"Player choice" can mean a lot of different things. For years, it meant influencing the story — games like Mass Effect and Fallout were built on having a player's choice mean something in the long run. It's a great system, sure, but that's not the only way that "player choice" can be interpreted. Games like Grand Theft Auto are known for giving players an unparalleled amount of freedom, basically allowing them to do whatever they want.
That said, games like Grand Theft Auto typically limit players in smaller, more subtle ways. Certain weapons might be locked until the gamer progresses through the single-player story, or parts of the map are locked away until a specific mission is completed. For the most part, the illusion of freedom is still there — regardless of whether or not that's actually the case.
It seems like Avalanche Studios is determined to do away with artificial barriers in Just Cause 3. Player choice is everything in the upcoming game, whether that means causing a statue to slap itself to death or riding the wing of a plane through a giant, explosive radio tower.
Basically, the video is a long list of improvements the team has made to the series' tried-and-true gameplay. From the looks of things, everything about the gameplay in Just Cause 3 will be smoother than its predecessor. Accessing weapons and vehicles, using the grappling hook and even just getting around are far more seamless than anything presented in Just Cause 2.
Of course, the grappling hook is the real star of the show. Just Cause fans have been plowing vehicles into gas stations for years now, but the idea of using multiple tethers for just about anything is on an entirely different level. Again, it's all about player choice, and a separate series of videos – appropriately named "Choose Your Own Chaos" – illustrates this idea perfectly.
In an age when games are either trying to do too much at once or taking themselves far too seriously, Just Cause 3 is a breath of fresh air... or, a breath of fiery, gasoline-soaked explosions — one of the two.
Sadly, there's still a bit of a wait before players will actually be able to get their hands on the game: Just Cause 3 is scheduled for release on December 1.
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