Just Cause (video game series)

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Just Cause
Logo utilized in Just Cause
Genre(s)	Action-adventure, third-person shooter
Developer(s)	Avalanche Studios
Publisher(s)	Square Enix Eidos Interactive (2006–2010)
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox One
First release	Just Cause September 22, 2006
Latest release	Just Cause 4 December 4, 2018

Just Cause is an action-adventure video game series created by Avalanche Studios, which was formerly owned by Eidos Interactive and after 2009 by Square Enix Europe. The series consists of Just Cause, Just Cause 2, Just Cause 3, and Just Cause 4. The games are open world and primarily take place in islands and archipelagos. Each game in the series tasks the player by giving them tools (such as the parachute, grappling hook and wingsuit) to overthrow a governing body in the game's setting. By June 2018, the series had shipped over 15 million copies worldwide.^[1]

The series directly draws its name from the real-life United States invasion of Panama, code-named "Operation Just Cause".

Overview[]

Each installment in the series takes place on a fictional island nation situated throughout the real world, where the player plays as Rico Rodriguez, a secret agent who originally hails from the fictional nation of Medici (featured in the third game). On foot, Rico is capable of walking, swimming and jumping, as well as utilizing weapons. Players can also take control of vehicles found in the world, as well as performing stunts on them. Additionally, players can utilize Rico's grappling hook, parachute, and wingsuit (from the third game onwards) to travel around the map.

To progress through each game, the player is tasked with a variety of story and side missions, where the player has to gain points with certain factions. When not playing story or side missions, the player can free-roam in the open world and create chaos. However, doing so will attract a "heat" level, which increases based on the amount of resistance to the authorities, who try to stop the player using fatal methods.

The player can partake in a variety of optional side missions, such as liberating a village or taking over a drug cartel's villa. In Just Cause these missions are generally repetitive, but necessary to gain points with certain factions. In Just Cause 2 the side missions became unique and more complex.

Games[]

Release timeline

2006	Just Cause
2007
2008
2009
2010	Just Cause 2
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015	Just Cause 3
2016
2017
2018	Just Cause 4

Just Cause (2006)[]

The core gameplay consists of elements of a third-person shooter and a driving game, with a large, open environment to move around in. On foot, the player's character is capable of walking, swimming and jumping, as well as utilizing weapons and basic hand-to-hand combat. Players can take control of a variety of vehicles, including cars, boats, airplanes, helicopters and motorcycles. Players can also perform stunts with their cars in which they can stand on the roof and jump to another car, or choose to open their parachute whilst still in motion on the roof. Other key features of the game include parasailing (grappling onto a car while utilizing a parachute) and skydiving. Just Cause is set off the island nation of San Esperito (inspired by the Caribbean).

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 and create havoc. However, doing so can attract unwanted and potentially fatal attention from the authorities described as "Heat". The higher your heat levels are the more authorities there are and gets increasingly harder.

The player can also partake in a variety of optional side missions, for example liberating a village or taking over a drug cartel plantation/villa. These are generally quite repetitive but are necessary to gain points with certain factions.

Just Cause 2 (2010)[]

Just Cause 2 is an action-adventure game with one of the largest game maps ever. All gameplay is in an open world/sandbox and even most missions can be done in various creative ways. The game is set on the fictional country of Panau (which is off of southeast Asia), an archipelago ruled by Pandak 'Baby' Panay.

Originally set to be released in 2008, it was pushed back multiple times until it was released on March 23, 2010, in North America and March 26, 2010, in Europe.

It could be bought in an original or limited edition which came with Rico's Signature Gun, Bulls Eye Assault Rifle, Chevalier Classic, Agency Hovercraft, Chaos Parachute, and a double-sided Panauan Intel Map and Poster. All these items (other than the map) can be obtained as Downloadable content.

There is also a free demonstration version of the game available for download.

Just Cause 3 (2015)[]

Just Cause 3 was released worldwide on December 1, 2015. The game is set on the fictional Mediterranean island of Medici, where it is run by dictator Di Ravello. Along with a larger map than Just Cause 2, there is the added feature of a wingsuit to be used by your main character, Rico Rodriguez.

In comparison to Just Cause 2, the storyline is now much longer, but there are no faction side-missions. However, there are now Random Encounters (which can re-occur) and a lot more types of races and other challenges.

The game allows players to shoot their way through walls, blow up and pull down even bigger Radars and Statues, which will shatter into more pieces. You can even blow up an entire bridge if you're being chased on it. "That is the scale of destruction we're after, not really breaking a hole in the wall."

Just Cause 4 (2018)[]

Just Cause 4 is the latest game in the Just Cause series, released on December 4, 2018. The game is set in the fictional South American country of Solís. The new dynamic weather systems expand upon the function of the wingsuit introduced in Just Cause 3 and are the focus of the storyline.

In comparison to Just Cause 3, the map is far larger and more diverse, however, the removal of the base capture system does reduce the need to visit large portions of the map. However, the addition of secondary fire for all weapons does present a new challenge for players.

Just Cause Mobile (2022)[]

Just Cause Mobile was officially announced by Square Enix during The Game Awards for iOS and Android mobile devices. It is a free-to-play action shooter game set in the Just Cause universe featuring explosive single-player and multiplayer four player co-op and PvP gameplay for up to thirty players. While the console and PC games are third-person affairs, the mobile take on the franchise will feature a top-down isometric perspective. The game is scheduled to globally release in 2022.^[2]

Reception[]

The Just Cause series has received a mixed reception from critics, but audiences generally have given the series a positive reception. Critics and audiences alike praise the series for its innovative gameplay, open-world design, set-pieces and non-linear approach to mission structure, however it is generally criticised by critics and audiences for its generic storyline and cliché characters.

Film adaptation[]

In 2010, it was reported that a movie adaptation of Just Cause, titled Just Cause: Scorpion Rising, was in production, written by comic book writer Bryan Edward Hill.^[3] Nothing came of these plans, and Hill's Just Cause: Scorpion Rising was never produced.

In 2015, Adrian Askarieh, producer of the Hitman films, stated that he hoped to oversee a shared universe of Square Enix films with Just Cause, Hitman, Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and Thief, but admitted that he does not have the rights to Tomb Raider.^[4] He also stated, at that time, that the latest outlook for the Just Cause film was that it would be based on the third release of the video game series. In May 2017, the Game Central reporters at Metro UK suggested that the shared universe was unlikely, pointing out that no progress had been made on any Just Cause, Deus Ex nor Thief films.^[5]

In March 2017, it was announced that Jason Momoa would play Rico Rodriguez and Brad Peyton would direct the movie.^[6] As of April 2018, Peyton admitted that no script existed yet, and that he and Momoa already had full schedules well into 2019.^[7] On May 21, 2019, it was announced that Derek Kolstad would write the film.^[8] On July 15, 2020, it was announced that Michael Dowse would direct the film, which is produced by Universal Pictures.^[9]

See also[]

• List of Square Enix video game franchises

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Just Cause (video game series).

• Official website