Better Late Than Never Reviews: Crackdown.

Liberaliter

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Sep 17, 2008
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Haven't done a review in a while, so to stop myself from sinking into obscurity here is my fourth review.



[HEADING=1]Crackdown.[/HEADING]

Crackdown was an early open world game released as a 360 exclusive in 2007, it was a surprise to many who only found themselves playing for the Halo 3 beta included at launch.

[HEADING=3]The Good[/HEADING]

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's an agent soaring over the rooftops! Most open world games featured cars and other vehicles as transportation across the map, Crackdown was fairly unique in its day for providing players with a fresh new way to traverse the landscape. Complemented by an RPG-esque system of gaining levels in different areas, players could leap across entire buildings with their super powered, crime fighting agent. Picking up cars and crushing gang members with dunpsters. The powers and ablilities of being an agent definitely makes this game stand out with regards to open world gameplay and travel, of course you could always use a souped up agency vehicle if you wanted.

It's beautiful! No really. Crackdown uses cell shading, giving its presentation a cartoon like look. This aids the experience greatly and the graphical style really does help the game to stand out. Using cell shading makes the game far more unique and the graphics are quite breathtaking, especially when taking in a particularly beautiful vista from great height.

DIY fun. Crackdowns freeplay nature lends itself well to giving players the oppurtunity and means to create their own fun. From assaulting a gang protected compound from great height, smashing them in with a kick to the face, throwing a car at them or even old fashioned shooting them with a wide variety of weapons, Crackdown gives you loads of ways to deal with situations and create your own fun outside of tracking down gang leaders.



[HEADING=3]The Bad[/HEADING]

Kill this guys, then this guy, then this guy... Crackdowns awesome gameplay is all well and good, but it is let down by the repetitive mission structure. And by repetitive I mean the 'missions', involve tracking down gang leaders guarded by swarms of enforcers and killing them. You do this for three whole gangs, each ending with a boss leader of sorts. This formate encourages the player to approach the various gang leaders in different ways, but it usually ends up playing out the same. The game could have benefitted from some actual mission variety and direction, especially with tools as awesome as the ones provided.

Multiplayer potential. Multiplayer in Crackdown consists of two player co-operative gameplay, identical to the campaign. Except there's two of you. It is certainly fun but left me feeling that it lacked something more. Maybe some more co-op activities or some kind of deathmatch. Capture the flag would have also been fun with several agents jumping over the rooftops. The multiplayer that is there, is definitely fun. But it has so much potential which just isn't used.

[HEADING=3]In Conclusion[/HEADING]

Crackdown is fun. As in really fun. It plays unique, looks unique and gives you hours of fun packed around awesome gameplay mechanics. Whilst undercooked in some areas, this game is definitely worth your time.

Fan of open world games? Then this is a must have

[HEADING=3]Odd Moment[/HEADING]

Sending my agency vehicle flying across the map (with me in it) after a glitch involving me spawning a ramp truck whilst going top speed. Sure it was a crazy glitch, but its was fun as hell.

Cossacks [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.195871-Better-Late-Than-Never-Reviews-Cossacks]- Liberaliter - Better Late Than Never Reviews - 19th May 2010
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SWAT 4 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.191487-Better-Late-Than-Never-Reviews-SWAT-4]- Liberaliter - Better Late Than Never Reviews - 28th April 2010
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Battlefield 1943 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.174400-Better-Late-Than-Never-Reviews-Battlefield-1943]- Liberaliter - Better Late Than Never Reviews - 10th February 2010
Crackdown [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.173611-Better-Late-Than-Never-Reviews-Crackdown]- Liberaliter - Better Late Than Never Reviews - 7th February 2010
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FactualSquirrel

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Well, I personally loved the coop, as it didn't force you to do anything together, it didn't punish you for what your partner did, and, most importantly, it had some awesome experiences where me and my friend randomly found each other while fighting hordes of guys.

It was awesome
 

Liberaliter

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factualsquirrel said:
Well, I personally loved the coop, as it didn't force you to do anything together, it didn't punish you for what your partner did, and, most importantly, it had some awesome experiences where me and my friend randomly found each other while fighting hordes of guys.

It was awesome
No doubt. Crackdown 2 looks to fix my problems with it thankfully. Shame there isn't many people still playing.
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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That was really short...anyways, sums it up quite well. Disagree about the co-op though.

Just wish you'd mentioned the terrible vehicle soundtrack that includes this:


Then again, music is all taste.
 

FactualSquirrel

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Dec 10, 2009
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Liberaliter said:
factualsquirrel said:
Well, I personally loved the coop, as it didn't force you to do anything together, it didn't punish you for what your partner did, and, most importantly, it had some awesome experiences where me and my friend randomly found each other while fighting hordes of guys.

It was awesome
No doubt. Crackdown 2 looks to fix my problems with it thankfully. Shame there isn't many people still playing.
I'd happily run through it again, if you want.

And I'm definitely getting crackdown 2, so I'll add you on xbox live, if that's cool.
 

Liberaliter

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Sep 17, 2008
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factualsquirrel said:
Liberaliter said:
factualsquirrel said:
Well, I personally loved the coop, as it didn't force you to do anything together, it didn't punish you for what your partner did, and, most importantly, it had some awesome experiences where me and my friend randomly found each other while fighting hordes of guys.

It was awesome
No doubt. Crackdown 2 looks to fix my problems with it thankfully. Shame there isn't many people still playing.
I'd happily run through it again, if you want.

And I'm definitely getting crackdown 2, so I'll add you on xbox live, if that's cool.
That would be cool, PM if you want my Gamertag.