This is a nice update remake of the original, the graphics are a lot better but the acting is just as bad as the original which, to me makes the game even more enjoyable. If you are thinking of buying JA2 again for playing get this one instead of the Gold edition.

I still play this game on a weekly basis due to the simplicity and just fun of the game.

As I mentioned in my previous reviews of the Jagged Alliance 2 Franchise, the original games were difficult to the point of causing frustration from time to time on a level where if you weren't careful, your entire team could be wiped out with nary more than a doffing of the hat and some gunfire.

Wildfire took this problem and addressed the innate difficulty by ramping it up by several magnitudes, applying the dessicated souls of the frustrated and the dead and then sprinkled grated cheese of 'you're screwed' flakes all over. This game is hard beyond belief even for the most simple of missions. Even on the lowest difficulty settings, your team is regularly butchered by the enemy forces which are more numerous, better armed and better trained than your mercenaries could ever hope to be, and that is just the first few missions.

In the later stages of the game, it is an excercise in pain and futility as the only way to ever stand a chance is to command multiple squads of mercs that need to have the very best in gear, or they die. Horribly. While on Fire in a Ditch, Covered in Bees and Petrol.

If you can manage to get ahold of some of the late game tech though, the frustration of constantly reloading to try and stop your squad from getting murdered can be staved off. A little.

This is definitely not a game for people new to the turn based strategy genre, or for people new to the Jagged Alliance 2 franchise. Hell, I'd go as far to say it might not even be for advanced players - This game is primarily marketed to the hardcore fans of the series as the title originally started as a modification.

I heartily suggest playing the original Jagged Alliance 2 before you ever touch this game. It's that tough.

Still, for those either wanting to cause themselves unending frustration, or enjoy a serious challenge, this title is worth the money paid.

This is the game I ALLWAYS have ready to play on my PC. To make it last long I have set myself the goal to get all my warriors through the war with 100% hitrate, with money to spare and with at the most only one or two small wounds.

Over the last decade and change, Jagged Alliance 2 is, without doubt, the one game that has sucked away more of my leisure time than any other. Wildfire is a welcome update to a great game. While much of the gameplay remains the same, the tweaks and additional material make it a must have for fans of the series. The graphics remain pretty much the same, just at a higher resolution. They suffice, though, as this game is re about atmosphere and fun than being pretty. Overall, at under $10 it's a great value. If you haven't played the original, definately pick it up.

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If you enjoyed Jagged Alliance 2, then you should definitely give a try to JA2 Wildfire. The bases are the same. But it is significatively richer, tougher, and more devious. Basically, it is just a mod. But since no decent mercenary game has ever been published since JA2, it is your best bet around. Long, funny and nerves breaking.

This is the game i've loved and played for quite some years now. Wildfire is JA2 with better graphics, more items, revamped quests. After having dealt with Deirdranna in JA2 and visited Tracona with Unfinished business add-on, Wildfire brings you back to Arulco for more mercs action ! An old but still 100% enjoyable game, the father of all tactical mercs games.

Try JA2Gold also (the original JA2 game + unfinished business add-on).

A good game. It is very hard so it is not for those who have not played tactical based games before. The AI is much better than in other JA games and at times it can feel that what ever you do you are going to take a lot of hits. Getting into it can seem to be a little hard but it is worth it.

Before I start, let me say that this is an older game, so please keep that in mind when reading this.

-Gameplay: JA2 is a great game, and this, being based on it, is similarly fun. However, there is a significant increase in difficulty over the original, and you will find enemies with minefields, tank traps, sniper rifles, and no clear line of assault. You can still travel around freely, recruit mercs, scavenge supplies, but this is a MAJOR overhaul of the game.

-Graphics: Largely the same, 2d-isometric, but with a few new images for mercs and items. Maps are greatly altered and unrecognizable, and it is 1024x768 instead of the old 640x480. Enemies are also differently coloured.

-Sound: New sounds for the new mercs and weapons.

-AI: Seems to be sneakier. They will retake cities and locations, and they will hide, waiting to snipe you. Very tough in terms of enemy placement.

-Overall: **** Still has a few bugs that are intrinsic to the game engine, but a fun addition to the Jagged Alliance family. Think of it as the mean older sibling that pummels you, and just keep at it.