Just Cause 2 [Game Review]
Game: Just Cause 2
Genre: Open World Third-person Shooter
Developer: Avalanche Studios
Publisher: Square Enix
Copy supplied by Steam
Just Cause 2 is an open world action game developed by Avalanche Studios and published by Square Enix in 2010. This is the first of many reviews to come about the latest installments of franchises that are coming back in the near future.
STORY
You play as Rico Rodriguez, one of the Agency's main operatives, as he is sent to the island of Panau to oust Panay from office, as well as track down and assassinate his old mentor, Tom Sheldon, who the Agency fears has gone rogue after disappearing during the regime change. In order to find Sheldon, Rico allies himself with the three dominant criminal gangs on the island: the Roaches, an organized crime syndicate, the Reapers, an insurgent Socialist militia and the Ular Boys, an ultranationalist rebel group that espouses traditionalism and opposes foreign influence.
The story is over-the-top and the dialogue is really cheesy. The story serves only to justify you being a terrorist who destroys power plants, ventilation systems, dams, military bases and many more objects. Save for a few moments in the 7 Story Missions, it is not memorable.
GRAPHICS
Even though it has been 5 years since the game was first released, it still looks damn great on PC: the island is colourful, the explosions are vibrant, the draw distance is long and the water feels realistic. The only things that have always been the problem with the game are the facial textures and animations. Other than that, you will have a gorgeous experience that will run at 60fps even on a toaster.
GAMEPLAY
The goal is to cause as much chaos as you can by destroying military facilities and everything related to that. Right from the get-go you can explore the 400 square miles of Panau, discovering the 368 locations, engaging in high-speed chases by water, plane or car, hijacking enemy vehicles to crash into oil rigs... There is a lot of variety in what you can do and how.
The big game changer is the grappling hook, which can be used to gain speed while using your unlimited parachutes, to pull enemies from ledges, to attach a speeding vehicle to the ground so that it flies in the air, to attach an enemy to the ceiling and turning him into a human piñata, and so on. You can also carry three weapons (two sidearms, one big gun) and both grenades and sticky bombs.
There is the black market, which can be used to order and upgrade weapons and vehicles, or as a way to fast travel. But I strongly recommend that, because each time that you go from one place to the other, you are bound to find an hidden collectible, a new location, or a new badass vehicle that you hadn't tried already.
The side activities that you complete for the gangs are very similar to one another, and usually consist of escorting someone, finding an object in a base or destroying a base or two. There are also races that are varied and very fun to play.
The game is a ton of fun, and you won't regret the time you'll spend with it.
CHALLENGE
The game tends to be very challenging even on the easiest settings, thanks to strong and numerous enemies that will pursue you, as well as an unforgiving checkpoint system in the missions.
SOUND
The soundtrack is hugely underrated, but really strong and energizing, while the voice acting is one of the cheesiest since the original Resident Evil. But since it seems like they made that on purpose, I'll let it slide.
The sound effects are great, with clear distinctions from one gun to the other, and with some hugely satisfying explosions.
REPLAYABILITY
A huge map, tons of collectibles, multiple missions and 50 Steam achievements are bound to make you play this game for a long time to come, especially if you are waiting for Just Cause 3's release.
Overall, this is a phenomenal game to play, with an amazing open world, fluid and varied combat, multiple collectibles, strong soundtrack and beautiful vistas. This is a game that I love, and I strongly recommend buying to everyone who loves action games. Glory to Baby Panay!
Story: 7
Graphics: 9
Gameplay: 9.5
Challenge: 8
Sound: 8
Replayability: 10
ENJOYMENT: 9
FRUSTRATION: 7.5
