Even more than three years after its release, the original Crackdown still stands as one of our favorite games on the Xbox 360. The combination of shooting and platforming in a huge open world city was, and still is, just about perfect. With Crackdown 2, Microsoft and new developer Ruffian Games didn't aim to change the formula, but instead give gamers more of what they liked the first time around. As such, Crackdown 2 isn't drastically different from its predecessor, but it still amazingly fun and well worth playing.
Game Details
- Publisher: Microsoft
- Developer: Ruffian Games
- ESRB Rating: “M” for Mature
- Genre: Third-Person-Action
- Pros: Collecting orbs; fun gameplay; lots of stuff to do; audio logs; co-op
- Cons: Not much of an improvement over original; competitive multiplayer stinks; main story goes nowhere; framerate issues
Story and Setting
MicrosoftCrackdown 2 takes place a few years after the end of the first Crackdown. Pacific City's gangs were taken care of in the first game, only to be replaced by a new rebel group called Cell who roam the streets during the day and fight the Agency and gruesome mutated freaks who terrorize the city at night. When the game starts, the Agency is in ruins and you, as the first super-powered Agent clone they have produced in years, are tasked with defeating both Cell as well as the freaks.
While the game takes place in the same city as the first Crackdown, it isn't quite the same place. Basically, the years haven't been kind to Pacific City, and it lies in ruins. Recognizable landmarks from the first game are crumbling, bridges are broken, buildings are battered - it isn't a pretty sight.
Interestingly, even though you are in the same city, it feels different from before somehow. The flow of the game has you seeing the city from different angles and perspectives, which makes the city feel fresh. It also certainly helps that the green and blue ability orbs hidden all over the city are rarely in the same places they were last time, so you don't get deja vu from climbing the same buildings and doing all of the same stuff.
Gameplay
If you aren't already familiar with Crackdown, you play as an Agent who is super fast, super strong, and super skilled. As you play, your skills grow and change organically depending on what you are doing. Punching your way through conflicts instead of shooting? Your strength will increase. Driving around a lot? Your driving skill increases, which unlocks new vehicles. Climbing all over buildings looking for the glowing green agility orbs? Your agility will increase. With each level you gain in each stat you earn new abilities. By the end of the game, your Agent plays dramatically differently than he does at the beginning. This steady stream of new abilities (jumping higher, being able to pick up heavier objects, etc.), as well as new toys (new cars, new weapons, a wingsuit to let you glide around) makes the experience very rewarding.
Crackdown 2 also introduces new collectibles and objectives that help keep things interesting. Cell Stronghold missions require you to enter a stronghold, call for an Agency helicopter to come, and then fighting off any Cell resistance until the helicopter arrives with backup. These missions can get very difficult depending on what weapons the enemy is carrying. By the end of the game don't be surprised if you enter a stronghold filled with dozens of rocket launcher and minigun-toting enemies waiting to shred you apart.
MicrosoftPart of the main storyline in Crackdown 2 involves setting up a power network in order to unleash a super weapon that will annihilate the mutant freaks all at once. By activating all three units in an area, you can then enter a freak lair to place a UV bomb that will kill all of the freaks in that area. These missions are similar to the Cell strongholds in that it is simply arriving at an area and then defending it while a timer counts down. They are also different from Cell missions, of course, in that you are fighting mutants instead of normal humans. There are several varieties of freaks, ranging from easy little "zombies" all the way up to huge, hulking monsters. When you take out all of the freak lairs, you then travel to the Agency Tower at the center of the city to set off the big, ultimate bomb.
There is lots of other stuff to do in Pacific City besides the combat missions. There are 500 green Agility Orbs and 300 blue Hidden Orbs to find and more than 50 audio logs that help fill in the story. The main story doesn't ever really go anywhere until the very, very end, but the audio logs recorded by a number of different people (a news station, an Agency mole, the leader of Cell, etc.) are very interesting and worth finding. Other activities include street races in vehicles, rooftop races on foot, and stunt rings high in the air you have to jump your vehicle through. There are also wingsuit rings you have to fly through once you unlock the wingsuit at agility level 5.
