Has Crackdown 2 got it all wrong? First reviews are in!

Needless to say alot of us are looking forward to getting our grubby mitts on Crackdown 2 this Friday but hold your horses for just a second, Reviews for the game have been flooding in today and it seems opinion is mostly of the lower score kind, even the better scored reviews are telling us to lower expectations.

Heres a short rundown:

Official Xbox Magazine UK 8/10

Crackdown 2 looks sharper, the action is fiercer and the increased number of players pays dividends. Despite all this, we can't shake the feeling that it isn't the monumental sequel that the series deserved. The over-familiarity of Pacific City and the cropping of key features like the gangs and transforming vehicles will leave some Agency veterans feeling a little bit disappointed.

Eurogamer 8/10

The cliché regarding this sort of game is that it changes the way you view your own world: I know for sure that I'll be seeing those last few Orbs in my dreams for months to come. If you need any indication of Crackdown's brilliance, that's surely it, right? If you seek its monument, look around you.

IGN 7.5/10

Crackdown 2 feels uninspired and rushed, and it certainly doesn't feel like a full sequel.

Games Radar 7/10

What was good is still good, but rarely better. What was bad is still bad, and sometimes worse. Changes have been made, though only the addition of four-person co-op makes much of a noticeable impact on the experience. This is a sequel you've sort of already played.

1UP B-

There's no question that Crackdown 2 is a mere shadow of the first game, which stands as an absolute classic. The sequel feels more like an ambitious user mod than a true follow-up.

Joystiq 6/10

That world, by the way, is the same one you already explored in Crackdown, if a touch more run down. Tack that on to the loads of comically plain textures and frequent slowdown and you've got a graphical package that's doing nothing to alleviate the sense of déjà vu.

So who will still be buying it? Whos going to swap to a rental and whos not even bothering?

A rental for me I think

Not sure on this - I tried the demo with Rigor and it was fun, felt like a bit more of the same but I havent been back on it since so it wasnt compelling. shame, the first one is such unashamed fun as well

same here - felt very much like the same game with a different skin, havent yet felt compelled to complete the first game yet so most probably wont bother with this despite the 4 player coop (roll on gears 3!)