Careful planning is necessary to make sure your mercenaries are in the right place at the right time. The approach you take is entirely up to you. For example, is it better to take the village by force or wait until nightfall and send your team in with night vision goggles and sniper scopes? Use the wrong plan and things can quickly go wrong, but never fear; there are plenty more people up for hire should a merc die in the field.

All the mercenaries have a selection of stats determining how they perform at different tasks, and just like any good strategy game, combining them to form a team to match your playing style is the key. The combat system might seem a little long-winded, but it ensures that everyone does exactly what you want at the right time. This is just as well as the enemy soldiers aren't idiots - they'll seek cover and react to the situation incredibly well. Remember, anyone can pull a trigger and it doesn't matter if your man cost a small fortune to hire if he's standing out in the open in the middle of a gunfight.

There are many factors that come into play during the course of the game. Camouflage, stealth, diplomacy and accounting all play a part in the salvation of Arulco. The gameplay is superbly balanced, rewarding the cunning tactician and punishing the careless. Any fan of the genre won't be disappointed with Jagged Alliance 2.