Just Cause 2: terrorism simulator?

[literallyanythingelse]

Let me first say that I'm having a great time with Just Cause 2: Its fantastic mindless silly fun. But I've had this growing uncomfortable feeling that you are essentially just playing a terrorist. I haven?t finished the game but from what I?ve done so far I feel this is a well-informed point to bring up.
The basic plot, as far as I can gather, is you are an agent from some non-descript American agency sent in to destabilise some third world dictatorship. You accomplish this by doing missions for the three rebel groups on the island and just generally blowing things up. This is fine when the missions are something like 'go to this military base and destroy the radio communications mast and steal some weapons? but increasingly the missions have been becoming even more morally bankrupt. For example, one of the last ones was to kill some witnesses to a gang shooting. Another was to kidnap a politician who didn?t agree with whichever rebel group I was working for ? they didn?t even do a Hitman and go ?also he?s a paedophile?. It doesn?t help that the three groups are an insane communist party, a drug baron?s gang and a load of tribal nuts who keep making veiled references to ethnic cleansing.
Even when you?re not actively doing a mission, you can destroy anything that is ?government property? - marked with a white star. While this includes statues of the dictator and propaganda trailers, it also includes essential infrastructure such as water towers, electrical transformers, wind turbines and oil rigs. And let?s just say it?s probably just as well there?s no civilian body count ? collateral damage is unavoidable.
So what do you think? Let me reiterate that I?m still having a blast with this game ? unlimited parachutes and a grapple? Brilliant. But do you Escapists feel slightly uncomfortable with the war crimes you perpetrate in the game?

 

[Vern]

I'd say it's more destabilization of a country through acts of sabotage and violence ordered by superiors than terrorism. Terrorism is more directly forcing your personal ideals through acts of violence. It's a fine line, and a blurred line, and I actually agree with you in a sense. The story itself feels wrong, it's the American government interdicting in the affairs of another nation that it feels is important to it's own personal political and economic safety. I kind of had the same feeling while playing Farcry 2, getting involved in a civil war in Africa and the main currency being blood diamonds, it felt off. Fun to play, but off.

Quite frankly though, it's actually a well done commentary on foreign policy. The game is basically about destabilizing a regime that we know will be hostile, and in the end you have to choose between the lesser of the evils. And resistance factions are not saints by any means, as you have said they have drug dealers, communist revolutionaries, and nationalist/xenophobes. And in the end, the civilians are the ones who pay for it, due to having their water towers shot with missiles and their power generators blown up. For such a simple sh'mup it really does have deep undertones.

But they're still fun games, and I doubt anyone is going to play Just Cause and want to run off to Pacific Island countries with a grappling hook in an effort to destabilize the country. I don't think it's a terrorist simulator, but I think it carries more of a message than it's given credit for. Plus it's a damn fun game.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Ah, but you're not a terrorist though. You're a government-funded covert operative. So it's OK.

 

[literallyanythingelse]

snip

Oh I never thought anyone was going to be influenced to repeat the actions in real life. But your point about it not being strictly terrorism is interesting. Surely you could argue (if you wanted to be inflammatory) that Rico is an agent of that enormous terrorist organisation 'the Agency' that is pushing its ideals of a democratic but definitely US-friendly government through acts of violence.

 

[BlueFishie]

I'm sure it's partially inspired by real events. CIA supposedly has a long history of weeding out regimes not suitably inclined towards American interests.

As has been stated before, though, definition of "terrorism" is very blurry. That said, (I haven't played Just Cause 2, but from what I've gathered...) it seems pretty clear Just Cause 2 is indeed inspired by actual CIA operations.

As the poster below me says; it's just a game!

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[Korolev]

It's supposed to be a parody of US covert operations. The entire plot is a joke, and it's supposed to be taken as such. You ARE basically a terrorist, and the game is at pains to make it clear to you that you are no hero at all - indeed, the ENTIRE point of the game is to bring down the current leader because he didn't dance to Uncle Sam's tune! In fact, that's what Rico says "Someone's not dancing to Uncle Sam's tune?!".

You are playing as a super-terrorist-spy-operative. The thing is, the whole thing is so ludicrous, so over-the-top, so incredibly silly and mindless, that it's a parody. It's poking fun at the genre of spy-films and commando films. It's a joke, and it means to be one.

Hell of a fun game though.

 

[GWarface]

Ah, but you're not a terrorist though. You're a government-funded covert operative. So it's OK.

Thats what is called a "Jackal"... And sadly, they do exist in the real world...

 

[HotFezz8]

this game was too daft for me to take seriously enogh to ask questions like that. my two cents; since having played it i've never considered it, although now doing so, no its not a terrorism simulator, but it is morally bankcrupt.

 

[ten.to.ten]

Any prospective terrorist who tried doing anything Rico does would wind up killing himself faster than he could ever hope to kill anyone else.

 

[Ranorak]

Don't be silly, he's fighting for the Americans, that means he's a FREEDOM FIGHTER!!1!

 

[A Weakgeek]

Why can't there be a game about terrorisim? There are plenty of games where you are an straight out murderer, why is terrorisim any worse? Oh I get it you must be american, don't worry it's just a goofy game. Now let's go and give that ol' stars and stripes a salute ok?

 

[badgersprite]

And the United States has never been involved in anything relating to or condoning terrorism in other countries before?

lol okay.

 

[Weaver]

IMO if you think Just Cause 2 is simulating anything you're insane.

 

[Wayneguard]

Ah, but you're not a terrorist though. You're a government-funded covert operative. So it's OK.

bahahahahaha hysterical

 

[GonzoGamer]

Does it matter? It's fun as hell.

Indeed.
I think he's more of a mercenary than a terrorist. They basically do the same things, just for different reasons.
So OP isn't far off.

 

[Snake Plissken]

One major difference is that Rico isn't targeting civilians. I don't think he is, anyways...to be honest, I didn't really pay much attention to the story. Who the fuck actually did?

I spent far too much time tying 747s to other 747s and cackling maniacally as I piloted them into a spinning watery doom to worry about the real "content".

 

[Dastardly]

Let me first say that I'm having a great time with Just Cause 2: Its fantastic mindless silly fun. But I've had this growing uncomfortable feeling that you are essentially just playing a terrorist...

I think it hits at one of the key points regarding terrorism: Our perception largely depends on which side they're working for. He's on our side, working against an insane dictator, so that's okay with us.

But also notice that he's targeting military and political targets. And really, the only political targets are the propaganda booths and the statues. Civilian collateral damage is an issue, as with the stealing of cars, but I think games like GTA have desensitized us to the plight of the generic NPC.

Terrorism usually centers on civilian targets. Insurgency is the term you're looking for here, I think. But even then, we tend to forgive a lot of shady methods when they're used for our own (wait for it) "just causes."

 

[cainx10a]

Don't you dare call Rico a terrorist! He had to fight against ninjas and evil dictators flying on nukes so that you can post this thread. Think about it. He fought for your freedoms!!!!!

 

[Mouse_Crouse]

As has been pointed out. You ARE just playing a terrorist. And the game points that out although you are doing it under the guise of government sponsored instability. Thats the point. Heck the title ties in with that as well, your actions are far from responsible but they are all in the name of a "just cause".

Also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Just_Cause

 

[CptRumGuy]

Any worries you may have about the game's message or intent will disappear completely once you finish the game and see the last mission. I mean...wow.

I spent far too much time tying 747s to other 747s and cackling maniacally as I piloted them into a spinning watery doom to worry about the real "content".

Whoa...can you elaborate how exactly that process worked? I think I may want to try that...or something similar, haha.