Cause 4 is an unpretentious, unhinged, mad-old-goat of a match, dance into the tunes in its head on a windswept hillside. It succeeds in insanity, its eyes. It rampages across the meadows of its fancy, turning itself inside out.

And yet there's something phony about this game. It feels like a replay. And I enjoyed that game, I'm not sure I want to play with it again, albeit with a map, a place, and a few widgets.

Cause 4 is an action game where I play as macho hero Rico Rodriguez, seeing the South American island of Solis. The people are ruled by a man and his army of thugs. I must destroy the infrastructure of oppression.

I am aided by a fantastical array of tools and weapons, but my power is a wrist-tether. This allows me to zoom into enemies across crash, scale buildings and the landscape. My tethers are also range weapons, such as ties, jets and remote-control jets that pull objects together, usually with devastating consequences.

If you've played previous Just games, this will be familiar. The thrill of this series is wandering into a heavily fortified installation (power-plant, mine, harbor, factory etc.) and letting loose the dogs of war. Shiny gas containers are immolated. Vehicles are shipped whizzing into the air. Bystanders are hooked on a balloon and left to float by their ankles.

Rico is the badass he is able to commandeer any vehicle or weapon that the enemy throws at him. Rocket launchers and tanks, helicopters are not so much threats. I see you, I tether myself I own it.

Just Cause 4's special distinction is a focus on weather. The man that is bad is a technology nut who's figured out how to control the air. He unleashes tornadoes and blizzards . His band of helpers and rico must catch this mayhem, and turn it. I am master of the winds, sending storms against my enemies.

This game can deliver moments of intense fun once I feel I have mastered the tricks, If it clicks. Just games are at their best when they allow me to go finding innovative ways inflict acts of cruelty on my targets and to break stuff.

There's a good deal of merriment to be had, just fooling around with Rico's skills, crashing one thing to see what happens. It's of crafting a demonic form, in a way, except the end result is squished goons and towers. Destruction is the only recipe in the city.

But Just Cause 4 trips on its own feet, hampered by maddening design flaws, most especially a dull mission structure that pulls me along like a marionette. I unlock the map, section by section, working my way through a tale of battle.

The biggest problem with Just Cause 4 is that the assignments are predictable and repetitive. Each installment feels like one of those Lego sets, in which the same pieces can be used to make a truck or a boat or a plane. Familiar elements are rearranged in slightly patterns. I travel great distances to unload havoc, but I feel like I am always in the exact same location. Switch it on, so the doors can open, at which time I will go in and destroy something else and each time, I am urged to visit the thing. By the time I reach the missions, I'm really feeling ready to quit.

This repetition is exacerbated during annoying assignments, which eventually become exercises in trial and error. I find myself restarting missions again and again, teeing myself up just to get through the thing. This is a mark Just Cause 4 of poor design. The map is confusing, leaving me wondering where I'm supposed to be moving. Distances are difficult to judge. User interface issues abound.

I take on side-missions, usually accompanying rookie soldiers as they attack the enemy. I endure the same-old same-old: drive somewhere, attack some dudes, repeat. Repetitious NPC barks which make the game feel old-fashioned puncture all this.