Just Cause

Written by Joe Comunale  on July 18, 2006

First Impressions: If the suave CIA operative can't give GTA's street thug a run for his moneyЕthen he may just jump him and run with his money.

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Eidos Interactive and Avalanche are hard at work on Just Cause, their upcoming open-ended action game. While the Grand Theft Auto series has spawned many similar titles, the development team for Just Cause is aiming to build its own identity with signature gameplay and fresh features.

In Just Cause, players assume the role of Rico Rodriguez. As a CIA agent, you are ordered to go on a sojourn to San Esperito, a small island in South America, to settle some potential threats. To be more specific, the island's government is concealing weapons of mass destruction. Ah yes, another undercover operative's assignment. Luckily, you will have some allies on the island to assist you with your missions.

Allies can't hurt, but Rico will need more than that to complete the 20-plus main missions. His journey is more practicable thanks to a potent arsenal, ranging from your basic hand guns and semi-automatics to more explosive weapons such as grenades, rocket launchers, and more. If matters become dull, you can also choose to tackle some of the 300-plus side missions.

Players have few restrictions as far as exploration. The immense island is surrounded by smaller landforms, with no loading gaps to disrupt play. Nearly any means of transportation can be used, be it a boat, a car, or a plane. If you don't feel like driving, you can always hop in the passenger seat and sit along for the ride. Commandeering vehicles is a help, but if none are in the immediate area, you can always use your parachute. With a running start, players can lift off into the air and traverse a pretty extensive chunk of land before descending back on to the ground. Going airborne will play in directly with some of the missions, requiring you to land on specific buildings and objects. While gliding, you can utilize a harpoon cable and hook onto vehicles. This can come in handy when in pursuit. The harpoon can also be used when traveling by foot.

The game's visuals pack a couple of interesting features. A day-and-night engine keeps track of the sun's rotation. Throughout each day, weather changes appropriately in a realistic pattern and time frame. Avalanche Studios has also implemented a nice blur effect to better illustrate the sense of speed when airborne. Taking things to the air really is a sight to see, as you'll be surrounded by gorgeous coastal sceneries and detailed backdrops. And of course, there are no load sequences to interrupt play.