New Crackdown Update Details

A huge update for Crackdown has been announced. The update will come in three installments. Two which will be FREE of charge. The first update will address many issues to the game:

• The option to turn on crime has been replaced by an option allowing gangs to be completely reset in the main campaign.

• If you're searching for the last 50% of the game's hidden orbs and 20% of the agility orbs, the sound these orbs make will be heard from a much greater audio range, making them much easier to find.

• Agents with 4-star strength can now slam down on the ground after a jump by holding the attack button, which causes both a devastating attack on the point of impact, as well as blast damage in the surrounding area.

• If taking cover behind a low wall, agents can now fire at a better downwards angle.

• Lock-on targeting has been improved, and live enemies take precedence over corpses in terms of target priority.

• Fire hydrants are no longer nigh-indestructible.

• Stunt Rings have improved visibility.

• "Lefty flip" for vehicle control has been removed, meaning that left-handed players can aim with the left stick, but still steer with the right stick.

• Limpet Charges (and the new Proximity Mines) will not disappear even when not within visual range.

• Explosions that occur anywhere within the city can be seen as long as the player has a clear vantage point.

• Interaction with the ramp truck has been improved on all vehicles, not just the SUV.

• Camera movement has been improved for both vehicle stunts and long plummeting jumps.

• The player-on-player lock-on has been eliminated, but an agent can be hit by another agent with a head or leg shot by using normal targeting.

The second update called the Free-For-All pack will contain several game enhancements:

• Keys to the City: This alternative play mode starts you off with a clean slate and several customizable options, such as the ability to give your character as high a skill level as desired. In fact, the new "Super Agent Agility" and "Super Agent Strength" levels will allow your agent to perform feats previously unimaginable. Players can produce weapons and ammo in an instant, and also spawn ramp trucks and agency vehicles at any point on the map, thanks to the mode's pop-up cheat menu. Of course, achievements and leaderboards will be disabled for this mode.

• Vehicle Impounding: Agents can now grab any vehicle of their choice and place it for storage in the Agency Garage. The game will also notify the player as to which vehicles are absent from their collection.

• Co-op Trophies: Players that win against opponents in time trials during co-op mode will be awarded with an image of a trophy next to their Gamertag.

• Achievements: Two new achievements will be offered for those who choose to only partake in the free downloadable content:

Confiscator (40 Gamerscore) - Impound all vehicles in the Agency Garage.

Psych Out (100 Gamerscore) - Complete all Time Trial missions at the Psychotic Difficult level.

And as if this wasn't enough there is also a third pack called the Gettin' Busy Bonus Pack, which will cost an undisclosed amount of MS points. This pack will include:

• New Vehicles: Three new vehicles will be added to the agency garage, including the Agency Patrol Buggy (mentioned in our previous report), the Agency Pursuit Vehicle (a souped-up race car), and the Agency Armored Vehicle (a tank). The Buggy's special weapon will be a roof-mounted mini-gun that can be independently aimed, while the tank will be able to fire rockets.

• New Equipment: Five new weapons have been added to the Agency arsenal, including the MSK "Lobber" (a gun that fires homing mini-rockets), the EX1 "Proximity Charge" (a proximity mine), the HRX "Harpoon" (players can harpoon criminals and attach them to moving vehicles), the MZ360 "Mini-Gun" (unrivaled in the number of rounds fired per minute), and the VS1 "Cloaking Device" (which makes players nigh-invisible and off radar detection).

• Street Racing: In order to adjust to the massive reduction of crime, agents have now taken to passing their time in street races that are scattered across the city. The races number six in total (both on and off road), and players can race against up to 11 other opponents, including a co-op player over Xbox Live.

• New Game Types:

Max-Agility Rooftop Races - Nine new races have been added, and only 4-star agents need apply.

Stockpile - Collect orbs in the fastest time possible. Can be played in either a co-op or vs. mode.

Checkpoint Chase - Starting from the Agency Garage, players race to reach an identified point somewhere in Pacific City. Getting there first gains you a point, and the first to 10 points wins.


Rocket Tag - One agent is given a rocket launcher with a ton of rockets. The other is given a pistol. The "hunter" agent simply has to defeat the other with just rockets, while the "hunted" agent needs to avoid the rocket blasts for 60 seconds.

• Achievements: Achievements marked with a "*" are accessible as long as one co-op player has purchased the add-on pack. Those marked with "**" requires both players to purchase the update.

Stockpile Supreme (10 Gamerscore) * - Complete any stockpile mini-game in less than 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

Flippin' Crazy (20 Gamerscore) * - Complete three flips of any type in a single jump in any vehicle.

Body Armor (10 Gamerscore) * - Attach five corpses to a single vehicle using the Harpoon gun.

Street Racer (20 Gamerscore) ** - Win all Street Races using any vehicle.

Street Racer Elite (150 Gamerscore) ** - Win all Street Races using all available vehicles.

Sounds like a great update especially for Crackdown fans like me. I can't wait, just hope that it's released after Halo 3 Beta.