Crossfire X (stylized as CrossfireX) is a First-Person Shooter exclusive to the Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles, and is a console adaptation of Crossfire HD, an updated version of the Counter-Strike-inspired Korean Free-to-Play shooter Crossfire. It, along with all previous Crossfire titles, was developed by Korean developer Smilegate Entertainment.
In addition to the Free-to-Play multiplayer component, the game also includes a 2-episode single-player campaign developed by Remedy Entertainment of Max Payne and Alan Wake fame, with each episode being sold seperately as paid DLC. Overall gameplay is very similar to the Call of Duty series, with the addition of a Bullet Time mechanic.
As in the original Crossfire, the game centers around an ongoing conflict between rival PMC companies Global Risk and Black List. In the single-player campaign, Operation Catalyst has the player take the role of Global Risk soldier Captain Hall, while Operation Spectre has the player take the role of Luis Torres, a teen thief who joins Black List after being targeted for assassination by Global Risk.
CrossfireX provides examples of:
- 11th-Hour Superpower: At the end of Operation Spectre, Torres transforms himself into a Super-Soldier known as The Ghost with an infusion of nanites as well as an experimental suit of body armor and combat knife he stole from General Maddox's quarters. At this point Torres plays like the Spectre Hero Unit from multiplayer, being limited to melee attacks but having the ability to cloak.
- Bullet Time: Available in the single-player campaigns, and not surprising considering who the developer is. Unlike most examples, the slow motion speeds up to normal speed whenever you're firing your weapon for more "stylish" combat.
- Cutscene Boss: All confrontations against major enemy characters are resolved in cutscenes, and not even the interactive kind either.
- Defunct Online Video Games: The game's servers will shut down on May 18th, 2023, only 15 months after the game was released. Additionally, the 2 single-player campaigns will also be disabled, even though they were purely single-player and even ran on a separate engine.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Over the course of Operation Spectre, Torres goes from a teenage petty thief to a legendary figure known as The Ghost who is destined to destroy the world.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Fontaine, one of the leaders of Black List, plays an antagonistic role in both campaigns. She's the direct Big Bad of Operation Catalyst when you're playing as Global Risk, but it's made clear in Operation Spectre that she's not to be trusted even though you're now playing a character on the side of Black List.
- Grey-and-Grey Morality: Both Global Risk and Black List have noble and nefarious elements to their ideology and personnel.
- Hero Unit: In multiplayer, higher level killstreak rewards allow you to turn into one of these. There's the Spectre, who has a cloaking device, and the Boogieman, a Lightning Bruiser with enhanced health (600 health, which is about 1/2th that of a Juggernaut) who dual-wields SMGs.
- Humongous Mecha: A giant Spider Tank artillery unit piloted by General Maddox shows up at the end of Operation Spectre as Global Risk's ace in the hole.
- The Mole: In Operation Catalyst, your squadmate PFC Moralez is revealed to have sold out to Black List for cash. However, he refuses to execute his teammates as that wasn't part of the deal, causing Black List to execute him instead.
- Order Versus Chaos: Global Risk's mandate is to maintain the global status quo, while Black List is a revolutionary organization dedicated to upending the existing power structure.
- Rank Scales with Asskicking: General Maddox is Global Risk's field commander and apparently one of their best fighters, easily defeating Logan and Torres when they encounter him, and even being able to put up a reasonable amount of resistance against a Super-Soldier at the end of the game.
