Rico Rodriguez returns in an epic open-world adventure set in the diverse tropical playground of Panau in South East Asia, where the aim is to cause chaos and destruction in a way that only Rico knows how. Your mission is to destabilise the island and free it from the tyranny of the evil dictator, Baby Panay. Tackle missions and objectives in any way you want while exploring the highly-detailed and beautiful island by land, sea or air, performing an insane range of new daredevil stunts and mastering the use of the all new grappling hook and Rico's trademark parachute...

Just Cause 2 is the follow-up to 2006's Just Cause. Once again you have an island to explore (this time 1000Km² (400miles² - over 4 times more terrain than the first game) which features just about every conceivable weather condition found on Earth: snow-capped mountains, sun-kissed beaches, dense jungle and arid deserts.

As in the original game, this is an open-world game in which you can freely explore the islands using a combination of aircraft, road vehicles and boats. Of course you can also jump of bridges, cliffs or out of planes and deploy you parachute. You have an endless supply of these so if you realise that you deployed it a little too soon you can cut yourself free and go into free fall for a while until you chose to deploy your parachute again. You play as Rico Rodriguez with one simple goal - bring down the ruler of the islands and free the people that suffer under his regime.

As with the previous game, there are a number of gangs that operate on the islands and it's up to you who you work for and when. It's up to you whether you stay loyal to one group or spread your workload around. Personally, I found it more interesting to work for each group - as you get to learn a little about them in cut sequences.

There are also the local police to think of. Should you shoot in a built up area, or violate any traffic laws, the local police will be alerted to your activity. If you attack them then they step up their efforts to bring you down - so keeping a low profile is essential. And if they are chasing you, it's a simple case of getting as far away from their radar as possible.

When you start the game you are shepherded through your first challenge (in order to get you used to the controls). However, this doesn't feel like a tutorial at all, more an introduction to the islands and the world you're about to enter. Once that's out of the way you're into the game proper. You can just explore the islands, or start straight away by making yourself known to one of the gangs - at which point they'll send you on a mission.

These missions usually involve taking control of an area and entails you killing anyone who gets in your way, as well as destroying as much of the environment as possible. To let you know how much more of your surroundings you have to destroy, there are 'Chaos Points' as well as an indicator which tells you what percentage of your current objective you've brought down in flames.

Not far into the game you are introduced to a black market dealer who can get you anything you need, for a price. However, not all items are available to you and you'll have to unlock them as you progress through the game. But to start with you can have a small range of vehicles (including a plane) firearms and the use of an extraction team who will pick you up and take you to wherever you want to go.

That's pretty much all you need to know, the rest of the game dealswith your taking over more territory. But it's the exploration that can be had that's really interesting. Although I have to admit that if you're planning on completing this game, and that's all you're focused on, you may get frustrated with the amount of distance you have to travel. If you travel everywhere by car then you're going to spend hours on the roads. So knowing where the nearest helicopter is is essential.

There are also mini-challenges dotted around the map which make an interesting diversion. The map, incidentally, is well realised and, surprisingly, is rendered in 3D - not essential, but a nice touch.

There are also numerous Easter Eggs (a quick Internet search should provide you with their location) but it's well worth seeking out the island that features in the TV show Lost (which can be found at 1742 x 4363) and the beached whale which can be blown up in order to give you a hidden item (29678 x 31349). You can also find a bubble blower as well as a hot air balloon.

A lot of care and attention to detail has gone into this release and you'll constantly discover little touches that make you want to spend hours just discovering the environment. Fans of the first game will love how much more fun this second offering is.

9

Darren Rea