Just Cause 2: A sleeper hit?

[King of the Sandbox]

Ok, this game is spectacular. Gorgeous graphics and diverse area types, hundreds of opportunities for destruction and chaos (the thing everyone love most about other sandboxers, despite any attempt to do otherwise by the narrative) and fun grappling hook and parachute and tethering physics to play with, a game world that seems bigger than Texas, and lots of fun and diverse vehicle types to drive off of cliffs/run people over with/drop onto enemies.

So why is this game not getting a lot of attention?

I mean, granted, the story is meh, and the voice acting is laughable, but that's part of the fun for me. It's like the devs were fully aware of everyone's tendency to just go ape in a sandbox, and made the story something to laugh along with, like the dialogue from an early 90's Stallone/Ahnold/Van Damme action movie.

I have to believe it's the lack of hype, and I kind of understand. Budgets and whatnot, being what they are, maybe they didn't have the cash to spring on more TV spots or ads on video game websites?

Maybe they had the budget, and were afraid of the hype monster that can usually kill some games or turn the gaming community against them?

I mean, to be fair, I had never even heard of Just Cause 1 at all. Ever. But then I happen to see a video for JC2 somewhere while Stumbling and I was immediately intrigued.

So, I ask again, why do you think this game isn't getting much attention?

EDIT: Apparently, JC2 has topped the UK charts according to several sites like Joystiq.

Awesome. Now I don't feel as bad about this game being under-appreciated. ^_^

 

[YouCallMeNighthawk]

I'm not sure, It's probably because the first one sucked! but that's my personal opinion.

Plus it's not like any major games have come out around JC2 release date to keep it hidden.

 

[Gardenclaw]

Having now played this at a friends house, It could well be a sleeper hit. I'd written it off as the first one was such a let down. But the grappling hook/parachuteglider combo is awesome and it's a whole heap of fun.

 

[Aeshi]

I played the demo and really liked it.If it wasn't for the bugged settings that mean I have to play it at 640x320 I probably would've bought it

 

[joschen]

Well, you know. Avalanche Studios. Swedish. Subtle...

It's a great game thou. I personally loved it of the same reasons you did. But the story is completely retarded, its lite it was written by(Maybe "for"?) 12 year old boys.
Its almost like they first made the scenes and after that cooked up a story to bind it together.

The final boss battle is probably the most awesome thing I've ever seen in gaming ways.

 

[Zannah]

It's fun, granted, but for a true hit, it lacks a couple of things (proper controls among them)

 

[Audio]

I wonder why people are into this too. This game doesnt seem to offer anything new. It reminds me of Mercenaries 2 and apparently that was pretty crappy. :[

 

[Comte de Frou Frou]

I agree with most people on here that it's because of the first one but it may have something to do with a better game(s?) that are coming out in the next month.

Speaking personally I haven't bought JC2 even though I want to mainly because I'm saving money for Red Dead Redemption. It may have something to do with people budgeting like I am :s

 

[Tattaglia]

I don't think it's a sleeper hit, not here in New Zealand anyway. I've seen multiple TV ads, and when I tried to pick it up at my local game store a few days after its release the guy told me it had sold out on the first day.

The game is awesome anyway. I'm fairly certain the voice acting and plot are bad on purpose - how could you take anything seriously when you're grappling to helicopters in midair, flying to the airport, hijacking a jumbo jet and flying into a military base?

 

[aPod]

I enjoyed the first one. One of those i could play a bit, then play something else, and come back to it after awhile. Good fun.

I havent checked the second out, and i'll likely get it once its bargain bin.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

I played the demo and really liked it.If it wasn't for the bugged settings that mean I have to play it at 640x320 I probably would've bought it

I never played the demo, but from what I've heard from other people, the demo didn't do it justice.

It's fun, granted, but for a true hit, it lacks a couple of things (proper controls among them)

The controls just take a moment to get used to. Trust me, I was initially frustrated, but after only a little while, I was Spider-Man'ing like a pro. My friends actually watch me play just to see some of the crazy stuff I can pull off in combat.

My main problem with the controls, honestly, was that I had be pre-conditioned by other games (like GTA IV). I got over it pretty quickly though.

Everybody probably wrote it off because of the first one... Hell, i liked it but not many people did.

I had never even heard of it, but I'd like to check it out just for reference. Though yes, I hear it's pretty bad.

I wonder why people are into this too. This game doesnt seem to offer anything new. It reminds me of Mercenaries 2 and apparently that was pretty crappy. :[

This game kicks Mercenaries in the dick and takes it's lunch money, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

Maybe not everyone thinks it's so great? I, for one, hate games without fluent animations, among other things. And animations in this game are terrible. Second, lack in variety, as far as I've read, there are only 2 types of enemies, which are normal dudes and

Spoiler

ninjas

. And the latter ones are able to teleport too, for some reason, which, to me, is retarded.

And last but not the least, if you've played even one or two games where you're able to do some sort of destruction, the destruction here is bland and boring. Destruction should be done with an engine suited for that, a la Red Faction: Guerilla.

Edit: after watching a video on the said matter, it appears the AI is really dumb aswell.

Spoiler

Ze ninjas

, for one, stay in one place until you shoot them, when you get 1 or 2 hits off, they teleport and then proceed standing in place. Not good AI.

So there you go, this is why it's a sleeper hit.

Uhm,... I don't know about those guys, I haven't gotten to them yet, but there are other enemies. Like, some really funny ones.

Spoiler

Like, 100 year old Japanese soldiers who think the war's still on

As for the A.I., (barring the enemies you mention) they seem to do a good job of routinely finding cover. They've even impressed me by a group of them splitting up to circle the building I'm taking cover behind, to get me in a classic pincer maneuver.

And I dare you to find enemy AI that are harder to hit with frag grenades without cooking them first.
I also really like that paratrooped in reinforcements actually shoot at me while still in the air, instead of waiting until they hit the ground.

 

[Tharwen]

I got the trial, and I just found it dull. I couldn't get any decent explosions going, killing people was pointlessly awkward, and the buildings weren't destructible. For a sandbox game that is sold on having explosions and destruction, there was surprisingly little destruction.

Playing it generally felt awkward. Also, the way barrels and gas canisters fly away instead of exploding is just annoying.

 

[Horticulture]

I'm not sure, It's probably because the first one sucked! but that's my personal opinion.

Probably this. The first Just Cause sucked so hard. It also launched around the same time as a bunch of other big games (Mass Effect 2, Bad Company 2, Metro 2033 etc.)

That said, the demo makes Just Cause 2 look great, comically awful voice acting and all.

 

[Zing]

I mean, granted, the story is meh, and the voice acting is laughable, but that's part of the fun for me. It's like the devs were fully aware of everyone's tendency to just go ape in a sandbox, and made the story something to laugh along with, like the dialogue from an early 90's Stallone/Ahnold/Van Damme action movie.

That's why I didn't buy it.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

I got the trial, and I just found it dull. I couldn't get any decent explosions going, killing people was pointlessly awkward, and the buildings weren't destructible. For a sandbox game that is sold on having explosions and destruction, there was surprisingly little destruction.

Playing it generally felt awkward. Also, the way barrels and gas canisters fly away instead of exploding is just annoying.

I keep saying this, I know, but don't judge it on the demo.

Not all buildings are destructible, but almost all the epic ones are, and there's still plenty to blow up. Gas stations, sat arrays, huge fuel reserves, guard towers, giant cranes, oil platforms, etc, etc. Trust me, in the full game, there's PLENTY of destruction.

And only the slender propane tanks fly away, regular barrels explode as normal. But even with those, there's so much more to do than just shoot them and blow them up.

Try latching on to one of those propane tanks, shooting it, then viola! Instant emergency escape rocket. Just be sure to jump off before, well, y'know.

As for the barrels, (And I CANNOT stress this enough) get creative. Tether and enemy to one, shoot the barrel, and watch in hideous glee as he franticly screams and panics, trying to remove the tether.

I just don't think the demo gives you enough time to get the feel for the game or really experiment.

 

[Tharwen]

I got the trial, and I just found it dull. I couldn't get any decent explosions going, killing people was pointlessly awkward, and the buildings weren't destructible. For a sandbox game that is sold on having explosions and destruction, there was surprisingly little destruction.

Playing it generally felt awkward. Also, the way barrels and gas canisters fly away instead of exploding is just annoying.

I keep saying this, I know, but don't judge it on the demo.

Not all buildings are destructible, but almost all the epic ones are, and there's still plenty to blow up. Gas stations, sat arrays, huge fuel reserves, guard towers, giant cranes, oil platforms, etc, etc. Trust me, in the full game, there's PLENTY of destruction.

And only the slender propane tanks fly away, regular barrels explode as normal. But even with those, there's so much more to do than just shoot them and blow them up.

Try latching on to one of those propane tanks, shooting it, then viola! Instant emergency escape rocket. Just be sure to jump off before, well, y'know.

As for the barrels, (And I CANNOT stress this enough) get creative. Tether and enemy to one, shoot the barrel, and watch in hideous glee as he franticly screams and panics, trying to remove the tether.

I just don't think the demo gives you enough time to get the feel for the game or really experiment.

In that case they need a better trial.

However, I'll try it again if I still have some trial time left.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

snip
In that case they need a better trial.

However, I'll try it again if I still have some trial time left.

Heck, screw the limited demo. Just go rent it if you can. That way you can play with everything instead of just a limited amount of time and limited amount of the islands (if what I've heard of the demo is correct).

Seriously, this game is like, the epitome of sandbox games. If that's not your thing, I can dig that. But if you like sandboxers in the slightest, this one will give you a giant playground to just goof around in.

If the story bothers, you, ignore it. I am. For now, at least, until I feel like laughing at the awesomely cheesy advances of Bolo again.

As a matter of fact, I'd even venture to say this game is probably the most fun virtual playground I was ever allowed to run free in. And people don't usually go to a playground for the stimulating storytelling anyway.

 

[Torque669]

I have to believe it's the lack of hype, and I kind of understand. Budgets and whatnot, being what they are, maybe they didn't have the cash to spring on more TV spots or ads on video game websites?

Maybe they had the budget, and were afraid of the hype monster that can usually kill some games or turn the gaming community against them?

Lack of budget ? Are you kidding me? It was all over gaming websites and in England it was on pretty much every advert break on every channel and they sponsored an entire channel's prime time viewing.

I played it as well. Incredibly fun but its Just Cause 1 with more things to do and a bigger island they didnt really fix anything which was wrong with the first game however it was still incredibly fun but I still think Saints Row 2 beats it.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

I have to believe it's the lack of hype, and I kind of understand. Budgets and whatnot, being what they are, maybe they didn't have the cash to spring on more TV spots or ads on video game websites?

Maybe they had the budget, and were afraid of the hype monster that can usually kill some games or turn the gaming community against them?

Lack of budget ? Are you kidding me? It was all over gaming websites and in England it was on pretty much every advert break on every channel and they sponsored an entire channel's prime time viewing.

I played it as well. Incredibly fun but its Just Cause 1 with more things to do and a bigger island they didnt really fix anything which was wrong with the first game however it was still incredibly fun but I still think Saints Row 2 beats it.

Sorry, yeah, I'm just finding out that it's pretty big in Europe. That's my bad.

Here in the states, we didn't hear a lot about it. At least, I didn't, and I'm all over gaming sites and shows nearly all the time, so it surprised me.