I've been running around for the last couple of days playing super cop on the 360. Being associated with a gang is a mandatory death sentences and civilian casualties are tolerated to a degree. Fortunately my abuses of authority have been virtual and real cops don't run around listening to Rage Against the Machine.
In Crackdown you are a genetically modified police officer working for the "Agency" to snuff out the three major crime lords running the city and their related gangs. As you exercise your abilities, participate in races, and collect tokens scattered throughout the city you mutate in a burst of blue energy. These sudden mutations affect your characters appearance as well as ability. For the Maori character it means a sudden proliferation of facial tattoos and piercings. The most improbably mutation is how an increase in driving
Honestly, my only interest in the game was the special invitation to the Halo 3 Beta download (which still hasn't been made available). I started playing on a friend's machine in a time-killing stupor. Random acts of authoritative violence morphed into a methodic hunt for the head of Los Muertos. My only wish is that it was a T rated superhero game. Though the character models are great I'd rather be able to customize my character like an RPG and have his physical appearance be as outrageous as his abilities.
Special thanks to GUARDIAN XXVI for my new found addiction. Please, be patient as I look for my headset.