Just Cause is a series that’s never been afraid of making bold statements. Throughout the 20 years and four editions, you might think that it was always intended to become the big free-roaming explode-athon in Eidos’ catalogue. Yet the original title didn’t even enter the public’s-eye with any conviction until just weeks before the game’s launch. However, Just Cause managed to deliver on its promises, and proved to be a winner for many.
While Just Caused launched on Xbox 360 (a version which is playable on modern consoles), the game was clearly built with the PlayStation 2 in mind. Thus, what would be considered the boldest of Just Cause’s boasts would be it’s grand scale and free-roaming environment. The title features a small group of islands. Some only a small stream apart, but each with a wealth of variety. Small towns, beaches, outposts, jungle terrain and a couple of cities all create a vast array of gameplay opportunities and consequences.
The scale of the map is as impressive as the press releases claimed. Just Cause has plenty of scope of exploration. Even 20 years later, it remains impressive. But it’s with this key element that the game’s biggest flaw also lies. Huge swathes of free-roaming world didn’t have all the conveniences afforded by more modern titles. Save points are limited to the unlockable safehouses – also used to recharge your Energy Meter and restock ammo – and upon completion of Story Missions. While the game allows player’s to continue upon death, any progress made in researching locale will be lost. Often, that includes mission progress. For a title which offers such an incredible sense of freedom, it’s incredibly restrictive.
Just for the Freedom
The “freedom” of the title is tangible. Most of the story missions hinge around a handful of basic objectives, dressed-up in a variety of guises. That these story missions are limited isn’t a so much problem as a gift for crafting your own gameplay decisions. Every mission is flexible enough to incorporate every asset in the game; cars, helicopters, the stealth-approach or an all-out run-and-gun technique. Should you wish to change tactics between missions, you are absolutely welcomed. Often encouraged.
The variety of optional objectives provide plenty of opportunity to expand on the gameplay. The Liberation missions being particularly enjoyable. However, the Side Missions themselves are often merely the usual dressed-up pizza delivery-esque tasks.
Rico Doesn’t Care for Recoil
The weapon variety is very pleasing. At all times Rico is armed with twin-pistols with infinite ammo, however a large range of automatics, shotguns and even a rocket launcher are available from near-enough the offset. The vehicles are also an impressive feature, as the player is able to obtain cars, trucks, 4×4’s, bikes, helicopters, jets, bi-planes, hovercraft, boats and jet skis, amongst many others. The variety of vehicles on offer is simply beyond comparison with any other title of the era.
Just Cause also shines graphically on PlayStation 2 and Xbox. There isn’t a solitary feature that could be singled-out as excelling, however the draw distance is stunning and the flame effects are the best on the consoles. Each character model has been designed very well, with particular attention having been paid to believable animation.
The sound quality of the title is also of a decent standard. Many of the characters speech samples are humorous and varied, however, the less-important (if not less frequent) reoccurring characters such as police officers and members of the Montano Cartel are inherently limited in their vocal offerings. The score has taken a key from the classic GoldenEye 007 and, while it may now have become commonplace for a title to change the music in-keeping with the style of gameplay at hand, few have done it as with as much attention to detail or as charismatically as Just Cause.
Just Cause for a Series
Just Cause is a triumph. Now as it was 20 years ago. Not only has Just Cause delivered, but it does it with a certain panache. Not much has come close to offering you an experience in which you genuinely feel like the world’s greatest super-spy, but Rico is such a charismatic interpretation that you’ll be addicted to his story from the very beginning until the end.
It’s truly a shame that this aspect of the series was watered down progressively with each new edition in the series. Rico is now little more than a bland 2D cutout. However here in the original, he is a man with a mission you’ll care about. And are given the freedom to complete that mission however you see fit. Just Cause is a genuinely open playground or the player to fight through however feels is best. And 20 years later, that’s still an enticing proposition.