Jagged Alliance Online Getting PvP, Screenshots

Our friends over at gamigo fired over a press release this morning announcing the addition of three new PvP-oriented multiplayer modes that will take place across six different arenas in Jagged Alliance Online.  Along with a standard deathmatch mode, we'll be seeing "bounty hunter" and "search and destroy" modes, as well: 
Jagged Alliance Online: All about the multiplayer modes

Hamburg, January 16, 2012 Publisher gamigo and developer Cliffhanger Productions released detailed information about the multiplayer options in Jagged Alliance Online. For the first time in this new instalment of the cult strategy game series, players can experience the thrill of dueling against a human counterpart.

Until now, players taking part in closed beta testing of Jagged Alliance Online were able to take part in more than 100 missions against challenging AI opponents. The latest update adds a total of three multiplayer modes and six arenas that have been created especially for them. These are unlocked as honor levels are gained.

Each PvP arena has its own lobby and rankings. An internal ranking system (ELO style) was created for the matchmaking system to determine a player's strength based on a variety of factors such as the mercenaries' level and position in the rankings. This helps reduce the amount of unequal and unfair duels.

The modes:
'¢ Deathmatch:Direct battle, mercenary versus mercenary. The player who is still standing at the end is the winner.
'¢ Bounty Hunter:Who can sneak around the target's guards or take them down best to be the first to eliminate the NPC at the end?
'¢ Search and Destroy:Both players have three objects in this arena. The aim is the destroy the opponent's object while protecting your own.

The arenas:
'¢ Deathmatch #1: North Africa - A warehouse with narrow alleys means fast-paced action on the battlefield.
'¢ Deathmatch #2: Long corridors and narrow passages provide plenty of tactical diversity in this Central American missile base.
'¢ Bounty Hunter #1: Who will be the first to find the drug baron in the South American favela?
'¢ Bounty Hunter #2: Italian blood is being spilled here. Who will be the one to claim the bounty for the general?
'¢ Search and Destroy #1: Morocco - A windy canyon with a bridge in the middle is quite a challenge for both teams.
'¢ Search and Destroy #2: Two abandoned military camps in the midwestern United States that are both under attack from rival mercenary teams.

Battles in Jagged Alliance Online are turn-based, so the length of each turn plays a special role. Players that complete their round especially quickly receive a percentage bonus on their mercenaries' action points in the next round. So in certain situations it certainly makes sense to make decisions quickly for strategic purposes.

About gamigo AG

gamigo AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Axel Springer AG, was founded in 2001 and has grown to become one of the leading publishers of free-to-play MMOGs in Europe. Since 2010, gamigo also publishes its games globally. A team of more than 100 employees works in the company headquarters in Hamburg and its branch office in New York City. The key to success is the emphasis on publishing high-quality games supervised by first-rate community management. The portfolio includes games from all ends of the gaming spectrum - from Facebook games and browser-based games to elaborate MMORPGs.
Three new screenshots accompanied the announcement, so we've made them available in our image gallery.