Developer: Avalanche Studios
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform Reviewed: Playstation 4
Release Date: August 11, 2016 with Season Pass, August 18, 2016 with single DLC purchase
Acquired via: Playstation Store
Just Cause 3: Bavarium Sea Heist reminds me exactly why I hate being an early adopter. It also exemplifies what’s wrong with Season Passes.
The final DLC in Just Cause 3’s Air, Land & Sea Expansion Pass was Square Enix’s forced commitment to the base game. The $24.99 Season Pass promised three extra campaigns and allowed purchasers to play the game a week early. I bought in – against my principles – because I wanted to see what the benefit was to throwing money at SquEnix ahead of time. The results do not change my beliefs about Season Passes.
The first DLC pack, Sky Fortress focused on the aerial component of the Season Pass and upgraded the player’s wingsuit. Mech Land Assault keyed in on the ground portion and included a Mech with Jedi powers. Bavarian Sea Assault was obviously going to focus on the nautical part, and it does. Whether or not the campaign is worth it depends on what you want out of it.
In this latest campaign, Rico Rodriguez is asked to embark on a new quest. The Black Hand, the baddies of the Mech Land Assault DLC, has overtaken a new outpost. The outpost, an abandoned offshore eDEN installation, has found a way to harness electricity as a weapon. Rico’s only goal is to make sure the weapon is not used on his homeland of Medici. His associates have other monetary interests in the outpost that absolutely do not matter.
There are no truly new mechanics in the final DLC. You will eventually gain access to a new boat, the Luccador, an armored speedboat. Unleashing it on your enemies is entertaining in the same way blowing things up in Just Cause 3 is, but there is no evolution in gameplay otherwise.
In typical fashion Just Cause fashion, there is a province filled with offshore bases that you have to liberate. Only after liberating the provinces can you progress. The base game’s mechanics are the only things required to move forward. The Luccador is helpful in the final mission but not necessary. As a way to extend the base gameplay, this DLC pack is the worst at it.
I purchased the Season Pass because I enjoyed the base game and was willing to take a chance at the DLC. The Air, Land & Sea Expansion Pass sounded promising at first: three additional campaigns that focus on different kinds of combat. That line of thinking doesn’t account for one thing: oftentimes, Season Passes aren’t fully planned out at the beginning. This Season Pass sure as hell felt like it wasn’t fully planned. The Bavarium Sea Heist seemed as though they ran out of ideas and just slap dashed some ship combat with a thin premise.
Many games eventually release a “Game of the Year” edition that includes all DLC as part of the purchase. Assuming Square Enix will do the same here, that option will be the best bet for those that passed when Just Cause 3 released. Having all the DLC campaigns available during the game’s normal progression will enhance the gameplay a bit. Having to buy your way from the onset made me feel as if I was strung along.
Everyone’s experience, of course, will vary. For absolutely hardcore fans of Rico and his misadventures, the Just Cause 3: Air, Land & Sea Expansion Pass may be a good investment. Bavarium Sea Heist, however, feels like an average mission at best, even for the most dedicated fans.
