Game Review | Crackdown 3 Solely for point and shoot gamers

Video games are a bigger industry than Hollywood today, according to an April report by Newzoo. The games have complex storylines, almost true-to-life graphics—and can take years to develop.

But one could argue that video games are no longer meant just for fun.

It is this element which Microsoft’s Crackdown 3 focuses on. At its core, the game is simple, perhaps a bit too much so. If you’re used to playing games like Assassin’s Creed—which have stories within stories—or even Hitman, with its complex stealth mechanics, you will almost certainly feel bored playing Crackdown 3.

But that seems to be the point here. Crackdown 3 is about taking on the role of a super cop, and shooting, jumping, rolling your way through the game world. It’s not about complex gameplay mechanics. Imagine Gears Of War, but a much easier version, and without the mesmerizing graphics.

There is a campaign mode, and it’s worth playing once. What Crackdown 3 lacks is “replayability", something game developers have yearned for recently. Its graphics remind you of games like Saints Row, first released in 2006, which belong to a different generation. You won’t be awed by the scenery or feel compelled to take screenshots to save moments from the game, as one is wont to do when playing God Of War.

Crackdown3 is essentially about new technology. Microsoft uses cloud gaming physics to deliver an environment that can be destroyed completely. Why is that important? Because the more elements you destroy in a game’s environment, the higher the computing power it needs. Microsoft uses the cloud to deliver this power, thereby augmenting the power your Xbox can deliver.

That said, you might get bored with this aspect of the game too. The fully destroyable environment in Crackdown 3 is in a mode called Wrecking Zone, which is basically the game’s multiplayer version. In it, you get to destroy anything around you, such as a building, to gain a line of sight or dash through walls. But that’s all you can do, and the trick gets old really fast.

For a game that uses one of the newest technologies in gaming, Crackdown 3’s gameplay feels woefully old-school. If you’re planning to buy Crackdown 3, you have to ask yourself what kind of gamer you are. Do you like a game that simply lets you point and shoot at things (and even aims your gun for you)? Or do you want something with deep storylines, lots of room to play again and again, and multiplayer modes that do more than just destroy the environment?

Price: ₹3,999

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

Developer: Sumo Digital

Platforms: Microsoft Windows and Xbox One