Just Cause

"The revoloution...that doesnt actually feel like one..."

I was eagerly anticipating Just Cause having been excitedly shown an article on it in a games magazine. I bought it with some enthusiasm. But the flaws began to appear as soon as I loaded it up.

That's right..the first time I bought this *brand new* game it crashed while loading. That's not the kind of performance you expect from an Xbox 360 game compatible with the Playstation2. I would expect that from...I don't know, say forcing a Windows 98 to play Crysis..

Slightly taken aback, but none the less optimistic I reloaded and..Yay..It loaded. My first view of the game world of San Esperito was free falling towards the ground. I was starting to think my optimism had paid off as the lush scenery of the islands came into view. I directed my parachute onto the beach and was greeted with a hail of bullets from some hostile-type people who didn't much like my intrusion on their beach.

I then encountered my next problem..the combat isn't exactly next gen..The aiming is alright as are the weapons..but you find yourself killing hordes of enemies who have little to no physics and just decide to flop on their back, as if having a nap, when you have the nerve to shoot them.

Nevertheless the first mission was hectic and action packed, involving a jeep chase driven by the pro-antagonists mate, and shooting through a government roadblock. As I was introduced to the high tech CIA caravan (funding must be cut, wheres the high-tech bunkers? I expected more from you CIA), I had high hopes for the game. I was ready to go out and fight in la revolution!

But my hopes were dashed. The biggest flaw of all with just cause is how they wrecked their original idea by simply having awful game play. The Idea was fantastic. Massive game world...your a heroic Spanish-type person fighting against an evil government in South America. The problem is it feels nothing like a revolution! You fight with about 3 guerilla's to capture a village that looks exactly like the last one you captured..and once it is under the control of "la cause" The NPC's just go about as if nothing happened, despite the place having been a battle ground seconds previously.

Never once, did Just Cause feel like an adequate revolution simulator. You find yourself fighting for control over the same town over and over again except with a different name. The travel there is normally using a car that handles like humpty dumpty on a unicycle, through miles of bland featureless terrain. Once you have control of territory..there is nothing to acknowledge it. Never does the San Espirito junta seem remotely interested in the trivial little fact that someone just killed about 100 police officers and took over a town. Whats more, when its under guerilla control you still see government police cars driving around...if they're going to send their people in, at least use the military?

To sum up, the missions are repetitive, as are the side missions, which don't feel like they're achieving anything remotely important. You find yourself single handedly taking on half the population, and the car and character physics are basically the equivalent of plasticine dolls being moved around with the chubby fingers of a four year old. The game has no kind of lure that keeps you wanting to play it, and seems to be trying to win your heart with nifty little features like a Spiderman style web shooting thing, which allows you to jump on to helicopters flying 50 feet above you. Well it didn't pay off..I'll be waiting in the vain hope Just Cause Two can improve on this offering.

Or else..

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 07/07/08

Game Release: Just Cause (EU, 09/22/06)