One of the most entertaining objectives, when it comes to playing video games, is blowing things up. There aren’t too many series that capture the thrill of that, but “Just Cause 3” is one of the craziest and most over-the-top action games ever made. “Just Cause 3” is the video game equivalent to a testosterone-filled blockbuster action movie, and the setting is one of the biggest which means there is an absurd amount of things to do and destroy.

The story is very straight forward, it doesn’t have a ton of narrative but it doesn’t need it. Rico Rodriguez is returning to his home, a fictional island called Medici, to find it has been taken over by a tyrannical dictator. Now Rico must blow everything up in order to liberate his home and make things safe again for his people. That is just the pretense for why Rico is doing this stuff but it doesn’t really matter, for the player the real reason is because it’s just fun.

The open world of “Just Cause 3” is enormous and there are a ton of places to explore. Rico is one of the most mobile characters I have ever seen in a game. His main mode of travel is flying through the air, thanks to his grappling hook and parachute. You shoot your hook out to gather momentum launching you into the air and you open your chute and fly.

The new addition in “Just Cause 3” is the “wing suite” which lets you fly farther and faster. You can also hitch a ride on helicopters and jets, and drive many other vehicles but nothing beats flying around on your own. A new skill you can learn with your grappling hook is the ability to tether objects to other objects, allowing you to set up some ridiculous things. At first you can only tether small things, like a jeep, to a wall but later can hook a car up to a jet, or two helicopters together making some real chaos.

It’s very satisfying to set up a crazy group of tethers like a gas tanker and enemy base, and then fly into the air and watch the carnage, it’s hard not to chuckle at least a little.

The tether isn’t your only weapon. Rico can use almost an infinite number of C4, grenades, machine guns and rocket launchers. There is an almost endless way to destroy things, and you will have to use them if you want to liberate the whole island. There are many cities scattered throughout the landscape and you have to find each city and sabotage and blow things up in order to free the citizens of that city.

Just when you think you have seen the entire world in the game, a new part of the map opens up to explore. If exploring and creating explosions ever gets boring there are diversions like auto and air races and other mission types.

Overall I love “Just Cause 3.” It looks beautiful and there are a ton of places to explore, but the best part is blowing things up. It’s just fun! If you like action games, you have to play “Just Cause 3,” it is the epitome of blockbuster action. “Just Cause 3” at its core is really just a dumb crazy action game and that’s the best part, setting up the craziest explosions and watching the world burn.

System: PS4 , Xbox One, PC

ESRB Rating: M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Publisher: Square Enix Developers: Avalanche Studios

Robbie Vanderveken is the digital operations specialist at The Times Leader. E-mail him at rvanderveken@timesleader.com.

Third edition of action-packed video game series is a winner

By Robbie Vanderveken

For Weekender

“Just Cause 3” is a jam-packed video game that encourages the players to blow everything up.
http://www.theweekender.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_JC3-3.jpg.optimal.jpg“Just Cause 3” is a jam-packed video game that encourages the players to blow everything up.

“Just Cause 3” is a jam-packed video game that encourages the players to blow everything up.
http://www.theweekender.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_JC3-4.jpg.optimal.jpg“Just Cause 3” is a jam-packed video game that encourages the players to blow everything up.

“Just Cause 3” is a jam-packed video game that encourages the players to blow everything up.
http://www.theweekender.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_JC3-1.jpg.optimal.jpg“Just Cause 3” is a jam-packed video game that encourages the players to blow everything up.