Just Cause 3 is a huge game, and that's not just because of its absolutely massive world map. No, Just Cause 3 is huge because of how many different types of gameplay it manages to cram onto a single disc: sure, most mission objectives boil down to "blow this thing up," but Just Cause 3 isn't just an explosion simulator. The game features driving, exploration, flying, shooting — Just Cause 3 has more variety in a few missions than some entire games.

That being said, a lot of that variety carries over from Just Cause 2. Avalanche Studios' last game featured many of the same core tenants that Just Cause 3 is touting, which begs the question: what's new about Just Cause 3?

On the surface, it may not seem like much ... but in reality, Just Cause 3 and its predecessor are vastly different. With a week of playing under our belt, we've documented all of the major changes that Avalanche Studios has made to its fantastic open-world formula — and it all starts with the wingsuit.

The Wingsuit And The Parachute

The wingsuit is easily the biggest (and best) addition to Just Cause 3′s gameplay. Not only does it finally give players a fast, easy way to get around the map, but it's incredibly fun to use. True, it may take a little time to get used to, and the game holds out on some important upgrades until you've beaten an arbitrary number of challenges, but that doesn't necessarily matter in the long run — jumping off a cliff has never been so much fun, plain and simple.

There is one major caveat that comes with the wingsuit, however: in Just Cause 3, the parachute is far less useful than it was in previous games. There's a good reason for the downgrade — the wingsuit negates the need for many of the parachute's previous functions — but it's jarring nonetheless.

You'll want to use the parachute for controlling falls and (somewhat surprisingly) gaining altitude, and once you've gotten the first few upgrades, the parachute is easily one of the best ways to gain a vertical foothold — oh, and it'll stop you from falling to your death, too.

The Grappling Hook

The grappling hook has also been greatly overhauled, but many of its core mechanics remain the same. For example, grappling from one point to another hasn't changed at bit: it's still the same point-and-shoot system that Just Cause 2 used. The same thing goes for tethering two objects together or boosting Rico in midflight.

In Just Cause 3, however, the grappling hook is much more versatile. Not only can Rico use multiple grappling hooks at the same time (up to four with upgrades), but players can now manually control the tether's pull strength. In Just Cause 2, the grappling hook would only pull two loose objects together, and the pull wasn't very strong — in Just Cause 3, it's possible (and encouraged) to pull entire signs, statues or other structures down with nothing but the grappling hook.

Vehicles

When it comes to ground vehicles, not much has changed in Just Cause 3. Driving is still loose and floaty — expect to roll your car end-over-end regularly. On the other hand, it's far easier to get around while riding on top of a car, as Rico is no longer tied to specific positions — it feels much more natural than the previous game's wonky, cover-based mechanic.

Driving may not have changed much, but flying is far faster than anything in Just Cause 2. Helicopters and planes take off almost instantly, and helicopters in particular are much more nimble than the flying tanks of previous games. It will take some time to get used to — expect to fly into a few trees or buildings during your first flights.

Overall, the vehicles of Just Cause 3 feel far better than those featured in the last game. Granted, driving is still a few steps behind other open-world games, but flying is better here than it ever has been.

Weaponry

Weapons were a bit of weak spot in Just Cause 2. The explosives were great, but more traditional weaponry was rather limited, and nothing killed the game's flow like wandering around in circles looking for ammo.

Thankfully, the arsenal available in Just Cause 3 is far more expansive and readily available. Rico starts the game with an RPG strapped to his back, and finding ammo for both your regular firearms and explosives is far easier. The variety has also been greatly expanded, with multiple different choices in a wide variety of weapons. Best of all, Rico comes equipped with an infinite supply of C4, so you'll never be more than a few button presses away from an explosion or two.

Side Activities

For the most part, Just Cause 3′s main missions act just like they did in the last game: following the string of quests will progress the story, and you'll unlock new weapons and upgrades as you complete more of the main campaign.

Side missions, on the other hand, are vastly different than they were in Just Cause 2. Previously, Rico would have to work with a number of different gang leaders in order to unlock new story missions — but that's been completely nixed in Just Cause 3. Instead, side activities play out like minigames: instead of flying to the same basic military base over and over again, players will try their hand at wingsuit courses and races scattered throughout Medici. These then unlock Gears, which can be traded in for new equipment upgrades (more on that below).

True, the side missions aren't quite as explosive as the game's main missions, but they're a fun distraction that offer a bit of variety when blowing up everything in sight starts to become routine.

Leveling Up

Player progression was never Just Cause 2's strong suit. Sure, you could upgrade weapons, vehicles and armor, but doing so was a tedious chore. Hunting down collectibles felt like a nuisance, not something that players would want to go out of their way for.

Just Cause 3 largely fixes these issues: instead of finding collectibles littered throughout the environment, players can trade in the 'Gears' won during side missions for equipment upgrades. Not only does the new system make the optional challenges more intriguing, but the vast majority of the upgrades are worth hunting down. True, there are a few that feel like they should be unlocked from the get-go, but in all honesty, Just Cause 3's progression system is a huge improvement over its predecessor's.

Just Cause 3 may not be a perfect game, but it's easy to see how much Avalanche Studios has improved the formula since Just Cause 2. The weapons, the vehicles, player progression — even just getting around the island is more fun now than it ever has been.

For more on Just Cause 3, check out our hands-on impressions and our experiments to see just how big the world of Medici really is!