Just Cause 3 was an over-the-top action-packed ride that delivered on its promise of explosive mayhem and death-defying stunts set against stunningly beautiful scenery. So when it was revealed that developer Avalanche Studios would be returning to the series with Just Cause 4, expectations were sky-high for another thrilling installment.

Unfortunately however, things didn't quite live up to our hopes as we found ourselves struggling through a lackluster experience marred by poor performance issues and subpar graphics compared to modern standards. The game's engine struggles under even moderate loads on lower-end hardware such as an aging PS4 console - rendering smooth frame rates impossible more often than not.

Visually speaking too, JC4 doesn't quite cut the mustard either; textures lack definition while environments feel flat & lifeless when viewed up close compared to its contemporaries like The Witcher 3 or Horizon Zero Dawn. It's truly disappointing given how much potential there was here - especially considering that other Avalanche titles such as Mad Max: Road Rage managed far better on similar hardware!

In terms of gameplay itself, JC4 sticks closely enough to what came before without really innovating upon it either; the core mechanics remain largely unchanged from previous entries except now you have some new toys at your disposal like grappling hooks which allow for more fluid traversal across environments. However these small tweaks aren't enough alone to justify playing through this tired rehash again.

Overall then, unless you're a die-hard fan of the series who absolutely must experience everything it has offer - even if that means putting up with subpar performance and visuals along the way – I'd advise giving Just Cause 4 (and indeed most AAA titles from last gen) a wide berth. There are simply far better alternatives out there waiting to be enjoyed.

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Just cause 4 reviews