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Just Cause 2
Just Cause 2
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Genre: Action/Adventure
ESRB: M (Mature)
Release Date: March 23, 2010
Intro:
Just Cause 2 is an over-the-top action packed third person action and adventure game. You play as Rico Rodriguez, an agent for the ever-creatively named top secret group called "the Agency". Oh, you also get 400 square miles of playable land, tons of weapons, a grappling hook, and an infinite supply of parachutes.This game sets the bar fairly high for itself - does it live up to expectations?
Story:
To be rather honest, the story in Just Cause 2 is nothing special - it loosely holds together the massive open ended (and very fun) experience. Be sure not to let the story turn you away.
You begin the game being dropped into the beautiful island of Panau, which has recently been taken over by Baby Panay - a cruel dictator who eliminated all alliances and communications with the United States. Unfortunately, the man who taught you everything - Tom Sheldon - has gone missing on the island during the power shift. The government thinks that he may have gone rogue, and they send you in to find and assassinate him. In your search for Sheldon, as he is commonly referred to from here on out, you encounter several groups of anarchists - the Roaches, the Ular Boys, and the Reapers. You progress the storyline by completing tasks for them, and there are plenty of twists and turns along the way.
You unlock new missions by causing Chaos - which is basically accomplished by sabotaging military property.
Overall, as aforementioned, we were somewhat disappointed with the storyline. If you're looking for a game with an amazing and immersing story, Just Cause 2 probably isn't the game that you are looking for. Luckily, the game makes up for this with amazing gameplay.
Gameplay/Controls:
OK - here's the thing - while Just Cause 2 has its share of flaws (as does any game), it makes up for the vast majority of them with amazing gameplay. You get an entire 400 square miles of playable land - and all of it is put to very good use. While the game doesn't take itself all that seriously, I guarantee that you will have fun playing this game.
Rico is decked out with all of the latest equipment - he has tons of guns (assault rifles, grenade launchers, etc.), explosives, vehicles, and plenty of other various tools that will help you out on your quest accross Panau. Two of the most important of these gadgets are the grappling hook and the parachute. You can use the grappling hook to climb skyscrapers, jump from car to car, and you can even deploy the parachute in mid-grapple - allowing for you to essentially slingshot your way across Panau. The grappling hook also has a dual-hook feature - allowing you to tether two objects together, whether it be an enemy to your car or a firetruck to a jetliner, the possibilities are pretty much endless.
The game also has many vehicles - including boats, cars, motorcycles, ATVs, trucks, helicopters, and planes. There are well over 100 vehicles in the game, and they are all very different. The cars of friendly gang members often have mounted guns - which are very useful while in a cop chase. Vehicles are rendered well, and there is a real time deformation system - allowing you to smash up your car and even pick off enemy tires.
Of course, all of this gear would be worthless if there wasn't anything to do in the game. Well, don't worry, because there is almost too much. There are military bases that you can attack, cities, towns, airports, harbors, and plenty of other locations - all with lots to do. You can blow up fuel tanks, tear down statues, and honestly do whatever you feel like. Your overlying goal is to overthrow the government by causing Chaos - which can be accomplished by sabotaging military property, stealing money, and plenty of other ways that you will undoubtedly discover on your own. Causing Chaos unlocks new material - like weapons and missions.
While you will obviously spend the majority of your time in Just Cause 2 free roaming the island, there are some missions along the way. They are all fairly entertaining - though sometimes frustrating - and loosely tie together the storyline. Some missions are stronghold takeovers - which gain your gangs more territory. This is very beneficial because it causes tons of Chaos and gains you more spawn points.
You can steal any vehicle you want, buy gear from a black market dealer, and more. Gameplay is definitely Just Cause 2's strongest point.
Graphics:
The graphics in Just Cause 2 are very good - and while characters themselves are very detailed, the real star of the show is Panau itself. It has many types of landscapes - ranging from mountains to deserts to luscious forests, and they are all rendered beautifully. With that said, you will find some issues. Cut-scenes are often very choppy, and you often see buildings and cars spawn late as you approach them.
If you can get past a couple of minor glitches, the graphics in Just Cause 2 are very good.
Music/Sound:
The soundtrack to Just Cause 2 is very good. There is almost never a dry moment, and you will often find yourself cracking up over how ridiculously the music fits the situation.
Explosions sound nice, engines sound great, and pretty much every typical sound effect is done very well. We have not encountered any glitches with the sound in this game.
Game Score:
1-Story: 6.5/10
2-Gameplay/Controls: 9.5/10
3-Graphics: 8.5/10
4-Music/Sound: 9/10
5-Replay Value: 8.5/10
Total Score: 8.4/10
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