Crackdown (Xbox 360, 2007)

Review c/o http://gnadegames.blogspot.com

Crackdown is one of the most recent high profile releases for the Xbox 360. Not so much because of the game itself but the fact that buying Crackdown enables gamers to participate in the Halo 3 Beta. Many scoffed at Microsoft’s audacity to package the Halo 3 Beta with a game that many gamers viewed as poor. This is not the case (no surprise given my first impressions) and while Crackdown is by no means a memorable, epic, or innovative game, it does get one thing right- Fun. The game is just an all out blast to play- plain and simple.

Gameplay: 9/10
Pros: Game is absolutely amazing in Co-op. You and your friend (or enemy) can do whatever you want and be wherever you want in the game world. Goof around and enjoy at your own will! The superhero attributes that your character receives is also genius and makes the game more and more fun as you jump higher, get stronger, and blow things up bigger.
Cons: The “sandbox” lacks some of the diverse mini-games and missions of the Grand Theft Autos, Saints Rows, etc. You Race, Jump, and Kill bad guys- that’s it. If played solo, the single player game can be beaten relatively quickly and with less enjoyment.

Graphics: 8/10
Pros: A unique- comic book style look that is by no means as sharp as most games on the 360. However, the streaming engine/world is much more impressive than the old GTAs on PS2/Xbox and there’s no draw issues or anything. The Physics and explosions are what really save the graphics from dipping further.
Cons: Not nearly as impressive or wowing as most Xbox 360 games…except when a pile of cars explodes from your rocket.

Sound/Music: 8/10
Pros: Explosions, guns, and all the other sound effects work great. The announcer is fun and catchy in a campy, lame way.
Cons: Music and radio stations in the cars is a skimp and a joke- the standard has been set as far as realistic radio stations go in these games. Announcer is very…informative and talks a lot…I don’t mind him, but I can see where if you don’t like the campy feel- you’ll be very annoyed.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10
Pros: Co-op probably has near infinite replay value…especially since you are free to come up with any antics you like. The game’s playability and great gameplay makes it hard to put down.
Cons: Lack of variety in missions and what you do in Pacific City hurts. As a solo experience, Crackdown is definitely not worth the pricetag.

Average: 80.00%
Tilt: + 5.00%

Here’s where the Halo 3 effect comes in…for me playing the Halo 3 Beta was definitely a selling point (well done Microsoft). Luckily, Crackdown is not a total bust and actually a game that captures being a super-hero a lot better than some of the Marvel and D.C. titles out there. It’s a blast to play…and Halo 3 with it just bumps it up another notch.

Verdict: 85%

i'm a little late to this game, but after reading a lot of reviews for this game over the passed two years of it's release, i decided to check it out. and for less than ten bucks brand new, it's pretty damn fun.

you're a bio-engineered agent for the agency (very original name) and your job is to pretty much give all the drug dealers and bosses hell, throughout a city which spans three districts. there's no story, so if you're looking for one, you'll be disappointed, the bosses and circumstances throughout the game provide all of the main "story" if you want to call it that.

the gameplay is simple, you run and gun, but the controls are buttery smooth, giving you total freedom as to what to do first. like many open world games, you'll get lost in it's basic fun factor. to kill any enemy/enemies you see, while gaining experience points for five key abilities: agility, strength, firearms, driving, and grenades.

when you level up (and it will happen frequently) you're skill will increase dramatically. you'll be able to jump higher, run faster, lift up heavier objects and throw at a farther range, you'll be able to drive more efficiently etc. etc.

the play philosophy is a simple but fun one, and you really do feel like the most powerful supercop ever, considering many of the enemies don't really put up much of a fight.

overall, for what it is, and what it's trying to do, it succeeds greatly.

a legit story would've made this game an overall classic rather than a cult type of game.

other than the lack of story, there's a lot of fun to be had, and collecting orbs is as addicting as playing pokemon red and blue for the first time.

if you like open world run n' gun gameplay, then crackdown's the way to go.

8/10

5/10
Presentation:
The game looks nice on the xbox 360. Menu is okay, simple navigation. Map is lacking in cannot set your own way point to a location. Loading times not much a problem.

3/10
Story:
"As a genetically enhanced agent of justice, it's your job to rid the city of crime - by any means necessary. You're the EXTREME solution to an EXTREME problem as you attempt to take out 21 gang bosses and restore order to a sprawling metropolis teeming with lawlessness and strife." BORE! Fight off 3 cultural gangs! The Puerto Ricans, Asian dudes, and Russians.

5/10
Gameplay:
There are a few things different from the GTA series that stands out in this game. You can level your character's special abilities/superpowers. At first this leveling system is great, but quickly deteriorates into a mindless grind for that last bit of experience you probably won't need. One thing I did enjoy leveling was the agility skill. Being able to jump 30 feet high was pretty damn cool. Co-op via xbox live is offered. With a good connection, I had problems when trying to connect to play with someone else. Aside from that - nothing else worth mentioning.

2/10
Sound:
The horrid voice acting in Crackdown could make a deaf mans ears bleed. They did a lame job. Overused voice clips annoy quick. Music choices are bottom of barrel. Play with the sound off.


Overall Score (average):

3.75/10

Crackdown is a mindless action game with plenty of shooting and explosions and a storyline slightly more in depth than cup-and-ball. So why is this a good game? Well, it just is.

First the negative. If you enjoy games with a deep storyline that moves the game along, then you probably should avoid this title. What little storyline existed was far from memorable, and I usually knew I was approaching a boss fight when more people than usual were shooting at me. Really, it is possible to beat the game and not know what you just did.

Also, if you are looking for the refined graphics that Xbox 360 games usually offer, don't look here either. The game is more comic book than real life. Some will enjoy the look, some not. Just be aware that the images you see on the cover of the game don't differ too signifigantly from game experience.

But aside from all that, the game does have some surprising draws. Most notably is the player movement system. Your agent will be equipped with a suit that upgrades, allowing him to jump great distances and run at faster speeds. Jumping from skyscraper rooftop to rooftop is one of the most enjoyable parts of the game.

As well, you likely will find yourself (as I did), obsessively searching the map for level-up orbs. There are two types of orbs: green agility orbs allow your agent to jump higher and run faster. Blue hidden orbs give across-the-board bonuses. And since there are 500 agility orbs and 300 hidden orbs scattered across the map, you can easily spend more time orb hunting than in actual story-driven gameplay.

The game also will allow for DLC, and the Keys to the City cheat mode is pretty entertaining. However, beyond finding the last few orbs you may have missed or jumping through stunt rings in suped-up agency vehicles, the game doesn't offer much replay value.

Again, if you prefer games with depth, then this game is not for you. If you enjoy every now and then playing a game that defies both physics and logic in a bullet-riddled, brain-cell killing orgy of destruction, then drop a few bucks and give it a shot.

I have been playing this game for many days now. I must say it is addicting!! Trying to collect all the agility orbs or hiddin orbs. maxing out your stats which are; Agility,Fire Arms,Strength,Driving,and Explosives.Once you have maxed out your skills you'll be doing some crazy things!!! Explosive skills maxed out makes your blast radius bigger,making your exlosions HUGE!! Maxing out your agility allowing you to jump from roof top to roof top!!! HUGE jumps.. picture yourself as Neo from the Matrix.Its pretty much just like that,and its pretty much just as freaking awesome!! Maxing out your driving skills will allow your Agency vehicles to Transform into Crazy Modded Vehicular Beasts right before your eyes in real time. This has to be the coolest thing i have seen yet in the next gen console games!!! Maxing out your strength will allow you to pick up cars/semis!! and hurl them at the baddies wanting to put an end to your law enforcing career.Also picking up dead gang members and throwing them off buildings is also a fun thing to do! in all crackdown is worth the pick up! plus you get the invite to the Halo 3 beta so what do you have to loose???