Crysis 2
- Platform: Xbox 360/PS3/PC
- Genre: FPS/Action
- Developer/Publisher: Electronic Arts/Crytek Studios
- Release: 25/03/2011
Very few people got the pleasure of playing Crysis 1; a technically masterful game set on a beautiful free-roam island. The game required a super-computer for you to be able to play on it, which left many PC owners (including myself), feeling disappointed and upset that their feeble machine couldn’t run it.
So when Crysis 2 was announced, it put the PC gamer’s world into a spin; when EA announced that it would also be coming to the PS3 and Xbox360, the spinning became a tornado. If the game was to be made for the home consoles, did this mean that Crytek were selling themselves short; or making technical cutbacks on performance; did it mean that Crysis 2 was going to be a less impressive version of its predecessor?
The game makes you feel like a child in a playground
This is not the case, though the free-roaming aspect has been slightly toned down; instead pushing you through a series of confrontations and mind-blowing set pieces. The game still gives you a wide variety of choice, and that’s what the Crysis 2 experience is all about. The first few minutes quickly introduces you to Alcatraz, the Special Forces operative of whom you will be controlling. Alcatraz is quickly thrown into the midst of an alien invasion, put into the boots of a hi-tech nano-suit, and then sent on a journey that he (and you for that matter) doesn’t really understand.
You can use the suit to dispose of the opposing enemy troops and the alien invaders, exploring the beautiful looking city of New York; this really is the best looking console game to date (by the way). When you approach a combat situation, a mysterious voice tells you “tactical options are available”. You then pull down your visor and see what is at your disposal. Crysis 2 really makes you feel like you’re in a playground. You can use the stealth options that the suit can employ, sneak up behind the enemy and take them out silently. You can adopt the trigger-happy guns blazing approach and turn on the suits’ armour defences, or you can just sneak past the enemy entirely. When using the suits powers your energy will deplete; meaning you have to ration the use of your abilities, and pay close attention to your energy bar.
The games’ display is neatly crafted, allowing you bring up the nano-suit upgrades on screen. Never having to pause the game, Alcatraz brings up his hand as you tap the relevant button for the upgrade you desire; relating to strength, stealth or speed upgrades. The same goes for the weapon customisation, holding one button will have Alcatraz bring up the gun to the front of the screen, tapping the relevant button (in my case x,y or b) will add certain parts to the gun; meaning that you can make a kill and switch to a laser sight immediately after to take out an enemy further away.
Crytek have created an impressive system, which when mastered will leave you feeling like you are in control. Initially you feel like a child in a playground, which is exactly how Crytek wanted you to feel. You spend your time leaping about like a crytek nano-suit possessed maniac, slamming yourself into people, cars and buildings. However, you soon realise you want to go about taking down your opponents with a bit more finesse; in a style that the online videos of the game you have seen demonstrates. This is where the experience begins to fall flat for me, the moment you feel less in control than is intended. Towards the end of the game, or on your second play through, you will feel like an experienced killing machine, a feeling you won’t get from the very beginning. After the introductory section, you feel clumsy and awkward when trying to achieve your goals; planning out an attack will more often than not lead to you running away to hide and recover your energy bar. It would be nice to think that this was intelligent game design; making you feel, just like Alcatraz, a new user of alien technology. However, in reality it’s down to poor game mechanics, and something that makes it difficult to enjoy the opening sections of the game. Once you do push through the initial hiccup, and you learn to take full advantage of the ‘tactical options’, you will surprise yourself with what the game will allow you to pull off.
The sounds are as expected from a game of such hype, orchestral scores mixed with hi-tech suit noises help to pull you into the experience. Harry Gregson Williams contributed to the soundtrack, making for immersive movie-like moments; the GPS loading screen videos benefiting especially. The story is confusing, convoluted and inexplicable at times; but the set piece moments, including a collapsing bridge and in-game earthquake keep the game moving forward at pace. Crytek have done a great job of creating a beautiful playground; Crysis 2 is a spectacle, it’s not a fantastic or perfect game, but seeing the Crytek engine in another developers hands is something we are keen to set our eyes on.
Verdict: 8/10
Female First Edward Lewis