Through the power of the modding community, Just Cause 2 is now the proud owner of a multiplayer option. And to accommodate even the most popular of all LAN hosts, the mod supports up to 599 of his or her closest friends, and the community is still that strong.
Just Cause 2 has gained its popularity over the course of two summers, and everyone has their story. Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw would call it a water cooler game – one where you could all be playing the same game, but spend hours the next day discussing completely unique experiences. With that in mind, and the Hinckley Schmidt guy having finally left, let me sing my praises for the surprisingly-published-by-Squenix outing.
My closer friends know I’m a sucker for sandbox romps. Grand Theft Auto, Crackdown, Spider-Man 2, Prototype, InFamous, and all the other staples. Just Cause 2 took hints from all of those and thought playtime first, story second. Eidos gave us a steam shovel when a scoop and bucket were all that was needed. A tweet from IGN editor Daemon Hatfield sums up verily what this game is all about.
Took me 63 to realize there was a sprint button.
Mobility is a major player when it comes to getting around an open world. Part of the sandbox world is making it your own, and it’s less of your own when you’ve fewer transportation options. It’s fairly obvious how you get around in GTA, with helicopters and taxis being the faster way of doing so, and Crackdown did it beautifully without the need of a vehicle. Just Cause 2 took a little from A, and a little from B. The scalability of buildings, the hijackability of vehicles, the parachute combined with the zip line, and a fast travel that always ends in a free fall left there no nook of Panau to go unexplored. The useability made exploration all the easier, too. On this island, the player was truly free to explore what, where, and how they wanted.
The story of the game, if you’re into that kind of thing, left a bit to be desired. Certainly it isn’t what most people will remember about Just Cause 2, but it was a very nice supplement to the wanton destruction that keeps players coming back for more. I had a blast just as much with the story, as I did with doing my own thing. The game starts off, seemingly tame, trying to overthrow a government viciously ruled by its dictator. By the time the ninjas drop in, up until the final fight atop four speeding missiles, it’s clear that the game wasn’t going for much narrative depth, and they boiled it down to the simplest of formulas: mindless fun. Ultimately, that’s what makes this game as a whole so appealing, and they didn’t hold any different for the story mode.
Gameplay-wise, the game is a gem with some minor imperfections. Of the few complaints that I have, cars don’t handle as well as they could. It feels as if there’s always a thin film of water no matter where you drive, losing control seems a bit too common in this game, even on city streets. The camera whilst in free-fall needs some tweaking as well, as it is very difficult to see what’s below you, even at the farthest tilt. Gun variety is a bit lacking, however, this is a game where a choice of SMG or assault rifle is not necessary. It’s point, shoot, dead, and a damn good time doing that – which brings me to my first positive remark: targeting. I thought all systems of aiming had been figured out, but JC2’s idea of “point in the general direction, we’ll do the rest, and fire” is a touch of perfection. It takes a lot of the focus out of precision, and leaves you with more time for silly chaos. Creativity with the hook, vehicles, and enemies leads into countless ways to dispatch your enemies, and of course my praises for the means of getting around in the game have already been sung.
Visually, the game is a masterpiece. With such a large map, they filled it up gloriously, and with such attention to detail. From a high enough viewpoint, it looks very close to photorealistic. Aurally, the game could have actually done with more natural sounds, and less music. Atmosphere is what a game should strive for with the music, and the sounds of a snowy peak, a busy city, or a critter-filled jungle would have worked a lot better for this game – especially during the chase scenes when under fire. I can forgive it, however, with the OST title.
Ending in a preposition… tsk tsk.
Just Cause 2 seems like it was made for me. As a sandbox fan, it has almost everything I wanted. It looked beautiful and played spectacularly. A few minor bugs did little to hinder the experience I still hold dear today. Even after obtaining all of the achievements, I still find myself poking around Panau in my brand new military jet adorned with a flailing mercenary every once in a while.
Engage Ridley, Mister Falcon 