The original "Just Cause" was a unique but flawed open-world game. A variety of bugs, boring missions and a complicated control scheme soured the fun of exploring the game's gigantic tropical island. Avalanche's second installment not only fixes these problems, but presents one of the most enjoyable sandboxes for players to experiment in this side of "Grand Theft Auto."

The story is "Just Cause 2's" weakest link. Rico Rodriguez once again finds himself trying to overthrow a maniacal dictator on a tropical island. To do this he performs missions for three different gangs to create Chaos, the currency that unlocks the main story missions that advance the plot. The story only becomes vaguely interesting toward the end when bosses (and ninjas) start showing up. Aside from their ridiculously bad and borderline offensive accents, the game's characters are forgettable and one-dimensional.

Virtually everything else is improved, including the missions. You still won't care why you're supposed to be chasing down an informant or blowing up a missile as it launches into the stratosphere, but you'll have a blast doing it. Even the most formulaic side missions are still fun, thanks to impressive visuals, Hollywood-tuned physics and smooth controls for the numerous tricks at your disposal.

The grappling hook and parachute still take center stage, and make navigating the environment a cinch. Whipping through treetops and propelling yourself over cliffs and buildings with only inches to spare are exhilarating, especially when leaving countless explosions in your wake. After a period of acclimation, the controls allow for a level of precision that puts web-slinging and bionic wife arms to shame.

The new ability to tether two objects together is less handy during combat, but can be a lot of fun when goofing around between missions. After toppling a statue of the island's dictator by tethering it to my helicopter, I spent a good 20 minutes trying to swing the still-attached stone head into the traffic below me like a wrecking ball. An unseen overpass ended the hilarity in a fiery explosion, but not before giving me a dozen other ideas of things to try out.

Unlike franchises such as "Modern Warfare" or "Gears of War," "Just Cause 2's" best moments are completely unscripted, the result of player-driven experimentation. It's something the game actively encourages: There's no penalty for dying outside of missions, and generous checkpoints during missions keep frustration to a minimum when something unexpected happens. Perhaps most importantly, the ability to call in a helicopter for extraction cuts down on mindless travel time when traversing the gigantic playing area.

Only a few disappointments surfaced. Until you upgrade your weapons or get your hands on some heavy-duty firepower, the gunplay feels underwhelming. The biggest issue by far is the lack of multiplayer -- understandable giving the game's ambitious scope. But "Just Cause 2" provides countless memorable moments, born out of the spontaneous chaos the player creates while simply exploring the world.