I’ll be honest right away here, Just Cause 2 is one of the most fun games I’ve ever played. While many games have claimed to give you the creative freedom of a sandbox, Just Cause 2 probably comes the closest to fully realising that aim. It’s not only the sheer level of mayhem you can cause on a whim though, the scale of the world you’re given to play with is hugely impressive as well.
When Alex reviewed the game back in 2010 he was equally impressed, particularly highlighting the way it manages to bring together its disparate elements “into a cohesive, confident (and fun) action game.” Commenting on the game’s sandbox nature he said that “the game’s what you want it to be,” and called Panau “the ultimate sandbox.” I couldn’t agree more.
Probably the greatest tool in your sandbox of chaos is the game’s grappling hook, which allows you to shift around the world with ease, and even assault your enemies if you fancy being hugely entertained when you tug them towards you. Alex found the hook so revolutionary that he proclaimed that “the way a videogame presents the player with a ‘mission’ has now changed, forever,” due to the way the hook allows you to circumvent pretty much any obstacle with enough patience.
Then of course there’s the wonder of the game’s infinite parachute. I have no idea how it works, but then again the laws of physics in general seem to have been a secondary consideration at best in Just Cause 2. I can’t count the number of times the parachute has saved my bacon, or helped me make an aerial assault on a base.
These two tools, along with the possibilities they open up, stop the game becoming “an island based echo of Grand Theft Auto and the… Saints Row series.” Instead they help give the game its own identity, meaning you’re playing it “for the thrill, the explorable, rich environment and the inflated, often ridiculous ego of Rico.”
Ultimately Alex rated the game at 8/10, feeling its only real negative points were some inconsistent visuals and the lack of a co-op mode, something I agree could open up the game even more. Here’s what he had to say in conclusion:
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.
So did you “have nothing but fun” with Just Cause 2, or did Rico’s high octane adventure leave you cold? Whether you loved the game’s grappling hook or despised it for its patently ridiculous nature we want to hear what you have to say. All you need to do is drop a comment below, detailing your thoughts on the game.
Once you’ve done that, remember to add a rating for the game from the Buy It, Bargain Bin It, Rent It, Avoid It scale. On Monday we’ll take everyone’s verdicts of the game, mash them up, and hopefully come back with a fair representation of what the community thinks of Just Cause 2.
hazelam
bloody brilliant game.
like some have said, the story, is barely a story, but then the story isn’t why you play a game like Just Cause 2.
it’s the sandbox world where you’re given almost complete freedom that is the draw here.
and the island the game is set on is pretty damn big.
even with the fastest mode of transport in the game it takes some time to cross the entire map.
getting around is easy enough, even with the few really tall buildings in the game, thanks to the ever useful grapple.
used not only as a means of travel but also as a weapon.
used like a whip for melee attacks, and also used to tether almost anything, to almost anything else.
like one end on the front of a car chasing you, the other end on the road, then when the line reaches it’s full length the car usually gets flipped over, with skill you can flip cars off bridges, that’s one of my favourite moves. ^_^
you can also tether a person to one end and tether the other to a car, boat, plane, motorbike, and drag them along, you can tether them to a high structure and leave them hanging.
you can tether two vehicles together as well, attaching your car to an enemy plane is always fun. ^_^
also there the always available parachute, which when used with the grapple can be a fairly decent way of getting around when there are no handy v ehicles to steal.
and, minor, bad points.
it’s not realistic, i mean, you can be falling from a fatal height but if you shoot your grapple gun at the ground it pulls you down faster and you take no damage.
that might not even actually be considered a bad point now i think about it.
the voice work is laughably bad, but then they’re so entertainingly bad that they’re not much of a negative.
and it really could do with a multiplayer co-op mode.
there are a few vehicles that have turrets and the like, which would be ideal for two, or more players, and being able to drive while somebody else shoots would be a great addition, as currently you often have to just absorb the bullets while you’re trying to escape with your target because you can’t fire back while driving.
anyway, despite the few minor faults, this is a brilliant game.
so a resounding BUY IT from me, especially as it’s available on the budget labels for the Xbox and PS3 now for like 20 quid.
JR.
I couldn’t tell you anything about the plot if I tried (and that’s after playing the game for well over 60 hours (damn you 75% completion trophy)). But the fact that the game kept me entertained for over 60 hours just shows how much fun it is. JC2 lets you do every crazy thing you ever wanted to do in an open world game. Buy it.
Nocure-fd
There are some annoying parts to this game, no doubt. Like having to call the black market guy, and watch the cut scene for every. single. item. The aeroplane mechanics are a little iffy compared to all the other vehicles. The core story progress mechanics are a little weak, once you destroy one base, you know exactly what you’re gonna get with all of them.
That being said. The gameplay itself is absolutley fantastic. I never finished it, but that still didn’t stop me investing about 70 hours or so just goofing around. Gunplay is very satisfying when combined with the physics and ragdoll effects. But really, who needs guns when yo have the grappling hook?! The environments are gorgeous and transition very well. One chase can go from a snowey mountain top, to a jungle, through a desert, over a small ocean and into a city very rapidly. Vehicles handle well (apart from planes as mentioned) and unlock progress just about right, not too hard, and not too easy.
The best thing is, I saw it on sale on steam the other day for £2.50. If you’ve never played it, and can find it for that price, you shouldn’t even think about it. Buy it.
Mickey2010
Decent game it’s story is a mess but in terms of exploring the island it’s great not only that it’s full of some great gaming easter eggs the LOST island and the whale dried up on the beach strap him with some C4 watch him blow where highlights of the game for me! If your looking or a stellar single player experience buy GTA if you want to have a piss about then look no further than this or Saints Row.
Rent It
eye8have9you3
This is one of the few games I’ve bought twice, once on ps3, then again on steam, to play in 3d, so right out of the gate this one’s a BUY IT from me. I’m not usually a fan of sandbox games like this, usually getting bored once the story’s finished, but this game is incredible. It’s one of those games that you can’t play for more than about 15 mins without something awe-inspringly amezing happening, whether it’s playing bridge limbo in a 747, car surfing on a freeway or parachuting out of a helicopter and onto a motorbike. Yeah the story is awful, but the game play more than makes up for it. The grapple/parachute combo is one of those few non-gimmicky game-defining mechanics that absolutely works, reminiscent of spiderman 2 in it’s simplicity and versatility. Sure it makes no sense but that doesn’t matter when you’re laughing your head off at the destruction you’ve just caused
Nylon_Angel
This is a fantastic game, with plenty of replay value. Its a fun game, love the grappling hook, want one in every game now, And it would make a great multilayer, just think of the fun you could have.
BUY IT
tactical20
I started this but got overwhelmed by the size of the island and gave up pretty early on. May return to it one day and try again. Therefore, not able to give a verdict yet!
blast71
Any game that lets you drag someone along behind a rickshaw, whilst being chased by a helicopter, drive them off a cliff, then, hi-jack said helicopter, make your escape, parachute out and land on a mountain, all the while looking like you’ve ‘got a cigar on’ is worth a BUY IT from me. ;)
ico
An immense achievement from Avalanche. To imagine what they can do on the ps3 my mind boggles what they’ll get out of the next generation. Have you seen the pc mods? Hundreds of Ricos roaming round causing total mayhem. If I didn’t have a massive pile of shame to get through of games I’ve not played yet I’d be all over JC2 again like a tramp on chips. BUY IT!
TURRICAN-808
Great game, I remember playing other sandbox games after JC2 and remember that I wanted to zip about just like Rico’s grappler thing. Its worth playing for the last boss end game finale but i’d recommerd it to anyone that lenjoys a sandbox game that doesn’t take itself seriously
BUY IT