Crackdown 2 (360)

[Jebus]

11 Agility Orbs to go.

IT BEGINS...

[Sixty]

So much for all that pre-release negative word of mouth. This is fantastic! It's more Crackdown, and that's exactly what I wanted.

It's funny starting out and not being able to easily scale any building I want again. It's been ages since I've had to slowly work out a route to the top of anything. Seeing all the landmarks from the first game in ruin is surprisingly powerful stuff. The new Agents look awesome - that design is just begging for a high quality desktop statue to be made. And, of course, no game does explosions like Crackdown. I can see there's hours and hours of blowing things up in various ways in my future once the Keys To The City DLC is out. Can't wait.

If they're reading this, then let me say thanks, Ruffian guys. I never thought we'd see this sequel so I'm overjoyed to actually be playing it.

[ezee ryder]

I finished the "story" missions earlier today (took around 8 hours and 40 minutes) and it's ok, I prefer the first one though.

Initially it was nice to be back in Pacific City but, just like the core gameplay itself, it gets slightly tiresome and repetitive after a while. The freaks feel like they are just there so you can level up faster, they offer no real challenge at all. The Cell are ok though and do offer a decent enough challenge, especially when they spam you with homing missiles. Awesome.

Also, is it just me or is the climbing a bit broken? On certain buildings, I found it to be very hit and miss if my agent would actually grab hold of a ledge. As you can imagine, this made climbing very annoying at times.

The game still manages to be fun though, despite those issues. Orb collecting is still as addictive as ever and jumping from building to building (when you're powered up) just feels great. Oh and most of you have had already said, the explosions are pretty good too.

I pretty much agree with the 7/10 reviews out there, it's fun but after a while the game does get repetitive. I hate to use this term but it kind of feels like Crackdown 1.5 rather than Crackdown 2. That's not necessarily a bad thing as Crackdown is/was a very good game but I would have expected the developers to improve on that. A bit more choice and variety would have been very much welcome.....maybe a different city/location too?! Hmm, I guess we have to wait until Crackdown 3 for that, ah well.

[JP]

It's literally a hole in the ground where freaks start to come out of which needs to be plugged up. It appears on your map as an orange/yellow oval shape with a mark going through the middle of it diagonally. You just run to the location, kill freaks and then voiceover man says the hole will be plugged and missiles come down from the sky.

As for the game itself:

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! and PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

It's great to be back in Paradise City

Thanks, done some now. Nice and easy too with a couple of rocket launchers and a bag of grenades.

Is there an easier way to get a (level 5 spoiler?)

->Open Spoiler<-

helicopter rather than messing around at the agency?

I was on the beach near the fun fair and very nearly got crushed by a truck which just sort of fell out of the sky accompanied by a couple of burning people. I don't know what the hell was going on elsewhere on the map, I didn't even hear an explosion it just landed next to me with a thump.

[SuperBeatBoy]

Yeah, i'm also agreeing with the 7/10 scores and i played the demo to death.

Ezee you're not the only one who thinks the climbing is broken, i've had the same happen to me and i've read/heard it elsewhere too. Sometimes you won't catch onto things you normally would and end up falling to your death, nothing game breaking but it is annoying.

Enjoying the game though regardless.

[mr_woo]

Isn't it Pacific City?

Err yeah you're right! I'll leave my shame for all to see though

[Largo]

I really loved the 1st crackdown as a simple sandboxy dos about, and the music was ace.

So 2 questions,
I got the impression from dev interviews that they were going for a more story based approach this time, is that so?
And finally, does the music only play when you are in a vehicle still?

thanks

[ezee ryder]

If they were going for a more story based approach then I think they failed. The "story" is best described as wafer thin, nothing much to it at all.

[SuperBeatBoy]

Yeah no story to it whatsoever, its just there as a plot device for the game. Exactly like the first game.

The game was rushed out the door, it only took 8 months to make and you can see why. Its more of an expansion really.

Still great crackdown though.

[Jebus]

Is there an easier way to get a (level 5 spoiler?)

->Open Spoiler<-

helicopter rather than messing around at the agency?

No. But it takes about 30 seconds from spawning if you know how. Spawn at the agency tower and turn 180 degrees, there's a walkway that leads to a dead end with two windows you can climb, get on top and jump over to the choppers.

The pebble dash achievement by the way, don't bother attempting it til you are into the end game as you can't do it til then...also, you don't have to survive the fall at all.

God only knows how I'm gonna get the 4 player co-op island glide achievement...it's easy, but for a new game, there sure aren't many people playing it.

I'm not gonna bother listing all my complaints (I've done that elsewhere anyway, everything in this game could have been peacemeal DLC) but I think most of the overly positive comments are from people who are early in the game. The "story" is completed within 9-10 hours and after that it becomes a grind fest and collectathon.

HOWEVER, co-op makes everything better and just dicking around in the city is good fun and doesn't get old very quickly. I still think it's a "fun" game though, but one that won't last nearly as long as the first.

Also, if anyone wants a really good laugh in co-op get a chopper and a buggy, throw a mag grenade on the buggy, then onto the underside of the your mates (airborn) chopper, then get into the buggy! Superb way to get the stunt rings!

[chopemon]

I popped this in last night and just lost track of time with it. There are so many little things to do that you just get sucked in as there is always an objective to go for and something to be rewarded for.

Avatar awards are a nice bonus!

[FelixofMars]

Is anyone sick of the freaks already, I seem to spend most of my time having to melee them as I run out of ammo if I shoot them all. Also there are no cars on the roads when they are out.

My general thoughts on Crackdown 2 is its Crackdown again but somehow less impressive. I think they hit the right time when the first one came out and its okay as a game but I cannot see me completing this.

I am sure all the fans of the original will love recollection all the orbs from the identical city.

I did enjoy having mates in an just messing around with sandbox though.

I had much more fun with Red Dead, maybe I will fire up the freeroam again.

[JP]

No. But it takes about 30 seconds from spawning if you know how. Spawn at the agency tower and turn 180 degrees, there's a walkway that leads to a dead end with two windows you can climb, get on top and jump over to the choppers.

Thanks, it's really easy on the island but I was wondering if it was possible to get one elsewhere by maybe calling for one but it seems not.

[Jebus]

There are a few choppers in the large tower on the "last" island too. They are harder to get because you'd have to climb the tower. It's not the old Shai Gen one, but the bigger one with a wing-suit ring above it.

I actually really dislike the way you request vehicles. In the first game the resupply locations were plentiful and much better placed. In this I never seem anywhere near one and getting a vehicle takes too long.

To me, the freaks are there to spam attacks and level up quicker. Strength, Explosives and Vehicles, just spam the freaks and you'll level up quickly. All I can say is that when maxed out, every enemy is a nuisance.

Anyway, 2 agility orbs to go, it's getting painful now.

Also, I hate the renegade orbs. I really really hate them, they may actually be what stops me getting 100&#37;.

[EvilBoris]

Some of the Renegade orbs are so harsh, I wonder if chasing them when there is more that one of you would be easier.

Did the wing suit challenge at the top of the agency tower and finally realised how to make the wing suit work better.
Dive downwards so you have red trails then pull you, you gain speed going down then get a fair bit of forward momentum and recover your altitude considerably. I actually think you might be able to ascend higher like that.