Right up front: this isn't a thread to try to change Jeff's mind or anything.
 
Ever since the Bombers have been super excited for Just Cause 2 to come out, I've been waiting to hear their reactions. We had to wait a while for Jeff's and if you listened to the last Bombcast it sounds like he just really didn't jive with the game and doesn't really plan on digging deeper into it. For some reason, that's a bummer to me.
 
Did any of you guys like the first Just Cause more than the sequel? I'm really curious to know. I really didn't like the first - I think JC2 is worlds apart and immeasurably improved. I didn't click with the first one even a little bit, yet  I find myself firing up JC2 even if it's just to mess around and get 100% at a few locations. Haven't even beaten it because I'm content to putz around the world still.

just a little nitpick: "jive" is slang that means deception. So saying he didn't "jive" with the game sounds silly. He didn't lie to JC2?

I never played the first one, but I'm having a blast with JC2. 
 
I understand where Jeff is coming from. I was a little frustrated with the controls at first, but after I got the hang of it, I started to really enjoy it. Now I find myself heading to do a story or faction mission, and just getting side tracked trying to 100% villages or bases.

He said he has only had around an hour with it and that sadly due to other games he probably wont be able to really dig into it which is a shame, same way how he never got deep into FUEL or even reviewed it at all, however bad it was.

Yeah this game is awesome, but it does need some play time.

Yeah, it's definitely a slow burn. After a few hours playing it, though, it just kind of clicked. (Thankfully it didn't take as long as FFXIII.)
 
Did anyone actually like the first one more? Maybe that's not how Jeff feels about it, I just know his love for the first one is so intense and then he just seems resigned to not playing the sequel. I guess that's the awful truth of being a game journalist - you just can't play them all, even if you want to.

On the 100%ing front, I recently got the 100 places 100% achievement, but the game has got me... now I just can't help but 100% everywhere I find. Not that I'm not enjoying it, but its getting me most distracted.

I'm not really surprised.  I love Jeff, but that doesn't stop me from disagreeing with just about every opinion he has.

I was glad to here that I wasn't the only one who just didn't understand the excitement about it; sure, you can do some crazy shit, but I think I fall into the category of someone who wants a little more structural polish in their games (the story missions are mostly identical, and all end up being pretty tedious and boring).

" Yeah, it's definitely a slow burn. "

I still can't understand how people can't enjoy games like God Hand so I am probably not in a position to understand how someone can't enjoy Just Cause 2.

I never played the first one, but I've put around 75 hours into JC2 so I think it's safe to say I like it. A lot. If there's one thing I've learned from this website it's that Jeff has really weird taste in games but it still blows my mind that he doesn't like Just Cause 2.

Does Jeff like anything?

Jeff is crazy man, just crazy.

" Does Jeff like anything? "

I believe he said it was janky, which I don't agree with.

Does it matter that he didn't like it? Also to those saying he doesn't like anything I get the impression Ryan hates far more games than any of the other guys.

It's a terrible game so I'm not surprised. Don't get me wrong. I am enjoying it but I absolutely can't defend it seeing as it's the first game I've played in a long time where every single aspect is broken.

I love it, have been playing it for 12 hours and only done 3 story missions

It definitely took me playing the demo about 2 or 3 times to get the hang of it (specifically how to properly use the grappling hook and how to do various other context sensitive actions, like stunt jumping, jacking, bailing, etc.).  I could understand it not clicking and then not feeling compelled to continue, especially when he's not reviewing it and has other things to work on.  Still, DUDE'S MISSING OUT, RIGHT??!!  I had a blast w/ the game.  That grappling hook really makes all difference in the world when comparing JC1 and JC2.

I love the game, however, I can totally understand someone not liking it.

Sounded like he didn't take the time to learn the controls.  If you can't grapple and parachute then you're going nowhere in that game.

Let Jeff be Jeff. He has his own taste. If he doesn't like it, ignore him. 

" Sounded like he didn't take the time to learn the controls.  If you can't grapple and parachute then you're going nowhere in that game. "

Despite its size, it still lacks a lot of depth in the game department. I've found it to be an amusing rampage simulator, but not much beyond that. I do like the game BTW.