Just Cause (video game)

Infobox VG| title = Just Cause


developer = Avalanche Studios
publisher = Eidos Interactive
distributor=
designer =
engine = Avalanche
released =
genre = Action, Third-person shooter
modes = Single-player
ratings = vgratings|ESRB=M|PEGI=16+
platforms = Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360
media = DVD, Steam download
requirements =
input = Gamepad

"Just Cause" is a third-person "sandbox" video game developed by Avalanche Studios and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released on September 22, 2006 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360 in Europe. It arrived in North America on September 27, 2006. The fictional area explored during the game is described as being over convert|250000|acre|km2 mi2|0|lk=on|abbr=on in size, with 21 story missions and over 300 side missions to complete. [Douglass C. Perry, [http://xbox.ign.com/articles/727/727285p1.html Just Cause Hands-on] , "IGN", August 22, 2006]

tory

"Just Cause" is set on a fictional Caribbean tropical island called "San Esperito", where the player works as CIA black ops agent Rico Rodriguez in a guerrilla war to overthrow San Esperito's dictator, who may be in possession of weapons of mass destruction. [Ricardo Torres, [http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/justcause/preview_6148447.html E3 06: Just Cause First Look] , "GameSpot", 4/26/2006] The game draws its premise (and name) from the real-life United States invasion of Panama, code-named "Operation Just Cause", which involved United States military action to overthrow military leader Manuel Noriega.

Rodriguez has been described by developers as being "the child of one thousand comic books and action movies. He is James Bond, Mad Max, Jason Bourne, El Mariachi, Wolverine, Punisher, Rambo, Tony Montana, Han Solo and Vincent Vega all rolled into one. With a touch of Enrique Iglesias to top it all off!". [Odd Ahlgren, [http://www.pro-g.co.uk/xbox/just_cause/preview-248.html Just Cause Interview] , "Pro-G", 03/08/2006]

Gameplay

The core gameplay consists of elements of a third-person shooter and a driving game, with a large, open environment to move around in. On foot, the player's character is capable of walking, swimming, and jumping, as well as utilizing weapons and basic hand to hand combat. Players can take control of a variety of vehicles, including cars, boats, airplanes, helicopters, and motorcycles. Players can also perform stunts with their cars in which they can stand on the roof and jump to another car, or choose to open their parachute while still in motion on the roof. Other key features of the game include skydiving, base jumping, and parasailing (by latching onto a moving car while one's parachute is deployed).

The open, non-linear environment allows players to explore and choose how they wish to play the game. Although storyline missions are necessary to progress through the game, players can complete them at their own leisure. When not taking on a storyline mission, players can free-roam. However, doing so can attract unwanted and potentially fatal attention from the authorities.

The player can also partake in a variety of optional side missions, for example liberating a village or taking over a drug cartel hideout. These are generally (as indicated by most critics) quite repetitive but are necessary to gain points with certain factions.

Demo

A demo of the Xbox 360 game was released on August 24, 2006 on Xbox Live Marketplace. The PC demo followed in a premiere release at GameSpot. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/justcause/downloads.html?mode=official Just Cause demo] , "GameSpot", 8/24/2006]

Reception

"Just Cause" received mixed reviews on release, with the average score varying by platform, from around 68% (PlayStation 2 version) to 76% (PC version). [Metacritic, [http://www.metacritic.com/search/process?sort=relevance&termType=all&ts=just+cause&ty=3&x=0&y=0] , Metacritic] .

In an online review, IGN gave "Just Cause" a score of 6.8 out of 10. They noted that the gameplay lacked depth and that the side quests are boring and repetitive. [Erik Brudvig, [http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/733/733208p1.html Just Cause Review] , IGN, September 18, 2006] . However, IGN UK awarded the game a score of 8.8, and the Official Xbox Magazine UK gave "Just Cause" a score of 9 out of 10, praising it for "varied, consistent, imaginative gameplay". [ [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbx/justcause] , Official Xbox Magazine UK, October 2006, p.64]

The game suffers from its share of bug-related issues though, as noted by many reviewers, who feel the game may have been "rushed" to market without sufficient time to fix certain problems. [Kristan Reed, [http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=67916&page=1 Just Cause Review] , "Eurogamer", 09/25/06] The PlayStation 2 version in particular, suffers from a number of 'game-killing' bugs that render certain missions impossible to complete, or the entire game unplayable until the game is reset. As of 2008, more than a year after the game's release, Eidos has not released a patch for the PC or Xbox 360 versions of the game.

GamerNode rated the game 6.7 out of 10, [ Chris Pereira, [http://www.gamernode.com/Xbox_360/Games/Just_Cause_3964/Review_1550/index.html Just Cause Review] , GamerNode, October 2006] while GameBrite gave it 51%. [ Chad Abshire, [http://www.gamebrite.com/id53-Just-Cause-(Xbox-360)-Review.html Just Cause (Xbox 360) Review] , GameBrite, October 2006]

PC Gamer (UK) rated the game an 85% must buy (PCG 167). PC Gamer US rated it 93% in their December 2006 issue.

The Xbox 360 version was well received, scoring 9/10 in Play Magazine (US) and 360 Gamer Magazine UK. The 360 version also stayed on top of the Xbox 360 sales chart in the UK for three weeks in a row. [ Chart Track, [http://www.charttrack.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fsoftware%2Fuk%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=110027&arch=t&lyr=2006&year=2006&week=39 Just Cause Sales w.39 2006] ]

equel

In a January 2007 financial report, Eidos Interactive confirmed that "Just Cause 2" is in development. [ [http://www.hemscott.com/servlet/HsPublic?context=ir.access&ir_option=RNS_NEWS&item=38742752511954&ir_client_id=3144] , "SCI Financial Report 24 Jan 2007", 4/17/2007]

References

External links

* [http://justcausegame.com/ Official website]