When reading through Just Cause 3 reviews something quickly becomes apparent – Square-Enix shrewdly chose to provide the majority of critics with the PC version to review, rather than the console iterations.
What’s shrewd about this? Whereas the PC version runs relatively smoothly, the PS4 and Xbox One versions are said to suffer from horrific frame rate drops and loading times in excess of seven minutes. They’re in dire need of a patch, and hopefully we can expect one soon.
This has lead to many reviewers adding notes to their reviews, informing that their verdict on the console version is still to come.
Eurogamer meanwhile chose not to pen a full review, but rather a self-explanatory piece entitled “If they can get Just Cause 3 fixed, we’re in for a treatâ€. It’s well worth a read.
Here’s a review round-up:
9.0 – EGM: “Just Cause 3 lives up to the series’ standard of high quality explosiveness by exhibiting just how a sandbox game should operate, with chaos and variety”
9.0 – PlayStation Universe: “Filled with action, Just Cause 3 offers a massive and realized world with engrossing scenes inspired by works like those from Michael Bay. Skill development aside, this sequel delivers on all fronts”
4.5/5 – US Gamer: “Avalanche Studios returns with another sandbox of destruction. Just Cause 3 is a lot like Just Cause 2, but a host of additions including the wingsuit and gear mods make the game a joy to play. Add in some amazing graphics, stunning explosions, and a huge world and you have a nearly perfect title. One only brought low by online connection issues”
8.0 – GameInformer: “Avalanche does a good job of giving players access to new tools just as it seems the novelty is close to wearing off, right until the end. By the time I finished clearing out the final outpost, however, I was definitely ready to move on. Medici’s a great place to visit, but I’m not prepared to make it a new home – certainly not considering the state I left it in”
8.0 – God is a Geek: “If you love open world games that are ridiculously over the top, or if you want to grapple to the underside of a helicopter before stealing it, or perhaps call an airdrop of a tank onto the top of a destructible tower, then this is the game for you – and honestly, who doesn’t want to do all of that?”
8/10 – GameSpot: “Despite the explosions and instant gratification throughout, Just Cause 3 also encourages experimentation and foresight, planning and careful approaches. The results are as rewarding as they are entertaining”
8/10 – Destructoid: “It truly is an insane, explosion-filled romp through a beautiful nation chock-full of cheeky humor. It provides some of the best open-world tools ever. This is definitely a case of “it is what you make of it,” and for those with intrinsic motivation to make it the best will be greeted with just that”
8.0 – IGN: “Just Cause 3 is at the top of its game when it comes to explosions and over-the-top action moves”
4/5 – Giant Bomb: “Avalanche clearly knows what this game is all about, and you should too if you want to give it a shot. If you’re aware of the game’s limitations and you’re still eager to blow an open world straight to hell, few games do it better than Just Cause 3”
4/5 – Attack of the Fanboy: “While it’s not quite as well-rounded as it could be with mundane driving and shooting segments, its destructive aspects and freedom given to the player epitomize what’s great about the genre”
7.5/10 – Post Arcade: “It’s not particularly polished, pretty, or innovative. And no one would make the mistake of calling it intelligent or vital. It’s just a bit of stupid fun. And sometimes stupid fun is all we really want”
7/10 – The Sixth Axis: “Just Cause 3 is a wonderfully constructed open-world, that successfully builds on its predecessor’s legacy with humour and aplomb”
6.5 – The Jimquisition: “Just Cause 3 is okay. It’s far from great, but it’s not bad either. It’s just a decent waste of time. You can expect to mine at least twenty hours from it, with far more on top if you get really into it. Personally, I feel there are far better ways to waste your time, but there are far worse too”
3/5 – The Telegraph: “There is a lot to like about Just Cause 3. It delivers something not many games offer: a virtual therapy session. Don’t expect much more than gorgeous landscapes, crazy stunts and massive explosions”
3/5 – GamesRadar: “A chaotic action romp, tragically let down by repetition and padding. There’s fun to be had, but all too little variety in its huge open world”
6/10 – VideoGamer: “Frustrating controls, a bland world, and various technical issues stop Just Cause 3 from being the mindless action classic it clearly wants to be”
