Grappling hook, parachute and wingsuit - how to move around the map | Key aspects of the gameplay Just Cause 3 Guide
Last update: 01 June 2016
Just Cause franchise is widely known from the handy grappling hook and "multiple-use" parachute, but in the third installment of the series the developers decided to improve this element, which is now more or less the core element of the gameplay. Additionally, they have added a wingsuit, unlocked at the very beginning of the game, which allows you to glide, and with proper usage, basically fly (to a limited extent).
Mastering those three mechanics as quickly as possible will make the whole game a lot easier - as well as providing a lot of fun in the process. You can, of course, resort to use vehicles only and completely neglect the above mentioned tools, but during the liberation of cities, camps and military bases you won't be able to use them (because the enemy will quickly blow up your vehicle). Not to mention that a number of story missions are having focused around them.
To increase the effectiveness of your grappling hook, parachute and wingsuit, try to unlock at least the first MODs from the following tabs: Traversal Mods and Tether Mods.
Parachute
The most basic usage of the parachute is the ability to decrease fall speed, so that you won't get hurt when you land on the ground. It is only part of the truth, as you will (or at least should) be using this to overcome various obstacles, in which the parachute is a lot more effective than the grappling hook. All you have to do is attach it to the upper edge of the building, on which you are trying to get, and then during the "retracting" process simply open your parachute, while holding the "move forward" button (or by pushing away the left analog, if you are playing on a console). This way the character is able to gain up to 200 meters of height, if you had appropriate momentum - which will come in handy numerous times, during intense firefights in military bases, so that you can quickly get away, or when you are trying to get out of the enemy sniper range.
Additionally, you can use a "cheat-like" mechanic - each time you open a parachute will allow you to gain several meters of height. It means, that you can go to the "wingsuit mode", then immediately open the parachute, and then repeat the whole process again. Each time you do that, you can gain up to 50 meters of height. It's certainly not the most badass thing to do, but it can be a lifesaver, when you are trying to get to an oil rig, which is 2000 meters away from you, and there's no boat in sight to steal and use as a transportation method - Rico is a lot faster while moving in the air than in the water.
Grappling Hook and Dual Tethers
The Grappling Hook is mainly used to pull yourself to a given object, but thanks to the ability to open your parachute and / or wingsuit along the way, its usage is basically unlimited. It's crucial that you unlock a few MODs from the Traversal MODs tab, which will, for instance, increase the retracting speed. Opening your parachute at the right moment may allow you to gain up to 200 meters of height, or to get a huge momentum for your wingsuit.
The second, probably more important and game-changing application of the grappling hook is the possibility to link two different things together (which is called dual tethering in the game). It can be used to solve various puzzles (such as lifting a gate, or towing a friendly rebel's car into a gas station), but it is primarily used for combat. Attaching an enemy soldier to the ground, an explosive barrel, or another soldier will end the same, in an instant death for the said soldier, as soon as you tighten the rope (it's extremely effective against snipers standing on guard towers).
Additionally, it's a good method of dealing with enemy vehicles, especially helicopters. A "normal", ground vehicle can simply be grounded, which prevents it from moving any further, but using that on a flying helicopter (or a jet, if you are quick enough) will cause it to crash into the ground - it's valuable especially when you are low on ammo to your special weapon.
You can also use it to demolish various - attaching a rope to a barrel and to a transformer and then retracting the rope will result in an effective explosion of the latter. It's similar with, for instance, giant fuel tanks - they will crash into each other, causing a huge explosion. However, you should remember, that ropes have a finite durability and they will simply break if you try retracting them after attaching them to objects that are too big. You can, of course, attach multiple ropes at the same time to duplicate their force (and / or use MODs from the appropriate tab to further increase their effectiveness).
Wingsuit
The wingsuit is definitely the biggest novelty in the whole game (as well as the franchise). Thanks to it, you will be able to move around the map swiftly (some sports car and jets are the only faster means of transport in the game), and you won't be limited to only air, ground or water travel, because the suit can be activated and deactivated at any given moment.
While using the wingsuit, you must remember that, with time, you will lose some of the velocity and you will start to descent rapidly. To prevent this from happening, fly just above the ground (few meters at most) and pull yourself towards objects located in front of the character with the rope - thanks to that, you will gain a lot of additional momentum, increasing your overall speed. You can travel across the whole island like that, traversing through forests and high mountains.
Additionally, it's a perfect defense mechanism, when you are, for instance, liberating a military base and you are attacked by several dozens of enemies at once. Quickly moving around the area with the help of the wingsuit significantly decreases the chances that enemies will hit you. However, you should be extremely careful while using the tool so that you won't hit an obstacle - aside from receiving some damage, the character will be stunned for a few seconds, allowing your enemies to easily deal more harm to you.