoidable in some situations. :(

    If a patch has since fixed this I'd be interested to know.

    Anyway, didn't mean for the slight derail :)

    Klatu on
    Steam id:Klatu - PS id: Klatu_PA - 3DS FC: 0920-0528-6680
  • SteevSteev What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Axen wrote: »
    Silent Storm.

    And it's expansion (if you can find it).

    Silent Storm is so good. I didn't make it very far, but there is so much you can do.

    Steev on
  • Evil MultifariousEvil Multifarious Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Silent Storm is one of the best games ever made, until you get the stupid
    robot suits

    and then it is terrible.

    Laser Squad Nemesis is absolutely fantastic, has PBEM multiplayer, and is very very niche, unfortunately.

    Jagged Alliance 2 is well-loved.

    Evil Multifarious on
  • korodullinkorodullin What. SCRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Judgement wrote: »
    Final Fantasy Tactics is also a great turn-based strategy game, if you can live with the Judges random dickery.

    There are no judges in Final Fantasy Tactics. 8-)

    korodullin on
    ZvOMJnu.png
    - The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2017, colorized)
  • LitanyLitany Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I'll echo Jagged Alliance 2. Such a great game. It's up on Steam for your convenience. Hiring Wolf is the best choice you can make.

    Is Silent Storm on any service?

    Litany on
    Steam: Litany || PSN: Litany- || Nintendo Network ID: Litany
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Jagged Alliance 2.

    Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear in Overwatch mode. In this mode, you create your plan, assign your teams, hit the go button, then cross your fingers and sit on the edge of your seat. No controlling your operatives. This is a pretty cool mode until you watch your elite operatives get confounded by a ladder. When it works, it's great though. And of course, you can also play it the other way too, but I doubt that's what you are looking for. The only reason I really suggest this at all is that you can probably get this cheap.

    There's also the Freedom Force games. Super Hero RPG Tactical goodness. Hugely moddable and fun.

    Also, on the Real Time Tactical front is the original Ground Control and it's expansion, available for cheap at GOG. No base building or economy. You choose your troops and gear, load up your Dropships and then wage war. Units are also controlled by squad, not individually. Kind of like Dawn of War.

    Drake on
  • lowlylowlycooklowlylowlycook Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Just go to GoG and buy Jagged Alliance 2. Don't stop to think or read these other posts.

    lowlylowlycook on
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    (Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Litany wrote: »
    I'll echo Jagged Alliance 2. Such a great game. It's up on Steam for your convenience. Hiring Wolf is the best choice you can make.

    Wolf is okay, but Buns is funner because "Every day, in every way, she gets better and better."

    Also, Fox.

    Elvenshae on
  • korodullinkorodullin What. SCRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Barry is one of the best investments in the game, plus I find him amusing.

    korodullin on
    ZvOMJnu.png
    - The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2017, colorized)
  • Snarkman3Snarkman3 Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Alright! So, that's two alliances that are jagged and one storm that is silent. Forums really are wise :D

    These both could work with no problems on a laptop, right? Nothin' better than playing this while on an airplane. It's this close to being a fantasy of mine.

    Snarkman3 on
  • VeritasVRVeritasVR Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I did a Silent Storm LP (sig). Had to modify it to hell and back to be reasonably balanced, but the engine is fantastic. Don't bother with the expansion or the next game, Hammer and Sickle.

    Tried JA2. Thought the plot was impressive. Didn't like the gameplay.

    Played a good portion of UFO: Aftershock (the second one). Too many bugs, imbalances, and lack of polish got to me. Classes and weapons are pretty cool. The real-time/turn-based tactical gameplay almost works. Almost. Maps/missions are redundant. Strategic side is a huge clusterfuck. Don't regret ditching the game near the end.

    I also played halfway through newer UFO: Extraterrestrials, the X-COM lookalike. Again, unpolished. No dynamic gameplay. Missions and environments are pre-generated. Technology scales linearly and doesn't change the tactics. Most of the danger is removed because the game is made around soldiers who can't die.

    VeritasVR on
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    Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
  • Snarkman3Snarkman3 Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I also played halfway through newer UFO: Extraterrestrials, the X-COM lookalike. Again, unpolished. No dynamic gameplay. Missions and environments are pre-generated. Technology scales linearly and doesn't change the tactics. Most of the danger is removed because the game is made around soldiers who can't die.

    So, basically, X-com but boring.

    Snarkman3 on
  • korodullinkorodullin What. SCRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Jagged Alliance 2 will run on damn near anything, being that it's a game from 1999. Silent Storm may have some issues since its engine is clunky and not very optimized.

    If you're looking into getting the first Jagged Alliance, I'd maybe hold off. It's still a good game, but I don't think it quite holds up to the near-perfection of its sequel.

    korodullin on
    ZvOMJnu.png
    - The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2017, colorized)
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Snarkman3 wrote: »
    Alright! So, that's two alliances that are jagged and one storm that is silent. Forums really are wise :D

    These both could work with no problems on a laptop, right? Nothin' better than playing this while on an airplane. It's this close to being a fantasy of mine.

    I have no idea about Silent Storm, but JA2 should run on any laptop that could be considered functional by today's standards.

    Drake on
  • korodullinkorodullin What. SCRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Let me put it this way: I have a laptop at my disposal that can run Oblivion at settings between medium and high with few issues, performance-wise.

    Silent Storm still had large framerate issues on the same machine, especially when turning and moving the camera.

    korodullin on
    ZvOMJnu.png
    - The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2017, colorized)
  • Pete0rPete0r Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I would like to see somebody try to remake the SWAT 2 style of tactical game.

    It was fairly deep tactically as you could do things such as position snipers in other buildings as overwatch, you could negotiate for a peaceful ending, all the while prepping your men to storm in.

    It would be nice to see it married up to a modern engine, especially the UFO After(X) ones as I have found the real time aspect of them to add a certain element to the tactics that I like.

    Pete0r on
  • PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Silent Storm has starforce, though. Keep that in mind if you like keeping your computer functional.

    PolloDiablo on
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Silent Storm has starforce, though. Keep that in mind if you like keeping your computer functional.

    Depends what region, the UK version didn't IIRC.

    Also, Jagged Alliance 2 for your squad level tactical needs. GOG.com is the ideal option, especially if you're going to be taking it on the go. No need for a 3rd party client, no DRM so you can install it where you like, and as such no need for an internet connection either.

    Well, I mean you need an internet connection to actually buy the thing and download the installation file, but once that's done you can install it wherever you want, whenever you want, and play when you want.

    As for the game itself, it's roughly broken into the combat and management.

    Management revolves around hiring and firing mercs (generally the more skilled they are, the more they cost), purchasing equipment, and general financy type stuff. You can also set your mercs to different tasks such as training, equipment maintenance, militia training etc. You decide where to go on the overworld map which is separated into grid squares, and in general each squad can have up to 6 mercs in it and you can have up to 4 squads. Each merc levels up and improves depending on how frequently their skills are used, so generally you can either have 4 squads of good merc by the end, or a core team of 6 really tough mercs.

    Combat is turn based. The game is real-time until you encounter an enemy, then it switches to turn based. You'll be generally doing things like using cover, flanking, setting up sniper positions and spotters, using smoke grenades and all the usual stuff. Attacking during the night reduces visibility, nightvision goggles help. There are also things like chemical break lights that you can throw to illuminate areas. The AI will do the same to you though, so be wary.

    Tis a good game.

    subedii on
  • SteevSteev What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    There is also a demo for Silent Storm, or was. It was a pretty good (and difficult) representation of how a battle works in that game.

    Steev on
  • quarthinosquarthinos Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I remember Wages of War: The Business of Battle being pretty good when it came out (within a year of JA2 I think), but I don't think it ever sold very well so finding it is probably a pain.

    quarthinos on
  • SammyFSammyF Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Snarkman3 wrote: »
    I also played halfway through newer UFO: Extraterrestrials, the X-COM lookalike. Again, unpolished. No dynamic gameplay. Missions and environments are pre-generated. Technology scales linearly and doesn't change the tactics. Most of the danger is removed because the game is made around soldiers who can't die.

    So, basically, X-com but boring.

    UFO: Afterlight at least put the base building and personnel management back in that added the strategic depth to the tactical goodness of X-Com. As an added bonus, it real-time but pausable so that you could issue orders. The controls were pretty decent. The only real downside was, again, all the terrain is pre-packaged, and there isn't a ton of it. I suppose the surface of Mars probably really IS a boring wasteland in real life, but the limited number of tactical maps really drove home that point for me.

    I guess it's like Napoleon said, the only constant in history is geography.

    SammyF on
  • guarguar Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I have not played any of these games, so I'm not sure this is what you're looking for, but it's been called a tactics game and I love it so <3
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tCvvXQPJpk

    guar on
  • Kris_xKKris_xK Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    -SPI- wrote: »
    Jagged Alliance 2 is the greatest turn based tactical game ever made. So go get that.

    This.

    Skip the 1st one. Its good, but the second 1 is better.
    You don't need any of the expansions.
    Download the 1.13 fan patch
    Hire Shadow


    I own 7 copies of Jagged Alliance 2. I do not regret buying it 7 times. I may goto GOG and buy an 8th. It's that fucking good.

    Kris_xK on
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  • korodullinkorodullin What. SCRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Silent Storm has starforce, though. Keep that in mind if you like keeping your computer functional.

    The Gold version of Silent Storm (which is what you'll most likely find nowadays) does not have Starforce, by the way.

    Also, the dream MMO I've always wanted to make is basically Jagged Alliance combat with EVE-style resource and territory control. I think it could work.

    korodullin on
    ZvOMJnu.png
    - The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2017, colorized)
  • Evil MultifariousEvil Multifarious Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    korodullin wrote: »
    Silent Storm has starforce, though. Keep that in mind if you like keeping your computer functional.

    The Gold version of Silent Storm (which is what you'll most likely find nowadays) does not have Starforce, by the way.

    Also, the dream MMO I've always wanted to make is basically Jagged Alliance combat with EVE-style resource and territory control. I think it could work.

    except nobody likes turn based tactical games anymore. they don't seem to make much money, usually.

    Evil Multifarious on
  • Kris_xKKris_xK Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    korodullin wrote: »
    Silent Storm has starforce, though. Keep that in mind if you like keeping your computer functional.

    The Gold version of Silent Storm (which is what you'll most likely find nowadays) does not have Starforce, by the way.

    Also, the dream MMO I've always wanted to make is basically Jagged Alliance combat with EVE-style resource and territory control. I think it could work.

    except nobody likes turn based tactical games anymore. they don't seem to make much money, usually.

    A lot of people seem to like Twilight and Sarah Palin.

    Popular opinion is not always the best opinion.

    Kris_xK on
    calvinhobbessleddingsig2.gif
  • ACSISACSIS Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Tactical... won't neccesarily fit in that category alone... but its the best of its kind. Turnbased fantasy strategy. Forget HOMM or MOM. This game has it all and improves on it. It allows high resolution, a zoomable map (also in combat), the MOM choose your spellbock mechanic. Yes, there are domains. There are summonable creatures, combat spells, map altering spells. It has a lot of races. It has a easy to use UI. It is beautiful. There are a ton of units. There are a ton od spells. There is different terrain. The AI is very strong (if you like). It is balanced. It has online multiplayer capability (via IP adress). It has an very active community. There are a ton of scenarios. It has a highly customizable, easy to use map generator for random maps. There is a ton of downloadable content. There is a community patch... etc, etc, etc.

    There are a loot of good games. But very rarely a game reaches PERFECTION. MOO2 did for 4X. This its mirror in fantasy. Everything, and i mean REALLY everything is perfectly tuned into finest detail.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2clnO6zB6J4

    ACSIS on
  • jotjot Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I really really liked AoW and the sequels, but I wasn't able to finish the campaign in Wizard's Throne or Shadow Magic cause I got raped by the AI pretty early in the game. My fault, really, because I was like "I want to explore, I'm in no hurry" and yeah, that didn't work out too well.
    Nevertheless, if you can get them, the first Age of Wonders was pretty sweet, if unbalanced, and Shadow Magic is even better.

    Tycho talked about the King's Bounty games in his newspost today, are they worth checking out?

    jot on
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