Just Cause 2 Review (MadMaxxSimp)
This open world game was released in 2010. Its size on your disk is around 5 GB. And yet, Just Cause 2 (JC2) is far better than many modern titles which are larger and more complex. The main reason is because it's fun and doesn't hold you back with unnecessary grind. Just Cause 2 is an unapologetically fun experience where you blow up some stuff and then some more.
The best part of all the Just Cause games is their destructive sandbox experience. That is their core strength and the reason why they're so fun. JC2 in particular features over 300 locations including villages, cities, military bases, harbors, offshore rigs, a strip club in the middle of the sky and so on. Each location has vehicle/weapon parts to collect along with destructible elements to (well) destroy. It is this gameplay loop–collect parts, destroy stuff, 100% a location–that makes JC2 so fun and addictive. You can spend hours just doing this.
While Just Cause has been praised for its destructive sandbox experience, the setting itself deserves more appreciation. Just Cause 2 is set in the fictional island country of Panau. Panau is a gorgeous country spanning an area of over 400 square miles. It is full of mountains, plains, rivers, islands etc. and features various climate zones. Once again, I'm amazed by what the devs achieved with just 5 GB for this game!
Recommendations for Specific Gamers
* Just Cause 2 is mindless fun. You don't have to invest much in the storyline. Perfect game to unwind after work if you enjoy blowing up stuff.
* Achievement Hunters: This is a fun game for achievement hunting. No achievement breaking bugs and no need for multiple playthroughs. Slightly grindy to 100%, recommend that you do it in multiple sittings.
* Completionists: Absolutely not. Just Cause 2 features hundreds of locations, thousands of collectibles etc. I do not recommend trying to 100% this game.
* East Asian/SE Asian gamers: They may (or may not) get offended by the cultural representation of SE Asia in this game. The developers went for a parody of SE Asian culture. This may be amusing to some and not funny to others. At the time Just Cause 2 was released, many Singaporeans loved the bad voice acting in this game. Which is another reason to love JC2.
* Left leaning gamers: Just Cause 2 is a smart parody of Western foreign policy and its absurd excesses. Consider this one quote from the game: “Collateral damage is regretted but sanctioned.” The devs knew their political science and inserted it into the game in clever ways. Recommend playing the campaign for the political gags.
Final Rating: 8.5/10 (just ‘cause)