First Impressions: Just Cause 3 Grapples for Glory on PS4

The sequel to popular open world action title Just Cause 2, creatively named Just Cause 3, brings Rico Rodriguez – codenamed Scorpio – to an entirely new fictional setting: the Mediterranean archipelago of Medici. The new map is the exact same size as the previous instalment's gigantic world, clocking in at a massive 400 square miles of explorable environment.

Just Cause 3 also introduces a new dictator, General Di Ravello, who has conveniently taken to the same approach as the previous game's antagonist, Pandak Panay. The ways in which this dictator tries to keep control over the people of Medici is almost identical to the way Panau was controlled by Panay, using propaganda spewing radio masts and vehicles, as well militaristic force to assert his dominance, and all of these things tie into gameplay that's similar to the mechanics found in Just Cause 2. However, Rico's new and upgraded gadgets give you extra opportunities to play to your liking.

Firstly, the grapple from the previous games has been upgraded to allow some additional gameplay options. Instead of just being able to grapple one object to another, you can now grapple multiple items together at the same time, which, as you'd expect, allows for even more chaos. The other improvement to the grapple is an elasticated ability that allows you to bring two grappled items together with force, and this was demoed to us by making an oppressive statue of the dictator destroy itself by face-palming. These added grapple abilities open up many more enjoyable possibilities for you to experiment with throughout your free roaming journey.

The other main addition to the game is a faster mode of transport by air: the wingsuit. This can be activated whenever Rico leaves the ground and gives you some added manoeuvrability. Much like the parachute, keeping momentum going relies on your ability to use the grappling hook and attach it to anything within range. The wingsuit is a great, quick, and easy mode of transport and will be enjoyed most by those that hate long travelling times between missions.

It's no surprise that Just Cause 3 is perhaps even more focused on causing chaos and simply blowing crap up than its predecessor. This was especially noticeable with the attention to detail in the animations of the explosions, with realistic smoke clouds billowing out of every destructible object. The most impressive explosions came when we destroyed a bridge that crossed a wide gorge, which was covered with pedestrians and vehicles. This bridge was one of the new, mass destruction structures that will now be dotted around the map, all for your destructive pleasure.

Overall, Just Cause 3 is ramping up to be exactly what fans of the previous games are looking for: a next-gen, blow-everything-to-bits romp that leaves the details up to you. The new additions do bring a slightly fresh taste to proceedings, but ultimately, the demo that we played relied heavily on the stellar staples of the series.

Is Just Cause 3 grappling its way into your life later this year? Bring down the tyrannical rule of a scumbag dictator in the comments section below.