Just Cause
has been making headlines since the Xbox 360 version debuted at E3. One
persistent, enormous (make that colossal) world, jaw-dropping graphics, and
the promise of taking the Grand Theft Auto concept to new heights. Whereas
other games merely cloned the GTA style, Just Cause looked like it was going
to tackle the genre from a different angle.
Aside from
being more cinematic, the game defied the laws of physics – even James Bond
physics – by allowing players to jump off a cliff, grab hold of a fleeting
plane, jump inside and take control of it. From there you could fly wherever
you wanted, or abandon the plane for any vehicle you see on the road. The
vehicle you desire was to be acquired by air via parachute.
Jump out of
the plane – dive through the sky – trigger your parachute – then use a
grappling hook to lock onto the roof of a moving vehicle. Land on top and you
can steal the car while it’s still in motion. But wait, what’s that a quarter
mile down? A better vehicle. Now get back up on the roof and leap from your
vehicle to the next (as one of the suits did in The Matrix Reloaded).
Could all
this be true? Could the E3 demo (which we weren’t allowed to control) have
been real, or an exaggeration of what the developers hoped to achieve?
Just Cause
lives up to the hype of providing frantic, superhuman gameplay. The game is
set in a world of several massive, interconnected islands. Rico Rodriguez is
the main character, but let’s not waste time talking about trivial elements
you’re just going to skip. The story features better voice acting than most,
but the plot isn’t all that intriguing. Your mission is to free enslaved
villages from guerilla soldiers. That’s not the most common video-game tale,
but I’ve seen too many similar-themed movies to become interested in the
aftermath of what I’m doing.
All I cared
– and all you’ll care about – is the action and excitement that comes along
with every scenario. Just Cause is the video-game equivalent to a popcorn
flick. Guns are constantly being fired, explosions come out of nowhere (look
up – you’ll see the source), and car chases are as common as crime in LA.
Popcorn game or not, don’t think you can put down the controller and start
chowing down. You’re going to need both hands to get through these missions.
Just
Awesome
Just Cause
lets you do almost anything. Every vehicle can be controlled. Every weapon can
be fired. Trees can’t be destroyed, but they can stop you in the middle of a
chase (drive around, not into them!). All cars, motorcycles, mopeds, boats,
etc., control differently. Each has its own kind of driver. Farmers like big,
slow-moving (but very powerful) trucks. Civilians like old sedans and station
wagons, as well as the Baxter Petit, an unofficial mixture of the Mini Cooper
and the Luigi from Cars (a 1959 Fiat 500). Ruthless mobsters can be found
cruising around in the Rossi 866 Corral, a semi-retro Rolls-Royce kind of
vehicle with a futuristic flair. Cutler and Chevalier are two of the game’s
main auto manufacturers – gee, I wonder how they came up with those titles?
The vicious
guerillas stick to their military jeeps, vans, and other armored cars. But
you’ll notice that the environment has a lot do with the kinds of vehicles
people drive. You won’t find many cars on dirt roads, but you will see a lot
of motorbikes. Bridges are packed with giant trucks and other large vehicles.
Cities could have any type of vehicle, with people coming and going
frequently.
Just Do
It
There are
two mission types for you to conquer in this game: the main, required
missions, and side missions that reward you for your patronage. The former has
you assassinating evildoers, protecting those in need, thwarting the enemy’s
plans – things like that.
The latter
is more repetitive but can still be fun. When you see a green exclamation mark
on your map, go to it and talk to the gentleman with green arrows hanging over
his head. He’ll tell you what needs to be done: kill the enemy and take
control of the area. In other words, you’re going to have to slaughter every
villain in sight until the words "capture the flag" finally appear on screen
(in which you’ll need to find the flag, shown on your map, go to it and press
A to capture it).
While the
slaughtering is going on, barricades might need to be destroyed. You have the
freedom to kill enemies any way you please: with bombs, bullets, or my
favorite, by running ’em over with their own vehicles.
Completing
side missions gives you a safe place to rest in between missions, and another
place to steal cars without being bothered by the local law enforcement. Rico
might be a hero, but he’s no saint. Fire a gunshot at a vehicle and the driver
will get the picture. He or she will get it out, allowing you to hop in and
drive away.
Just
Glitchy
No matter
how amazing, Just Cause is not without its flaws. You’ll be stunned and
disappointed at the same time. The graphics are mostly gorgeous, and look
better than the CG cartoons of the late 90s (Beast Wars can’t compare).
Unfortunately, they also have pop-ups, which is very noticeable while driving
at high speeds.
The
mountains, trees, lighting, and shadow effects are amazing – some of the best
of the year, for certain. But when a part of a tree pops up out of nowhere, it
takes away from the beauty. When you jump in the water and see its texture,
reflections, and the sun bounce off it for the first time, you will be amazed.
You’ll later be disappointed when the water doesn’t perfectly wrap itself
around Rico or a vehicle. Or when a splash looks great in one area but not in
another.
Enemies
aren’t easily run over. They cling to the vehicle before they are finally
crushed, which is both a pain and not very realistic. When Rico needs to exit
his vehicle, it is usually presented in a way that has him leaping to safety.
But there are times when he just seems to pop out of the vehicle, as if he
were never there in the first place.
The
challenge isn’t that great either. That’s Ok the first time through – you’ll
beat the game quick, a plus for those wanting to cram as much excitement into
their time as possible. But it leaves less replay value for the main quest,
especially when the side save-the-village missions are similar and easy to
complete.
Just Cause
is a cool, unique, and exciting game that is a must-play for anyone with an
Xbox 360. Its flaws are hard to ignore, so I can’t recommend that you add this
to your collection without playing through it first. Rent it, enjoy the
excitement, and then decide if it’s right for you.
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Gameplay: 7.9
Great vehicle
controls and a top-notch presentation that lets you cinematically jump from
one vehicle to the next is about as cool as a game can get. It’s not just the
ability to control any vehicle, boat, or aircraft at any time that makes this
game innovative. It’s also the way each scenario is presented, and how you’ll
effortlessly jump from a parachute to a moving SUV.
Graphics: 8.7
One of the
best-looking 360 titles of the year, Just Cause has an amazing collection of
rendered environments and cinematic effects. The world is flawed – you’ll see
pop-up and weird, unexplained glitches. Despite all that, the game is still
jaw-dropping. Each effect has been perfectly woven into the game, enhancing
the notion that you are not just playing a video game – you’re controlling a
movie. Everything comes across just right. From the camera shifts to the way
you take control of a vehicle, Just Cause is more than just a pretty
face.
Sound: 6.0
Just Cause’s
voice acting is more professional than most. But outside of mission goal
information, it’s not memorable or worth paying attention to. The soundtrack
doesn’t have many “tracks” to speak of. The music changes based on the vehicle
you’re driving and the type of mission you’re fighting, which often leads the
player to the same few tunes several times in a row.
Difficulty: Easy
Your health meter
is huge, allowing Rico to withstand multiple bullet wounds. Ammo is unlimited
for the base handgun, so you’ll go in and slaughter the guerilla soldiers as
easily as you would jump off a platform in Tomb Raider.
Concept: 8.4
An expansion of
the Grand Theft Auto formula, Just Cause takes you by land, air, sea, and
everywhere in between. There are times when you’ll be moving so fast you’ll
feel like the guy movie execs wanted Vin Diesel’s character to be in
XXX.
Overall: 7.9
Just Cause isn’t
perfect, and I honestly didn’t think it would be. Side missions are extremely
repetitive, and with the main quest being kind of short, replay value isn’t as
high as you’d expect from such an enormous set of islands. Having said that,
this is a second-generation Xbox 360 game, and the first in what will likely
be a long series of titles. Let’s look back on the Grand Theft Auto series –
the first was good, but it didn’t get everything right. If Just Cause is to
continue following in GTA’s footsteps, then by the time its first or second
sequel arrives, we should be crowning a new king.
