Crackdown 3 multiplayer hands-on preview: Cloud, combat, and concerns
We went hands-on with Crackdown 3. The "power of the cloud" is real.
We've finally been able to go hands-on with Crackdown 3's multiplayer, running on Xbox Live, several years from its initial announcement. First and foremost, I'm happy to report that the cloud destruction is as awe-inspiring as all those early trailers eluded to. Our demonstration was not in closed-network conditions, it was running live on the same Xbox network we all use, and the technical achievement on offer is undeniable.
Where Crackdown 3's multiplayer may fail lies in the gameplay systems layered on top of that destruction, which, for now, have a concerning lack of depth. Microsoft emphasized that the game is still four months away from launch, set for a February 2019 debut, so take this as an early feedback preview rather than a definitive look at what the finished product may look like.
Despite some concerns, I had a blast with Wrecking Zone. The cloud-based physics rendering is staggering, and has wide-reaching implications for the future of gaming.
While I am concerned about the overarching gameplay experience in Wrecking Zone, the implications for the cloud-based physics Microsoft is putting on display here is quite incredible. Envisage Gears of War Horde mode with hundreds of enemies rather than dozens, imagine a Halo Warzone mode with destructible environments. Unfortunately for Crackdown 3, therein lies the problem: I'm more excited about the possibilities for the future than what we played.
That said, Crackdown 3 is still four months from release as of writing, set for a February 15, 2019 debut. The towering environments Ruffian Games and Crackdown 3's other collaborators have built for the game are gorgeous, made all the more exciting when you tear them down, explosion by explosion. I just hope that they're not relegated to gimmick status by the multiplayer systems layered on top of it, which at least for now, are indeed infectiously fun, but potentially lacking in staying power.
It's true that we haven't seen many of the weapons or progression mechanics yet, though, which keeps me feeling optimistic. We'll have to see what comes next for Wrecking Zone.
https://www.windowscentral.com/crackdow ... d-concerns