Just Cause

2006 Avalanche Studios Action

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Steam DeckPlayable

Gamicality score

Metacritic 754

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 651

How it’s combined

Playability today

2.5

Runs today3/5

Design today1.5/5

Steam user reviews

Mixed

66%

4,940 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Just Cause run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

Steam DeckPlayable

Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1

Played Just Cause lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get Just Cause running today

Install the Just Cause Widescreen Fix and set your resolution with ResX and ResY in its INI file to get correct widescreen, HUD and video scaling.
Cap the frame rate at 60 FPS through your graphics driver, since higher frame rates cause uneven running speed and stop parked vehicles from accelerating (PCGamingWiki).
Set your mouse polling rate to 125 Hz if aiming skips around (PCGamingWiki).
If the game shows an application error on start, copy steam.dll from the Steam folder into the Just Cause folder (PCGamingWiki).
If pressing the Windows key crashes the game, launch it with the /windowed argument (PCGamingWiki).

Synopsis

Just Cause is an open-world action game set on the fictional island nation of San Esperito, where agent Rico Rodriguez works to topple a dictator. You drive, fly, skydive and grapple across a huge tropical map, taking on story missions and liberating towns with rebel and cartel allies. Liberations unlock safehouses, vehicles and weapons along the way.

Developer: Avalanche Studios
Released: 2006
Genre: Action
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics gave it a Metacritic score of 75, enjoying its huge island, parachute stunts and over-the-top vehicle action. Reviews consistently faulted repetitive liberation and side missions, shallow auto-aimed gunplay, a short story and frequent bugs. Players today rate it Mixed on Steam, often calling it dated and janky next to its sequels. Some still enjoy it as a loose, goofy sandbox once the PC version's technical problems are patched.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

3/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
The game shipped as single-player only, and no content has been removed; fan-made multiplayer is optional (PCGamingWiki).
No proper support for modern resolutions and widescreen
Widescreen, ultrawide and 4K need launch parameters or a fan fix (PCGamingWiki).
No full controller support and no remappable controls
Keys can be remapped, but the PC version has no controller support (PCGamingWiki).
Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
Known game-breaking bugs in the current version
Players report saves that fail every time in threads from 2020 to 2024, with disabling antivirus helping only some, and high frame rates can stop vehicles from moving until capped (Steam Community, Steam Community, PCGamingWiki).

Design today

1.5/5

Controls feel awkward on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
The PC version has no native controller support, aiming breaks with mice polling above 125 Hz, and the menus are driven by arrow keys rather than the mouse. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The game has no proper widescreen support without launch parameters or a fan fix, and the HUD and videos only scale correctly with that fix. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, github.fusionfix.io.
Saving is harsh: few saves or checkpoints, progress gets lost
Progress can only be saved at fixed save points in safehouses, which must first be unlocked through missions and liberations. Players from 2020 to 2024 also report saves that fail every time, with disabling antivirus helping only some of them. Source: gamepressure.com, steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
Driving, shooting and grappling are simple to pick up, and auto-targeting locks onto nearby enemies so firefights demand little skill. The full set of activities becomes clear within the first hour. Source: gamingpastime.com.
Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
Liberating settlements and taking strongholds play out the same way each time, and the side missions draw from a small set of objectives. Driving across the large map between them can be tedious. Source: gamingpastime.com.
Camera or movement fights the player
The third-person camera resets to a forced angle unless the player keeps nudging it, and shooting from vehicles uses forced auto-aim that cannot be turned off. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.