Just Cause should be an easy game to dislike. It's a pretty clear attempt to cash in on the popularity of "sandbox" games like GTA or Saint's Row. It features generally uneven presentation and counter-intuitive, imprecise controls. Its basic mission structure ultimately becomes dull fairly early in the game's timeline, and the storyline backing everything up is not much more than your typical boilerplate video game drama. So, taking all of these things into account, how does Just Cause still manage to charm and entertain? Mostly, it overcomes its considerable weaknesses by experimenting with some really wacky and unusual mechanics. It's like the Extreme Sports version of GTA, and this kind of attitude can be really appealing to players willing to overlook the game's underlying flaws. Just Cause puts players in the shoes of a Latin field operative named Rico Rodriguez. According to the game's dubious premise, Rico is a "specialist in regime change," and he has now been sent to the tropical island of San Esperito to manufacture a political coup from the ground up-essentially by stirring up rebel fighters, thugs and drug dealers while simultaneously blowing up anything belonging to the existing government. It's not necessarily a bad setup, but let's be honest-Rico is a walking video game cliché, and none of the attempts at narrative are convincing. The story, such as it is, is not satisfying in the least and most of it is pretty laughable. Imagine if Jack Black gained the physique of Antonio Banderas, took vocal lessons (unsuccessfully) from Michael Ironside, and took acting lessons from Solid Snake-then you'd have a close approximation of Rico Rodriguez.

Luckily, the story in Just Cause can be ignored. The point of the game is to play and have fun-not to provoke intellectual discussions or political debates. Just to throw some numbers out there, Just Cause offers 250,000 acres to explore, 303 missions to accomplish, 89 vehicles to command and 32 stunts to master. Of this four-part formula, though, three quarters are entirely unimportant to the game's success. The 250,000 acres are attractive but empty, the vehicles are mostly variations on a generic theme (save for a few real standouts), and the 303 missions are repetitive to a fault. If it weren't for the game's central conceit-the 32 "stunts"-there would be absolutely nothing here to recommend.

The stunts, however, steal the show, and really elevate the game beyond its limitations. From skydiving and parachuting onto the top of moving vehicles to jumping out of helicopters or launching tow cables at passing cars, Rico can do some things that games haven't allowed players to do before, and there's a lot to be said for enabling new frontiers.

Gamers are ultimately vicarious thrill-seekers, and Just Cause really sets out to satisfy this craving. It may not be the deepest kid in the class, but it sure does know how to have fun at recess.

Score: 70%

Nov 4, 2006 | 0 comments
David Tolin