Grand Theft Auto V‘s arrival on PC has thrown open the floodgates for all sorts of mod-fueled insanity, such as invading whales or physics-defying gravity guns. Now you can add to that list one of the best tools for sandbox mayhem from the last decade of gaming: the grappling hook from Just Cause 2.
Just Cause 2 was originally released in 2010, but experienced a big revival in 2013 when a multiplayer mod was released for the PC version via Steam. One of the game’s standout features was a grappling hook that, combined with a robust physics engine, could tether any two objects, people, or vehicles together. There was a lot of fun to be had playing around with various combinations of enemies, helicopters, exploding barrels, and cars, and the addition of multiple players led to exponentially more insanity.
Modder JulioNIB has created a mod for GTA V that adds in the Just Cause 2 grappling hook, bringing all that chaotic silliness to Los Santos. The hook currently works on buildings, pedestrians, and vehicles, with support for objects coming in the next version. As in Just Cause, you can tether multiple entities together, and also use it to latch on to something and pull yourself toward it. For instance, you can hook a moving car and then fly onto its roof in a bit of action movie heroics. In the next update he will add the ability to hijack a car from this position. You can download the mod and find installation instructions here.
Avalanche’s follow-up, Just Cause 3, is scheduled for release later in 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Although it will not include multiplayer at launch, the fan-favorite grappling hook will be back, along with a wingsuit for even more high-flying madness, powered by a new-and-improved physics engine.