Just 'cause it was in a charity bundle

"Isn't good enough" is how I most recently summarized Just Cause 2, and I really can't come up with a better overview for Just Cause 3.

The traversal mechanics are kind-of neat, grapple-pulling and parachuting around; but neutered, in comparison to similar grappling concepts from Batman: Arkham City or Marvel's Spider-Man -- due to this game's lack of tall buildings. Its proclivity for explosiveness is cool, but not as dense, or strategic, as The Saboteur's. The variety of guns is somewhat impressive, but well short of the armory in Red Faction: Guerrilla (and the controls still aren't responsive or intuitive enough). The story is flippantly nonsense, but not in the fun way that Saints Row embraces so well.

The "point," to me, is demonstrated in its liberation system: blow up all the items of interest in an enemy stronghold, so that the rebels can overtake it. But some of these items are bizarrely small, effectively hidden; and until you find and destroy them all, enemies will continue swarming the area. Then, once you've finally destroyed the last widget, a switch immediately flips and the enemies are replaced by allies. This is a primary - maybe the primary - gameplay loop, yet it plays like a hidden-object game and completing it has no dramatic or satisfying payoff.

Just Cause 3's checklist of content and features is impressive, and its execution has improved since the preceding game, but it still doesn't measure up to its sandbox competitors; even ones that were released 5 or more years earlier.

Better than: Just Cause 2
Not as good as: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, or any of the other games I name-checked.
It's not like I expected anything different: but, hey, it's for charity right?

Progress: Unlocked fast travel.