Crysis (PC)
Not one but two great game reviews, I just made you’re day, didn’t I? Sorry, not being arrogant, just a little sarcastic. When Crytek (FarCry) originally released some pics of the unheard-off Crysis more than a year ago, it sent shockwaves through gaming communities worldwide and almost immediately theories poured out on possible requirements. After all, from what we saw in the pictures, there was no way even a high-end PC could run the game. Truth is, back then there were hardly any hardware out there that could run the game. Of course, now prices are on an all-time low and that’s how I managed to afford a kick-ass PC with a powerhouse video card. I ran the shit out of this game, ran it on absolute high (with anti-aliasing turned way down fyi). So what can I say about this game. Did the game deliver? Did the graphics blow my mind away?
Graphics: I could write on and on and I wouldn’t be able to tell you exactly how perfect these graphics are. There is so much detail, it hurts your mind. Even strand of grass has veins. Every body on the floor has perfect clothing, right up to the soles of their shoes. If you look closely enough, you can make out the fur on their shirts, even the patterns of the fabric. So much details hurt the eyes. Besides these details, the graphics are gorgeous. The environment is breathtakingly real. The game starts out at night and I thought the graphics were great until sunlight streamed and I finally saw the true extent of Crysis’s graphical engine (or so I thought). Once you’re done with the island, you head deep into the alien ship (which turns out to be the island, itself) and the graphics blow in you’re face again. Finally the threat breaks out and the island’s environment turns a chaotic frozen-summer season and again it breaks open the previously set boundaries. Finally the final confrontations on the ship deck in the middle of a stormy night breaks out the game’s biggest guns.
Oh man, I went on and on about the graphics, didn’t I? Well, I warned you in advance. Next up, Game play: Didn’t care much for it. I hated Far Cry’s shooting when it came out and they basically built up on the same weapons engine. Most of you’re shots don’t connect and those that do, don’t do much damage. Enemies constantly knock you around and mess up you’re aim. I though GOW’s Hammer of Dawn was boring but Crysis’s Tec Cannon proved me wrong. Where did the good ultimate weapons go? Aside from that the game offers many varieties of play time, you can pretty much ride any vehicle you come across, be it cars, APVs, tanks, boats or helicopters and you’ll constantly need to, to get from one location to the next. If you have a target, you can go about it any way you want. Need to head to the Koreans’ Camp? Steal a jeep and drive there, steal a boat and ride there or walk on foot using you’re suit’s maximum speed feature. The game offers endless ways to go about completing you’re objectives which is it’s main saving grace where game play is concerned. The game may be divided into levels but the playing field is massive and a one-load. The island in enormous and populated with countless valleys, rivers, mountain ranges, meadows, villages, security posts, rice fields and Koreans.
The story is nothing new but the whole alien-invasion concept has become a standard for FPS games (Doom3, Half Life, Prey etc.) but it’s certainly told well. The intro was well handled, the cut scenes are very-well directed and the game progressed quite well. Somewhere in the middle, as I was shooting out Koreans, I looked up to see the rocks breaking off the cliffs and I could see the alien ship inside. Bosses appear in clichéd but enjoyable non-cut scene real-time event ways, specially the last one.
The bottom line is, while the game may not be entertaining to play through and not very long (2-3 hours maximum) but the graphics are top of the line, right now and everyone should attempt to check this one out, if you’re respective PCs can handle it
