Review: Crysis (2007)

I usually don't focus on graphics, but I'm just going to get this out of the way right now. Cryengine 2, which powers Crysis, was and is the most technically impressive game engine to date. That Crysis is still the best looking game out there three years on is a testament to the hard work Crytek put into the game, as well as to what can be achieved with PC exclusive releases. Sadly, due to pirates and some steep hardware requirements, the game wasn't the success Crytek had hoped for, so I don't expect to see any other companies going out on a limb to push the technological boundaries of PC gaming any time soon. It's a shame, but until we can get the piracy issue locked down, game sales will be unable to justify the cost of producing AAA PC exclusives outside the MMO and strategy realms. Now onto the game itself.

Much like Far Cry, the game's spiritual predecessor, the bulk of Crysis takes place on a tropical island. You play as Nomad, a U.S. military operator
who's on a mission to stop those dastardly North Koreans from whatever mischief they're up to this time. You begin the game on a plane with the rest of Raptor Team, the Nano Suit-wearing Special Forces badasses who are in charge of the mission. You're soon dropped from the plane in  a spectacular parachuting sequence and land on the beach of an island in the (fictional) Lingshan Islands. The first major difference you'll notice between this and Far Cry is the Nano Suit. This piece of equipment allows the player to temporarily become invisible, run faster, become stronger, or boost their armor. It takes a little getting used to to switch to the power you want in the heat of combat, but once you get the hang of it you can toy with your enemies in much the same way the Predator toyed with Arnie and Co. back in the 80's.

After heading away from the beach and dispatching a few hostiles, the real plot of the game begins. Aztec, another member of Raptor Squad, is found dead. The thing that killed him, a flying blue octopoid creature, soon appears and snatches your team leader, Prophet, away as well, leaving just you and the Jason Statham doppleganger known as Psycho to fend for yourselves.

The gameplay for the first two-thirds of the game primarily revolves around going from enemy to base to enemy base, killing everyone in sight. Like Far Cry, you're allowed to accomplish this however you like, be it charging in guns blazing, picking them off from a distance, stealthily taking them down one by one, etc. This freedom, coupled with the power of the Nano Suit leads to some immensely satisfying gameplay, in which you can create your own action movie moments that would put Michael Bay to shame -- all totally unscripted. The AI is generally excellent, with enemies that will flank you, search you out if you try to hide, call for backup, and sound alarms. The incredible physics engine and destructible buildings also aid in the excitement. I can't tell you how awesome it is to strap a detonator to a Hummer, drive it towards a lookout tower, then simultaneously jump out of the vehicle and detonate the vehicle, which sends the tower (and the guards) crashing to the ground. It's a unique way to play a first person shooter, and more games should take note.

The aforementioned part of the game, which lasts for about four of the games eight hours, represents some of the most fun I've ever had in a video game. Sadly, after an impressive zero-g trip to an alien base in the side of a mountain, things really go downhill. Suddenly, the freedom and nonlinearity of the first part of the game are replaced with an on-rails, unexciting rescue sequence, which leads to a good hour or so of equally uninspired vehicle battles. The sudden change of rules is very jarring and frustrating, and really makes me wonder what Crytek were thinking. Fortunately, all of this culminates in an exciting and visually spectacular showdown on the deck of a ship, but it wasn't enough to wash the bad taste of the last few hours out of my mouth. 

Despite this flaw, Crysis absolutely worth checking out. The first two-thirds of the game is so excellent that it still makes the overall purchase worthwhile -- and then some.

R.E.P