$60 DLC For Sale
Welcome back Agent. Crackdown 2 follows in the footsteps of it's predecessor so well, that it's sometimes difficult to remember that you're playing a new game. That's not to say that Crackdown 2 isn't a good game, but if ever a game personified the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," statement, Crackdown 2 is it. With the crux of open world superpower games released since the original (see: Infamous, Prototype), Crackdown 2 had an opportunity to be a game changer. Alas, that ball, unlike the orbs was dropped. Where Crackdown 2's strength lies, is with the collecting of, well, everything. Seriously, I was waiting for the game to tell me to start collecting one of each NPC at some point. The story, or the lack thereof, is told in audio files, a la Bioshock, and brief CG cut-scenes only without the grandeur. To be honest, the audio files are just one more thing to pick up in the king of collect-a-thons.
There are a few new tweaks to the game that reward you for all your hard work. Not having to go back to the Agency garage every time you need a new car is a major plus, as you just need to claim territory to get a tactical point. While rewards for leveling up your major skills are fanciful, and familiar, with the exception of the Agility reward. The addition of the Achievement tracker is a FAQ lover's dream, with the game keeping track of all the orbs, road races, and other important parts of completing the game in one menu, and on the map. A minor oddity in the game perplexed me though, as you get to choose your agent's face at the beginning, but within 10 minutes of playing the game, you never see the face again, as a helmet is permanently affixed to your character's head the moment you upgrade for the first time. Small thing, sure, but why go to the trouble of rendering the face's in the first place? I wanted to see my fake Vin Diesel run around, ruining the city, just like he does the cinema.
As it stands, Crackdown 2 is a good game, not a great game. Yes it carries the Crackdown moniker, and for those that were surprised at that little throw in game they received with their Halo 3 beta being actually good, this is familiar territory. That said, it's territory that perhaps $20-$30 DLC could have inserted in the original game, and saved us all a trip to the store to pick up.
Multiplayer has been added beyond the capacity of the co-op from the first incarnation, but beyond that, it's hard to say there is a major change to the game worth the price of admission. I can't say I don't like Crackdown 2, but I can say I don't have to love affair with it that I had with the original.
