This game has been in development for an eternity. First showcased to use "cloud technology" to offer groundbreaking physics, it was eventually split into two games, a singleplayer and a multiplayer. I'll be reviewing the singleplayer, which has none of the "cloud magic" promised. Indeed, while the multiplayer does feature some neat features, it's nowhere near what was showcased several years ago.
Let me get this out of the way - Crackdown 3 is not a "serious" game. If you're looking for a mindblowing, heart-stirring story, yeah, please look elsewhere. There's no groundbreaking mechanics, or finely crafted action sequences either. Indeed, it's easy to dismiss this game as a generic open-world grind, and some gamers have done just that.
But that would be quite the unfair assessment. Crackdown 3 is all about freedom. At the start, you are dropped into the open world, and you can go anywhere, do anything. There's a wide variety of activities - many are just about creating mayhem and destruction in different ways, but the ones that intrigued me most are the vehicular and acrobatic races, and some of the broadcast tower climbing which had some surprising puzzling elements. Then, there's the whole thing about collecting orbs - essentially a collectible game but with gameplay bonuses.
It does sound like a lot of busywork, but somehow, it feels different due to its very open-ended nature. Just when you're starting to get bored of destroying factories, you can switch to jumping off buildings, and it all feels fresh again. Sure, there are definitely difficulty gates between different regions, but you could go to the hardest region right at the outset and give it your best shot, if that's how you want to approach things. Of course, there's a story, and there are some boss missions after you've raised enough of a noise in the open world, but these are few and far between. Some of the boss missions are actually rather creatively conceived, and built around the concept of verticality.
The world is fairly small, but where it really shines is in the verticality. Few games have attempted this, and indeed, outside of the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, I don't think I have experienced something quite like this world. There are regions in the world that are fairly mundane, but it's the vertical areas that truly expand its horizons, literally. Most mechanics in the game feel familiar, but the ability to explore in 3D (with jetpacks and giant fan-like elevators) is definitely a notable innovation.
I love the visual style of Crackdown 3. Many have criticized the game for "looking old" and "poor graphically", but I totally agree with John from Digital Foundry here. Sure, it's not the most impressive technically, but it just looks delightful.
The shooting is totally mediocre, which is a shame, because there's truly a lot of destruction to be done in the game. It's a pretty generic Unreal Engine 4 implementation that we have seen too many times before. There are some cool weapons though, particularly the insane black hole weapon and grenade! On a related note, the way you can acquire the black hole weapon is a smart vertical exploration-oriented puzzle in itself. One of the many times the game rewards exploration puzzling. The vehicle mechanics are likewise as casual and generic as they get. It has a wide selection of vehicles in all of the expected archetypes, but nothing quite as cool as some of its special weapons.
Is Crackdown 3 a generic open-world grind, then? Yeah, it likely is for a lot of gamers. It definitely is a game that's all about open world grinding, but for those that like the concept, it adds enough variety to keep things interesting throughout. Furthermore, the world has just enough intriguing elements to keep you intrigued - particularly the massive verticality it offers. Crackdown 3 is by no means a great achievement, but at the same time, it's a fun romp for anyone who likes open world exploration and a diversity of random events. If you want something more structured, definitely skip Crackdown 3.
Have you played Just Cause?
Yup, I've played all Just Cause games. There are definitely some similarities, but Just Cause is much more narrative-oriented with defined mission structure.
I guess I don't pay as much attention to that, I'm more just into gameplay and play most things as open-world grinds until I run into difficulty walls. Thought the verticality concepts seemed really similar, as well as the races, challenges, etc.
In that case, you should definitely give Crackdown 3 a try. Just Cause does have verticality, but it's more wide open spaces. In Crackdown 3, it's more of an urban verticality with massive buildings etc.