Taking place 10 years after the events of Crackdown, 2007’s Xbox 360 hit, the sequel offers a return to Pacific City. However, this go-round, the city isn’t overrun by a variety of crime syndicates – instead it’s been destroyed by the nightly emergence of a Freak horde; daytime’s little better, as armed citizens have banded together under an anti-government banner and are wreaking a similar amount of havoc. As a member of the Agency (simply known as Agent), you’ll be more than equipped to deal with these threats via conventional weaponry, myriad vehicles, and good old fashioned fisticuffs. The real appeal of this title comes in the form of regular upgrades to your agility, strength (allowing you to beat the baddies w/ entire cars, among other benefits), firearms skills, and other attributes, all of which lends dynamism to the title as you progress towards becoming an unstoppable juggernaut of justice.
If you spent any time at all with the original, you’ll note that Crackdown 2 takes place on the exact same city-wide layout, albeit a demolished version of its predecessor. Whereas this may seem unoriginal, this editor found it a unique experience to revisit locales with which I had become familiar a few years back. Crackdown 2, though it integrates competitive multiplayer, is perhaps best played in co-op mode, which this time around allows for up to four Agents to simultaneously sweep the streets of scum. Also, strapping on a wingsuit is something to look forward to later in the game. If a well-developed story is what you’re seeking, you needn’t apply to the Agent position, but if superhuman action, plenty of gunplay, and orb hunting (the ultimate OCD pastime) sounds about your speed, prepare to take up residency in Pacific City for more than a few hours.
