Review – Crackdown

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Realtime Worlds
Platforms: Xbox 360
Genre: Action

Rating: Mature 17+
ESRB Content Descriptors: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs

The Scoop: When Dave Jones, the man most famous for creating the Grand Theft Auto franchise, announced that his newly formed company, Realtime Worlds, first crack (pun not intended) at the Xbox 360 would be with a little game called Crackdown, a lot of people got excited, but not for the reasons you would think. You see, it was announced during the games development that a beta code for the then unreleased hype-monster Halo 3 would be packaged with the game when launched. People needed to get their hands on some Crackdown. But the amazing thing is, when people played Mr. Jones’ game rather then that beta, they realized that it was a damn good product on it’s own merits. To hell with Halo 3!

The Setup: Crackdown takes place in a fictional sandbox called Pacific City, a place that has become overrun by three gangs: Los Muertos, The Volk, and Shai Gen. You play a nameless hero who works for The Agency, a large corporation that overlooks Pacific City from it’s massive headquarters. You have been genetically modified into a super-cop so that you can eliminate the 21 gang bosses who are wreaking havoc in the city. You can aim a gun with unmatched accuracy, kill a man with a single kick, and jump roughly 30 feet into the air. Of course you can’t do all this at the beginning of the game. That would make things too easy. First you got to increase your 5 main skills: driving, firearms, explosives, agility, and strength. And that’s where the addiction starts.

What’s Hot:

• Upgrading skills can make you play this game for hours.
• Comic book visuals are a delight to look at.
• Online co-op is implemented perfectly.
• Keys to the City DLC is genius and something every sandbox game should have in the future.
• Techno soundtrack fits the atmosphere nicely.

What’s Not:

• Auto-aim feature doesn’t always work.
• frame-rate drops when there’s too much happening onscreen.
• The disembodied voice that talks to you becomes grating during prolonged sessions of play.
• Gameplay repetition sets in when you realize the 21 bosses all act the same.

Final Verdict: Despite some flaws in the gameplay design, I couldn’t help but keep on playing Crackdown. Transforming your agent from a little wimp into an unstoppable machine of justice is so addicting that all the faults were minimized into minor annoyances. The price for this game has probably dropped, so anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of picking it up, do so now. You won’t regret it. But don’t be suprised when your family confronts you with an intervention.