Crackdown 3 releases on February 15 for the Xbox One and PC, and quite frankly, I’m a bit worried about the quality of this title. It releases on the same day as games like Jump Force, Metro: Exodus and Far Cry: New Dawn, and there are some troubling signs. Delays and lackluster reveals have taken this title from being one of the most anticipated to one that seems to be getting lost in the shuffle.
Take a look at the five things you should know about Crackdown 3.
Crackdown 2 Wasn’t Great
It’s kind of hard to get super excited for the third version of a game when the second wasn’t anything to write home about. Crackdown 2 released in July 2010 for Xbox 360 and it received a modest 70 score on Metacritic.
Fans who enjoy open-world adventures with purposely overpowered antagonists will still have some interest in Crackdown 3, but if you’re looking for a sequel with a history of critical acclaim, this isn’t it.
The Visuals Look Less Than Outstanding
Great graphics aren’t the only important aspect of a game, but it’s still important. While Crackdown 3 isn’t the ugliest game I’ve ever seen on Xbox One, it wouldn’t crack my Top 200 when it comes to eye candy, and that’s based on gameplay reveals and trailers, which usually show off the best of a game.
Again, does this kill the title overall? No, but don’t expect to push the limits of your monitor or television with visuals that have you wishing for a theater or photo mode.
Very Little Promotion
If you forgot Crackdown 3 was coming out this month, it’s understandable. The lack of promotion has been startling for a game that was once so highly anticipated. Actor Terry Crews was even hired to play a character in the game, but if Crackdown 3 was a film, the promotion feels like it’s for a straight-to-DVD B-movie.
Changes to Multiplayer
Originally, Crackdown 3 was supposed to support four-player co-op, but that was peeled back to just a two-player experience. Per GamesRadar, who references a conversation with Microsoft, the change was made because “the fantasy of Crackdown is to feel like you are ‘the most powerful person in the world’ and that the more players it pumped into the experience the more diluted that power fantasy became. Instead, the co-op count has been reduced to two and the game has been optimized with that in mind.”
Late changes make me nervous especially when a game has already endured delays.
Less-Than Favorable Multiplayer Reviews
Even with the reduction, those who have played the multiplayer aspects of Crackdown 3 aren’t bringing back positive reports. A hands-on impression from the video below, which comes from ReviewTechUSA, contains a mostly negative take on that part of the game.
The section I’m referencing begins at the 2:55 mark of the video.
Am I Buying This On Day One?
No, this was a fringe purchase on release day for me before I did the research on the title. Based on what I’ve seen and read, I’ll give it a try after it comes out, or I’ll see if someone allows me to give the game a spin before I fork over any money for Crackdown 3.
