Crackdown (titled Riot Act in Japan) is an open world, third-person shooter, action-adventure video game for the Xbox 360. It was released in North America on February 20th, 2007, and then afterwards worldwide on February 23rd, 2007. Crackdown was developed by Realtime Worlds, and distributed by Microsoft Game Studios. It was conceived by founder, David Jones, who was known for creating other properties such as: Grand Theft Auto, and Lemmings.
Plot[]
The plot of Crackdown is set in the fictional metropolis of Pacific City, which is divided among several districts and areas across four islands. The city is under the control of three crime organizations:
- Los Muertos: Originating from Central America, this gang of drug dealers, known as “The Dead” in Spanish, controls the district known as “La Mugre” (“The Dirt”).
- The Volk: An Eastern European militia group, also known as “The Wolf,” dominates the area called “The Den.”
- The Shai-Gen Corporation: A corrupt, formerly legitimate East Asian megacorporation that rules over “The Corridor.”
The city’s police-like organization, the Peacekeepers, were overwhelmed by a sudden rise in crime and could no longer maintain control. As a result, the city sought help from “The Agency,” an organization that operates cybernetic soldiers known as “Agents.” The player controls one of these Agents, who is tasked with systematically bringing down all three organized gangs while ensuring the safety of both the populace and the Peacekeepers. The Agent’s abilities improve by defeating both crime lords and their supporters, as well as by completing optional activities such as Street Races and Scavenger Hunts.
Development[]
During the development of Crackdown, several notable events occurred:
- Initial Concept: Crackdown was conceived by David Jones, known for his work on thing's such as: Grand Theft Auto, and Lemmings.
- Platform Shift: Originally planned for release on the original Xbox console, Microsoft suggested in 2004 that Realtime Worlds release the game for the then-upcoming Xbox 360 instead.
- Public Showcase: A demo of Crackdown was showcased at the 2006 E3 Convention, giving the public a first look at the game’s open-world and sandbox-style gameplay.
Despite this, play-testers were largely critical of the game, leading Microsoft Game Studios to fear that it would not be well received. To boost sales, Microsoft Game Studios bundled Crackdown with an access code to the multiplayer test version of the much-anticipated Halo 3. At least partially as a result, the game sold 1.5 million copies in its first six months of release. Despite initial concerns, Crackdown received positive reviews and has garnered several awards for its innovative gameplay.
The development of Crackdown was marked by a strategic partnership with Microsoft, which played a significant role in the game’s final platform choice and marketing approach. The inclusion of the Halo 3 beta access was a particularly clever move that helped to increase interest and sales for Crackdown. The game’s innovative gameplay and non-linear approach to missions were well-received, setting the stage for its sequels.
Sequel[]
Wilson and lead designer Billy Thomson had previously confirmed that Crackdown was designed from the outset to be a long running series of games, stating that sequels for the game are very likely to be produced, especially if Crackdown performed well commercially. However, during the Industry All Stars event in September 2007, Wilson confirmed that Realtime Worlds would not be working on a sequel to the game, saying "Microsoft was a little late in stepping up to the plate to ask for Crackdown 2, and by then we had already started working on bigger, better things". However, Shane Kim, the corporate vice-president for Microsoft, stated that Microsoft still holds the intellectual property rights for Crackdown and that a sequel would be released on July 6th, 2010 developed by Ruffian Games.
Trivia[]
- During the events of Crackdown 3, it is mentioned through one of the loading screens that Crackdown took place somewhere around the events of 2019. Although it is unknown if this is true, or not.
Gallery[]
