Wallet alert! Crackdown 2 is coming in July and, judging from the hands-on previews popping up all over the internet, the third person shooter developed by Ruffian Games looks awesome!
Like its predecessor, players bound about the place as a super agent in a bid to get rid of the raft of gang members from the streets of Pacific City. This time though, there are some other locals to contend with. As night falls, mutants – lovingly dubbed Freaks – spill out onto the streets and mayhem ensues.
It’s summed up perfectly by NowGamer.com…
“Crackdown 2’s night time is now almost an entirely different game – a Dead Rising-style zombie-splatting marathon, with a city full of soft, mushy targets just begging to have anything and everything you’re packing tested out on them in their droves.”
Although the new story takes place in the same old city, there seems to be plenty of new stuff and weaponry to make this a worthwhile purchase. Why not hop into your shiny new helicopters and unload your rockets onto their sorry asses, or get into your machine gun-laden buggy?
Orb collection is still essential to upgrading your character so that they can leap tall buildings with ease or throw cars at onlookers. This time though, those humming orbs of goodness are a little harder to get – some actually move about, requiring you to give chase.
However, it’s clear that the main selling point is surely the four player co-op and 16-player online options – and I’m simply salivating at the prospect!
Sadly, judging from all the internet chatter, it doesn’t all bode well though… take heed of this comment from Videogamer.com:
“Visually, it wasn't just the character models that had me worried. The game as a whole seemed to have lost some of its charm on its way to becoming a sequel. Perhaps it was just me, but it didn't feel like the Crackdown I knew and loved. It was hard to put my finger on exactly how, but visually, the game was a disappointment.”
Ah well, can’t have everything – I personally loved the look of the original and wouldn’t be too fussed if it looked largely similar.
Check out these links for some early observations:
Crackdown 2 - Xbox 360 - First Look review (Pocket-lint)
Crackdown 2 Campaign Preview (IGN)
Crackdown 2 - hands on impressions (Guardian)
Crackdown 2 (NowGamer)