Gameplay & missions
The opening scene of Just Cause sees the Cuban-heeled hero of the game, Rico Rodriguez, free-falling from an aircraft with a parachute strapped to his back, you can control where he lands, free-fall until the last minute, or choose to open your parachute and take a more relaxing flight to planet Earth whilst marvelling at the spectacular scenery. Once landed your journey begins through urban environments, dense jungles, mountainous regions and what seems like endless roads and pathways leading to villages and small towns.
As we understand there are approximately 21 core missions with approximately 300 side objectives in Just Cause, ranging from pick up and drop objectives to intercepting and killing drug runners. The missions are clearly labelled on the detailed map ensuring that you’ll never get lost and the main objectives can also be found by following a red arrow pointer that you’ll see in the sky. Each of the side objectives will result in a reward such as a safe house where you can pick up ammo and restore your health, new vehicles and save points. The main character will need to move around the island to pick up these objectives and missions from various locals that frequent these tropical shores and there are plenty of ways to get to those spots, thanks to the over 100 driveable vehicles ranging from helicopters to motorbikes. Thanks to the superb grappling hook it’s extremely easy to hitch a ride on the back of any of these vehicles. The lock-on function works extremely smoothly and your target can be switched from vehicle to vehicle by the press of the right shoulder button.
Click for larger imageThe grappling hook can be used to move around the environment extremely quickly. Lock onto a car and then shoot the hook, your parachute opens and you can take a free ride on the back of any vehicle, including planes, helicopters and boats. You can use your triggers to reel in and land on top of any vehicle and steal it or ride on the top. Para-sailing on the back of a speed boat is a sheer joy and thanks to stunt mode you don’t have to limit yourself to staying with one vehicle. By detaching your grappling hook you’ll still float in the air for a short period of time giving you chance to hook onto something else; it’s totally unrealistic but a hell of a lot of fun.
Click for larger imageAny vehicle in the game can be stolen and despite the huge environment there are always plenty of vehicles at hand, but if you do find yourself stranded, you can call in an emergency vehicle which will be delivered right to your feet. To steal a vehicle it’s simply a matter of pressing the ‘y’ button and throwing the driver out of the car.
Each vehicle handles differently, a motor-bike is ideal for whizzing around the roads at high speeds, whereas a helicopter can be used for taking a tour of the whole island. The variation of vehicles ensures that driving never becomes a chore.