Crackdown 2

It's admirable that the guys who made Crackdown 2 have created a sequel every bit as good as the original. It's just a shame they don't have that insight into the genre at large. Because there's almost nothing in Crackdown 2 to recommend it over the competition. On the whole, I'd rather be in Panau.

For a game to go to so much trouble to replicate its predecessor in so many ways it is downright amazing that it should fail so spectacularly. Co-op and competitive multiplayer adds an extra dollop of playtime, but if you've never played the first game you will have a much better time for a lot less money - and if you have played the original you will only end up hating both Crackdown 2 and yourself for wasting your time on this garbage.

Quite honestly, I would recommend the first game over Crackdown 2 with no hesitation, and based on what's actually here, it seems to me that positioning the effort as a piece of $15 DLC would have been far more appropriate than trying to pass it off as a $60 retail release.

Crackdown 2 is quite ugly, technically outdated and uses the same gameplay patterns as the first episode without correcting any of its flaws... You'll find so many better games of the same kind, it would be a waste to play to Crackdown 2 at full price.

Let's quickly sum it up: if you enjoyed the original Crackdown, no need to get this one, and certainly not for 60 euros. Aside from a few details, there's nothing new here, but the competitive multiplayer play. Which may, for a time, help raise the value of Crackdown 2, but not for long. Same city (but uglier), repetitive missions, endless brainless action, and a story you can write completely down and in details on a single Post-it. Yes, there is still the power grinding of the character to pursue, level after level, trophies / success to unlock, and various stuff to collect all over the city, but you know... been there, done that. And better, bigger, sexier at that, like in Just Cause 2 for example.