During Micorosft's press event at Gamescom last week, I got a very brief look at Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst, a tower defense game with a real-world twist that doesn't have much to do with Crackdown, aside from the ducks.
Gizmodo gave us a brief look at Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst last week, and they pretty much summed up the game perfectly. It's a tower defense title with a Crackdown 2 theme that uses Microsoft's Bing Maps to allow you to defend anywhere, anytime.
Simply select any location with public routes around it on the globe, and Project Sunburst allows you to set up a game around it. Build your defenses and destroy the oncoming hordes as they travel the city streets, seeking to run you out.
With a Windows 7 phone in my hand, I was able to place defenses, launching missiles with a flick of my fingertip against a very responsive screen.
I suppose the main draw of the game is the ability to set up your base anywhere on the globe. The demonstration I was given was defending the convention center where Gamescom was taking place, but it could have just as easily been my apartment, though that would require assuming the forces of evil could make it into my parking lot without finding themselves up on blocks.
There is a little bit of a tie-in to the Crackdown 2 game, though nothing directly tying to mobile title to its console brother. Remember the Facebook tie-in Chuck's Ducks? Players can use their ducks in Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst as well.
It's an interesting offering that has my interest in the Windows 7 phone gaming experience piqued, though I doubt I'll be trading in my iPhone 4 anytime soon, unless Apple releases a new version that works.