Casually Hardcore devlog

Crackdown: Most additive game of the year 2007

January 16th, 2008

I completely forgot this game was released in 2007. It’s gameplay mechanics are brilliant(better than GTA),

1. Player’s abilities progress like an RPG without the “stats-overload”
2. Player’s abilities increases through the use of the abilities: shooting, jumping, bombing, kicking
3. Killing civilians degrades abilities progression
4. Health/shield regeneration – player is partially superhuman
5. Challenging mix of jumping puzzles and henchmen + boss battles – very hardcore
6. Easy transition from walking + jumping + climbing + swimming + driving in an seamless world

but suffers from a two tragic flaws that downgrades it from “Game of the Year” to just “good game in 2007.”

1. The art style is a bit too hardcore gamer for my tastes: greens, purples, oversaturated colours.
2. The story is all too generic and actually interferes with gameplay. Initially, the story appears to be polished and somewhat interesting (Agency, cloning, advanced powers), but after the third cut-scene it becomes predictable (you good, ugly people bad – no plot twists) and in the end useless. The developers could have just put up 3 lines of text instead of spending all that time on pre-rendered sequences + voice over.

GTA III had a simpler/better style (although generic) and the story was compelling due to the over-the-top mafia characters who give you wacky tasks to execute in order to progress. Crackdown’s art was too eccentric (the cel shading is nice, but the art director needed to choose the colours better) and the story was too generic.

A game like Crackdown suffers from the typical “3D platformer camera” problem that has been present since Mario 64 + Tomb Raider arrived. Crackdown’s camera is very good by modern standards, but in tight spaces it zooms in and out while forcing nearby geometry into transparent mode (all very disorientating if you are carefully trying to maneuver). Modern platformers either avoid tight spaces or use a pre-planned camera paths like in Heavenly Sword, Ico, Prince of Persia, etc.

Overall, few platformers appeal to the masses due to complex controls (Crackdown uses all 8 buttons and both joysticks!) and wonky 3D cameras. Hardcore gamers have a high tolerance to these issues and are willing to spend the time dealing with them.

Entry Filed under: Game Development