Just Cause

By Liam O'Connor

For some unknown reason, Just Cause was received well by the press at the last (and we do mean last) E3. Some went so far as to call it game of the show. These people are either insane or simply cannot get enough GTA clones.

The bastard child of Far Cry and Grand Theft Auto, Just Cause gives you everything you loved about GTA and throws you into a tropical location rather than a city. In an effort to justify the random violence that a player can once again inflict on the innocents of the virtual world, Avalanche has attempted to create a scenario where the protagonist Rico is part of a revolution that will overthrow a corrupt regime.

Unfortunately, it does appear a weak attempt to try and make the violence seem “just”, as the title proclaims. Especially when the game offers the same sandbox gameplay that has been offered in every other GTA clone to date. In fact, you can just forget about your silly little revolution and kill every single person you see. It’s GTA on vacation.

That’s not to suggest that Just Cause doesn’t bring anything new to the table. The stunt system allows players to parachute and free fall, as well as to jump on top of and between car roofs. The problem is that to say the control in Just Cause is lacking is an understatement. Frequently you will find yourself jumping off a car roof onto the road, rather than your target car, which you see drive swiftly away into the distance: mission failed.

Technically most things in the game are impressive. The animation of Rico even has little touches such as his crucifix shifting around as he moves. All the standard 360 features are in there, such as HDR and anti-aliasing, but the game looks bland. While Test Drive Unlimited demonstrated how you can make an island paradise interesting, Just Cause simply looks the same no matter where you are – unless, of course, you’re on a boat.

The game also lacks music and voice acting; everything is done via subtitles, which means it’s easy to miss cues while playing. Having subtitles for the deaf is always appreciated, but in this day and age it’s a bit of an oversight to omit audio from the main game.

With rough control, bland design, and tired gameplay, Just Cause doesn’t look like it will be anything other than a flash in the pan. If you’re a Grand Theft Auto junkie and you can’t wait until next year, you might want to pick up Just Cause when it’s released. Everyone else, however, may want to hold out for GTAIV.

Still, the game hasn’t been released yet, and the game could certainly be improved. However, unless Avalanche tidy up the control and presentation, Just Cause looks like it might be a bit of a lost cause. Keep checking NZGamer for the full review to find out whether Just Cause delivers or becomes yet another game trying to cash in on the success of Grand Theft Auto.

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