Game rating: Crysis (2007)

[B33 ENN]

Game title
Crysis (2007)

Category            Rating            Comments Story line 6 Crysis is essentially a remake of 2004's acclaimed hit Far Cry, and this story is a reworking of that original and highly successful semi-openworld island assault game (which also spawned an action B-movie).The same core team of developers went on to form their own software house CryTek, and this game is the vehicle that promoted their proprietary game engine, CryEngine 2. The specifics of the character you play this time around, and the events through which you find yourself in the situation, have changed along with the eventual enemy you will face. You are now a member of an elite combat team as opposed to a gun-for-hire., and the mutants have been suplanted by aliens - as is well known by now, so mentioning it is not really a spoiler. It seems weak of Crytek to have gone down this road rather than creating a new story from scratch. However, it was probably a move designed to minimise risk by reusing a previously successful storyline. It has been standard practise in the movie industry for decades so it was inevitable that video games would follow. As a result, to anyone who played the older game, this one comes across as not much more than a technology demonstration, since it has become notorious as a method of hardware upgrade taxation as opposed to a modern day Half-Life. However, for anyone who did not play the original, the storyline is at least as interesting as it probably was then, maybe more so due to the extra eye-candy and toys you get to play with this time around. Military enthusiasts with an eye for detail will initially be confused by the familiar menu of weapons and vehicles that are derived from well known real world equipment, but are significantly altered, modified and renamed. Things become clearer when the VTOL arrives, in case the Nanosuit hadn't already been enough of a hint: the US and Korean "sides" are only conveniences to ground the story, and the actual portrayal of them and their technology should be regarded as a sci-fi fantasy rather than realistic. Graphics 9 Like S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Crysis was promoted prior to release as a revolutionary step forward in the technology of 3D gaming. This is true in almost every respect for the delivered product, but while S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was playable at an acceptable quality with appropriate settings on above average hardware of the period, Crysis failed to offer much more than a slideshow framerate for most players unless its key selling point, the graphics and physics features, were reduced to levels less than even its contemporaries. It took a generational step in GPU technology before the game started to become playable on medium settings, and even today it requires the best that is available to show itself at its intended best. Comparing it to a similar title from the same period, namely Far Cry 2 with its Dunia engine, that game scaled better out of the box and became a de facto GPU benchmark until recently. Crysis has never improved proportionally with hardware advancement, even though they both offer very similar graphical excellence. Even on the latest generation of GPUs, Crysis is still inefficient at using the full potential of the hardware. However, as long as you don't push for the highest screen resolution option or anti-aliasing settings, you can play Crysis smoothly enough now to actually enjoy it and appreciate it at full detail and complexity. Further, the astonishing physics effects and explosion rendering are sure to captivate you. Unfortunately, the promised environmental destructability is more limited than expected as many large objects on later levels are not interactive. However, there is still far more room for environmental creativity than in any other game even currently, especially as your character can pick up most smaller objects including wildlife! Depth perception occasionally seems off in some situations such as NPC's scaling incorrectly if standing nearby, and lighting and shading technique used in post processing makes the colour contrasts appear somewhat exaggerated, rendering the non-environment objects cartoonish at times. However, it generally does not impact gameplay in any significant way, and the night time sequences are exceptionally well presented making you feel like you are very much "there". Animations of characters are sometimes limited in terms of range and therefore appear occasionally unnatural. The most immersion breaking thing you can do is grab hold of an enemy NPC as he just appears to be a cardboard cut out rather than a three dimension object. Vehicles dynamics, however, are most impressive and a full range covering land, sea and air are available to the player. The driving experience is far more realistic than in say Far Cry 2, and the mission where you command a tank is on par with the recent Bad Company 2's similar sequence. A major highlight is the design and portrayal of the aliens, and even though you cannot appreciate them at their best unless you have a high end computer, they are worth seeing in full splendour. Though many critics didn't like them, they actually give the Crysis its character as without them it would fail as a military shooter against more mature competition. Even though the aliens borrow obviously from the best of classic science-fiction, such as the "Tripods" from War Of The Worlds and the "Sentinels" from The Matrix, they are refreshingly original compared to the zombie-mutant hybrids typical of games nowadays (Dead Space is a good example). The animation and effects surrounding them are, even to this day, magnificent and spine chilling. Sound 7 The sound effects for actions and ambience are of the expected quality for the period of its release, and the music is similarly fitting to the theme. Voice acting for the friendlies during radio communication and cut-scenes is also up to standard, even if a little comic book superhero-esque. However, coupled with the fantasy theme and the Hollywood blockbuster stylisation, it seems to fit perfectly. Even supposed realistic military shooters such as the Call of Duty series often lay it on thick, so it is probably more fitting and acceptable in the world of Crysis than anywhere else. However, where the game fails dismally is in the portrayal of the Korean Army soldiers' dialogue. It is seriously limited in variety and completely sterotyped to the point of sounding like a South Park episode. Some may find it initially humerous, but it will wear thin quickly when you hear the same three or four phrases at every turn. It is an odd treatment that tends to break immersion rather than complement the action. Things pick up a lot, though, whenever the aliens are hinted at or actually on the scene. The sounds effects for them are quite profound and fitting to their ominous appearance, reminicent of Spielberg's remake of H.G. Wells' classic. These are often synchronised to graphical effects that emphasise and amplify the effect perfectly to add to the atmosphere of impending doom. Game play 7 Unfortunately, what starts of as a very promising and groundbreaking semi-openworld shooter, soon degrades to a corridor experience beyond the first half levels. This is a shame as that is when the aliens replace the Koreans as your main foe. After this point you are hand-held to victory as you are obviously ill-equiped to fight such a menacing foe no matter how much you suspend disbelief. The end result is that the aliens appear as ultimately impotent and simply a vehicle to extend gameplay or showcase the technical brilliance of CryEngine 2. Had they been a little more sophisticated and the open nature of earlier levels retained, with some clever ways to acheive victory thought out, the game would have been more intriguing rather than just frustrating. The penultimate island escape and the final boss-fight sequences are poor story design and an anti-climax to the whole adventure. Another weakness is that during these heavy alien animations, the game can border on unplayable framerates. If you stopped playing before then, you have already seen the best of Crysis without missing anything of importance. Replay value 8 The earlier levels are diverse enough that you have many creative options for beating them in different ways, so they retain an attraction in the same way as Far Cry 2 does. Although the A.I. appears sophisticated at the start, it sometimes becomes predictable and the later half levels are more or less trigger-point based like most funnelled shooters. The action and combat lacks an emotional investment as the depiction of the Koreans doesn't make them a satisfying enemy to beat, but the player freedom keeps the fun factor alive. In contrast, the aliens are much more interesting but the linearity of the levels they inhabit and their one-trick-pony mechanic fails to realise their full and menacing potential. However, just like in F.E.A.R 2, avoidance of your special powers tends to make the game much more challenging, increasing the mileage of your enjoyment. Crysis works best when you don't over use the powers of the Nanosuit, and only really when you have to in order to move forward in the game, otherwise the novelty soon wears off as the mechanic is based on some dubious logic. For example, if you are in stealth mode, firing your gun depletes the energy to stay cloaked. Final thoughts The photorealisitic world Crytek brought to life is worth a portion of your leisure time. If you haven't played it, and you have a capable PC, then you should aim to experience it all the way through at least once. From shooting branches off trees at different points to collapsing shacks in unique ways, there is a lot of room to experiment before the battle is finally over. Crysis unquestionably took 3D gaming forward and is worthy of praise and sentiment for having set the bar higher for all that have followed. However, with its restrictions on seeing it at its graphical best, and other games having carried the bat forward now, Crysis will be remembered as the prototype that started it all because, as a game, it was just a beginning without an ending.

[Art Blade]

I like those small reviews. At a glance I see what the game is about..  :-()
Well done, again some incredible effort.. cheers, mate  :-X

I remember Crysis. I didn't have directX10 back then but my rig was capable of running the game almost maxed out. The only bottleneck was indeed the boss fight at the end (man, that was a slide show). I loved the alien mother ship and floating around at zero G.. cool graphics.. and the roller coaster ride through some sewer pipes of glass and energy inside that ship.. there were many eye candies. By the way, LOL@cartoonish appearance of some structures, you're so right about that ;D

You're right about those Korean idiots who only knew four lines.. hehehe  ;D Man, at the beach, day time, the water was SO incredibly beautiful! And I loved the current in those rivers.. you had to consider the current when boating around and dead bodies and stuff that fell in slowly got carried away and sometimes got stuck somewhere near a pier and wedged between it and a boat  ;D

It was great regarding graphics but indeed demanding regarding PC specs, to put it mildly. :)

[JRD]

Very nice review as usual, B33 ENN.

I specially like the comparison with Far Cry 2 as I got both games at once (along with a mighty powerful GPU at that time  :-D ). So all back and forth was spot on in my opinion.!  :-X

I`d rate gameplay value as a 3 as I really think it`s not worth playing it again. No side missions, no hidden secrets to unravel and all enemies at the same spot everytime you play it. So why bother doing it again, once you are through one level, you just don`t want to go back.

I also think they missed one great opportunity to explore a singular scenario: the snowy forrest. The fact that you have snow where it once was a tropical jungle could change the way you tackle your  missions. Frozen rivers, snowy slopes, footprints etc... you could use the environment in a different way, but instead all you have is a level where you have to lead Prophet from one fire place to another as his nannosuit is damaged and can`t maintain his body heat... sad really.

I also found two gamebreaking bugs. The first level, where you have to destroy the incoming tanks - after destroying them the game didn`t trigger anything from there. I had to restart the game; and the very ending where you have to use that special gun to finish off the main alien battle ship: the thing just wouldn`t open up for the last shot... that was terrible. I just stood there, cloack on, watching all the light and sound around me but standing still with nothing to do but restart from a previous save point  :-(

[Art Blade]

I never tried a second playthrough, indeed. Only one or two favourite missions..

[B33 ENN]

I like those small reviews. At a glance I see what the game is about..  :-()
...It was great regarding graphics but indeed demanding regarding PC specs, to put it mildly. :)

Yeh, after I posted it I did notice that LOL! I think I got carried away because it was Crysis, love it or hate it, a landmark game. I know what you mean, first time I took a paddle in the sea, I was stunned by how real the water effect was, really like diving in the Bahamas or something!

Very nice review as usual, B33 ENN.

I specially like the comparison with Far Cry 2...So all back and forth was spot on in my opinion.!  :-X

I`d rate gameplay value as a 3 as I really think it`s not worth playing it again.... you just don`t want to go back.

I also think they missed one great opportunity.... sad really.

I also found two gamebreaking bugs....with nothing to do but restart from a previous save point  :-(

Yeh, it's only until you play some of the other great titles around that you realise just how great Far Cry 2 was. A title I think that is ahead of its time even now. I'm glad it was my first proper FPS, I'm holding off a review on that till I been through a few more games LOL.

I understand where you are coming from on the missed opportunites, and on the whole I agree, the whole game was a missed opportunity, and that's why I went into detail to point out its weaknesses. However, I rated it high because I felt that a) not many other games do it so much better without major faults of their own, b) that in 2007 to even now, it was one of the few level based shooters that tried to introduced a more openworld player freedom in the levels.

As I mentioned though, they totally failed to capitalise on that when things were just getting interesting, i.e. the snow level onwards. I played the early levels a few times each mainly to experiment and see what could be done. My first playthroughs I stuck to what I learned in FC2 and sneaked, sniped and bombed pretty much on foot all the way. Later I went back, to try killing enemies by rolling piles of logs on them or trying to find an enemy gunship to hijack etc...

Even though I'm done with it now, I know there are many people that enjoyed replaying those levels repeatedly even more, so I thought it fair to give the game some slack there.

I was very late to play this game (earlier this year) so maybe I got a debugged version because I didn't encounter any gamebreaking bugs. Some minor glitches yes, like Prophet not showing up where he's supposed to before you go into the tunnel after which he is kidnapped. I didn't even know he was meant to be there until I read about it on the net LOL!

When I was trying to get it to w@&k well in surround screen, it also went to slideshow mode in alien scenes, especially the boss fights, mostly it would come back and let me out, but once or twice it froze completely.

I feel though that any pioneering software is going to have that and I tend to cut them some slack there too as long as they support it with fixes and improvements. I just started STALKER and it has more issues even now!

[Art Blade]

Crysis was a blast back then but disappointed mainly because they told us for ages what wonders to expect but in the end never lived up to it. The first thing I did was shoot the living daylights out of every tree to find out how many bits and pieces it could be chopped down to. It was amazing that branches indeed usually split where a bullet hit. But that's almost it.. blowing up trees for fun.. the rest was very.. er.. you know :) Just not what everybody had expected.

Stalker, the first of the series, Shadow of Chernobyl.. I never touched it when I learned from a friend how extremely buggy it was after its release and the first patches that came out didn't exactly help because what had been repaired on this end made room for new bugs on the other end. Incredible. The next one, Clear Sky was buggy indeed at times but those patches did cure that. The last one, Call of Pripyat was outstanding, great fun.

[B33 ENN]

I think I just admire the things that CryTek tried to do with this game, even though they may not have acheived them perfectly. Crysis was and in some ways still does offer a hell of a lot more than most games we get: BC2, Metro 2033,  Medal of Honor, CoD: <whatever>, you name it, are nowhere near as replayable as Crysis. It was a linear shooter, and I try to judge it as such, and in that sense I think it's one of the best available.

[PZ]

Great review, B33 ENN!  :-X

I've never played Crysis, but am intrigued because of the graphics (makes or breaks a game for me)

[B33 ENN]

Great review, B33 ENN!  :-X

I've never played Crysis, but am intrigued because of the graphics (makes or breaks a game for me)

Cheers PZ! I'll be taking on Crysis: Warhead shortly to see how that compares, if it's better etc... so watch this space.  :)

[KingRat]

"If you stopped playing before then, you have already seen the best of Crysis without missing anything of importance."

Exactly what I did. Picked up Crysis & Warhead when Steam had the sale last year. Played Crysis up to the point you exit the mountain then quit. Haven't even tried Warhead yet.... ????
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[Art Blade]

After the first Crysis I was done with all Cry games.  >:( ;D

[PZ]

You mean that you played Crysis after Far Cry 2?  :-()

[B33 ENN]

I also think they missed one great opportunity to explore a singular scenario: the snowy forrest. The fact that you have snow where it once was a tropical jungle could change the way you tackle your  missions.

They put them in Warhead...  :)

[JRD]

I also think they missed one great opportunity to explore a singular scenario: the snowy forrest. The fact that you have snow where it once was a tropical jungle could change the way you tackle your  missions.

They put them in Warhead...  :)

Really? How?  ????

[B33 ENN]

Well, I'm playing Warhead right now as I got a bit bored with BioShock into the second level.

First two levels were a lot of fun but like the early levels of Crysis in normal beach/jungle. Third level went crazy with the freeze effect and frozen sea. lots of APC combat action and a hovercraft to James Bond around in  :-X. Aliens are there from the get go, so be warned!  :o

I'm starting to really like the little buggers  :-D (but not the huge mummy one, too scary...  :'() . The graphics seem a bit improved in Warhead and the A.I. is noticeably better too. I went straight in at Delta difficulty so suit powers are next to useless and I'm getting my butt kicked royally!

Still, I got past level 3 last night, nevertheless... 8)

[Art Blade]

sounds like you're quite mean when it comes to playing shooters.. "delta level" (I reckon it's something like hard core) ??? ;D

[B33 ENN]

Yeh, I think Delta is akin to Hardcore or maybe even Infamous in FC2. :-() Well, I been improving steadily. Helped a lot to switch my playing style in FC2, infamous coupled with no custom loadouts, only weapongs I steal from the locals  ??? Certainly changes your whole attitude when sniper rifles and grenade launchers are a luxury item from "monarch of all I survey" to something more like "just survive today to die another day".  :o That's why I found F.E.A.R. 2 so useful, it's all about quick thinking close quarter combat and survival using your environment against the enemy.  >:D

But I'm still pretty crap lol, die a lot before I figure things out  8-X But more fun that way  :-X

[Art Blade]

heh, glad you're enjoying it :) I never had the stomach for starting a game on infamous let alone play through it on that level. I did test it a couple of times but found it a bit too challenging.. so, like a few other people I know, I prefer to play shooters on easy and even then I manage to go below that level.. by cheating with god mode, give all, and whatnot  ;D Well, at least I usually finish a game without cheating once and then I'll cheat the sweet Jesus out of any shooter ;D

[B33 ENN]

 ;D That was me too, I'd get frustrated easily, especially on games involving too many artificial puzzles just to extend gameplay.

What ended up happening though is I'd cheat and get bored with a game very very quickly as a result. Then I'd blame it on the game being badly designed!

Now I just slow down my gameplay and take time with every step of a game. Generally means that I'll play it a little at a time depending on my patience and attention span.

That's what's happening with BioShock right now, I'm just not in the mood for heavy puzzles and learning the specific story elements, so I'm tempted to cheat o instead I just left it alone and went to something more suited to what I want right now. Same with STALKER, just don't have a clue what I'm supposed to be doing so I'll come back to it some other time rather than cheat.  :)

But cheats are enormous fun in themselves when I'm not looking for the challenge but rather just messing about.

[Art Blade]

I agree with what you just said. Actually, you're spot on with that remark about games being badly designed if they make one want to cheat.. Let's say, if you don't want to play through without permanently thinking about how nice it would be to have a ton of cheats available right then  ;D And come to think of it, that's what's an indicator of just how badly designed some games are.

Right now I am comparing shooters with racing games. I've just started playing split second and I couldn't for the life of me finish the first race in first position. But racing games encourage me to try harder and again and again until I bloody win that race (which I just did). It would never occur to me to cheat in a racing game. On the other hand, I almost always want to cheat in shooters. Not necessarily because of the enemies but because of the gear you're not allowed to have or can't afford to buy although it would be a lot more fun to have it. Not sure why, but racing games always had something to it that made me want to win.. it has always been different with shooters and racers. I think I only enjoy shooters if they're kind of easy -- hence the cheats.  ;D

[B33 ENN]

 :) Yep, same here... never cheat on racers or any simulation really. I think it's because I take them very seriously, my performace and skills particularly. Playing shooters is new for me and very much a flight of fancy perhaps. Shaving off that 10th of a second used to be almost religious for me back on NASCAR Racing or Grand Prix Legends and I'm looking forward to RFactor 2 if they every get it done. :D I have NFS: Shift on my Xmas list in the interim... >:D

[deadman1]

For some reason I enjoyed playing Warhead more that Crysis actually, I think it´s because the alien fights are in my opinion better in wwarhead than they were in Crysis.

[B33 ENN]

Vey much so  :-X I just got done with level 4 and it was amazing fun. Watching the small aliens grouping together and looking for rocks to hide behind as I chased them with my pulse rifle/grenade assault tactic was hilarious... I definitely will be playing through again if it continues to be like this all the way. I think Warhead so far has the levels that should have been in Crysis from level 7 onwards...