Christopher T. Fong
Crytek / Electronic Arts
In first-person shooter Crytek 2, an alien infestation and virus overwhelm New York, requiring the skills of Alcatraz, whose "nanosuit" provides superpowers.
Crysis 2: First-person shooter. Developer: Crytek. Publisher: Electronic Arts. Platform: PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 (reviewed on PC). ESRB: M for Mature.
I've fallen in love again, head over heels. Step aside, Crysis: Your sequel is just as bubbly and stunning as you once were in 2007. You were amazing, but this latest model with the new streamlined features is just downright beautiful.
Crysis 2 is more focused and sculptured. The sequel isn't just a sci-fi knockout but a serious game-changer, making other recent first-person shooters seem mundane.
Leaving the tropical jungle and the North Korean army behind, Crysis 2 advances three years to the concrete jungle of New York City. An alien infestation and virus have devastated our beloved eastern city and its population. The military begins a citywide evacuation.
You, as Alcatraz, are entrusted with a "nanosuit" that empowers its user with super strength, speed, stealth and armored protection. You have one goal: Stop the aliens.
Crysis 2 is tightly designed with key objectives. Clear linear focus for a sandbox-style game is always a good thing. This allows the players to adapt their tactical style in different approaches with the suit's abilities - frontal attack (Rambo), flank (Napoleon) or stealth (Predator). The open-field maps give an intense experience; indoors felt, unfortunately, linear, uninteresting and, well, indoors.
The gameplay also streamlines the original's complicated suit-options wheel to quick keys that allows swift changes from stealth to speed and into armor mode. No more hiding in bushes to transform.
FPS multiplayer is once again addictive, very satisfying and the highlight of Crysis 2. The playing field completely changes with the nanosuit's abilities. Cloaked online players simply keep you on your toes. And activating armor makes instant fisticuffs all the better.
While the original ran beautifully on DirectX 10, it was a processor gas guzzler. Crysis 2 shipped on DirectX 9, making hardware requirements economical. Yet the game looks just as detailed and dense with its soft sunset lighting and crumbling environment.Crysis 2 ups the ante not just visually but also with a powerful soundtrack. The opening theme, which renowned film composer
Hans Zimmer ("The Dark Knight" and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2) collaborated on, sets a cinematic tone. The lush symphonic strings are as patriotic and dramatic as the game's cut scenes and intense firefights. And many thanks to the house composers (Borislav Slavov and Tilman Sillescu) for shelving the generic heavy-metal riffs.
After slow-dancing around the showroom floor and a test-drive, you'll purchase this off the lot. Crysis 2 is an ideal FPS for anyone looking for something more than the frumpy usual. Yeah, Crytek, you had me at "Hello." Again.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/04/DD961IPOBR.DTL#ixzz1IeGlGxfZI'll be getting this one.