Delivering on the BOOM!
Crackdown was a game that was unique for its time. Everyone remembers getting it when they purchased their Halo 3 beta and thinking it had to be awful since Microsoft used it as a Trojan Horse for those foaming at the mouth for the first taste of Halo on Xbox 360. No way this new IP would be interesting since they used the most popular franchise at the time to sell it. That was not the case. Crackdown was one of the most intense and pure fun games that came out in 2007 and ever since players have been vying to return to the Agency. No, we are going to ignore the travesty that was Crackdown 2, this is the true sequel to Crackdown.
Crackdown 3 is an unapologetic throwback to the original game. There is no gripping narrative here, just lots of jumping, orbs, and explosions. This game is the epitome of being a video game. It never takes itself seriously and instead focuses on placing players in positions of massive power. The lock-on shooting makes the combat feel like less of an exercise in skill and more of a test of endurance. Bullets will fly, rockets will explode, and cars will be thrown.
MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99
The structure of Crackdown 3 is very much akin to the original. There is a massive sandbox where players are tasked with slowly breaking down a series of missions to weaken the boss of each section. There is no set order or restrictions. I could take on the final boss from the start if I wanted, but it would obviously be much more difficult. Each boss has their own activities and things to take down. Sure the structure is repetitive, but the game focuses on the outlandish abilities of the Agent. This is a power fantasy through and through.
The upgrade loop of Crackdown is what always keeps me going. Collecting agility orbs upgrades my speed and jumping abilities. At the beginning of the game I can leap pretty high, by the end I can get over skyscrapers. It is addicting collecting these things. There are several areas to upgrade too. Shooting enemies with guns upgrades firearms, while blowing them up upgrades explosives. Seeing all these colorful orbs flow into my Agent after a massive explosion never got old.
There is also a new perk system that comes along with every tier. Instead of just jumping higher or shooting harder there are new abilities that come along with each level. For example, agility opens up dash moves and extra jumps. There is also a bounce pad for even more verticality. Again, Crackdown 3 feels like a sandbox where the developers wanted to let players have as much fun as possible. Much like previous games I maxed out all my stats…except driving, because who would be caught dead in a car in a game where I can leap over skyscrapers?
There is a story here, but it feels like exposition at best. There is an evil corporation that the Agency is trying to stop. A laundry list of cheesy villains stand in my way and each one is themed. It never moves past trite dialogue, and the animated cut scenes feel a little on the cheap side, but it was entertaining. I just wanted more orbs, and more orbs I got.
There is also a separate executable for the multiplayer game, and while it is something new, it is obvious why it is separate. Wrecking Zone as it is called is where all the cloud-based destruction resides. This is not something I feel I will ever boot up again after this review. The layout feels simple and not that interesting. The destruction is cool, but I would much rather have a co-op sandbox me and a buddy could just jump around in. The competitive mode just does not feel great in this game. This is not what I come to Crackdown for.
It would be impossible to talk about Crackdown 3 without discussing its visuals. I have seen people compare it to a 360 game and I simply cannot see it. Booting this thing up in 4K HDR the colors simply fly off the screen. It has a style, a comic book aesthetic that simply pops in HDR. The neon lights are bright, the orbs glow with just the right amount of luminescence, and the city just teems with color. I adore the way this game looks. Sure the NPCs are low-poly messes and the framerate should be offered at 60, but I still loved jumping around the city. I do wish the orb placement was a little better though. The original game felt like a breadcrumb trail, this feels like a scavenger hunt.
Crackdown 3 is exactly what I wanted. That is most glowing praise I can give it. I loved the original game, I really despised the second one, and this entry brings me back to what made that original so special. It never attempts to stray from being the big stupid sandbox it sets out to be. While not pushing the series further it does great at respecting the source material. For those that have Gamepass this is a treat. Download it and play it. For $60 though I feel like the price tag might be a touch much.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
