Just Cause 3
A game of Complete carnage that will appeal to those with an appetite for destruction
Just Cause 3 is at its best when you’re roleplaying a sort of jazz sociopath – flying a plane into a silo of fuel tanks, tethering cars to a bridge and blowing it up, using modified C4 boosters on civilians. It comes alive in these moments, when you’re flitting between violent, explosive acts – a rebel without a cause, just or otherwise.
The problem is that every one of the game’s surrounding systems detracts from this anarchic core. There’s fun to be had, once you untether yourself from the stingy unlocks, the need to liberate endless provinces, and the relentless militia. The game preaches chaos but holds you back with rules and restrictions.
Once again, you play Rico Rodriguez – a former CIA operative, and a regime-change specialist. Rico has returned to his homeland, the fictional island of Medici, where he plans to overthrow dictator Di Ravello and his military, the DRM (see what they did there?). If you’ve played Just Cause 2, you’ll be familiar with Rico’s modus operandi. If not, here’s a hint: explosions. Rico must destroy the red and white objects that denote Di Ravello’s infrastructure. Military bases are filled with satellites, electric substations, fuel tanks and so on. Towns and villages contain propaganda speakers, billboards and statues. Clear a settlement of all these things and you liberate it for the resistance.
Upgrades can be unlocked with Gears, which are earned by completing the challenges that appear near a liberated residential settlement. Each mod is categorised, and can only be unlocked by completing challenges of that category. Car mods, for instance, can only be activated with Gears earned through car challenges.
The best mods act as interesting situational extras that can be enabled or disabled. One marks any vehicle model that hasn’t previously been delivered to a garage, making it easier to expand the options available to call in via supply drop. Another turns your C4 into a rocket booster – fun for messing about, less useful when clearing a settlement.
There are still lots of ways to engage with Just Cause 3 – many of them well suited for short bursts of violent action. Call in a military helicopter and you can rain down destruction. Find a tank and you can punch through a base, blowing things up with wild abandon. With an eye for improvisation, there are always interesting options.
Unfortunately, Di Ravello’s army is a bit too effective. The game can feel like it’s punishing you for experimentation – the prevalence of anti-air guns and the sheer size of the DRM’s response make for an exhausting fight, especially later in the game as more heavily armoured soldiers are introduced. Often, the most effective solution is guns – all of which are a bit pedestrian given the silliness that pervades the game.
T3 RATES There are great tools for destruction and traversal, and the explosions look amazing
T3 SLATES There’s too much repetition of objectives
T3 SAYS This is a chaotic action romp, tragically let down by repetition and padding. There’s fun to be had, but little variety