Crackdown 2 - Toy Box DLC Announced

Your work isn't finished yet, agent.

Microsoft have today announced the contents for the first piece of Crackdown 2 - the "Toy Box."

Much like the original game's DLC, the content will be available in both a free version and a premium version, priced at 560 MSP, which you'll need to purchase if you want to get the ten new achievements and two Avatar Awards it'll add to the game, as well as additional vehicles and gadgets that cheapskates won't have access to.

The content adds the new Vehicle Tag mode, a Level 6 ability reward and the Keys to the City at no extra cost, which Microsoft described in the press release quoted below:

• Keys to the City: Made notorious in the first “Crackdown” expansion as the ultimate cheat mode, Keys to the City returns to “Crackdown 2” and puts an even bigger set of tools at your disposal, including God Mode, Infinite Ammo, Fly Cam, spawning of weapons, gadgets and more, the ability to freeze the time of day, and pushing all skills to the maximum to become faster, stronger and more lethal.

• Level 6 Reward: Fans who reach Level 6 on all Agent skills will be rewarded with the new Thruster Ability. Thruster Ability is like having jetpacks for your boots, giving Agents built-in vertical propulsion to activate flying with the Wingsuit no matter where you are in the game.

• Vehicle Tag: Once you’re done taking down the Freaks and the Cell, join your friends for a thrilling new multiplayer mode where up to eight Agents can compete in these six arenas: Speed is the Quay, Industrial Action, Maim Street, Skid Row, Beachhead and The Sum of Human Knowledge.So why bother with the premium content? Well, here's what you get for your money...

• Two New Vehicles: Access two new vehicles: the wall climbing aquatic mini-tank called the Agency ATV and the Squad Chopper, which allows four players to jump in and man their own weapon, including the proximity mine launcher, precision rocket launcher, twin machine guns and nose machine gun.

• Five New Toys: Whether you’re soaring to greater heights or orchestrating a massive explosion, get creative with the following new toys: The Mass Driver (turreted gravity bending weapon), Portable Launch Pads (allows Agents to create their own launch pad jumps), Stickler Grenade (bouncing grenade that sets off smaller explosive charges as it bounces), Thrusters (allow vertical thrust), and Mags on Characters (allow Mag Grenades to be attached to characters).

• Two Avatar Awards: Deck your Agent in the latest gear. “Toy Box” offers two Avatar Awards to customize your Xbox LIVE Avatar with the Xbox Green Suit (must complete the Rocketeer Achievement) and Green Helmet.

• 10 New Achievements: Pacific City never sleeps and neither do the exploits. Industrious Agents will be rewarded with 10 new Achievements and 250 Gamerscore.

• Eight Agent Suit Colors: Pick up eight new shades of in-game armor for your Agent: Peacekeeper, Terror Firma, Agent Orange, May Contain Nuts, Minti-Sting, Mega Agent, Haz Mat and Dem ApplesAs a small caveat, those who don't purchase the DLC will still have access to the new vehicles and gadgets during multiplayer games providing they are playing with a friend who has bought it. Also, you won't need to download the content to be able to play online with people who have (unlike in the first Crackdown, which created awkward compatibility issues).

Before anyone starts commenting with anything along the lines of "why didn't they just include this in the original game?" it might interest you to know that this DLC (and the second upcoming DLC pack, the "Deluge Add-on") have been/are being developed by two separate studios. Whereas the original game was developed by Ruffian Studios, the DLC packs are being made by Proper Games and one-man-studio Spilt Milk. So now you know.

No release date has been announced for the content, but expect it to hit the Marketplace soon.