Author Topic: Crackdown discussion (Read 8265 times)

The Sceneman · « **on:** January 11, 2009, 04:33:29 AM »

okay so Im really "late to the party" here. Found the game for like 10 bux. Is this game actually good/rewarding? I just played like 5 hours today, I think I enjoyed myself but Im not sure. I havent really been conflicted like this about a game for ages. Is the jumping/platforming actually technically good? I havent played a 3d platformer since Crash Bandicoot 3 (not sure if SMG counts) and that seemed a tighter game.

I think the whole skill leveling up system is defo a major hook. Its really exciting collecting agility orbs and anticipating how high your dude is going to jump.

Im guessing the game is totally boss once you max out all your abilites? Big black dudes and big explosions and shit?

I really dont like how the rooftop and road races dont show on the map, it would be nice to be able to keep track of which ones Ive completed and everything.

And is getting all 800 orbs hard/time consuming? Anyone here got those achievements?

I love the man that talks to you, a very well realised character. "Skills for kills, Agent. Skills, for kills." lmao

I would appreciate serious Crackdown discussion.

littlemathletics · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2009, 05:34:59 AM »

I like Crackdown a lot, but I found the progression and lack of any real story a bit annoying. It's more a sandbox than an actual game.

pilonv1 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2009, 06:08:14 AM »

Quote

Is the jumping/platforming actually technically good?

Climbing the Agency tower is the best platforming I've had in years.

I don't mind the lack of story annoying. You're a super strong agent, go kill shit and blow shit up. You make up your own story, especially if you are playing co-op. I'm sure it's deliberately more sandbox because there is no real story - how fucking annoying would it be to get to one of the mini bosses but the game to say "LOL not for you, go kill this dude first". The game encourages you to explore, you get rewarded for exploring and finding stuff so why should it limit where you can go or who you can kill? And the fact you can take out each minor boss which limits the power of the main boss is great strategy.

Such an awesome game.

littlemathletics · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2009, 06:11:54 AM »

Yeah, I know what you mean, but I'd like to see some kind of middle ground reached. It just feels a little...I don't know, dissociative at times. I'm a bit of a fan of linearity though, so my opinion probably counts for shit.

Darunia · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2009, 06:12:50 AM »

fuck discussion, all I'll say is that it's the best 360 game by a country mile

demi · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2009, 06:32:38 AM »

Man if you hated Treasure Trove, you are going to enjoy orb hunting

chronovore · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2009, 08:13:50 AM »

Crackdown did shit right that GTA4 entirely missed. The whole game is co-op able, right from the beginning. The co-op handles each player's instance separately, so if there's an Agility Orb that one player has, and the other doesn't, it's there for the latter and invisible to the former. You can play start to finish in co-op, whereas GTA4 and Mercenaries and Fable2 only allow co-op play as a guest in the host player's world.

There's nothing roped off to prevent you from wandering into the high-powered area too early, but the platforming is limited so you physically can't get to the spots; smart players realize this and go back later. You can pick up any object and use it as a weapon. Death penalty is minimal, exploration reward maximized.

The two complaints I'd have are (a) no story and (b) shitty soundtrack. The former is ameliorated by them NOT EVEN TRYING to really have a story and the latter is fixed by 360's ability to play any of your own music while playing.

The Agency vehicles evolve as you play. The SUV can CLIMB MOTHERFUCKING WALLS. The sportscar gets machineguns, AND acts as a wedge which flings other cars aside.

In short, let the game be what it is, don't expect it to be GTA3++ or Mercs or anything, and just have some fun, especially with other players. I'll happily drag my copy out and co-op with you; I've still got races and jumps to do.

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2009, 10:12:53 AM »

Should of been awesome.

But the controls suck and it's not really very fun being the super human because of it. That being the only interesting part.

y2kev · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2009, 10:46:10 AM »

Crackdown really needed a "drop" button. Like drop to ledge. Sometimes I'd be platforming and I'd get stuck, and the only way to get off some platform would be to precariously jump over the edge and hope that the agent grabbed it.

Fun game, but for me the fun lasted for like 5-6 hours. Once the orbs were collected I thought the game became boring.

cool breeze · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2009, 12:08:29 PM »

Crackdown got way better with the Keys of the City thing. Just being able to lower your agility when going into tighter areas helps a lot.

Quote from: littlemathletics on January 11, 2009, 05:34:59 AM

I like Crackdown a lot, but I found the progression and lack of any real story a bit annoying. It's more a sandbox than an actual game.

I thought crackdown had a cool story if only for the reveal at the end. It's almost like they knew the player wouldn't give a shit about the different people he kills, then at the end they explain

spoiler (click to show/hide)

that they caused all the chaos in order to get citizens to beg for total dominance.

[close]

pilonv1 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2009, 06:14:13 PM »

forgot my favourite thing about crackdown - sub targetting. Being able to lock on and move from head to arm to leg is awesome. Other games should steal this.

chronovore · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:05:17 PM »

Quote from: pilonv1 on January 11, 2009, 06:14:13 PM

forgot my favourite thing about crackdown - sub targetting. Being able to lock on and move from head to arm to leg is awesome. Other games should steal this.

Yeah, that's fun. Fable 2 has it, as well. And in Fable 2, you can use it to pick up The Teaser Achievement, and there's another specifically using it for Hollow Men.

Don Flamenco · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:21:46 PM »

This game is fucking awesome.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:27:02 PM »

I could see a sequel being genuinely great, but Crackdown was some ways shy of that. Doesn't mean it didn't have moments of greatness; there were plenty of those. But it was a pretty simplistic game. Jump high, shoot things, toss things, that's basically it. The fact that enemies did not level up as the character gained in strength was a bit ridiculous, as the game could have used some "hulk busters," and real bosses as opposed to just boss characters with added armor. The progression of the character is pretty simple too. And the guy talking is alright, until it goes Ubi and the dude starts talking about something completely irrelevant to the current situation.

The game is awesome fun, though.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:43:08 PM »

The last island kicks your ass, if they leveled up along with me I wouldn't have beaten the game.

chronovore · « **Reply #15 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:53:57 PM »

Also, playing on Insane is pretty challenging, esp. bosses. The last boss is really hard unless you do the co-op end-run around his goons.

Don Flamenco · « **Reply #16 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:54:05 PM »

The guy talking is so weird and from what I understand, he doesn't let up the whole game. like you're just walking down an empty road, then all of a sudden "GOOOD JOB AGENT"

siamesedreamer · « **Reply #17 on:** January 11, 2009, 08:39:11 PM »

I loved it until I d/led the bugged update and it erased all my orb captures.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 11, 2009, 09:45:53 PM »

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on January 11, 2009, 07:43:08 PM

The last island kicks your ass, if they leveled up along with me I wouldn't have beaten the game.

I guess leveling up is the wrong term, but they failed to keep it interesting. The enemies and challenges are the same throughout the game, only increasing in "strength" and numbers. It's half-baked, obviously.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 11, 2009, 09:50:06 PM »

Quote from: chronovore on January 11, 2009, 07:53:57 PM

Also, playing on Insane is pretty challenging, esp. bosses. The last boss is really hard unless you do the co-op end-run around his goons.

Challenging how, though? They have more bodyguards and additional armor, and that's it. No special ass kicking abilities to make them feel like genuine game bosses.

chronovore · « **Reply #20 on:** January 11, 2009, 11:10:07 PM »

In that sense, though, they are boss characters. The ideal boss character will require that you use what you've learned how to do in the game. Crackdown consists of jumping, locking on, and shooting. Driving is nearly always incidental, unless you're going for the Achievements; cars are completely redundant and even an impedance in the game, which is a major design flaw. Anyway, the bosses use the core mechanics you've learned and don't bring anything puzzle- or pattern-related to their solution.

...OOH! Actually, I'm lying!

spoiler (click to show/hide)

There's that one guy at the refinery who has to be accessed by blowing up the generators.

[close]

But in general it's all about the platforming, jumping, and shooting, so that's all the bosses bring as well.

The Sceneman · « **Reply #21 on:** January 12, 2009, 12:55:31 AM »

Quote from: Kranz Fafka on January 11, 2009, 07:54:05 PM

The guy talking is so weird and from what I understand, he doesn't let up the whole game. like you're just walking down an empty road, then all of a sudden "GOOOD JOB AGENT"

Thats why he's so good! He just keeps on fucking talking. I think he was supposed to be weird?

Will get stuck into some more tonight. Hopefully I'll stop being so Emo about this game and figure out wether I like it or not.

Im really into achievements and shit, demi how long did it take to get em all?

demi · « **Reply #22 on:** January 12, 2009, 12:59:44 AM »

Enjoy orb hunting

The Sceneman · « **Reply #23 on:** January 12, 2009, 01:03:03 AM »

yeah I might give that a miss

do you need all the agility orbs to max out your agility stat?

demi · « **Reply #24 on:** January 12, 2009, 01:10:47 AM »

Nope I dont think so

chronovore · « **Reply #25 on:** January 12, 2009, 01:16:00 AM »

Quote from: Scenester on January 12, 2009, 01:03:03 AM

yeah I might give that a miss do you need all the agility orbs to max out your agility stat?

No, not at all. I was Agility-maxed about 1/2way through the game. I think you get some Agi. points if you kill peeps /while/ in the air.

However to max Driving out, you want to do races (obvious) and hit-and-kill gang members (less obvious). For some people the driving points are the hardest to come by, because it's easier to blow gangers up than too hit them with a car. Oh, and stunts will get you driving points, too.

demi · « **Reply #26 on:** January 12, 2009, 01:17:56 AM »

The only achievements I didnt have was the triple flip one and the nailgun one. Couldnt pull them off, because I couldnt find anyone who had bought the DLC (i didnt buy the DLC cause fuk that).

The Sceneman · « **Reply #27 on:** January 12, 2009, 01:31:20 AM »

Quote from: chronovore on January 12, 2009, 01:16:00 AM

Quote from: Scenester on January 12, 2009, 01:03:03 AM
yeah I might give that a miss do you need all the agility orbs to max out your agility stat?

No, not at all. I was Agility-maxed about 1/2way through the game. I think you get some Agi. points if you kill peeps /while/ in the air.

However to max Driving out, you want to do races (obvious) and hit-and-kill gang members (less obvious). For some people the driving points are the hardest to come by, because it's easier to blow gangers up than too hit them with a car. Oh, and stunts will get you driving points, too.

yeah Ive been doing races and running baddies over as often as I can, I want the fucken super truck!

pilonv1 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 12, 2009, 02:09:07 AM »

I got the triple flip with the DLC

took me about 2 hours though

chronovore · « **Reply #29 on:** January 12, 2009, 03:07:55 AM »

IIRC the easiest way to bag the multiple flip Achievement is with the DLC buggy, and to use it to repeatedly drive up a wall at the beach. You can also get it hitting that ramp behind the amusement park which launches you out over the beach.

littlemathletics · « **Reply #30 on:** January 12, 2009, 04:52:59 AM »

This was pretty much the game that made me rip a good ten or so CDs onto the HDD. Crackdown + Toto = fucking awesomeness.

Bildi · « **Reply #31 on:** January 12, 2009, 08:08:31 PM »

I think you really have to be content making your own fun with what's available to get longevity. The story missions don't last long so once I leveled up my character and blew up my 10th carefully constructed mountain of cars I got bored pretty quick.

I managed to squeeze about 15 hours of game out of it though.

Saint Cornelius · « **Reply #32 on:** January 12, 2009, 08:09:51 PM »

The last game I played on my 360 before it died $:-\$

Lucretius · « **Reply #33 on:** January 12, 2009, 08:41:10 PM »

funnest online co-op game this gen.

chronovore · « **Reply #34 on:** January 12, 2009, 11:39:57 PM »

Quote from: Lucretius on January 12, 2009, 08:41:10 PM

funnest online co-op game this gen.

Oh, and the added gameplay in the DLC is pretty sweet. Checkpoint Chase is a blast.

Andowsky · « **Reply #35 on:** January 13, 2009, 05:40:47 PM »

Good game for a few days, then it got pretty old. Once you got the explosives in single player, it was way too easy.

The Sceneman · « **Reply #36 on:** January 14, 2009, 12:30:17 AM »

now that Ive gotten into the flow of the gameplay Im really enjoying this.

I dont think I'll bother orb hunting, looks like a faq reading excercise in frustration. But Im definitely going to max out my agent and go for a few of the race related and driving achievements

chronovore · « **Reply #37 on:** January 14, 2009, 12:45:34 AM »

Quote from: Scenester on January 14, 2009, 12:30:17 AM

now that Ive gotten into the flow of the gameplay Im really enjoying this.

I dont think I'll bother orb hunting, looks like a faq reading excercise in frustration. But Im definitely going to max out my agent and go for a few of the race related and driving achievements

That's what I did. I've got 493 of 500 orbs, and it's hard to describe how frustrating that is.

I'm also avoiding the "complete every race with every car" madness.

Bildi · « **Reply #38 on:** January 14, 2009, 12:48:35 AM »

I liked kicking people.

A lot.

pilonv1 · « **Reply #39 on:** January 14, 2009, 12:51:46 AM »

: me too, I'd deliberately run up to anyone near a ledge and kick them rather than shoot them. Much more satisfying. Of course I'd end up dying more often too since I wasn't much of a meat sheild.

The Sceneman · « **Reply #40 on:** January 21, 2009, 01:23:23 AM »

man Im so into this game, going for all the orbs now :'( what have I gotten myself into?

Im also conesidering buying the DLC :'( :'( :'( :'(

The Innocent X · « **Reply #41 on:** January 21, 2009, 04:26:37 AM »

Still got 2 or 3 agility orbs to go. Might boot it up to have another look.

chronovore · « **Reply #42 on:** January 21, 2009, 10:33:50 AM »

Quote from: Scenester on January 21, 2009, 01:23:23 AM

man Im so into this game, going for all the orbs now :'( what have I gotten myself into?

Im also conesidering buying the DLC :'( :'( :'( :'(

Ping me if you see me on, and we can play the DLC modes together. The playability is in the title update you already have, but the DLC is the unlock code for being able to initiate it. Pretty slick.

Oh, and there's co-op achievements, if you're into that.

demi · « **Reply #43 on:** January 21, 2009, 10:52:40 AM »

Quote from: Scenester on January 21, 2009, 01:23:23 AM

man Im so into this game, going for all the orbs now :'( what have I gotten myself into?

Im also conesidering buying the DLC :'( :'( :'( :'(

The DLC is wack, don't bother.

T234 · « **Reply #44 on:** January 21, 2009, 11:46:05 AM »

Willco: Still cooler than Demi.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #45 on:** February 09, 2009, 10:37:37 PM »

This game keeps on delivering 2 years later

The Sceneman · « **Reply #46 on:** February 10, 2009, 01:29:05 AM »

yeah it rules, Im gonna go for some more orbs soon

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #47 on:** February 10, 2009, 10:08:48 AM »

I'm missing 8 or so :'(

muckhole · « **Reply #48 on:** February 10, 2009, 01:38:24 PM »

I'm missing one fucking orb. I must have spent a good two weeks looking for it, then I gave up and sold the game. You bastards have me itching to go back and look for it again.

chronovore · « **Reply #49 on:** February 10, 2009, 06:29:48 PM »

IT'S A TRAP!</adm_ackbar>

I can see going back for jumps, races, and such, but missing ONE orb that's already taken two weeks? Plus the original playtime? No tx.

muckhole · « **Reply #50 on:** February 10, 2009, 07:09:32 PM »

Quote from: chronovore on February 10, 2009, 06:29:48 PM

IT'S A TRAP!</adm_ackbar>

I can see going back for jumps, races, and such, but missing ONE orb that's already taken two weeks? Plus the original playtime? No tx.

Looking for that last one, I swear I even started to head that signature orb sound in my head. Driving me crazy.

It's there, somewhere.

Waiting.

chronovore · « **Reply #51 on:** February 10, 2009, 09:18:48 PM »

Quote from: muckhole on February 10, 2009, 07:09:32 PM

Quote from: chronovore on February 10, 2009, 06:29:48 PM
IT'S A TRAP!</adm_ackbar>

I can see going back for jumps, races, and such, but missing ONE orb that's already taken two weeks? Plus the original playtime? No tx.

Looking for that last one, I swear I even started to head that signature orb sound in my head. Driving me crazy.

It's there, somewhere.

Waiting.

Mocking. It's probably holding its breath whenever you get close.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #52 on:** February 10, 2009, 09:23:48 PM »

Can't wait to play this again

Pimpbaa · « **Reply #53 on:** February 11, 2009, 09:25:03 PM »

My favorite 360 game. I just wish it was installable to the hard drive.

pilonv1 · « **Reply #54 on:** February 11, 2009, 09:30:37 PM »

its not installable?!

chronovore · « **Reply #55 on:** August 08, 2013, 07:53:51 PM »

So, Crackdown was free for XBL Gold subscribers. This is neat, because IIRC the disc version is one of the few which didn't support HDD installs, and now I can play it quietly.

I've just tried going back for the Street Racing Achievements, and I'd forgotten how good the driving is in this. I mean, it's not perfect, but it's better than Saints Row 1 and 2, better than GTA IV (natch!), and generally got a driving model in alignment with the over-the-top, superhero, action-movie vibe they're going for. It's crazy. The other drivers can get a little stupid though, and are capable of messing up a majorly good run with just a little bit of unpredictable driving and subsequent accidents.

I'm doing OK so far, but won't be trying it again until I get back from my USA trip.

Has anyone here picked up either of the racing 'cheevos?

Raban · « **Reply #56 on:** August 08, 2013, 07:57:10 PM »

I remember liking the radio stations, too! The cars in Crackdown were something that easily doubled my playtime with that game, since I never thought to even touch a vehicle on my first playthrough. I was surprised to find, like you, that they are quite a lot of fun to drive.

chronovore · « **Reply #57 on:** August 08, 2013, 08:19:20 PM »

The funny thing is, unlike any other game of the genre, the cars' performance diminishes with damage. So the races have to be raced without damaging the car, which makes every bump pretty important.

I was on the cusp of winning a race when I took a bad tumble, and the car was suddenly driving at half-speed. Last night, I did something where the door was flopping around, and I think a car passed me, clipped the open door as it drove past, which put me into a flat spin.

Raban · « **Reply #58 on:** August 08, 2013, 08:37:52 PM »

GTA IV dabbled with progressively worse handling as your car became damaged, but I'm gonna assume that most people had problems with the handling regardless of their car's condition.

However, getting spun around by a loose-hanging door sounds kinda rad

chronovore · « **Reply #59 on:** August 08, 2013, 09:53:56 PM »

It was surprising, for sure. I think other games just use the doors cosmetically.

GTA IV's handling is so whale-like to begin with that it would be hard to know when it got worse. I did notice that my tires got shot out a lot, and that handling became even more ridiculous. I also recall in TBoGT that I tried to drive a car on which I'd used an explosive shotgun shell; I'd made it kind of macaroni-shaped, and it tended to curve.

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Author Topic: Crackdown discussion (Read 8265 times)