Just Cause 2 Review

     Hello everyone and happy Wednesday, hope your all doing great.  Today I'm reviewing a game that was a blast to play, even if my shitty PC couldn't run straight with all the explosions happening everywhere.  Also since the sequel is being released in a couple of months and looks even more over the top than its predecessors, it only makes sense to review Just Cause 2 before the third one is released.  (Also I reviewed the multiplayer mod way back when and its been bugging me since)  Developed by Avalanche Studios, this massive open world  third-person shooter game is set on the fictional island of Panau centered around CIA operative Rico Rodriquez who is sent in to overthrow the Dictator Pandak Panay.  Its basically North Korea if North Korea was a island, even has a 4 ft tall leader with a high voice, oh, except they have working nukes. Just Cause 2 is one of those rare gems that fulfills the over arching desire one has when playing video games: to destroy everything.  The main gameplay mechanic centers around destroying enough stuff to fill up your Chaos meter to unlock another mission.  The world of Panau is 400 squared miles large, making it really annoying to get around in, thankfully your well equipped. Rico is equipped with many tools to help him fight communism like his grappling hook that can latch onto anything from people to buildings to anything, but most importantly it propels him forward when it latches on to something.  A quick way to get around is to propel yourself forward with the grappling hook and then in mid air activating the parachute, throwing the player into the air which they can then continue to pull themselves along with the grappling hook.  Rico most powerful ability is the power to defy physics, for example he doesn't need to use his parachute when falling from terminal velocity, he only needs to grapple the ground to increase the speed in which he would become hamburger with an accent and he turns out fine. He also has the ability to surf of a jet while its hitting top speed and then hoping off five feet off the ground.  His grappling hook can also detach and work as a sturdy cable, say, attaching a cable to helicopter and the ground is pretty effective, also fun to watch. Even though he might as well not need them since there are conveniently placed explosives all over the place, Rico can carry four weapons; two sidearms and two multi-handed weapons from rifles to rocket launchers.  He can also fire twelve gauge slugs from sawed off shotguns with one hand, in both hands at the same time, VIDEO GAMES!!!

Rico blowing stuff up while car surfing

 Just Cause 2 also comes off as a very silly game, which makes it weird when it tries to be serious about the rebels cause when moments ago you were flying a harrier jet into a shrine of the Great Leader.  Did I mention the final boss battle is fighting the dictator on active nukes mid air as their headed off to destroy most of the world, this game knows how to fuck around when it wants to.  There are a few design flaws they didn't seem to consider and not talking about the glitches but those are expected to come with an open world game the size of Asia, I'm talking about the delivery system.  Throughout the story, Rico can call his friendly Texan mentor to drop him upgraded weapons or vehicles, however for every item wanted you must get it individually instead of scanning all your groceries and then checking out, its a painful process.  The game also has multiple factions that you can help throughout the course of the game like the Roaches, an organized crime syndicate, the Reapers, a bunch of whiny socialist rebels, and the Ular boys, an ultra-nationalist group who don't like anyone but their own country men.  You are basically the back bone of all these groups, as they seem to have that ongoing awareness to use the protagonist to solve all their problems without getting off their lazy asses.  The overall summary of this game is that you can blow everything up, not sold?  Well, theres also a multiplayer mod so you can still blow up everything...with your friends. (heres a link to that review)  Hope you've enjoyed this explosive review and I will be back next week with more games.  This has been Jacob Arnold, signing off

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