If anyone embodies pure chaos and action, it's the indomitable Rico Rodriguez, who, after his last foray into Medici, has set his sights on a new destination. Welcome to "Just Cause 4" and the island of Solís, where Rico faces a particularly formidable challenge – one man against nature. Whether this time around they've done things better than in their somewhat flawed predecessor, you can find out in our "Just Cause 4" review. So, let's head to Solís.
In the timeline, “Just Cause 4"After the Medici excursion, Rico, who is acquiring an increasingly Western action-hero look with each game, is called in to help. A terrorist organization called 'The Black Hand' has spread across the idyllic island, not only subjugating the entire population but also pursuing truly diabolical plans by artificially creating natural forces (tornadoes, sandstorms, etc.) and intending to weaponize them. This must, of course, be stopped immediately – preferably in true Just Cause style, with plenty of chaos and explosions."
A firework display can never be too big.
The story of “Just Cause 4” promises the typical over-the-top approach – the more action, the better. Only when entire industrial plants are hijacked, armored trains derail, and missile bases descend into chaos does the world seem, in a rather twisted way, to be somewhat safer again. It's undeniably fun and provides a constant adrenaline rush in “Just Cause 4,” leaving you barely time to catch your breath. Of course, you shouldn't expect the most profound story, but Just Cause never had one, and you won't miss it here either.
The pacing of the story is particularly well done, employing a somewhat novel approach similar to a traditional tabletop game on a world map. Starting in a small region and liberating it, you gradually attract more troops, which you can then deploy to the front lines. The more regions you liberate, the further you can push the front lines, gaining access to the major story operations. Often, this only requires capturing adjacent regions, while the parallel storyline takes care of the rest, liberating the remaining areas almost automatically. This prevents the player from falling into a pattern of being forced to complete tasks that aren't strictly necessary for the story, while still allowing them to be optional, for example, to earn better equipment more quickly. The result is a consistently engaging experience where time flies by and you won't want to put the controller down.
A gigantic game world
But above all, one also has here from the mistakes of the predecessor I learned that the game world was surprisingly bleak for its size. On Solís, there's always something to discover and experience, even outside the main story. Who hasn't wanted to parachute into a stadium, glide towards the sun in a wingsuit, or, more morbidly speaking, steer a commercial airliner into a skyscraper? In "Just Cause 4," there are almost endless ways to keep yourself occupied or simply explore this vast game world with its numerous impressions, which also spans several climate zones – from deserts to icy mountain peaks. If that's not enough, you can delve into the forgotten history of Solís in optional side stories or further develop your talent as an aspiring movie star. So, even after completing the main story, there's still an incredible amount to do.
Chaos as far as the eye can see
The gameplay is as chaotic as the initial throw-in, although it does offer some fun new approaches. The laws of physics are completely disregarded from the start, true to the motto: “More of everything also means more fun”Or in this case, more chaos. Generally, the gameplay is easy and intuitive, sometimes perhaps even too easy, and you lose control of what's happening on screen. This is especially true when dealing with enemies, who are often so numerous that they're shooting each other down, or you find yourself caught in such a hail of bullets that the only option seems to be to flee forward. Less would have been more in this case, but as it is, the sheer volume of bullets coming at you is often quite disproportionate and can be incredibly frustrating.
On the other hand, the flight maneuvers, especially those involving parachutes and wingsuits, are incredibly fun, and if you do it right, you basically don't need to walk a single step. Several new gadgets, which can be earned in side stories, such as helium balloons attached to your grappling hook, also round out the gameplay experience. Why shoot an enemy when you can simply launch them into the sky? These are nice and entertaining additions that are also used regularly in the story missions.
Your support team is also well-implemented this time around, able to supply you with the right weapons or vehicle from the air virtually anywhere. Gone are the days of having to walk endless distances. Assign the right gadget to a support team and request it, and it will fly right into your lap. And the selection here is truly limitless. As described by “Just CauseAs usual, an endless variety of vehicles are available. Anything that's mobile and has an engine can be driven or flown here – from simple bikes and speedboats to jumbo jets, everything is there, underscoring the enormous fun factor. These are also perfect if you simply want to explore the island.
They have learned from their mistakes.
So much chaos and so many opportunities to run riot on the island naturally come at a price. And the first players will likely find that price in the graphics, which I'd place somewhere in the upper middle range, but with a big BUT! Because here, too, you have to consider the balance between the island's size, the endless possibilities it offers, the sheer amount of detail, and ultimately, the performance. The latter, in particular, was a huge point of criticism in the predecessor, something that has clearly been addressed in "Just Cause 4." You won't notice any of the sometimes catastrophic framerate drops from back then, not even during the most intense showdowns on screen. Sure, you might still see some pop-in here and there, the texture streaming is occasionally lagging, and the physics sometimes completely rewrite their rules, but I think poor performance would be the bigger problem in this case. On the other hand, as mentioned, the game world is truly beautiful, diverse, and detailed. Nevertheless, there are certainly better examples in the open-world genre when it comes to visual presentation, and these aren't things you can simply dismiss. Parts of "Just Cause 4" look very good and modern, but unfortunately, this isn't consistent throughout.
Otherwise, they pull out all the stops, pulling out all the stops – tons of explosions with a corresponding soundscape that really gets under your skin, and Rico's pithy one-liners like... "Fuck off"Spectacular views across the island, and not to forget: an entertaining radio program, where Rico can't hide his love for the good old cassette tape. In the end, the whole package and the fun factor are just right – and that's what ultimately counts.
