The visuals in Crackdown mimic a “comic-book” effect, outlining characters with thick black lines, using some cell-shading techniques. The textures are dense and complex, so it looks less like the Sunday Funnies, and more like a limited-edition autographed graphic novel with satin-gloss pages. In the past, cell-shaded games looked too simplistic, which wouldn’t showcase the Xbox 360’s graphical horsepower.
The explosions are what really stands out in Crackdown. The physics and particles have realistic trajectory, and react and collide with other objects, so you’ll never see the same explosion twice. The draw distance is incredible; much longer than other games in the genre. The special effects are great, too, as Crackdown has more of a “sci-fi” setting than many other free-roaming titles. Games like Gears of War and Rainbow Six: Vegas have come out and have set the graphical standard that all other Xbox 360 games are judged. Sorry, Crackdown… for all your prowess, you’re still not as pretty as the Prom Queen.
Although Crackdown doesn’t last that long, the story is weak, and the AI is predictable, there are just some things that are exhilarating. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop like Neo in “The Matrix” is awesome, and tracking down the “wub-wub” of the orbs can replace any chemical addiction you may have. You can extend the fun a little bit by playing co-op with a friend. Many gamers like to waste time and lose themselves in a virtual world, and this one is a rush while it lasts.
You can’t just make me an addict and take it away so quickly! I need my fix!
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| Title | Crackdown | |
| Genre | Action | |
| Release Date | Tuesday, February 20, 2007 | |
| Platforms | Xbox 360 | |
| Rating | M (Mature) Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs | |
| Features | 1-2 Players, HDTV 720p, 2-player Co-op mode |
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