A new video from Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios shows the team conducting research for future game environments in an area that can’t help but remind us of a certain grappling-hook guru.

While part of their research from their trip to Costa Rica will be used in the studio’s upcoming Mad Max title, such as cloud formations, I don’t imagine Max will be spending too much time in a dense rainforest or on a tropical beach—which, along with their continued support of non-profit organization Toucan Rescue Ranch, was Avalanche’s primary focus for the video.

Enter the possible connection to Rico Rodriguez, protagonist of the Just Cause series, and the fat kid on ABC’s Modern Family. Wait. Ignore that last part.

Rico’s adventures always take place in areas of the world full of rich vegetation and wildlife, and the video, which you can check out below, makes constant reference to what the team was able to do in Just Cause 2’s environments.

The video description even mentions that although Just Cause 2 was a convenient example, “the reference material collected will prove useful in many of our upcoming open world games.” And while this may be true, it’s hard to ignore how the music played throughout the video is also part of the main theme from Just Cause 2.

I still fondly remember playing Just Cause 2 and flying a helicopter up to a blimp, landing it on there, and then parachuting a couple virtual miles down to the island below. When you couple this video with the holiday card sent out by Avalanche Studios last year, I’m sure I speak for many fans of the series when I say we hope this will lead to a much-anticipated sequel announcement.

The studio has expressed interest in doing a third Just Cause game, and Square Enix, who handled distribution of Just Cause 2 and owns the company that handled publishishing, Eidos Interactive (now Square Enix Europe), registered domains for Just Cause 3 and Just Cause 4 in June 2012.