Table of Contents
In 2010, Just Cause 2 delivered a fun, open world adventure as Rico Rodriguez parachuted in and rained destructive chaos on Hantu Island. Five years later Rico’s back and ready to overthrow another dictator, General Di Ravello on the island of Medici.
As it’s the first Just Cause game to be released on next-gen hardware like the PS4 and Xbox One, we gathered a cross section of review scores and editor’s opinions to find out if this open world game not only hit the target, but blew it up.
Just Cause 3 was developed by Avalanche Studios and released on December 1st, 2015 for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The Xbox version comes with a free copy of Just Cause 2 through Backwards Compatibility. The game retails for $60.
GAMESPRESSO – 7/10
“While still a solid open-world shooter that’s worth at least trying out, Avalanche Studios made too many changes to the formula, and for every one step they took forward, they took a step and a half back. The explosions are still there, but there’s less flow to it all and more obstacles in the way of enjoying yourself.” – Sheldon Jones [Full Review]
IGN – PS4/Xbox One Review 5.9/10
“When the spectacular fireworks and hilarious, delightfully destructive chaos kick off, the frame rate often drops well below 30 frames per second. And when the frame rate drops, it’s much harder to defy death as you’re piloting one of the many helicopters, jets, or cars, or stay in the air when you’re using the fun but touchy wingsuit. When you die, you’re subjected to loading times that can last 90 seconds or more. After a few hours of that, I found myself afraid of another stint in that load-screen penalty box. I began playing conservatively, avoiding crazy stunts that require precise timing or triggering massive explosions in the heat of battle. And when you’re playing conservatively, Just Cause 3 gets boring and frustrating quickly.” – Dan Stapleton [PS4/Xbox One Review]
IGN – PC Review 8/10
“Blowing things up is what Just Cause 3 does best. Though not everything in this world is destructible (typical buildings are impervious to damage, for example) enough that Just Cause 3 has some of the best and most empowering explosions this side of Red Faction: Guerrilla.” – Dan Stapleton [PC Review]
EGM – 9/10
“Just Cause 3 may not trump its predecessor in every way, but it does excel beyond Just Cause 2 in its sheer creative freedom. The new tools and tweaks to old ones work great, it’s just up to gamers to discover how best to use them. Having so many choices you lose track of them is one of the best things any game can offer, and Just Cause 3 does so in spades.” – Nick Plessas [Full Review]
GAMESPOT – 8/10
“Like all of Just Cause 3’s best moments, the tether encourages experimentation, rather than thoughtless reaction, and as the hours passed, the destruction remained creative and unpredictable. New domino reactions and car crashes were always on the horizon. It’s a small mechanic, but its effects can be massive, and it encapsulates what makes Just Cause 3 so fun. Even now, after 30 hours in this idyllic sandbox, I’m sure I haven’t seen every use for the tether.” – Mike Mahardy [Full Review]
POLYGON – 8.5/10
“The actions you’ll be performing in the game as you play, the actual shooting and vehicle handling, are passable but not remarkable. But the strength of the game’s design shines through in the interactions. Flying a jet is one thing, but getting out to walk on the wings to fire at other planes with your rocket launcher before jumping off and zipping to the ground — that’s quite another. Just Cause 3‘s strength lies in the way the often utilitarian parts of its whole work together to create something beautiful in its possibilities for destruction and chaos.” – Ben Kuchera [Full Review]
GAMEINFORMER – 8/10
“Medici’s three islands have an abundance of places to destroy, and I had a good time liberating the nation overall. Avalanche does a good job of giving players access to new tools just as it seems the novelty is close to wearing off, right until the end. By the time I finished clearing out the final outpost, however, I was definitely ready to move on. Medici’s a great place to visit, but I’m not prepared to make it a new home – certainly not considering the state I left it in.” – Jeff Cork [Full Review]