320°

Crackdown 3: Less Than it Was Meant to Be, but Still Stupid Fun - Variety

Crackdown 3 is the ‘Sharknado’ of video games.

That’s how creative director Joseph Staten describes the game that has been plagued by three delays over five years since its E3 2014 announcement. After playing three hours of multiplayer and campaign, “Crackdown 3” is fun, but it might not live up to the switch-your-brain-off enjoyment of the “Sharknado” six-movie series.

ArchangelMike2320d ago

"Less than it was supposed to be" is being disingenuous. It's a real shame that the gaming community has been fueled over the years by bullshots and hyperbole; the constant pixel counting for bragging rights has conditined the community to become hyper critical of games that come out. Gone are the days when it was simply the fun factor that mattered, more than the resolution or how many frames per second the game runs at.

Howerver I do think that developers need to stop showing pre-rendered trailers and "tech demo's" to sell a game. They should simply show raw gameplay footgate, and if the gameplay is not ready to be show - then franky don't show the game until it's ready. We wait 5 years and get nothing that was originally promised - it always ends in dissapointment.

JesusBuiltmyHotrod2320d ago

It's MS..now look at sony whose games look as good as they reveal them with lots of in game gameplay (Often even better). Somehow Sony rarely gets credit for this. MS are pretty awful.

slate912320d ago

Lets not forget the white knight sony and their Killzone 2 trailer. Really can only say Nintendont do this.

yomfweeee2320d ago

While Killzone 2 was downgraded... it was still one of the best looking games of that generation.

This game is terrible looking.

spicelicka2320d ago (Edited 2320d ago )

I don't remember Halo 5 being downgraded, or Halo Wars 2, or Forza 7, or Forza Horizon. In fact I don't recall any other MS games that look worse than reveals. You're trying really hard to impose credit on Sony, really everyone here is already quite happy with Sony and its exclusives, don't see the need to turn that up to a cringey level.

TacoTaco2320d ago

Halo 5 even had split screen in the beta. That is the king of feature downgrades, taken away because they wanted 60fps at all costs. Then there are the Halo 3 vs 5 Explosion comparison gifs which speak enough by themselves.

Lexreborn22320d ago

@Slate91 Did you forget about the Zelda tech demo? Metroid Prime 4 early announce? Xenoblade Chronicles X? The Pokemon Stadium Wii differences? Nintendo are as guilty

2320d ago
starchild2320d ago

Well, to be fair I never saw most people acting like Crackdown 3 would have cutting edge visuals. In fact, the overall mood I noticed among most Xbox gamers was one of a bit of skepticism and tempered expectations. I'm not saying that I saw nobody looking forward to the game, but I don't remember seeing many, if any, people hyping it up as a killer app with cutting edge visuals.

rainslacker2319d ago

The downgrade in CD3 was the cloud destruction. Although, they did show better graphics in the original tech demo used to promote cloud destruction. It is true that Xbox gamers weren't hyping it up to be an amazing looking game, but MS did talk up the cloud destruction, and showed cloud destruction, which was better than what they ended up showing in recent game play reveals.

Not all downgrades have to be graphical, because graphics actually have improved since other game play demos. But, when the biggest selling feature of the game is downgraded, and the media doesn't call them out on it, and MS fan boys act like it isn't there, or act like they never hyped up the cloud destruction, or linked that early tech demo as proof of the cloud power, it does make people question if people are more interested in holding companies accountable, or if they're just interested in the console war.

Ceaser98573612319d ago

So Xbox fanboys are comparing last gen game downgrade with this gen game downgrade, though CD 3 was delayed for like 5 years now ... Anyways Pat yourselves guys...

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 2319d ago
tontontam02320d ago (Edited 2320d ago )

XBOX FANBOYS: it's on gamepass so it is okay.

microsoft should just make mediocre games from now on, they don't have to waste tons of money to make aaa games as long as it is one gamepass xbox gamers are happy.

King_Noctis2320d ago

Its not ok even if its on Gamepass. But most of us (the real fan that is) haven’t set our expectations high for this game either. The only people who make this game to be bigger than anything else is the fan from the other side, like yourself.

IRetrouk2320d ago (Edited 2320d ago )

Sorry noctis but Ms fans really did use the cloud and this game to hype both up, plenty of articles on this, the game and the cloud was what was going to turn the tides at one point, all you have to do is look over the old articles to see this, fast forward to today and suddenly it was never a big deal?? Why? Because the original promise is gone? Because the reveloutionary mp mode is not as promised?? Both were made a big deal of and as usual nothing like what was promised, nothing wrong with people calling it out.

Rude-ro2320d ago

@King_Noctis
Who made this a big deal?
Microsoft. With trying to hint that it could bring 4K gaming to the Xbox one.. a console that can not even display 4K.
The 12x Xbox One etc trying to give hope to potential buyers.
You are confusing people who called out Microsoft for this bs vs the false hype Microsoft used.

Baza2320d ago

I think they are already starting to do this

Thundercat772320d ago

Gamepass has become a garbage bin.

tontontam02320d ago

"But most of us (the real fan that is) haven’t set our expectations high for this game either."

That is really sad, you should switch to sony whenever an exclusive is announced we set our expectations really high.

Sirk7x2319d ago

I think it's cool that it's coming to Game Pass. New games add value to the service. Am I incredibly excited for it? No, not really. I've definitely had my issues with MS the last couple years, but I am looking forward to where they're going to be in a couple more.

rainslacker2319d ago (Edited 2319d ago )

@Noctis

So, if I go through all the Xbox fan boys comment history on this site, I won't find them saying how cloud destruction is the future, or them linking that cloud destruction demo from way back when, or saying how cloud is the future, or talking about Drivatars, or talking about how cloud is amazing because of the AI on titanfall which couldn't be done without the cloud?

I have a feeling I probably could....particularly from a few individuals who are prone to such things.

I don't know how you felt about the game prior, but MS, and it's fans, have used this game as hype. Maybe the regular Xbox fans, who aren't fan boys fall into your narrative, but they weren't vocal in saying that this game wasn't going to amount to much, so that leaves the fan boys as the voice of the XBox community.

"The only people who make this game to be bigger than anything else is the fan from the other side"

Ah yes, blame the other side. Because Sony fans have spent years hyping up CD3 as something amazing. Not spending these years saying how the game wasn't going to live up to expectations.

I was with you in your comment, assuming maybe it was from a regular fans perspective. But this....really? CD3 and cloud destruction has been a hot topic on here for years. Do you really think it's just an out of the way topic that most didn't pay attention to? This makes the Xbox fan base sound desperate to not look foolish, and it makes just adds to the voice of erratic and increasingly delusional Xbox fan boy discourse that seems to grow with every passing of the moon in the sky.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 2319d ago
slate912320d ago

I agree with everything ArchangelMike. MS pretty much brought these reviews on themselves with their attempts at marketing a "revolution" in cloud gameplay. Since we aren't getting the initial promise from years ago, the reviews will reflect that. And it is deserved.

Ratchet752320d ago

Well said.
I will wait for it to come on Xboxpass to give it a go.

darthv722320d ago

I'm old school so FUN is the main reason for me to play a game. And this looks to just be fun in the simplest sense of the word. I enjoyed the first game and even some of the second but this one is said to be a return to form with even more destruction. It's right up my alley so I will view it objectively.

UnholyLight2320d ago

@yomfrweeee A little hard to compare Killzone 2 and Crackdown 3. Crackdown has always been about avant garde style cell shading and was never about graphics. Killzone 2 and Killzone in general was always supposed to be a "Halo killer" and supply Sony with the best looking game possible. How can you possibly compare the two?

Pro tip....you can't!

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 2319d ago
yomfweeee2320d ago

Wait... they really compared it to Sharknado? Dear lord.

ArchangelMike2320d ago (Edited 2320d ago )

I guess they're trying to manage expectations 😆

chris2352320d ago

last time i checked that was what every othergeneric multiplayer shooter does. i wish them the best of luck with this mee–too product in a saturated market ;–)

Razzer2320d ago

What is being shown now is nowhere even close to that pre-alpha in-game footage in the article.

https://youtu.be/d_nZ1xYyj6...

mark_parch2320d ago

character movement looks much better now. The transforming car looks amazing in the alpha footage though now it just changes instantly like a shit magic trick. This game really has been through development hell , still looks fun though

2320d ago Replies(5)
Show all comments (85)
40°

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 devs praise games like Space Marine 2 for "lowering the barrier"

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 developers discuss the huge success of Space Marine 2 and its effect on the series as a whole.

Read Full Story >>
videogamer.com
180°

Phil Spencer Teases 2026 As A "Really Special Year" For Xbox

2026 will mark the 25th anniversary of Xbox, and Phil Spencer has teased it as a "really special year" for the games division.

Read Full Story >>
twistedvoxel.com
TheEroica3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

You got downvotes by pathetic gamers for feeling hopeful about good games coming out next year. Imagine how small your brain must be to downvote someone excited for future gaming joy? It is pretty neat to see people's world view blow up in front of them as they realize Microsoft has put themselves in a driver's seat that Sony hasn't been able to touch all generation.... What's even more pathetic is the same people downvoting you are the same people wishlisting Microsoft games on their ps5s 😂

P_Bomb1h ago

“Imagine how small your brain must be to downvote someone excited for future gaming joy?”

My dude your post history shits on EVERYTHING. You never have a good thing to say about anything lol! 🤣

derek1h ago

Yep we'll see, they have alot releasing next year.

OtterX7h ago

Always with the "next year..."! 😂

neutralgamer19926h ago

I don't know they have delivered this year and even last year. And they have a lot more content in the pipeline right now than anyone else. We can't just keep hating on MS

Indiana Jones
South of midnight
Avowed
Flight simulator
Hell Blade 2
Minecraft update
Gears of war reloaded
Indian Jones:expansion
Gears E day
Clockwork revolution
Fable
Doom the dark ages
The outer worlds 2
Grounded 2
Call of duty

OtterX6h ago

How many of those titles were just buyouts of companies that were going about making their games anyways? *Throws cash - "Oh look what we made!"

dveio5h ago(Edited 5h ago)

This list, that's been posted again, and again, and again in every single topic like this, contains almost nothing, literally almost nothing from Microsoft's own creational thoughtprocess.

It's a bunch of former 3rd party IPs.

Now even slowly returning to Playstation in some cases like Indiana, Hellblade, probably Starfield soon too, after they were made exclusively to Xbox on purpose.

Due to Microsoft's lack for own IP material except Halo & Forza. Which, the lack of, was the sole reason for all of it to happen in the first place anyway. Please don't pretend it wasn't.

And just look at all the games that come from Obsidian alone.

You really think Obsidian wasn't already working on Avowed and South of Midnight even without Microsoft buying Zenimax?

Microsoft delivered nothing but cheques.

OtterX5h ago(Edited 5h ago)

@dveio THIS. Lol, this dude thinks Call of Duty wouldn't exist without Microsoft! smh 😂

neutralgamer19925h ago(Edited 5h ago)

Common narrative I see often — that Microsoft shouldn’t get credit for the games its studios release because they “just bought them.” But this viewpoint ignores key context and sets a double standard that other platform holders aren’t held to

No one is saying these games wouldn't exist at all without Microsoft. But let’s not pretend that having a trillion-dollar company backing a studio doesn’t make a massive difference. Obsidian never had AAA funding before the Xbox acquisition. Pillars of Eternity was crowdfunded, and their resources were always stretched thin. Now they’re working on Avowed, with proper support behind it.

Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was made by around 20 people, using borrowed equipment and doing mocap in a boardroom. It was a passion project held together by tape and willpower. Today, Hellblade II exists because they were given resources, time, and freedom — something many developers don’t get unless they’re owned by a company that believes in their vision.

ZeniMax (Bethesda’s parent company) was in real financial trouble before the Microsoft acquisition. Reports and insider accounts have pointed out how much they needed a cash infusion. And while some people want to write off Xbox’s ownership of Bethesda titles, they forget the alternative could have meant layoffs or even closures.

The same goes for Activision Blizzard. Would you really prefer the company to stay under Bobby Kotick, after all the documented workplace misconduct and toxic leadership issues? Say what you want about Microsoft, but their acquisition brought accountability and change to a company that desperately needed it.

At the same time, Xbox gets hated on for doing what every major company does. Sony bought Housemarque, Bluepoint, Insomniac — but no one says Spider-Man 2 “doesn’t count” because of that. Why does Xbox get treated differently for acquiring struggling or undervalued developers and giving them a chance to thrive?

And the idea that Xbox locks games away is outdated. They're pushing cross-platform releases, cloud gaming, Game Pass, and backward compatibility more than any other platform holder. They're not forcing all studios into live service. If anything, their upcoming lineup is less GAAS-heavy and more focused on narrative and creativity — Avowed, South of Midnight, Clockwork Revolution, Fable, Perfect Dark, Towerborne, and others show real variety.

Whether people like it or not, Xbox is now the biggest publisher in the industry and owns the most gaming IPs. But what matters more is how they treat their studios. Most of these teams were previously stuck making AA games with limited scope — now they’re getting the tools and support to aim higher.

So when people say “Microsoft didn’t make those games,” they’re missing the point. It’s not about who started the studio — it’s about who enabled them to do their best work. You don’t have to love Xbox to admit they’ve helped a lot of developers and are taking a player-first approach.

Instead of writing off everything they do, maybe try recognizing the good they’re doing for both devs and gamers. At the end of the day, we should want more studios to succeed — no matter who owns them

BeHunted4h ago

I'm surprised Clockwork Revolution (BioShock meets Dishonored) isn't getting more media attention. The game looks interesting and reminds me of the old RPG games.

anast4h ago

The only good game on that list is Flight sim. The rest are either average or will be average. It's not a good look for MS.

TheEroica3h ago

My god.... Look how many comments are upset about microsoft's successes... 😂 This may be my new favorite thread. Not one gamer saying thanks for all the goodness coming their way, just bitter anger and downvoting the very games they themselves will purchase throughout 2026.... Sony really worked you guys over this generation.... Condolences.

DivineHand1252h ago

@neutralgamer1992 You said what needed to be said.

I have heard for years from older gamers that fanboys are the biggest issue with any fanbase. They will defend or gloss over negative news as long as the correct logo is on the box and they bash the competing platform no matter how much good they are trying to bring.

Right now their advocacy for PlayStation is elevating that platform so high that Sony no longer believes they need to do anything to satisfy their loyal fanbase like they did in the PS4 days.

I just hope most of them will eventually start advocating for themselves and encourage others to do the same. No one should blindly support one platform because these companies do not care about anything other than profit.

neutralgamer19922h ago

Hunted

And first proper game done by the studio with proper AAA budget and saying it will be released when ready

Anast

I believe we went through this before that you are objectively wrong. Meta critic, user reviews, game sales. In Playstation top 10 best selling games were 5 from Microsoft studios

Otter

No this dude is saying so many other studios wouldn't be thriving without MS money and people would be getting abused physically and mentally with Bobby kotick and his side kicks

Also maybe look up how the original founder of Bethesda and zenimax was kicked out of his own company by his best friend lawyer. So that was always a shady place and had been struggling financially before MS paid a premium of almost 7 billion

Eroica

I use to be a die hard Playstation fan and now I only have a Pc. I see how these fans are so toxic. They just can't handle any positive news regarding Xbox. When the best selling games on playstation are Xbox titles. Look at Forza horizon being best seller and that's years old game by MS. I guess ms don't deserve credit for that success too since they are the only company in gaming making acquisitions

Forget the fact Sony paid 3.6 billion for bungie and MS 6.9 for zenimax. Which investment has turned out better

Destiny and marathon with a lot of controversy

While zenimax output is nothing short of amazing compared to what bungie has released

crazyCoconuts2h ago

Yeah it's tricky. "Xbox" has morphed to mean different things to different people.
Console, now Windows, GamePass, and the cross platform games. There's a mix of attitudes towards all those things individually, and maybe an overarching attitude towards MS. But can't argue that the game companies MS recently bought continue to flourish, and GamePass PC has been a great value over the last year.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 2h ago
Lightning773h ago(Edited 3h ago)

They've had good output so far. So waiting for those games shouldn't be a problem.

Who cares if they're buy outs of companies or whatever excuse you want to make. They're games that are being distributed to other console. Play the games and enjoy it instead of fanboying or complaining.

ocelot075h ago

They going to be a he best and biggest publisher on Xbox, Playstation and PC next year. They not really said anything about Switch 2 though spite claiming to be big supporters.

quenomamen4h ago

If you call making one last Xbox before going full Sega, as Great. Then yea.

TheEroica3h ago

Doesn't feel like you're paying attention to what's happening.

RhinoGamer884h ago

It will be, his net work will hit 50 million and he plans to buy a new mansion in Cape Cod. Thanks everyone! #failup

Show all comments (25)
80°

The Witcher 3 Immerse Gamepack — Product Introduction with Marcin Przybyłowicz

Join Marcin Przybyłowicz, Expert Composer at CD PROJEKT RED and the mind behind The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt OST, as he sets up Immerse Gamepack on PC and dives into Geralt's adventures like never before — with spatial audio powered by Embody.

2d ago