As the infection spread across the city, the Agency was forced to abandon their strongholds as the Freaks advanced further and further into Pacific City. A part of the civilian population, who had lost faith in the Agency’s ability to protect the people, took matters into their own hands. These citizens started an underground block, called the Cell, to get organized, armed, and ready to protect themselves from any and all threats.
With time, the Cell’s power and control expanded, and thus their vision as self-appointed protectors from the Freaks began to change. The Cell started seeing the Agency as Pacific City’s real problem, responsible for releasing the virus and unable to quell it. The Cell sabotaged the Agent program – effectively incapacitating the Agency. With the Agency weakened, the Cell effectively took control of Pacific City, at least during the hours of daylight.
GR: The Cell emerged from within the civilian population. Are their weapons and armor more makeshift as a result? Where and how did they arm themselves?
SI: The initial 'Battle for Pacific City' left a lot of gang equipment lying around, equipment that the Cell were more than happy to commandeer. However their scavenging skills were truly utilized when it came to acquiring Agency technology strewn around the city after their failed attempt to contain the Freak Virus outbreak. So you could say The Cell does have a very 'resourceful' style of equipping their troops; vehicles and amour are very ad-hoc, but they do have some formidable weapons.
GR: What’s the Cell’s combat style? Guerrilla?
SI: The Cell's combat style is very much based on their location within the city. The geographical spread of the virus meant some of the population was abandoned long before others. Their fighting style reflects this; lightly armored fast moving groups in the less affected areas, to heavily entrenched and armed combat veterans with around ten years experience fighting off the Freaks.
GR: We’re assuming the Cell doesn’t have access to genetic engineering like the Agency. How do regular revolutionaries compete with superheroes?
SI: That's the thing, they are not revolutionaries as such, they are survivors. Survivors with a very big chip on their shoulders. They have survived for around a decade without any direct help from the Agency, against a formidable and pitiless force. The Cell are one seriously battle hardened group that know what it takes to live day-to-day in a ruthless world.
GR: If the Cell took out the Agency, which was revealed as less than noble in the first Crackdown, does that make the Cell the “good guys”?
SI: Now we are getting into politics! The Cell aren't the good guys, but I wouldn't say they are the bad guys. However, their beliefs (including that the virus can be cured) puts them firmly in the way of you and your mission. So, basically, regardless of good and evil - they will try to stop you.
