Crysis 2 Review - Maximum Intensity

What an interesting month March has been. I’ve had the opportunity to review two games incidentally published by EA back to back that has a lot in common. And yet they are completely different genres. The two games I meant are Dragon Age 2 and Crysis 2. Both games similar in the sense that the developer has taken a very different design goal for a sequel. With Crysis 2, Crytek aimed to bring the Crysis experience to consoles and some things needed to be changed. Crytek has in a sense managed to build basically ‘Crysis in a box’ with Crysis 2 while maintaining the core aspects that made Crysis special(in the minds of the developer at least). Does Crysis 2 live up to the its name sake?

Let me get this out of the way, Crysis 2 is not just Crysis 1 numerically appended(it is not Crysis 1 + 1). It introduces some major changes gameplay wise, somewhat ditching the big open sandbox levels for a smaller more compact level design. Gone are the kilometer wide levels(there is one level that was pretty big but it was nowhere near the size of a Crysis 1 level) with main objectives and side objectives where you chose how you want to get to your objectives.






So How Does The Game Stack Up Gameplay Wise?

In Crysis 2, levels are a lot more narrower and linear(no more side objectives). The game generally goes like this; small narrow corridor that takes you to a slightly wider ‘sandbox’ area with multiple tactical approaches. The aim was to give you the same Crysis like sandbox experience. Players have the option to go stealth or go in guns blazing(or play adaptively). It’s certainly an interesting design approach as it feels like a compromise between a more compact, directed level design and some sandbox elements in a game. On top of that, the game sort of gives you clues by providing you ‘recommended tactical options’, that kind of highlights interesting tactical points on the level if you pull out your visor.

“Think of it as a creative play ground of combat awesomeness”

Crysis 2 looks absolutely amazing. Did I really need to tell you that?

While the tiny sandbox areas are not quite quite as ‘open’ as in Crysis, it’s still somewhat retains the play ground aspects of Crysis levels. Go stealth and flank the enemies on the left with a sniper rifle. Ran out of bullets? How about running to that static machine gun emplacement and mowing down the enemies? The tactical options highlighted using the visor makes it easy for new comers to ‘play’ Crysis 2 the way it was meant to be played. Think of it as a creative play ground of combat awesomeness. However, not all your tactical options are highlighted. You can still stealth your way and carry an explosive barrel and throw it to the centre of the enemy area or do other crazy stuff like that(it pays to explore new tactical options). It really encourages creative stuff like that(which makes it different enough from other generic Call of Duty copy cats).

Having said that, I’m a bit disappointed that Crysis 2 does not carry over the level of destructibility that was in Crysis. I remember some of the best moments in Crysis included cloaking in a zinc shack taking out enemies while they search else where. I get spotted and a grenade rolls into the shack. BOOM! the whole shack collapses and kills me. In Crysis 2, I suppose setting it in New York sort of doesn’t allow Crytek to have vulnerable and fragile wooden shacks like in the Ling Shan island setting of the first game. Some light cover and cement blocks do get destroyed, but you’ll never get entire buildings collapsing(not unless scripted). A shame really, because that was something I really appreciated in Crysis.

Definitely going to a 9/11 feel here.

Much of the weapon customisation options are back in Crysis 2. You get to equip weapons with silencers, red dots, iron sights, grenade launchers etc. Nothing revolutionary here for the series. But where I think Crysis 2 really adds new interesting decisions for you is in the suit customisation option. You can now upgrade your nanosuit using the nano catalyst points you collect(aliens drop them). Either select upgrades that help you play stealthily or more aggressively(like more energy efficient armour mode). It’s almost Deus Ex like in a way. Although I feel they never went all the way with this idea. Could have been interesting if Crytek explored this design idea more.

Despite the compactness and the linearity of the levels, thankfully, Crysis 2 is still an awesome shooter. Fire fights are still intense(more so now) as hell. I think one of the battles with the giant alien mech boss, the Pinger, was one of the most intense and tense gaming experiences ever in a first person shooter. Those things take a lot of punishment to take down. Not one rocket, but 2 rockets up its weak spot, 2 C4 detonated, and it still goes around whooping my ass. To make things even more difficult, there were alien hunters walking about the level while I moved around cloaked trying to avoid the Pingers attacks. The pinger and the aliens have an EMP attack that can drain your suits energy if you stand to close to them so you’ll need to watch out for them, especially when they are on alert.

Speaking of the aliens, they have been given a make over. Obviously Crytek learnt from Crysis that the most fun part of the game were the fights with the humans instead of those flopping, flying aliens. Knowing this, they’ve given the aliens legs… robotic legs. The aliens(known as the Ceph) now move somewhat like a humanoid(except they are a lot more agile leaping about and dashing all over the place).

You'll get recommended tactical options that you can view with your visor

There aren’t a whole lot of different alien variations though(I wont spoil it for you just how many of them are there) but there is just enough to give you a nice challenge. The Aliens are no pushovers and can be bullet sponges since they all have this exoskeleton that protects them. You’ll need to shoot at their weak spot to make good use of the ammo you have best. Worst still are the brutes who are these hulking beasts that fire what seems to be a freaking energy chain gun with a plasma launcher of sorts. You certainly don’t want to mess with them.


The Story

Crytek, prior to release has said they will want to make a well fleshed out narrative with Crysis 2. They’ve gone to great lengths in getting a science fiction writer, Richard Morgan, to do the the story in Crysis 2. Does Crysis 2 story deliver because of it? Erm… nope.

The problem I had with the narrative was that I felt it was meant for a much longer experience, like in a book or another similar medium and it felt like they crammed all that into the single player(it’s quite a lengthy single player campaign though). The plot at times feels like it was rushing you and you take orders from way too many people and things are badly explained.

The narrative tries really hard to convince you this is a New York in distress

You wont have the slightest clue why you are listening to these people in the first place, or who the hell are the CELL? In the end, what could have been an interesting tale between Prophet and Hargreaves felt muddled in all the back and forth the narrative puts you through, like in a ping pong match.

Even the design of the game reflects their apparent focus on narrative as Crysis 2 tries to imbue cinematic qualities by having… quick time events. Yeah… They don’t break you away from first person perspective and your character never speaks(taking a page off of Half Life). But I have to rant a little about the quick time events. I know why developers do it. They think by having players press buttons in tense moments makes the player feel some what in control(or at least have an impact) of what is just a interactive cut scene.

Aliens are way more fun to battle. They are quite powerful so don't let that squid look fool you

It’s a fine way of doing cut scene I suppose, but when you ask the player to hit a particular button so that you do something dramatic, and that dramatic thing happens even if you don’t press that button… bit of a turn off. To give you an example, at one point in the game, I held one bad dude by his throat threatening to throw him off of the building. ‘Press Mouse button 1’ the game implores you. I hesitate. I don’t want to kill this guy. I’m no killer, I’ve been trying to avoid killing people whenever I can. After 8 to 10 seconds, my characters throws him out off the building anyway…great.


Multiplayer And Online Shooty Sfooty Bang Bang Modes

Crytek has completely dropped its previous idea of multiplayer(Battlefield’esque’ huge multiplayer maps with vehicles and such), for a more focused and leaner experience( I suppose in keeping with the changes in single player too). In Crysis 2, you’ve got all the good and fun stuff of leveling up and unlocking new perks, equipment's and abilities. Yes… I suppose you could say it’s very much like Call of Duty Modern Warfare(it’s more inspired by it).

Get used to staring at this screen. You cant load in to a game without a minimum number of players

But don’t let that comparison dampen your spirits because there’s some truly unique and smart things here. Firstly, the Assault mode is an almost Counter Strike like mode(without the purchasing weapons bit). It’s a 4V4 mode where two teams take turn to play as the CELL vs the Marines. The CELL team are the Crysis like guys with nanosuit that give you stealth, armour mode and energy bar(but armed with only pistols). Their objective is to download information off of terminals placed through out the map.

The marines don’t get to use armour mode or stealth and everyone’s assault rifle have laser sights on them. They have to defend the terminals or stop the CELL team from downloading from the terminals. This mode is a brilliant cat and mouse type experience as the CELL try to avoid getting detected by the marines and the marines will constantly be on the lookout for these invisible CELL guys. This mode reminds me a lot of the brilliant Spies vs Mercs multiplayer mode in Splinter Cell Chaos Theory. Surprisingly from what I’ve played of the multiplayer, people seem to prefer the standard multiplayer modes like team instant action(team death match) or crash site(control point sort of mode) or even capture the relay(capture the flag variant). By the way all the other modes can support a maximum of 16 players on the PC(8v8).

Sadly at the moment, there is just one server that has Assault mode on(Fragnetics SG). But if more people play this mode and if Crytek further balances out this mode, I think this could be an incredibly unique multiplayer game. Which also kind of points out the irony of detractors that the multiplayer is a Call of Duty rip off. Well, look at what people want and are playing. Original game modes like Assault just some how isn’t picking up the amount of interest it needs to be a long term multiplayer option. Which is sad. But my point stands, Crysis 2 multiplayer is unique, fun and the unlocks make it feel more rewarding.

It wouldn't be Crysis if you couldn't choke a guy or an alien. Sadly no turtles were found in New York

Conclusion

Crysis 2 is a solid shooter on its own right. It tries to carry over the ‘Crysis’ness from the previous games and partially succeeds. It looses some of the scale and scope of the previous games levels for a more compact Crysis experience. But Crysis 2 is an amazingly intense shooter. With the compact levels, fire fights no longer feel like just something you can run away from(although in many cases you still could). It’s a lot more closer, more personal. You will fear the Pinger as it stalks you on the streets in Manhattan.

It also wont melt your computer as It ran fine on my rather mediocre desktop. A 2.8Ghz dual core processor with on a GT240 and the game ran silky smooth without a hitch. Crysis 2 is a more intense frenetic shooter thanits predecessor was. The multiplayer while taking a page off of Modern Warfare, is a step up with a more focused setting. Clearly Crytek UK knows how to make a fun multiplayer game and it shows here. Crysis 2 may not be Crysis 1 exactly, but it still stands out from the pack of mediocre Call of Duty like shooters as a solid, and engaging first person shooter.
  


Pros:

• Fire fights are really intense. Those fight with the Pinger are one that’ll stay fresh in your mind for quite a while
  
• The best way to play the game is by using your own creativity on how you’re going to approach pockets of enemies. A playground of creativity is what I call it.
  
• I would say multiplayer is an improvement overall. More persistent stuff with stats, perks and load outs. Some rather cool modes too. People…play more Assault mode!
• GRAPHICS! AMAZING! STUNNING! also runs like a dream.
• Suit customisation is cool. Too bad they didn't take this further.
• No second half of the game that totally ruins the game. In fact the game gets much better when they introduce aliens. Which is quite a change in form for Crytek.
• Assault mode in multiplayer is quite unique and interesting. Not your regular run an gun multiplayer mode
• The multiplayer portion of the game is much improved in my humble opinion. The unlocks make it a more rewarding experience.

Cons:

• A more linear experience. Levels are about getting from point A to B. No more side objectives.
  
• Multiplayer lobby ain’t great. You have to wait for the lobby to be full/up to the minimum limit before you can join in a game.
  
• Oh how I wished physics played a bigger role in Crysis 2. Less destructibility here
  
• Check point save system isn’t the best save system for a PC game.
  
• Doesn’t have auto join when slot is free in multiplayer
  
• The story and their narrative in game never takes off. Some glimmer of awesomeness from the destructive scenes of New York, with crowded subways with refugees, and lost peoples pictures stuck to walls but never manages to be truly special.

Verdict: An incredibly intense and excellent first person shooter in its own right




Note: The review copy for this review was sponsored by Gamers.com.my. The official distributer for EA products in Malaysia and Singapore. You can win prizes by buying original EA games. Go here and fill up the form to be entered into the draw. You'll need to keep this sticker(shown below) that is found on the plastic cover of the game you bought.