Crackdown Review (X360)

Crackdown, or Riot Act as it is called in Japan, mixes GTA-style “sandbox” gameplay with special abilities you’d usually only find in a Marvel superhero to create a game that actually stands out among the increasing number of GTA wannabes. It looks gorgeous, plays amazing well, and is one of the most addictive and satisfying games around. Crackdown is highly recommended.Quick Hits Title: Crackdown Platform: Xbox 360 Publisher: Microsoft Developer: Realtime Worlds ESRB: “M” for Mature Genre: Sandbox; driving, shooting Pros: Addictive gameplay; vertical exploration is awesome, experience system keeps you hooked just to see what you can do next; nice graphics Cons: Short, only 8-10 hours; some framerate issues

The Story

The story in Crackdown is really very simple. Basically, you are an enhanced super-soldier and your job is to single-handedly cleanse the city of gangs. Each gang has 6 leaders, each one providing a different function for the gang. Recruitment, weapons, that sort of thing. By taking out each leader, the gang becomes weaker so you have an easier time when you finally get around to taking out the gang warlord. There are three gangs, each with 7 bosses, which means there are 21 major fights to run through. Each boss is hiding in some well-fortified stronghold, and each one is slightly different thanks to the layout of the building or the weaponry your enemies are carrying. So even though you are really just doing the same run and gun attacks over and over and over, it always somehow feels fresh and fun.

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