Ken Lobb thinks Crackdown is the best game EVAR
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Feb 14th 2007 at 2:38PM }
Of course, being involved with the game's development may have swayed his opinion just a tad. Speaking to Newsweek's N'Gai Croal, Microsoft design director, Ken Lobb, drunkenly divulged that his very own GoldenEye 007 had been surpassed by the fun presented in Crackdown. Since Ken previously considered James Bond's N64 outing to be among the best games ever, it follows that Crackdown is among the bester games ever. It's not an unreasonable opinion to have; certainly not with all those supercops leaping over buildings and kicking crooks in the head.Then again, Mr. Lobb once described Perfect Dark, which he also worked on, as "the best FPS ever, for any system, period." It's all very confusing, but if you want to extract a key piece of information here, it's that Ken Lobb is constantly working on the best game ever. Though we say that with tongue planted firmly in cheek, a positive mindset like that would probably be quite motivating in our rough games industry.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Intentless @ Feb 14th 2007 2:43PM
I am really looking forward to this game... And PDZ may not have been the best but it had its merits...
WebPimp @ Feb 14th 2007 2:44PM
You have to give it to the guy, he's worked on some really good games. With a bunch of people stroking his ego all the time saying the stuff he's worked on is super good, I think he probably has the right to say what he feels.
Tony @ Feb 14th 2007 2:51PM
He's PR as it is, so what more can you say?
Mike @ Feb 14th 2007 2:54PM
Must be nice to have the worst FPS gun ever named after you. ;)
Jake @ Feb 14th 2007 2:57PM
@1, He is refering to Perfect Dark, isn't he? The original N64 title and spiritual sequel to Goldeneye. If that is the case, I do know people that think Perfect Dark is the best shooter ever. I think that Goldeneye is the best ever, based on how much I enjoyed it in its day and how long I would play it on end. Obviously neither game holds up to today's standards.
So, you could maybe go along with those arguments. But Crackdown?? It is solid, but I don't know how anyone could call it best ever.
JJC @ Feb 14th 2007 2:57PM
Im sure that crackdown will be fun, but i doubt i will have as many memorable experiences with crackdown as i did with goldeneye. that was the first game that i played multiplayer in and man was it fun...
has anyone played tag in the crackdown multiplayer... hilarious... i think messing around in that game is far more fun than following missions. i normally only complete missions if i happen to run into them and feel like kicking people all over the place.
Jake @ Feb 14th 2007 2:58PM
Nice one Mike. I forgot all about that little snippet. The Klobb is hands down the worst FPS gun ever created. It was so bad it was almost fun to use just to be infuriated at how horrible it was. I wish a new game would throw the Klobb in there just for fun.
Spencer @ Feb 14th 2007 2:58PM
Would I have been banned if I posted "I am the best first poster ever"?
I think Goldeneye had some new very cool things when it came out, but the issues it had were more obvious and, in many cases, annoying. Sure, damage is different depending on where you hit your enemy. But when they all charge at you, howcome their fallen comrades act as a one-way forcefield?
IMO, that game was in a class of its own. But that class was called "Games that would have been way better if they were genuinely difficult, rather than difficult because of weird, unrealistic programming".
I'm actually a little discouraged now that I know Crackdown is being made by the same guy. I'm sure it will be good, but..
Luke @ Feb 14th 2007 3:02PM
I agree, if he's talking about Perfect Dark I can't fault the man for saying (at one time) that it was the best fps ever. Furthermore, Crackdown is awesome!
JJC @ Feb 14th 2007 3:04PM
wouldnt it be sweet if the klobb was in gears? then there would be a gun that is worse than the lancer.
benjamin @ Feb 14th 2007 3:58PM
I think I am the best Joystiq poster with the username 'benjamin' that there has ever been.
Rob Holiday @ Feb 14th 2007 3:10PM
Crackdown is the first game I ever pre-ordered (and not for the Halo 3 beta). I thought the game was going to be OK till I played the demo. I love open "sandbox" games, but GTA and Saints Row are too... Can't think of the right term except maybe mean, nasty or low brow. I like being the "good guy" and it's really cool to get "super-powers".
Jake @ Feb 14th 2007 3:10PM
Wow. It must be awesome to be constantly working on the best game ever. Haha. (much sarcasm implied) That being said, I do rather enjoy Crackdown. The demo at least.
Larry @ Feb 14th 2007 3:11PM
Cocaine is a helluva drug.
ViperVisor @ Feb 14th 2007 3:19PM
So it will be in the top 10 all time?
The1 @ Feb 14th 2007 3:22PM
In reference to Perfect Dark he lied. That game was totally weak. However, Crackdown is freaking NICE!!!!
Vidikron @ Feb 14th 2007 3:23PM
Oh man... the Klobb... that gun brings back memories. My friends and I used to play with the settings set to where one-hit would kill you and there were times where you you could fire the klobb at someone coming straight at you and not hit them. All it would have taken is a single hit, but no, the klobb would miss. It was hilarious.
Marlos Hill @ Feb 14th 2007 3:25PM
this is amusing... but i still think crackdown will be a great game
Judd @ Feb 14th 2007 3:34PM
Perfect Dark is the best FPS ever. Games like Halo don't have guns with secondary functions. It also had an incredibly deep multiplayer. Everything was customizable including the weapons and dificulty levels of the AI. I still don't get how so many shooters in this day and age won't allow you to fight off against sims in multiplayer. Sure Perfect Dark Zero was flawed, but the original was so ahead of it's time. Plus it featured an alien named Elvis.
jduke @ Feb 14th 2007 3:36PM
ken lobb hit his prime when he played for the Mariners
187 @ Feb 14th 2007 3:37PM
Probably not the best game ever, but the demo is addicting. I hope the retail version provides even more entertainment. The game is definitely worth buying on it's own (without the Halo 3 beta), just try the demo and see for yourself.
Jake @ Feb 14th 2007 3:43PM
Spencer,
You can't dog on Goldeneye for its issues. If it were released today it would suck royally. But, it was the first of its kind. It ushered in a new era. I used to play that game until 8 o'clock in the morning, sleep for 5 hours, then play it some more. As great as Gears, Halo, Resistance, etc. are, I have not had as much fun with a shooter since Goldeneye. I don't want to play it now, but at the time it was simply amazing. Perfect Dark was as well. And we are not talking about PDZ, for you youngun's out there.
VampireHunter Z @ Feb 14th 2007 4:49PM
If I were a developer I would think the same thing about every game I make. I'm sure every dev thinks the same thing but refrains from saying it in public. Golden Eye was the 1st FPS I played and it was probably the best game on the N64 right next to Ocarina of Time. And thats coming from someone who don't play FPS that much. Crackdown? meh I'm not big on sandbox games.
REUYL @ Feb 14th 2007 4:31PM
"My mommy told me that I'm special!"
-Ken Lobb
Steve519 @ Feb 14th 2007 4:40PM
7.5 out of 10 my my review
http://xblradio.com/blogcast/?p=298
mike_p @ Feb 14th 2007 7:28PM
When I get out of work early today (thank you snow storm!!!) I'm going straight to GameStop to reserve this game. At first, I was trying out the demo to see what kind of game I would have to cope with while having access to Halo 3 beta. Now, I could honestly care less about Halo 3 because Crackdown is fucking fantastic. I'm dying to play this on Xbox Live with a bunch of others driving around and picking up cars to throw at other players.
Don't quote me on that, Jack Thompson. It's just a game, calm down and put down your cross.
Manu @ Feb 15th 2007 12:21AM
I just finished reviewing Crackdown for a small site and gave it 5/5. It's pure FUN. I'm so glad it didn't end up being another GTA-clone. I can spend hours and hours just finding the powerup orbs, not caring about the gangs. Great game. Well done.
Ben Heckendorn @ Feb 14th 2007 5:59PM
Perfect Dark was tons of fun. You could kill a person, stick their corpse with a poison knife before it dissappeared, and they'd respawn sick and about 75% of their health would "cough" away. And yes, it had lots of features only now coming into vogue. AND in single-player you could shoot out lights and hide in the dark, which not even the 360/PS3 seems to have (those darn bulletproof next-gen lightbulbs!)
"You've just been KLOBBERED!"
Jack the Ripper @ Feb 14th 2007 5:49PM
Goldeneye was great, Perfect Dark (not PDZ) made it even better, so I have no reason to doubt that Ken Lobb is working on a quality product. Personally, I can't wait to get my paws on a copy of Crackdown. I know its going to be good, Klobb doesn't have to tell me anything.
aaron_k7 @ Feb 15th 2007 2:57AM
@Ben Heckendorn
Dude that's so true. I have Resistance and really love playing it, but the only the whole environment is completely static except for exploding barrels. I had hoped that the Resistance environments would go somewhere beyond Wolfenstein 3D in complexity.
jc00 @ Feb 14th 2007 7:47PM
Some people like sandbox games. Oblivion was my favorite game ever and from the demo, I think it will be eclipsed by Crackdown. GTA4 may or may not win back the crown later this year.
James @ Feb 16th 2007 3:47PM
Yeah RARE had an amazing attention to detail. I think they still have it actually but the masters of gameplay are mostly gone.
Anonymous @ Feb 14th 2007 7:22PM
The original goldeneye was amazing, perfect dark was more of the same, and Crackdown is, well, a B-List game. It is nowhere close to being as fun as Goldeneye or Perfect Dark. Hell, Spiderman 2 for the original Xbox was more fun (In the whole building to building way that people keep hyping)
This is PR, Crackdown is so/so, and it will be a smash hit because of the Halo 3 Beta. What more needs to be said? It's definatly the kind of game you rent (unless you need the Beta key)
Mark @ Feb 14th 2007 8:01PM
He got at least one thing right. Goldeneye 007 was the best FPS ever. Many have surpassed it since, but only because they were standing on the shoulders of giants.
Devise @ Feb 14th 2007 9:00PM
I played GTA SA last night after a while of playing Crackdown. Now I think GTA SA sucks, lol. Crackdown feels soooooo much better and there is a lot more fun to be had. 30 seconds into the game your blowing up badies with bombs and spraying them with automatic fire. I think it probably could do with some more content, but it's great for the first in a franchise. Hurry up and finish the downloadable content and get working on number 2.
Frank @ Feb 15th 2007 12:08AM
when ken lobb was at nintendo in the mid 90's, he starred in a promotional video for some of the very first images ever of the N64 in action. i think one got the video if they signed up for nintendo power, but it basically just followed lobb as he walked around the shoshinkai show looking for "the secret video tape"...which of course was footage from the N64. it was totally rediculous but hilarious at the same time. i think i watched it a million times hahah.
http://www.shamoozal.com
Shiro @ Feb 15th 2007 2:50PM
Yeah, Perfect Dark's sequel, if worked on by the same team, could have been today's best shooter. Period. However, it wasn't, and that original team is making Haze right now, so we shall see.
Damn... That brings back memories. Who else remembers the days of 4 human players and TWELVE PEACE SIMS OMG OHNOES THEY'RE GUNNA DISARMS J00!! xD
Ah. I love that game.