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Just Cause 2 Analysis

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Out of chaos comes order. At least, that’s what Just Cause 2 wants you to believe. Avalanche Studios has you step into the role of Rico Rodriguez, the star operative of the Just Cause series, once again. Like in the previous game, Rico is called by the Agency to investigate the political instability of the fictional island nation of Panau currently under the dictatorial rule of Pandak “Baby” Panay. With that setup, Just Cause 2 let’s you get to the core focus of the series; absolute, unbridled destruction of the environment. One of the main strengths of Just Cause 2 is the large sandbox Avalanche Studios gives you to play in. After a brief tutorial level, the entire island of Panau is open for you to explore whether you’re taking jumps on a motorcycle, hijacking a helicopter with your trusty grappling hook, or “borrowing” a tank from the Panauan military. Spread out all over the island are various military bases, water towers, fuel depots, and gas stations that cry out to be destroyed through any means necessary. You can even get creative with your grappling hook by attaching it to your …show more content…

In fact, no thought was given to any of the characters involved beyond stereotypical archetypes and they are all present. The Chinese spymaster, the Russian general who wants to restore the “glory” of the USSR, and the American operative who spends almost all his time on screen either having a pig roast, making a drink, or firing from a helicopter. All characters present in Just Cause 2 and in most instances, they are removed from relevance just as quick and haphazardly as they are introduced. This poor narrative and character development removes any motivation to move the story forward to its resolution. In fact, I found myself accidentally unlocking the next story mission merely because I was just roaming around destroying anything I

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