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A grizzled, leather-clad anti-hero with a grudge bigger than his revolver? Check. A massive, sprawling expanse of land with more vehicles than Arnold Clark? Tick that one too. How about building razing explosions, or guns so powerful they’d make Van Damme blush? It’s all here, and whilst it might sound like every cheesy, over the top 80′s action film you ever watched, Rico Rodriguez’s second adventure is a fine example of how to tie everything together into a cohesive, confident (and fun) action game.
Take, for example, the game’s first half hour: having just found out his mentor’s gone rogue and narrowly avoided a heavy dose of anti-aircraft flak, our muscle-bound anti-hero is forced out of a helicopter, tasked with collecting some sensitive information in the dead of night, found hookshotting his way up a vertiginous casino and then faced with escorting a contact with half the island’s government army on his tail. It might seem like lots of disparate game styles, but it’s really just showing you the possibilities.
And that’s the thing about Just Cause 2: the game’s what you want it to be. Whilst the initial few missions are structured to show you the ropes (literally, too, but we’ll come back to that) once the reins are off Panau is the ultimate sandbox. Yes, the principle feature might be (admittedly lush) jungle but the developers have learned from the mistakes of the first Just Cause, and the sequel offers much, much more to see and do: I’m not normally a fan of special editions, but the map that comes with the one for Just Cause 2 will be a must.
The hunt for the “gone dark” Tom Sheldon is the central focus of much of the game, and the paths to your target are unlocked gradually as you make progress through the game’s story. As with other games of this ilk (and in particular, Saints Row) progression is via the the three gangs that inhabit the island for whom you must work, interspersed with missions for The Agency, your actual employers. Overshadowing everything on the island is the governing dictator, Baby Panay, and his omnipresent propaganda machine.
Of course, this might seem like nothing more than a means to an end – a focus, an aim – but a player that sets his sights so squarely on the goal is missing the point of Just Cause 2: the game is designed to be as freeform as it can be, and allow for as much of a non-linear path as possible. Part of this is the way the game rewards you for causing chaos and destroying as much government property as possible in each area, but it’s mainly to do with the impressively open approach to mission objectives, starting with the grappling hook.
Such tools aren’t new, of course, and whilst it’s true that pulling enemies from high towers is a novel approach (particularly useful when you’re out of ammunition) and using the hook to propel yourself hundreds of feet in any direction (including vertically) is suprisingly generous, the real headache for the game’s level designers must have been with somebody at Avalanche decided that the hook would have the ability to connect to two seperate surfaces if the player desired, not just the one.
Yes, this means you can attach one end of the hook to any gun-toting enemy and the other to a wall (and watch him try to free himself whilst pinned up against the brickwork). Yes, you can hook anyone you like to a rocket and watch them fly around in the sky like a firework with a little persuasion. And, yes, you can stick a bad guy to the back bumper of your motorised rickshaw and take them for a lovely drive out in the country. The possibilities, as you’re hopefully starting to imagine, are limitless.
This all has a point: the way a videogame presents the player with a ‘mission’ has now changed, forever. See that locked gate? Hookshot over it. Can’t reach that platform? Hookshot to it. Faced with a hundred story building that you just have to get on top of? No longer a problem, and you can have some fun on the way up, too. Sure, Just Cause 2 has it’s fair share of gunning, driving and running about like its stablemates, but third person adventures will never be the same again with this game’s startlingly refreshing new toy.
Likewise, the game’s reusable parachute means you’ll never fall to your death again, and, coupled with the hook, means you can reach pretty much any distant location swiftly enough, assuming you’ve got enough of a vertical gain to start with. Of course, it won’t be long before you’ve got proper air superiority anyway, and as the game’s Black Market sellers start to populate your in-game GPS with all manner of gadgets, vehicles and arsenal the only limits to the multiple ways to approach a mission are in your head.
It works. It’s not perfect (later levels bring in a substantial feeling of repetition) but it works. And in doing so provides Just Cause 2 with a get out clause; without these impressive new tools Avalanche’s sequel rides dangerously close to an island based echo of Grand Theft Auto and the aforementioned Saints Row series – not that that’s necessarily a negative but although there’s glimpses of genius dotted throughout the various missions you’ll take on, much of the game you’ll no doubt have seen before elsewhere.
There’s a great deal of fun to be had with this one, though. From start to finish the game continues to deliver some nice set pieces in and amongst some beautiful visuals: but you’re buying Just Cause 2 for the thrill, the explorable, rich environment and the inflated, often ridiculous ego of Rico. Yes, he’s a real badass when he wants to be, with some killer one-liners that rest easily with his cliched and dated mannerisms – but thankfully he’s reliable and worthy of your investment. Not unlike the game, then.
Pros:
- Massive expanse of land to explore
- Totally freeform level objectives
- A great story with some nice twists
Cons:
- Inconsistent visuals
- No multiplayer – a co-op mode would work well
A consistently smart experience, with some neat new ideas and some fantastic twists on familiar genre staples. Fans of the first game will love the second, and anyone that just fancies something different without being too deep will find plenty to enjoy. Avalanche have managed to make the game feel alive with improved AI, plenty of rounded characters and a smooth learning curve assuming you take early advantage of the flexibility of the game’s key element: the grappling hook. Do so, and you’ll have nothing but fun.
Score: 8/10
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cc_star | 23/03/2010 17:02
Team TSA: Writer
12558 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
I enjoyed the demo but got bored quickly – however this review has piqued my interest again. Think I’ll try the demo again
Dr_mohannad | 23/03/2010 18:21
Member
742 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
same here, I didn’t find it particularly interestingm but again you can’t judge a game from a demo.
might give it a try after FFXIII, GoW III
rht992 | 23/03/2010 19:46
Member
4435 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
i wasn’t sure to begin with but i went back to the demo and loved it. try going to different places or blowing different shit up?
zander14rfc | 03/04/2010 18:31
Member
293 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
as soon as i played it i loved it i mean come on you are a crazy mexican that blows shit up, NUFF SAID
hairfreax | 23/03/2010 17:02
Member
2025 TSA Points | Member since: Jun 2009
Sold
skibadee | 23/03/2010 21:12
Member
15748 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2009
yep, will have to wait till Tuesday to buy.
TehFunk | 23/03/2010 17:09
Member
344 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2009
I can’t wait to receive this from shopto, looks like there’s so much fun to be had. :D
cam the man | 23/03/2010 18:34
Member
2906 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
Me too, got it pre-ordered at Shopto
freezebug2 | 24/03/2010 09:03
Member
2726 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
The game will probably arrive on Thurday seeing as it’s Shopto, I expect it to arrive then;)
freezebug2 | 24/03/2010 09:28
Member
2726 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Oh, and a great review nofi that should convince a few more people to buy it that were wavering.:)
DrOf1337 | 23/03/2010 17:12
Tends to spoil major games.
393 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2010
But I can still fly up to the stratosphere and freefall for about 4 minutes, yes?
Mike | 23/03/2010 17:14
Member
1636 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
This is really freaky, I saw this on a few shopping sites and wished TSA had a review of it and 10 mins later, one appears! Good work nofi :P
Sounds like a solid game and might give it a try.
webby_15-0 | 23/03/2010 17:25
Member
560 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
i was going to buy this game but then was bitterly disapointed with the demo. everytime I tried to have ‘fun’ the police or whatever they’re called started chasing me. then it took ages to get rid of them. im no longer getting the game because during my whole experience i was being shot at, when all i wanted was to have a look around and have a bit of fun (grappling civilians together haha).
kevmd | 23/03/2010 17:30
Member
57 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2009
I completely missed the first game(there was a first…right?) and didnt know what it was all about. Then I watched the trailer and it looked so much fun. Sadly for me it loses out to the other blockbusters that are out just now, might just fire this one on my rental list.
Mickey2010 | 23/03/2010 17:56
Member
1088 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2010
Yeah!! there was a 1st Just Cause.Its was nothing to brag about it was shit lol But i enjoyed the demo to this one
andytorr | 23/03/2010 21:36
Member
2171 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
The first game was pants. The demo for this didn’t really excite me much either. Ugly vehicles, crap animations and the worst voice acting since Heavy Rain.
mrbojangles | 23/03/2010 17:39
Member
411 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
You forgot to say the voice acting is terrible.
Jimster71 | 23/03/2010 18:47
Member
255 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
possibly the worst I’ve heard in a game for a very long time.
Ripperfish | 23/03/2010 20:30
Member
213 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2009
One of the reasons i didnt play the demo to much was the unskippable video at the beggining with the womans voice acting, it was diabolical.
stingraz | 23/03/2010 21:45
Member
2669 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
yes, but it’s not about crappy voice acting is it. Watch TV for that.
3shirts | 24/03/2010 13:06
Member
4343 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
I actually liked how bad the voice acting was. It’s almost like the developers knew this was a big 80′s style action movie joke and wanted to layer on the cheese as thick as they could!
theberzerka | 23/03/2010 17:51
Member
302 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2009
Can’t wait it’s basically what gta should have been like complete madness!
gazo69 | 23/03/2010 17:54
Member
1419 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Fantastic, really looking forward to it.I hope kratos doesn’t mind me playing a different game for a while? Wouldn’t want to piss him off : D
stingraz | 23/03/2010 18:26
Member
2669 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
I would :P