Here goes long one....

JA2 is game to which I have returned plenty of time in previous 15+ years. Even original JA was amazing and it is better than all those crappy tries to make something similar to it. Over the years, I lost hope that someone will create something even close to JA and JA2.

I bought JA3 few days after it was released (I was on vacation on a day when it was released and generally - I was not aware that game was in development at all). When I installed it, I did not start to play it immediately. I was playing something else, but main thing - I was quite skeptical about it. I was afraid that improved graphics was main goal of developers and publishers, and I was convinced that other remarkable features of JA/JA2 was not covered at all. Ofc, all of that based on experience with crappy products which tried to be like JA/JA2.

Now, almost one year later and with over 190 hours on record, I still have to take plenty of this game. I payed full price it and I can only say - it was cheap, considering amount of fun which I had (and will have) with it.

Gameplay, story, characters, design (of everything in this game) is close to perfection. Fact that some improvements (after release) was done based on community feedback (I will just mention Bobby Ray's Online Store) without additional costs to consumers just confirm what kind of approach developers and publisher have regarding JA3 (which is a real rarity in the third decade of the 21st century). PC gaming scene would be much better if all developers and publishers would have such approach (but we all know that "milking consumers" is most common approach today).

JA3 is not perfect, but it is real successor of JA2 and it is a something closest to perfection in many terms of gaming, not just in this genre.

Two main issues in this game for me:

1. Explosives (TNT, C4, etc.) behave in same manner as classical grenades, with only difference in time delay. There are no JA/JA2 mechanics to attach it to some door or wall with a goal to destroy it where it would be alternative solution for lockpicking or finding a key. Basically, its usage logic is totally different to what we used to from JA/JA2 and I dont like it.

2. AI of enemies are sometimes totally irrational. While on some maps, they are just getting exposed one by one and killing them is "no effort" easy, while sometimes they are smart and will not do this (simply they are waiting for player). Let me just give one example: Fort L'eau Bleu - bunch of enemy simply wont go out of last room, which makes finishing them off very hard (which is good). On the other hand, in military base (Searching for colonel, south-eastern part of map) - when I arrive to this map via underground or via bridge - in both cases they are coming on by one or eventually in groups of two, where player just need to wait and easily kill them all (which is bad). Simply, no sense in this. However, I am writing this review now, but I did not play the game in 2024 (this week I will re-start again), maybe those stuff was changed/fixed meanwhile (in some of previous patches/updates).

I really hope that JA3 was good ROI for developers and publisher, and that we can expect JA4 in next 2-3 years.

Yes, I payed for it....but with or without my money, I have need to say one BIG THANKS to all who are responsible for this masterpiece.

Still pretty early for a full review.
But after first impressions, this game is pretty damn good.

If you like tactical turn based combat games, like the previous JA games, XCOM, Wasteland 2 and 3 (combat) you'll probably like this. If you already have experience with those games, you'll understand the basics of the combat mechanics pretty fast.

Game can be modded, and theres a bunch of mods on the workshop page.

I'd say it's worth the money. I'll update the review if I change my mind during my playthrough

Better than the Larian's latest RPG.