Crackdown
Looking back on Crackdown, it’s amazing how much it influenced the superhero open-world genre offering extensive freedom. Developed by RealTime Worlds, it saw players controlling an Agent tasked with cleaning up Pacific City by taking down its various syndicates and their bosses. The twist is that you had superpowers, like super strength, handy for throwing cars at enemies, or super speed for long-distance jumps and climbing buildings.
Of course, you could still use firearms and ride in vehicles, and there was freedom to approach missions as one saw fit. Walk into a Kingpin’s territory and face a tougher challenge, or take on other side tasks to improve your chances of victory by taking down supporting Generals. The choice is yours. Even if its sequels didn’t quite live up to the series’ potential, Crackdown remains one of the all-time greats.
