Just Cause 3 Preview

Just Cause is one of those franchises that, on the surface, always seemed bombastically amazing. Each title boasted open-world insanity the likes of which we’ve never seen before but in my estimation, each effort felt the frustrating yoke of unreliable controls and surprisingly uninspired environments. The latter is more of a subjective complaint, of course, but there’s no doubt that the gameplay has never been tight or refined. This should be developer Avalanche Studios’ #1 priority for the upcoming Just Cause 3 and if they can nail down the control, it should prove to be quite the off-the-wall experience.

Before we dive into the details, I strongly advise everyone to first check out the screenshots. A more jaw-dropping set of pics you won’t likely soon see, and not necessarily due to the visual fidelity. No, this is more about what the enduring franchise protagonist, Rico, is doing in these screenshots. There are some pictures that just defy logic and explanation. Some make you laugh and go, “what?!” This is what I mean about a fantastic balls-to-the-wall concept; the IP in question has always had the same idea, but the designers have never quite delivered. But can you imagine the craziness if they do happen to produce a AAA gem this time around…?

Rico is older now; the developers say he has “significantly aged” since the events in Just Cause 2 and that’s apparent in the screenshots. He typically visits sun-splashed island vistas and that won’t change for the new installment; Rico heads to the fictional Mediterranean archipelago of Medici. Yeah, the Mediterranean is awfully nice, isn’t it? But in this particular string of islands, the wacked-out General Di Ravello has enforced his rule and he needs to be brought down. It reminds me of the Far Cry setups, actually. Once you’ve identified the threat, Rico will parachute in and embark on another death-defying adventure.