New Just Cause 2 details emerge

By Robert Purchese Published 30 January, 2008

Eidos unveils less flabby sequel.

Avalanche Studios has revealed lots of fresh details about forthcoming PS3 and Xbox 360 title Just Cause 2.

As reported by IGN, the bulk of the changes are the result of feedback from gamers. Gone are the bloated side-missions and sterile areas; instead there's an inventive chaos system that helps numerous factions across the island to grow.

Simply pinch some military vehicles or shoot a noted soldier and let the carnage begin. Improve your standing with a powerful faction enough and you could even wield enough fire power to attack a government stronghold.

Capture that and your influence will increase further, giving you new information, opportunities and prospective employers. Avalanche hopes to have around 1000 chaotic activities to fool around with.

Combat should be more interesting too, with Avalanche keen to parade its new and much more cleverer oh yes they are soldiers. This college-educated stock will tactically use their environment for cover, hop in vehicles, communicate like real boys, form squads, flank, organise guards and order reinforcements from the sky.

Because shooting clever people is more fun. And more fun is what Avalanche was after when it rethought its aiming, which now lets you automatically lock on but move your reticule to target different limbs.

The arsenal has improved and now flaunts a single-arm grenade launcher, detachable mounted machine gun (oh where have we seen that before) and sticky C4 remote explosives. Similarly your garage has expanded and you can fly around in a Jumbo jet or drive a mobile home.

Handling should be more realistic this time as well, with surface terrain affecting performance and a much more noticeable difference between vehicles, because a mobile home feels nothing like a Jumbo jet in real-life.

Those crazy stunts should be more engaging now, as they let you move around on top of cars to dodge gunfire rather than stand still and look silly. You can hang off bumpers too.

And, like last time, weapons and vehicles are all upgradable using around 1000 various parts.

Another fancy inclusion is a grappling hook for Rico that shoots out of his arm whenever he likes, so he can reel enemies in, climb up buildings like Spider-Man or hook things onto his car and drag them around.

Avalanche has also made the parachute much more realistic and added some fancy stunts for you to attempt.

Just Cause 2 is due for release this year.

Pop over to our Just Cause review for an idea of what to expect.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (30) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • muscleblade #1 4 years ago

    This probably wont survive the competition unless they make it alot more interesting than the first one.

  • peteb #2 4 years ago

    sounds promising! i know the first one wasn't all that good, but it was good for a laugh at least, messing around! the clouds were some of the best i've seen in a game too, especially when you jump out of the plane and fall through them. i reckon i'll pick this up anyway!

  • MrWonderstuff #3 4 years ago

    The original was the only 360 title I own where I did my best to get all the achievments. Fun with a capital F. Look forward to the next one.

  • crozon #4 4 years ago

    I am pretty sure this is for the PC as well

  • FmCUK #5 4 years ago

    And, like last time, weapons and vehicles are all upgradable using around 1000 various parts.

    Upgradable weapons and vehicles? There were plenty of different types, but upgradeable? I don't remember that at all.

  • myiagros #6 4 years ago

    Sounds kinda like mercenaries 2 with a grapeling hook.

    Not necissarily a bad thing, but i don't know i could play both within a matter of months.

  • bioreit #7 4 years ago

    First one had so much potential - still play it now just to skydive while the sun sets.

    An engine devoted to now-gen consoles and high-end pcs should hopefully solve some of the pop-in issues, too.

    Quietly hopeful.

  • DFawkes #8 4 years ago

    I only just bought Just Cause, so I'm looking forward to this new one.

    Although this "Chaos" system sounds like replacing one set of side-misiions for another, but I won't complain as I like the side-missions, and the feeling of taking an island over bit by bit.

    Customisable weapons is also always welcome.

  • X201 #9 4 years ago

    First one had a chance to be great but was the most buggy piece of crap I've ever purchased.

    Impossible to complete game due to the bugs.

  • DUFFMAN5 #10 4 years ago

    I enjoyed the first one, but there was a lot of room for improvement. Lets hope this is it.

    Out of all these games it's still Saint Row 2 that I want most, save from the shite soundtrack I loved and love the game, more than any pig.....and thats saying sum-et.

  • Triggerhappytel #11 4 years ago

    I thought the first game was brimming with potential, but the execution was a little flawed. If they can cure the issues of a too-large, too empty play area and repetitive missions then this could be very fun indeed.

    One to watch, methinks.

  • space_ace #12 4 years ago

    and i thought it's boiling point 2... sigh

  • SomaticSense #13 4 years ago

    "This probably wont survive the competition unless they make it alot more interesting than the first one. "

    On the contrary. What stopped the first one was a series of niggliing little flaws, and too few things to do. All they have to do is add bigger and more varied cities, more activities, and fix the horrible car handling, and it'll be nearing a AAA title. It's still probably the most jaw-droppingly beautiful game on the 360. Beautiful in the true sense of the word, not as in the quality of the graphics. Graphics were pretty good, but skydiving during sunset or sunrise was just stunning, and just seeing all the islands while high up was amazing in itself.

    The first game had tons of potential, but was so obviously rushed.
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/08 @ 12:52

  • TuftyMcTavish #14 4 years ago

    Fantastic news!!! I loved the first game - it was a great sandbox environment to tool around within. I spent hours stunting around, flying down narrow passes, base-jumping, loop-the-looping etc. One of the first games I got all 1,000 points on. I can highly recommend this. I only hope there's more meat to the main storyline as it was too easy to finish that quickly leaving you with lots of samey things to do if you didn't pace yourself.

  • glaeken #15 4 years ago

    @X201 Weird as I managed to finish it fine.

    I actually ended up really liking the first game though it did take a while to grow on me. Once you got the deployable gyrocopter it became fantastic fun.

  • X201 #16 4 years ago

    Glaeken - which platform?

  • glaeken #17 4 years ago

    This was on the 360. I do remember people saying some of the missions were buggy and could not be completed when the game came out but never had any issues myself. Just the luck of the draw I guess.

  • PEANUTXXI #18 4 years ago

    Auto aim made the original a joke. Even Stevie Wonder could frag half an army. Plus it was very "samey". Good concept but poorly executed. Hopefully this ones a big improvement.

  • Milbe #19 4 years ago

    you could fly a helicopter in in the first one, which is a huge plus for me! problem was there was not much interesting stuff to do other than flying around and enjoing the scenery. i hope the second one improves on that.

  • snale #20 4 years ago

    Sounds like they have borrowed a few ideas from Crackdown.. Not that I mind, crackdown was ace so it can only make the game better :)

  • X201 #21 4 years ago

    @Glaeken- the PC version was an absolute dog.

    Had two helicopter gunships and numerous army and police chasing me - all the time, even when not in a mission.
    If I went to safe house I could clear them but the very second that police or army spotted me the gunships and jeeps started chasing me again :(

    Plus it kept playing the "eh stop senior!" and other police sound files all the time, in the middle of the jungle without a soul about or high altitude on a plane,every so often it would go "eh stop senior!"


    I really wanted to enjoy it.

  • riz23 #22 4 years ago

    I thought the game engine was pretty good and I really enjoyed playing it. Repetitive at times but a lot of fun overall and beautiful to look at (at the time). I finished this on 360 with no difficulty or problems.

  • BadBoyBonner #23 4 years ago

    I remember the last mission being a bit comical where the explosions were hurling me along towards the main building but it wasn't bugged as such.

    I don't think I actually died on any mission expect for the last one (and 1K base jump attempts!)

    Loved the game and have high hopes for the next one.

  • Darren #24 4 years ago

    1,000 sq. km. to explore apparently... I wonder if they'll actually fill it with anything interesting this time round...

  • crashVoodoo #25 4 years ago

    Sounds kinda like mercenaries 2 with a grapeling hook.

    Not necissarily a bad thing, but i don't know i could play both within a matter of months.
    mercs has a grapelling hook too. these 2 games seem very similar in design. however, mercs has co-op ala crackdown.

  • mkreku #26 4 years ago

    @space ace: Don't despair! Boiling Point 2 is called White Gold now and is due out this year :D

    [link url=http://www.whitegold-g ame.com/
    ]http://www.whitegold-g ame.com/
    [/link]

    Looking forward to this too. I enjoyed the first game even though it became highly repetitive after a short while.

  • glaeken #27 4 years ago

    @X201 That does sounds bad. I would guess the PC port was probably a bit of a quick cash in.

    There was the odd glitch in the 360 version but nothing that stopped you completing missions.

  • Scimarad #28 4 years ago

    Definitely looking forward to this - Really enjoyed mucking around in the first game even if I never got that far...

  • Wille_Ash #29 4 years ago

    Säkert lika sugig targeting och AI som Headhunter. /Wille

  • Davemanz #30 4 years ago

    I really miss the influence mechanic of the old top-down GTA games, and IMO it's a great element in sandbox games, so I'll for sure be getting this.