Just Cause 2
Preview
One hell of a ride
by Danny Raner
previewed on PC
Not to miss
2010 is looking to be a very promising year for gaming. If these beginning months are any indication for the rest of the year, then we are in for a treat. But due to the surprisingly large amount of AAA titles being released so close to one another, it is quite difficult for the new, original games and less popular franchises to carve out a spot for themselves before being forgotten and passed up. Just Cause 2 is one of those games, one you might not want to miss.
The first Just Cause was met with moderately positive scores by reviewers. It was seen as a very imaginative movie-style action adventure that placed you in all sorts of insane situations, such as parachuting onto moving cars, sky diving, and even base jumping while saving the fictional San Esperito from its ruthless dictator. Even with such a promising formula it suffered from numerous flaws that often overshadowed fun experiences and kept it from greatness. Avalanche Studios is hoping to correct those faults and provide an amazing action adventure with more thrills, and it seems they are on the right track.
Freedom
In Just Cause 2 you are once again put into the shoes of the CIA Black Ops Rico Rodriguez, the one man army badass that you controlled in the first game. The game plays on the fictional island of Panau (think Malaysia). You once again have to throw a dictator out of power, as well as locate and possibly kill your old boss Tom Sheldon who has recently gone rogue on the island. Considering Just Cause 2 is a third person shooter, the reason for playing it is the action. But I must say that the story of Just Cause 2 does sound interesting. It has me wondering about the fate of Sheldon and the possibility of moral choices present within the game, besides deciding whether to club a pedestrian to death or not. Hopefully the story turns out to be just as exciting as the gameplay is looking.
If there is one word to describe the kind of experience Avalanche is trying to deliver in its gameplay: freedom. The Avalanche engine that was used for the first game has been given quite an upgrade for the current generation and has opened up many more opportunities for the game; your experience with vehicles for example. Apart from running around gunning like a maniac, why don’t you try your hand at flying a fighter jet and attack from above? Or how about crashing through buildings and wreaking havoc in a tank? Or if your prefer a more elegant way, the trademark parachute and grappling hook gun to get you where you need to go on the island.
