The Observer, March 2, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 19
Nowhere to hide in Crackdown
Microsoft does not seem to have much faith in Crackdown, their newest first-party game for the Xbox 360. They certainly proved they could successfully create a huge hit with the multi-million seller Gears of War, but advertising seems non-existent for Crackdown. Though the game comes with the Halo 3 beta key, it almost seems like a marketing ploy to sell a lackluster product rather than a nice bonus. However, this free-roaming action game delivers, with super-human abilities and awe-inspiring explosions.
In Crackdown, you start off strong and only become stronger as the game progresses. As a police officer in a futuristic, authoritarian state, you have several powers for keeping local criminals at bay. Your cop can jump up to 30 feet in the air, allowing him to scale buildings and jump along the rooftops. He's capable of lifting trucks or commandeering transforming vehicles. Best of all, as you use any of these powers, they'll slowly level up. By the time you reach the end of the game, you'll be reaching insane heights.
Your arsenal of weapons is also robust. In addition to brute strength, you can use standard machine guns, sniper rifles, and grenades, but these pale in comparison to the numerous rocket launchers. The homing launcher that you'll find later in the game is particularly impressive, as you can set off massive chain reactions. All of your weaponry can lock-on to enemies. This has been a sore spot in previous "sandbox" games like Grand Theft Auto, but the mechanic generally works well here. Just try not to get to frustrated when you occasionally target defeated criminals.
The sense of freedom is wonderful, not unlike those first few hours in Oblivion. A sprawling city is just waiting to be explored, with tons of agility orbs and supply points to capture. Sadly, the supposed meat of the game is over way too soon. Your cop has been tasked with ridding the city of 21 ringleaders, all of which must be discovered on your map. While this may sound like a lengthy campaign, these leaders can be assassinated fairly quickly. I also found that fighting the same henchmen for hours became repetitive during long sessions. A few major boss fights or more exciting objectives would have gone a long way. Even so, experimenting with the Crackdown's physics engine and online co-op is always fun. Achievements also will keep you playing long after the "twist" ending.
Crackdown has a simplistic style that allows plenty of action to take place on screen without any slowdown. Fans of the PSP's Metal Gear Acid 2 will have a good idea of what to expect. As mentioned earlier, the explosions in particular look phenomenal. Debris and large plumes of smoke fly into the air with every rocket you fire; these bursts would feel right at home in an over-the-top Michael Bay blockbuster. Crackdown's audio is sparse, with the exception of the annoying commander who chimes in with advice that isn't even useful during the opening minutes of the game.
The Xbox 360 has a few superhero games, but none of them make you feel as empowered as Crackdown does. I am sure that the Halo 3 beta will provide entertainment a few months from now, but Crackdown can offer instant gratification right now.
