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Crackdown is the latest entry into the ever growing genre of open-ended games. Unlike other entries into this genre, such as Saint’s Row, Crackdown has a bit of a pedigree behind it since the developer, Real Time Worlds, is composed of members of the Grand Theft Auto team, the blueprint for nearly every open-ended world being released.
The game’s open-ended structure is about the only thing the game has similar to the GTA series or other open-world games. Rather than delving into the seedy underworld, Crackdown puts you in the role of an agent who has been given superhuman powers by an organization known as The Agency. Your job is to venture out into the city and rid the city of 21 kingpins who have turned the city into a paradise for crime.
You main job is to clean up the streets, though how you do this will be completely up to you. The game’s structure revolves around taking missions that eventually will help you discover the location of the kingpins, so you can take them down. One of the neat things about the game is that it will evolve based on how you go about taking down these kingpins. For example, one may run an arms smuggling business; take him down and enemies won’t have as easy of a time getting more powerful weapons.
Since you’re a one-man cop, the Agency has given you special powers to help you take down gangs. Skills are broken up into five areas: athletics, shooting, explosives, driving and strength. You can use any method you see fit while dealing with gang members, though your skills will improve based on which you use more often. If you choose to use brute strength, your character’s strength will increase and he will begin to show a stronger build. If you decide to do a lot of running and jumping, you’ll gain longer, higher jumps and faster foot speed. One of the more interesting aspects is the driving skill, which levels up the type of agency vehicles you can use.
As far as combat goes, Crackdown doesn’t look overly complicated and should be fairly easy to pick up and play. However, using firearms does bring in a localized damage mechanic. After locking onto a target, you can then aim for specific areas on the body, like legs or the head, and take out specific areas. Leg shots slow down enemies while a headshot is a quick kill. This mechanic also works when targeting vehicles and gives you the ability to shoot out a car’s tires or try and hit the gas tank.
While on foot, you’ll also be able to pick up and use nearly everything in the game’s environment as a weapon. What you can pick up will obviously depend on how strong your character is.
As far as visuals are concerned, Crackdown looks completely different from what you’d expect in a genre that has, until now, been a dark and grit-filled on. Areas are stylized, bright and colorful. In a strange way it sort of offsets the game’s feel, yet at the same time it shows that you’re in for something just a bit different.
Look for Crackdown later this year. |
