Kotaku
We've all heard about Realtime Worlds' latest Halo 3 demo GTA-clone (can we all stop using this phrase already) Crackdown for Xbox 360. You play a supercop who can use "any means necessary" to take back a city dominated by a geopolitically diverse selection of gangs.
Work hard enough at your skills (play the game) and you can eventually leap tall buildings in a single bound, or...drive better.
So is it any good? Hit the jump to read our Frankenreview: the Best. Review. Ever.
Worthplaying
Crackdown is one of the manliest games you will ever play. The only acceptable way to play Crackdown is with a cold beer and a bowl of salty snacks (popcorn, nuts, or chips are all acceptable) at your side. At times, I wondered if it was in fact possible for me, a mere woman, to faithfully review a game that was so explosively masculine...In Crackdown, basically all problems can be solved by going and shooting some guys, or kicking their heads off. That's what makes the game so incredible.
Gamezone
"...it's your choice which ability you want to develop and how much time you spend developing the ability. When I first started playing the game I tried to grab as many green agility/athletic medals as I could find. Once I went up a level I soon discovered I had more fun jumping from building to building looking for more agility medals than going after the gang members. To me I felt like I was creating a superhero...The freedom to develop your character is nothing new [but] turned out to be a blast."
Computer & Video Games
"...when the action's getting hectic you can always call in the assistance of mate; Jump in/jump out co-op lets you and your Xbox Live buddies join forces for some 2-player city-slicking madness, and it's simply-put this is one of the best co-op games out there...It works flawlessly and you'll be hooked from the moment you set off your first 100-barrel explosion chain... If you thought flinging cars was fun on your own, wait until you're drag-racing the streets and scuffling on skyscrapers with a partner."
Rocky Mt. News
Problem is, once you succeed in toppling a gang, that particular city gets quite boring... If I do leap, say, from a high rise into the center of the street, or accidentally kick a car into a light pole, people panic... It's unclear what the developer's original intention was in creating this sandbox of criminals and cops...[as] I now feel the need to walk, gun timidly at my side, through the idyllic thoroughfares of the crime-free town.
Kotaku (Because I can speak for EVERYONE here)
The game is called Crackdown for a reason: it's the most addictive title I've played in a long time. And despite every mission consisting of the same immeasurable odds, when I die it feels like I should have done something different as a player—not that the game is somehow unbalanced. So why aren't we seeing even better scores? From the occasional near-building camera issues to the frequent voice over problems, Crackdown lacks the polish of a killer app.
