Just Cause relies on several different popular culture assumptions to build its setting, which makes it a strange amalgamation of themes and genres. Mix in one of the largest open worlds available, and the end result is a game that can be very confusing to the average gamer at first glance. Thankfully, you've got us to dig deeper for you into the goldmine of inspirations and references. Here's some of the obvious (and not so obvious) things hiding just under Just Cause's skin of slick and unrealistic action.

The most important popular culture reference inherent to the Just Cause series is the notion that the CIA sponsors regime changing rebellions, especially in Latin America and the Middle East. The two most well-known regime change operations were the attempted overthrow of Cuba's Fidel Castro and the coup that eliminated the democratically-elected government of Iran. The various attempts on Fidel Castro's life and regime are quite well-documented, with the most famous being the Bay of Pigs invasion. The CIA trained a collection of anti-communist Cuban exiles and equipped them to invade Cuba and take the country by force. However, the CIA's involvement in the affair was readily apparent and the exiles were defeated by the Cuban militia. The Iranian regime change, in comparison, was much more successful, and resulted in the democratic government losing power and the king becoming a virtual dictator or autocrat. In both cases, CIA agents operating as insurgents or insurgent trainers had key roles in the revolutionary efforts.

Another key inspiration behind Just Cause is Robert Rodriguez movies. The best example of his influence on Just Cause is the action-adventure film Once Upon A Time In Mexico. The main character of Just Cause, Rico Rodriguez, bears a striking resemblance to El Mariachi from the movie. Much like Just Cause, the movie revolves around an attempted coup in a Latin America country (Mexico in the movie, fictional island in Just Cause), although El Mariachi is protecting the president of Mexico instead of killing him. The over-the-top ridiculous action also infuses Just Cause in every pore, with the action-adventure cliches of goofy gadgets, huge explosions, and tons of violence forming the core enjoyment of Just Cause's experience.

Gameplay-wise, Just Cause it fairly standard. It's a standard open-world game with multiple story missions and tons of side missions. Side missions range from actual missions, such as destroying a gas station, to freeform missions where you have to retake a town. The freeform missions are especially interesting, because they feel similar to missions such as the gangland missions in San Andreas, the high-value targets in Mercenaries, and the fort assaults in Saint's Row. However, Just Cause's take on the genre is rather unique in its execution, with a focus on inspiring the locals and causing chaos. Those that are looking for a more freeform environment to explore will find Just Cause a refreshing change of pace.

Just Cause 2 is obviously based on the success of the first game, so it builds upon several of the first game's attributes. Some notable ones that have made the move to the sequel include stunts off of vehicles, freeform missions that involve liberating towns from the oppression of the government, and your ever-present grappling hook. The massive scale of the game is also another selling point of the first game that has made a return of the sequel, although with some alterations (more variety in the environments, for example). All in all, if you are interested in Just Cause 2, it would be best to play the first to see themes present in the sequel.