Rants 'N Raves: Crackdown 2

Not everyone has the time to read or write a full review of every game that hits the market. Rants 'n Raves is your chance to read a quick breakdown of a game's strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide your own analysis. The concept is simple: put your pros and cons in a bullet point format, and make your critique of each bullet point as concise as you can. This week, we take a look at Microsoft's disappointing Crackdown 2.

RAVES

• Orb collecting – Leaping across building tops to collect green blobs is still an intoxicating and relaxing experience
• Four-player co-op – Having friends at your side makes this repetitive game more tolerable
• Four-player orbs – Telling your friends to "get their asses over here" to get an orb is the best addition to this game
• Ground punch – Punching the ground (to create a shockwave) is more entertaining than socking an enemy
• The protagonist looks like Robocop – Need I say more?
• Enemies mean business – Taking down an Agent requires an army, and the enemies in this game know that
• Driving through freaks – Splattering hundreds of freaks on the windshield of your car is a great way to gain experience points
• Explosions – Watching enemies rag doll through the air is a just reward
• Multiplayer – Leaping over buildings makes for a fun multiplayer experience
• No story – I like that the game doesn't stop. It just keeps pumping out action

RANTS

• Orbs that move –  That's dirty pool. Collecting these orbs ends up being more about dumb luck and accidental timing than actual skill
• Gliding – Yes, I'm sure a man in 10-ton armor wouldn't be able to glide for very long, but the sensation is more "falling" than "gliding"
• Repetitive missions – More beacons? Seriously?
• Driving feels secondary – I drove all the time in the first Crackdown. I never think to use it in Crackdown 2, and don't have to
• Same city – "Hey look, kids! There's Big Ben, and there's Parliament!"
• Inconsistent climbing – I'll jump over there and grab that metal rod...or not
• The announcer – He was funny in the first game. Now he won't shut up, and he has problems reading what you are going after
• Vertical climbing isn't as good – Jungle Gyms walls are more entertaining to climb than Crackdown 2's buildings
• No crime bosses – A tougher fight would be a nice change of pace
• Grenade launchers – Enemies can fire grenades with the consistency of machine gun bullets. Death comes quick
• Multiplayer maps – Some of the maps boil down to "who knows the map best"