13.7.2010

Crackdown 2 is finally here. Set ten years after the events of the original we return to Pacific City to find that it has been decimated by a virus and that the Agency are now fighting a battle on two fronts; by day they have to contened with an enemy who wants to bring the Agency down, and by night they have to fend off mutated monsters that fill the streets. Their solution? Deploy a new type of Agent to clean up the streets of Pacific City. And that new Agent would be you.So that's the plot - what little there is of it. But if you've played the first Crackdown, then you'll already know that you don't really buy this game series for its gripping narrative,and that the story itself is little more than an excuse for what you're doing. That said, the plot does fit with the overall style of the game - so it actually works.So then, how does the game look? Well, you'd be forgiven if you thought that you were actually playing the first game. Crackdown 2 does not exactly try anything new with its visuals. Don't expect to see the kind of graphical excellence that can be found in 'Just Cause 2' for example. Instead, you get pretty much more of the same. To use an analogy: Crackdown was like a painted wall, and over time that paint began to fade, but instead of rebuilding the wall so it looked shiny and new, Crackdown 2 throws on another coat of paint to freshen it up instead. The games graphics aren't going to blow you away or even impress you to any great extent but the 'destroyed city' visuals (especially if you've played the first game) do look quite cool.And the audio? Well the music is barely there and it didn't really do anything for me, but a mention must be made for the use of a 'Mirrors Edge' style theme for when day breaks and a rather ominous horn blowing when night falls. Also, the voice of the Agency is really entertaining - although it may grate on you if you don't like having everything you do commentated upon - without pause.Okay, so we've covered the plot, graphics and audio - now let's look at the real meat and potatoes of the project: the gameplay. From a control standpoint its the same as the first game and really easy to pick up and play. The only problem really is the lock on feature for your weapons - you find that, on occasion, even though you're aiming at your target the auto-aim may lock you on to a passing car - which can lethal if surrounded by a group of foes. But forget all of that because the game is so insanely fun to play! Nothing quite compares to jumping off the roof of a building and slamming into a group of enemies on the ground below. Or taking on dozens and dozens of monsters in hand-to-hand combat! The fun potential is awesome!Actually, this is the second version of my review for Crackdown 2 - in the first I only rated the game 4 stars because once you had completed it there didn't seem anything else to do except either collect all the remaining orbs you might have missed or start the game again from scratch. However, much to my suprise (and delight!) when I started the game again I found that I had retained all of my skills earned from the first play through. As such, the fun of taking on Pacific City as my fully super-powered Agent from the beginning is just awesome! Hence the 5 star rating now.Ultimately, if you played the first game and enjoyed it then I'd say enlist with the Agency right now, but if you're still not sure then maybe ignore their recruitment campaign for now until the game is a little cheaper and then give it a go. Either way, you won't be disappointed.

21.3.2011

Crackdown 2 is a third-person shooter featuring open-world, sandbox style game play. You control a genetically engineered agent assisting the Agency in the battle for Pacific City against a terrorist organization known as the Cell, and you're also tasked with keeping the run-down city clear of mutated freaks.After a brief tutorial to give you an introduction to the controls and gameplay, then a couple of missions to introduce you to the main elements of the game, you're then left on your own to roam Pacific City and play the game as you wish. In order to complete the game you are tasked with activating beacons which destroy the freaks. You can also attempt (optional) Freak Breach and Tactical Location missions,which net you additional weapons and experience which go to improve your characters strength, agility, weapons skills, explosive skills and driving skills.The beauty and curse of Crackdown 2 is that you're left to your own devices for most of the time. The beauty is that you can do the missions in any order you wish, or you can ignore the missions and do any of the optional activities in Pacific City, such as stunt jumps, running races across buildings, driving challenges etc etc. The curse is that there is virtually no storyline, and what little snippets you do get are from collecting the many audio tapes left lying around the city. A player could miss all the audio tapes and really have no idea of what is going on in the game, apart from the information given right at the start and right at the end of the game.Much has been said about the similarities between Crackdown 2 and Crackdown 1. They are virtually the same game - the graphics in Crackdown 2 have received a slight polish (although it's still never going to be winning any beauty contests), the game is set in the same city and everything `feels' the same. Although it's quite interesting to go back to Pacific City and see it in a state of disrepair, it does smack of laziness on the part of the developers. In contrast, Saints Row and Saints Row 2 were both set in Stillwater, but SR2 never felt like it was a rehash of the prequel. There are some differences, some for the good and some for the bad. The good additions include wingsuits, the ability to pilot helicopters, 4 player online co-op, and being able to `ping' orbs, whereas the bad include non-morphing cars and the lack of any storyline or `enemy' that you have to bring down. The first game had you targeting gang members to bring down a crime ring, whereas in Crackdown 2, there is no real `enemy' apart from the hordes of freaks, and not much sense of achievement when you beat the game.In the end, I really did enjoy Crackdown 2. It had me completely hooked for a very enjoyable fortnight, and I played it when I had any spare time. The game is great fun, blowing stuff up just never gets boring and hunting for the different kinds of orbs is both addictive and rewarding. The game really lights up if you can get a group of players together for some online co-op action, but it's equally fun running around the streets of Pacific City with a homing rocket launcher being told off by The Agency Voice for blowing up peacekeepers!

11.7.2010

I was a huge fan of Crackdown 1 and have recently revisited it in anticipation for Crackdown 2. However, having received my copy yesterday and having had a good go at it I do feel slightly let down.For a start Crackdown 2 takes part in the same city as the first so there is little joy in exploring. Although they justify this decision in the plot it still feels like a bit of a cop out from designing a new city. There have been slight changes to the city (old construction sites now have completed buildings) but it's basically identical.The game play is simillar to the original except now at night there are a huge number of mutants just about everywhere.

19.7.2010

I have to admit, the story and obgectives get very repetative, but if you know how to use the weapons, gadgets and enviroment, this can be one of the funnest sessions on a game you will have!After playing the demo, and having fun on only 30 minute sessions, I had to get the full oneSome of my person favourite gadgets is the...Magnetic Mine (Allows you to connect things together with bungie like beams)Quacker (You will need to find it first, but a very powerful remote explosive)SUV (4WD that can jump and drive up walls)Mallet (Made of a concrete slab, useful for enemys)Wingsuit (A suit aquired late in agilty, allows you to fly around the city with some skill and practise)And so on...PLaying solo can only entertain you so far,

9.9.2010

I loved the first Crackdown - the ongoing search for orbs, the super-human jumps, the mass destruction.... Good times.I went into this with low expectations, as I was burnt before with Bioshock 2. And the verdict? It's fun.Once you get past the visual changes - the graphics, for some reason aren't as good as the original, the HUD isn't as good looking as the first - the cool opaque blues are replaced by no-nonsense, ugly whites and reds - and the biggest crime, the lack of transforming vehicles, then it's business as usual. The missions may be different, but the jumps, the guns, and the orbs are all there, just in a run down version of Pacific City.A few changes to the game play are welcome.

27.9.2010

Having played the original Crackdown and loving every minute of that game, including the running and jumping around just to find the Agility Orbs and Hidden Orbs, I was anticipating Crackdown 2 quite fervently.In my opinion this anticipation was one of the few times where the anticpation for a game to at least be good, was actually met with a game that was actually (in the most part) better than expected. If for some reason you don't like the idea of being able to leap up immensely tall buildings and blowing up zombies/bad guys, then this probably isn't the game for you but if you do then its a worth while purchase.The genius part of this game is definately not the story line, which frankly is wafer thin,

15.11.2010

Well,having played the first Crackdown I was really looking forward to this game and I am happy to report that it has not let me down.This game is just great with lots of really addictive orb hunting,rooftop and road races.And the overall objective of the game is much better than the first one.New additions to this game include the ability to glide,hold gattling guns,fly helicopters,drive some of the coolest vehicles I have ever seen and much much more .The new enemies in this game are basicly terrorists called 'CELL' and the monsters which are so delicately called 'THE FREAKS', which are really fun to splat with vehicles.Pacific city is just as massive as ever,and some of the agility orbs are

14.3.2012

This game is a a lot of fun to start with and for those who enjoyed the first one you should strongly consider buying it!This game is a new game and the best of its kind but when you compare it to the first Crackdown it doesn't really feel like much has developed in regards to game play and much like many great series this is an improvement on a already successful game and not a new game entirely which was a bit of a disappointment as it got boring after a while and felt like an DLC more than an new gamethat being said the time spent playing it was time well spent as it was fun to relive the enjoyment of the first one again especially in a new environment but its debatable whether this game

26.4.2012

Crackdown 2 is truly an amazing game, with new amazing upgrades such as the flight suit makes it so much more fun. Also Pacific City, the world's biggest playground is back! This game is great solo but it is the best it can be at 4 player co-op, it is so much fun running around a city with your friends blowing everything up a spectacular game with an amazing storyline to match (audio logs) The only disappointment is the state of Pacific City, it has lost all its colour and is in ruins, the idea itself is good, but just doesn't seem as lively as the original, if they had released a dlc with the original Pacific City map this would have got 5 stars, but overall great game.

17.1.2011

After buying this game at a very low price, I was unsure wether it would deliver, but I was amazed how good this game is! The graphics in their comic book style work really well and unlike some other sandboxs frame rate stays consistent throughout this game. The map is huge and wide variety of transport from helicopters, cars and (rocket boots in toy box dlc) provide loads of fun.One small issue is the campaign main missions can become repetitive but the increasing difficulty through the game keeps you going. The most addictive thing is collecting those agility orbs! A great game and for such a low price you can't not buy it! Click add to basket!

10.7.2010

When I first heard Crackdown 2 had come out I leapt at the chance to by It. After playing crackdown 1 it was hard to see how they could improve it, but they have!New weapons give the game a different edge from the first, some weapons are good at killing freaks others at killing Cell. For those who have played the first it will be enjoyable to see how Pacific city somehow looks worse in the agents absence. The game has more of a storyline and backed up by the very sardonic narrator the mission's have a feeling of more importance.Overall Crackdown two is a great game which I'm sure will take away plenty of hours from your life.

8.8.2010

Crackdown 2 is a fun game to play, running as fast as cars and jumping to insane heights is great especially once the wing suit becomes available. I think that the game drastically lacks in storyline however, and although I have not played the first game I know that the map is basically the same which I feel would make the game a bit boring for someone who has played the first one.Overall I think that this is a game that is fun but lacks any plot and can be repetitive at times, the online is good and has more of a serious element to it appealing to more hardcore gamers.

17.9.2011

I bought this game for a fiver including delivery and for that price I wouldn't have been upset if the game was awful, but it's not awful at all. In fact, if you can get over a few little glitches and slightly clunky controls, you'll find that Crackdown 2 is quite a fun and satisfying little game.This is a game that is perfect for people who are new to gaming, it's so basic (and I think, easy) that it would be perfect for children if it wasn't for the violence!All in all, for this cheap of a game, you can't go wrong and it's a decent game.

22.12.2011

This game is well worth a go for lovers of adventure games and action games. The game is great fun and I found myself being drawn back to it every time. With the city being overrun with terrorist like CELL by day and zombie hords of FREAKS by night!(And when I say hords I mean hords, there are THOUSANDS at night!) i really found this game great and there was never really a dull moment. also leveling up is great fun too as you see your super cop get bigger and better! would really recomend this one. one of the best games ever!

2.8.2012

The game is good. I prefer the first one but brought this as a sequal. I expected more referance to number one but there isnt much. you dont need to play the first one to understand this. I like the fact the gameplay is very similar to the first. This game is also good if you have friends on xbox live. I dont have friends on it but i did play with people online. I't is quite challenging the game but fun. I like building up my charictor's levels like on the first. Building up my abillities on this is my faveorote.

Crackdown 2 (Xbox 360) - Reviews

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