Just Cause 3: The Prequel or Something Else?

When Square Enix announced that they were working on a new installment in their long-running Just Cause series, fans everywhere got excited – after all, who doesn't love an open-world action game filled with explosive stunts and high-octane driving? But as the release date drew nears things started to feel...off. Was this really going to be just another entry into a tired franchise?

The answer turns out yes.

Just Cause 4 is not so much of a prequel or even an actual sequel, but rather more like Just Cause 3 with some minor graphical and AI tweaks thrown in for good measure. Don't get me wrong – it still has all the elements that made its predecessors great: insane stunts involving cars, planes, boats; beautiful locations set across South America such as Patagonia mountains or bustling cities like Buenos Aires...but beyond those surface level changes there's very little new here.

The story follows once again our favorite agent of chaos known simply as 'Rico', who must stop an evil villain named Generalissimo Salvador Guacamole (seriously?) from unleashing his latest doomsday device upon the world. It all feels so familiar – even down to Rico's signature grappling hook moves which now come equipped with added boosters for extra speed!

Gameplay wise, nothing really changes either - you'll still spend most of your time driving around shooting bad guys while occasionally stopping off at checkpoints or collecting collectibles like gold bars hidden throughout levels. It feels almost as if Avalanche Studios just took everything from Just Cause 3 and simply re-skinned it with new textures.

Overall though I'd say that unless you're a die-hard fan looking for more of the same old thing then there really isn't much reason to pick up Just Cause 4 over its predecessors. If anything, maybe wait until prices drop down below $20 before considering giving this lackluster offering another shot.

Rating: 3/10

Just cause 4 price