Just Cause 3 Hands-On Review: 7 Explosive New Details

7. The Characters Are Well-Written And Likeable

Much of my latest play session on Just Cause 3 focused on the plot and mission structure of the game. I wasn't terribly excited about this, considering everything I was told about the storyline up to that point was that it'd very much play second fiddle to the game's sandbox silliness. But the early interactions with key characters Mario and Dimah were promising. Mario is Rico's childhood friend, and looks set to provide the comic relief for the game. I took an instant liking to him when he and Rico first met, as he animatedly made plane and gun sounds while describing Rico's explosive arrival on the island. There's a serious side to the guy too, as he's a leading figure in the rebellion against Di Ravello, and I felt aware of his vulnerability. Yes, for perhaps the first time ever, a Just Cause game might actually invest me in a character. The middle-aged science boff, Dimah, is also intriguing, with a scar on her face and strangely aloof attitude towards Rico hinting that we'll uncover some dark secrets about her past as the game goes on. Of course, Just Cause 3 will not be a story-oriented game, but it's still great to see a bit more effort from Avalanche on this front, which will add some welcome structure to the game where its predecessors were lacking it.