Just Cause

Overview

Just Cause is a third-person sandbox game developed by Avalanche Studios and published by Eidos Interactive. The game features ridiculous parachute and stunt mechanics inspired by action movies.

Story

While the explosions are nice, the sky is even nicer.

Just Cause is set on San Esperito, a fictional Caribbean tropical island. Rico Rodriguez is hired by Tom Sheldon as a black-ops operator for 'The Agency'. Rico is to participate in a guerrilla war to overthrow the island's dictator, who may be in possession of weapons of mass destruction. The game's premise (and name) comes 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.

Characters

Rico jumping from an airplane

• Rico Rodriguez - 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!"
• Tom Sheldon - Rico's superior in the guerilla operation. Is always equipped with hair jelly, hard liquor, and tropical button-downs.
• Maria Kane - The protagonist's co-revolutionary and catty love-interest in the game.

Gameplay

Basic stunt position

Just Cause is a sandbox third-person adventure game with lots of weapons and vehicles, much like the modern Grand Theft Auto games. Players can take control of a variety of vehicles: automobiles, boats, airplanes, helicopters, and motorcycles. While in a vehicle, the player can assume a " stunt position" in which Rico stands on the outside of the vehicle, and then can choose to either jump to another vehicle, or to open their parachute. If the latter is chosen, Rico is shot into the air. Other key features of the game include skydiving and parasailing (by latching onto a moving vehicle with a grappling hook gun 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. Players can also do side missions which range from liberating villages to overtaking drug cartel hideouts. Completing said side missions results in gaining "Prestige points" with different hostile factions that roam San Esperito.

Levels

• Devil's Drop Zone
• Breakout
• Freedom Fighters
• The San Esperito Connection
• Test Of Loyalty
• Good Cop, Bad Cop
• Some Like It Hotter
• Brothers In Arms
• River Of Blood
• Field Of Dreams
• Broadcast News
• Love Is In The Air
• I've Got The Power
• Guadalicano Choo Choo
• Some Enchanted Evening
• Dismissed Without Honors
• Sink the Buccaneer
• Taking Out the Garbage Vol. 1
• Taking Out the Garbage Vol. 2
• Taking Out the Garbage Vol. 3

System Requirements

Minimum:

• Microsoft Windows® 2000/XP. (Windows® 95/98/ME/NT not supported)
• Pentium IV 1.4GHz (or AMD AthlonXP 1700 processor or higher).
• 256MB System Memory.
• 3D Hardware Accelerator Card Required - 100% DirectX® 9.0c compatible with 128 MB and Shader model 2.0. (GF FX 5700 or ATI 9500)
• 100% DirectX® 9.0c compatible 16-bit sound card and latest drivers
• 4.0GB of uncompressed free disk space (plus 600MB for Windows® 2000/XP swap file)
• 100% Windows® 2000/XP compatible mouse, keyboard and latest drivers.

Recommended:

• Pentium® IV 2.8GHz with Dual Core Technology (or Athlon 64 series).
• 512MB System Memory.
• 3D Hardware Accelerator Card Required - 100% DirectX® 9.0c compatible with 256 MB and Shader model 2.0. All nVidia® GeForce™ 7 series or higher.
• Sound Blaster® X-Fi series or higher.

Optimal:

• Pentium® D Processor with Dual Core Technology (or Athlon 64 X2 series).
• 1GB System Memory.
• All nVidia® GeForce™ 7800 series or higher.
• Sound Blaster® X-Fi series or higher.