Recent reviews by Moonie

Putting it as "not recommended" because Steam needs a more nuanced review system and this game isn't what it could've been.

The Just Cause series has been known for having very lackluster releases, this one is usually cited as the best one. I would disagree with that - Just Cause 3 is a much more engaging experience compared to this one, imo.

The main problem with this game is the size, by that I mean the size of the map.

The map is massive. It would take you a looooot of time to do all of the outposts, get all the collectibles and do all the races to perfection. There's clearly something to do for ages. So it only makes sense that the content packed into this game would keep you hooked for hours on end. Right?

Well, not really. Once you start really getting hours into the game, let's say a good 5-10 hours, you'll start noticing how repetitive it all feels. The military outposts have a 2 keys to doing them - destroy all the red labeled objects, and collect all the shiny boxes. Some of the outposts have things like pipes you have to explode, activate and shoot communication towers, and nice vehicles you can ride around in. The communication outposts also get repetitive (and are an even bigger chore), the pipes are few and far between (plus there are ones just hiding around the map detached from outposts), and the vehicles are really few. Mostly you'll use helicopters, which you will have destroyed by AA guns or enemy military helicopters, which then turns into a game of chopper-jumping.
Towns are no different - it's collecting boxes hiding around in places, with destroying some military installations and propaganda trailers.

It would all be nice if the game wasn't as big as it is. It would be nice if it could be completed in a few hours. It would be good if the game world was much smaller than it is. Once you complete 100 of these towns and outposts, you start noticing these repetitive patterns. It starts getting boring. The game starts feeling like all you do is just blow up the red barrels and look for the boxes. And once you look at the map, and all of the outposts, and think to yourself: "damn, I still have so much to do..." it really starts to sink in how badly was this map designed.
And i'm not saying there's no variety - there's a lot of different outposts that have interesting things to do - some of the winter outposts and some of the bigger bases have more than just the same red gas tank. But in the whole size of the game, they're nothing. They're something you admire for a few moments, complete and then go back to the mind-numbing routine of shooting the red canisters.
This can be compared to Just Cause 3 - I'll admit, it does feel as repetitive as JC2 at places. But - the map is small. And there's more to do per outpost. The outposts are also much more varied - there's more outposts with different and interesting destructibles, objectives. It feels more fun to do, more engaging. It helps that there's more ways to approach it in JC3, the movement mechanics feel smoother and more polished. It's like the small map works to benefit for JC3 and the big map works to disbenefit for JC2.
What gives some interesting content, a change of pace, is the missions - they're generally interesting. They offer some mechanics that aren't featured in the rest of the game world, which makes them interesting to complete. It's a shame this variety is limited only to missions and the actual game world is as same-ish as it is. The missions aren't anything great either, it's mostly just a few objectives given to you to do. Much more interesting than the open world experience, though.

The main issue many people have pointed out about this game is the horrible voice acting. While it is horrible, it's not nearly big enough of a boon compared to other glaring issues the game has, and it can very easily be ignored as you're not faced with it often (the most is when you're calling Sheldon for yet another explosive resupply).

The gameplay other than destroying posts is very mundane as well - you collect boxes, spend those on upgrades, and then use your marginally better weapons to kill more and get more boxes. There is also no point in using vehicles - 1) the control system is very clunky, 2) your grappling hook is just as fast. If you need to get anywhere far, you just call Sheldon to give you a lift. The driving is a mess - it's like the devs knew you won't be using your car much and just put little effort into making a functioning driving system that doesn't get your wheels turned into an eight as soon as you try to make a high-speed turn. Jets are similar - they take long to take off, but the main issue is that even when speeding up, if you turn just a bit you'll go sliding off the runway like crazy, so it's very risky to take off with a jet.
In Just Cause 3, the gameplay feels more interesting - there's a bigger variety of weapons, each with it's own unique niche, especially the ones you get when you complete the big outposts in the middle of the islands, which give access to some fun weapons. Even the DLC weapons in Just Cause 2 feel like a rehashed version of the existing ones, and the existing ones just aren't that fun to use. Same with the vehicles - the vehicles you can buy and upgrade in Just Cause 2 have all the same root feature - they're just fast vehicles with gun. They can be destroyed easily too. You use it for a few times and it wears off after you realize that your vehicle is destroyed after facing like 10 enemy jeeps.
The devs knew you would be using your Grappling Hook for all of your movement, and in Just Cause 2 it's uses are very limited compared to JC3. In JC2 you can fly around, with parachute or without, hook soldiers up, and that's it. In JC3, you can take down helicopters, take down environmental features and much more that you just can't do in JC2. JC2 also lacks the Wingsuit from JC1, while JC3 has it and synergizes really well with the Grappling Hook.
Another pro for JC3 is the upgrade system, which is full of content, makes your gear much better and actually incentivizes you to do the races for something other than the 100% completion. Speaking of which, you can't even complete JC2 fully without needing a mod. lmao

There is nearly no point in using a high-speed jet other than to look at the vistas, which is the only part of the game I can say is really good - the environments. The environments in this game have huge variety - there's a desert biome, a mountains biome, a jungle biome, a grassland biome. They all look exceptional, and the views you can have in this game are great. The one thing you can see the devs worked on is the terrain, the geography of it all, because it looks beautiful.

The graphics for this game are dated. For a game released in 2010, the graphics engine seems clunky and dated, the HUD looks horrible for that time. I legit thought the game was released around around the mid 00s, 2008 at latest, but no. It was released in 2010. JC3, in contrast, has graphics that are up to standards for the time it was released in.

JC3 has it's cons - the missions in it are even more streamlined than in JC2. But in the end, it feels like there's much more to do in JC3. Despite it having a smaller map. There's just much, much more variety and it's an infinitely more engaging player experience than Just Cause 2.

Just Cause 2's main problem is the map. It's clear most of the development time was spent working on the map instead of anything else, and it shows in the finished product. The game could have been much better if less time was spent on working on the map and more time was spent on bettering the player experience, and improving the visuals of the game.

It's still an alright game, just I suggest JC3 more than this.

A little bit of Monika in my life.
A little bit of Monika by my side.
A little bit of Monika is all I need.
A little bit of Monika is what I see.
A little bit of Monika in the sun.
A little bit of Monika all night long.
A little bit of Monika here I am.

i saw the game on free weekend. i joined a server. i saw russians ♥♥♥♥-talking each other in squad voice chat. 9/10 not enough russians

>be me
>arayybia
>play on settler
>Kongo surprise wars me
>he has a huge army, enough to kill me
>he takes my capital
>losing screen
>Settler difficulty

Firaxis pls fix

Review of both civs:

Inca

Inca is a civilization that leans mainly towards a Science Victory, but has a very mild advantage in a Diplomatic and Domination Victories.

Their Unique Ability is Great Andean Road: All units have double movement in Hills (Stacks with other bonuses, such as Mt. Kilimanjaro or from other units, also costs only 1 movement point when crossing hills with Forest/Jungle), giving you a slight advantage in a domination victory, and roads cost no maintenance in Hills, and half the cost on solid terrain (though with the Wagon Trains social policy from Commerce, you don't need to pay any maintenance whatsoever for roads and railroads, which can help you to get a Diplomatic Victory, since it's essentially an Economic Victory).

Their Unique Unit is the Slinger, which replaces the Archer.

It has 20% less combat strength, but it has a withdraw ability (if you get attacked by a melee unit, you withdraw and take no damage) and it stays on upgrade, so it's recommended to get some to upgrade them, since Composite/Crossbowmen are very powerful units.

Their Unique Improvements are Terrace Farms, which can be only built on hills, and provide 1 food, + 1 food for every adjacent mountain, which stacks (along with other bonuses, including Petra and rivers), and it's possible to create some very powerful tiles with these farms, if placed near mountains with rivers, and possibly Petra, if you have built it.
(If you, by some chance, get a Worker on a desert hill tile, workable by city which has Petra, and has a river, and is fully surrounded by mountains, it will yield 9 food and 2 production, the 2nd most yielding food tile, beaten only by Spanish Lake Victoria, which i'll be covering later).

Recommended map type: Highlands

Now, for Spain.

Spain is probably the most Hit-or-Miss civilization in the entire game. They are dependent on a good start, and finding wonders. They're an exploration-based civ, with UA promoting it, and one of the UU's supporting it.

They can go for basically any victory type, thought their most recommended ones are Domination or Culture, depending on which wonders you get.

Their UA is Seven Cities of Gold.

You get a gold bonus for discovering wonders (500 if you discover it first, 100 if you discover it after another civ has found it)

Happiness from discovering wonders is doubled.

Yields from wonders are doubled. That includes Happiness, Food, Production, Gold, Culture, Science and Faith (Natural Heritage Sites and One with Nature pantheon included, meaning you should pick that for your pantheon, because if you have a NW you're basically guaranteed to get a religion with it). The bonuses for units from Kilimanjaro and Fountain of Youth don't double.

Their first Unique Unit is the Conquistador, which replaces the Knight.

It's a very neat Unique Unit, because it can found a city on another continent that doesn't have your capital, meaning it's worth it to build these and explore with them), but they also get a bonus for sight (4 sight from 2), don't have a penalty for attacking cities, and double embarkment defense, meaning this unit is very good for mid-game exploration. It's more expensive to upgrade to and build, but it's cheaper to upgrade it.

Their second Unique Unit is the Tercio, which replaces the Musketman.

First of all, Tercio is a melee, not gunpowder unit, meaning it gets the 15% production from the Warrior Code social policy, and the 25% bonus Impis have against gunpowder units doesn't affect Tercios.

They have increased strength (24 -> 26), cheaper upgrade cost, and 50% bonus against mounted units, making these essentially a better Pikeman. But they're more expensive to make/buy than the Musketman.

Spain's UA should decide what kind of victory they are going for, i'm gonna cover some wonders here, along with preferred victory type.

El Dorado: Preferred victory type - Culture

It yields 10 Culture from start, but with NHS it yields 20 culture, and with a Hotel, Airport and National Visitor Centre, it yields 40 tourism, which is really good.

Fountain of Youth: Preferred Victory Type - Free choice (though it helps get Dom Victory due to the bonus)

It yields 20 happiness. You shouldn't have too much happiness issues (unless your cities are growing very fast, and you're low on luxes)

Cerro Del Potosi: Preferred victory type - Diplomatic

Though it gives a rather small bonus compared to trade ship yields (only 20 gold), it can help you get a diplomatic victory, but it will definitely help keep your empire have a good economy.

Great Barrier Reef: Preferred Victory Type - Free choice

It's a very flexible wonder, due to that it gives multiple yields, and if you settle near it, and get the One With Nature pantheon, you get 16 faith. But with NHS, Hotel, Airport and NVC it gives 40 tourism, which really helps you get a tourism victory. If you settle near that wonder, then you've got a really good start, and if you manage to get One With Nature, religion is guaranteed.

King Solomon's Mines: Preferred Victory Type - Domination

The 12 production is very beneficial to a Domination Victory, it helps with early wonders or making your UU's.

Krakatoa: Preferred Victory Type - Science

It's Science yield is measly in the later game, but earlier it's a Korean Academy, meaning if you settle near it you don't even need to build an academy, and it gives a neat science yield. However it's frequently unworkable, due to it being very far away.

Lake Victoria: Preferred Victory Type - Science

The 12 Food gives a very good head start to a city, and if you settle near it, you're set for life. In TSL maps, it's near Mt. Kilimanjaro, which is very neat.

Mt. Sinai: Preferred Victory Type - Free Choice

16 Faith on start. 24 with One With Nature. You get this, you have a religion that is unstoppable.

Uluru, Sri Pada, other faith wonders - Free Choice

Honorable Mention 1: Rock of Gibraltar

You start right next to this wonder in TSL earth maps, which is really good, it has a nice gold/food yield too.

Honorable Mention 2: Mt. Kilimanjaro

Gives nice food and culture bonuses, gives units a buff for movement on hills, and is next to Lake Victoria in TSL maps.

The other wonders are not worth covering at all, because they usually give out bad yields and are not worth to settle.

Overall, these civs are good, as long as conditions are favorable.

Thanks for taking your time to read this review!

Try Sandstorm as Dutch. You won't regret it.

Play as Kim Jong-un and Make Korea Great Again!

(Note: You can't actually play as Kim Jong-un)

Get it if you're a science kind of guy.

Babylon.

In short, this Civ is science-focused, with an early game Archer unit and Wall replacement.

Detailed review:

Babylon is led bt Nebuchadnezzar II.

Babylon has the unique ability Ingenuity, which gives them a Great Scientist when Writing is researched. That is a very good early game science boost, and allows you to get alot of technologies alot faster. It also gives a 50% increase in Great Scientist generation, and it helps once you have got Education.

Babylon's Unique Unit is the Bowman. With increased strength (Unranged 7 from 5, Ranged 11 from 9), and it is very helpful when defending your city against early game warmongers.

Lastly the Unique Building is the Walls of Babylon, giving 100 more hit points to the city (instead of the usual 50 that Walls give).

In conclusion: This civ is a defensive civ, and their best type of victory is Science victory. If warmongers attack your civ later on, you should already have better weapons than they have.

Played this game. Got an A+ in my history exam.

10/10

i bought tons of cards to level up my steam account to level 20

20/10