The latest in a notoriously long line of would-be GTA dethroners, Crackdown carries with it an especially convincing pedigree that lends more than a little weight to this claim. With the dev team being headed up by the lead designer of the original GTA3, Crackdown bears more than a passing resemblance to its creator’s past endeavors.
While the graphics are decidedly more next-gen than anything we've seen in the sandbox genre up to this point, the camera location, controls and general aesthetic are very much true to their origins. This is not to say that the game is only marginally more graphically impressive than GTA, far from it, but unless you’re bang up close on the action it really does feel very similar. There are however several distinguishing factors. The variety of characters on screen, as well as the variety and number of vehicles and draw distance all instantly impress. Not to mention the more realistic physics governing the flopping bodies of those who have felt your swift hand of justice.
That's right, whilst Crackdown does indeed offer fun via mayhem in a virtual city a la GTA, it takes the true crimes route of placing you on the good side of the fight but with an added twist of course. You aren't just some gung ho, Mel Gibson before he found god hard-boiled cop, but rather a cybernetically enhanced super soldier. Somewhere between Robocop and Master Chief, but with the jumping abilities of the TICK thrown in for good measure.
Navigation is handled via the relatively standard, one stick for movement, one stick for aiming method. Weapons are fired via the triggers and the aforementioned jumping is a simple and intuitive, "the longer you hold the button the higher you go" system. Environmental interaction is also much like the GTA vets would expect with one button for vehicle jacking within range. The difference here however is that you are also giving the option to lift and then throw any vehicle, as well as mostly anything else that isn’t nailed down. And even some things that are.
Another major differentiator is the somewhat more platformer-like options provided your character's enhanced state. Leaping a hundred feet in the air and then clinging to an available ledge is great fun and makes the game play more like GTA with all the cheat codes put in than the standard run or drive everywhere system. Leaping across rooftops and scaling skyscrapers really gives you a very enjoyable sense of power.
For those out there who buy GTA games solely to run around and play with the world instead of completing the often painfully dull missions (we know you're out there), then Crackdown should be an absolute blast for you. We didn't actually find any missions while we where playing (nor did we try to honestly) but we had a fantastic time running around, tossing cars at evil-doers and leaping tall building in a single bound like the original superman.
Look for more info and impressions on this genre evolving title as they come available and be sure to share your thoughts in the forums below.
While the graphics are decidedly more next-gen than anything we've seen in the sandbox genre up to this point, the camera location, controls and general aesthetic are very much true to their origins. This is not to say that the game is only marginally more graphically impressive than GTA, far from it, but unless you’re bang up close on the action it really does feel very similar. There are however several distinguishing factors. The variety of characters on screen, as well as the variety and number of vehicles and draw distance all instantly impress. Not to mention the more realistic physics governing the flopping bodies of those who have felt your swift hand of justice.
That's right, whilst Crackdown does indeed offer fun via mayhem in a virtual city a la GTA, it takes the true crimes route of placing you on the good side of the fight but with an added twist of course. You aren't just some gung ho, Mel Gibson before he found god hard-boiled cop, but rather a cybernetically enhanced super soldier. Somewhere between Robocop and Master Chief, but with the jumping abilities of the TICK thrown in for good measure.
Navigation is handled via the relatively standard, one stick for movement, one stick for aiming method. Weapons are fired via the triggers and the aforementioned jumping is a simple and intuitive, "the longer you hold the button the higher you go" system. Environmental interaction is also much like the GTA vets would expect with one button for vehicle jacking within range. The difference here however is that you are also giving the option to lift and then throw any vehicle, as well as mostly anything else that isn’t nailed down. And even some things that are.
Another major differentiator is the somewhat more platformer-like options provided your character's enhanced state. Leaping a hundred feet in the air and then clinging to an available ledge is great fun and makes the game play more like GTA with all the cheat codes put in than the standard run or drive everywhere system. Leaping across rooftops and scaling skyscrapers really gives you a very enjoyable sense of power.
For those out there who buy GTA games solely to run around and play with the world instead of completing the often painfully dull missions (we know you're out there), then Crackdown should be an absolute blast for you. We didn't actually find any missions while we where playing (nor did we try to honestly) but we had a fantastic time running around, tossing cars at evil-doers and leaping tall building in a single bound like the original superman.
Look for more info and impressions on this genre evolving title as they come available and be sure to share your thoughts in the forums below.
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Comments
thane_jaw 15 May 2006 21:04
1/1
I much preferred doing the missions in gta to arsing about with a rocket launcher. There are fairly generic go here/ kill this/ collect this missions in all the gtas but I can think of over 20 off the top of my head from gta:sa which made me go "whoa! I need to do this and its a culture reference (the whole casino storyline)/ something cool (mowing people down with the combine harvester)/ something completely unexpected (stealing the VTOL aircraft)".
Anyway Crackdown looks sweet, the way the missions appear to be set out seems reminiscent of mercenaries: playground of destruction (which is fine by me, cos I loved that game) and being a mini-superman crime-fighting machine really appeals.