The demo for Crysis 2 was released smack dab in middle of exam season, no worries I’ll just have to catch up with everyone else and hopefully bring something new to the table among the already numerous issues brought forth by the rest of the internet.
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| Most concerning |
Playing the PC demo, first thing I noticed is that the main screen had the words "Press Start to Begin". A rather ill omen for something the developers toted as a game independently developed of its console counterparts, but it's just a demo so I'll let it slide. Excited to start fiddling with the graphics options I found myself greeted by a gamespy log in screen. No problems it’s just a simple registration, unfortunately the system isn’t perfect and had to take several tries before being able to create an account and log in. I didn't really think of it as a big deal under the assumption that the back end servers must be handling large amounts of registrations and logins.
When you do manage to get in you’ll notice that the menu pans in all directions depending on how you move your mouse, an interesting novelty that you’ll find yourself forgetting about after your first game. Shuffling between menu options to the graphics settings, my unusual giddiness and excitement gets crushed as I come upon the choice for customizing my graphical settings.
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| I have no idea what these do |
Yes, thats it. System Spec allows you to change the graphics quality to vaguely worded choices such as "Gamer", "Advanced", and "Hardcore". Aside from the obvious things like Texture and Model Quality, it's really hard to tell what exactly each does to the more advanced settings like bloom, HDR, Motion Blur, Anti-Aliasing and the like. I fiddled around with all the settings and even found a config program on the internet that gives me a little more control over the graphics, nothing as fully fledged as say the first Crysis game but its better than what we have in the options menu. I fiddled with all three options and I must say that even on gamer, which I assume is the lowest setting, the amount of detail is just impressive.
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| Pictured: Low Settings |
Aside from the gorgeous detail, there's plenty of motion blur which is really unnecessary for a multiplayer game and something I had to turn off with the config program. HDR is there as you can see in the picture above and plenty of other details. The water effects are very nice, there's this murkiness to it in Pier 17 that doesn't feel like underwater fog like in most games I've come across.
For most intents and purposes this game plays like Call of Duty from the hectic gun play down to the customization options, there are even killstreaks. Some cry out that this game is in essence a clone of Call of Duty, while for me despite having a negative connotation, being a clone isn't necessarily a bad thing. It acknowledges that Call of Duty has done something right and that would be its gameplay mechanics, that simple fast-paced small scale shooting action that the average joe gamer loves. However if you've talked to me about Call of Duty at all, you'd know that my major gripe is that Call of Duty isn't really a series that evolves and innovates, with each release it's more of the same. Crysis 2, changes up the formula of Call of Duty by adding the series' own uniqueness to it. Namely the nanosuit.
The nanosuit is in essence power armor that lets you switch between different modes; "Maximum Armor", "Maximum Stealth", "Maximum Strength" and "Maximum Speed". Armor and stealth are bound to a pair of hotkeys while Strength is your default mode and speed is tied to your sprint. Generally there's this feel of greater mobility than in Call of Duty, speed itself allows you to run fast enough that you get this Flash like blur trailing you as you zip about and run circles around your opponent while you melee him to death. Even without speed, you can climb a variety of objects and get the higher vantage point, more or less you can jump to the second floor of a building thanks to the suit. Armor does exactly what you'd expect and make you a bit tougher although I do not like how they changed in from the first game where damage decreases your energy before it starts taking away your health, I'll miss being able to take a tank shell and live to tell about it. But still that extra three or so bullets that you take can decide whether or not you'll have to respawn. Stealth is another no brainer, energy drains on the rate of movement and it makes you a faint outline visible only up close, lower levels of stealth will still show your shadow also remember to switch to any other mode before firing, as firing in stealth will drain ALL of your energy. Interestingly when swimming in water there is no melee attack, so in one game me and an opponent were just swimming circles pressing V to melee to no effect.
For most intents and purposes this game plays like Call of Duty from the hectic gun play down to the customization options, there are even killstreaks. Some cry out that this game is in essence a clone of Call of Duty, while for me despite having a negative connotation, being a clone isn't necessarily a bad thing. It acknowledges that Call of Duty has done something right and that would be its gameplay mechanics, that simple fast-paced small scale shooting action that the average joe gamer loves. However if you've talked to me about Call of Duty at all, you'd know that my major gripe is that Call of Duty isn't really a series that evolves and innovates, with each release it's more of the same. Crysis 2, changes up the formula of Call of Duty by adding the series' own uniqueness to it. Namely the nanosuit.
The nanosuit is in essence power armor that lets you switch between different modes; "Maximum Armor", "Maximum Stealth", "Maximum Strength" and "Maximum Speed". Armor and stealth are bound to a pair of hotkeys while Strength is your default mode and speed is tied to your sprint. Generally there's this feel of greater mobility than in Call of Duty, speed itself allows you to run fast enough that you get this Flash like blur trailing you as you zip about and run circles around your opponent while you melee him to death. Even without speed, you can climb a variety of objects and get the higher vantage point, more or less you can jump to the second floor of a building thanks to the suit. Armor does exactly what you'd expect and make you a bit tougher although I do not like how they changed in from the first game where damage decreases your energy before it starts taking away your health, I'll miss being able to take a tank shell and live to tell about it. But still that extra three or so bullets that you take can decide whether or not you'll have to respawn. Stealth is another no brainer, energy drains on the rate of movement and it makes you a faint outline visible only up close, lower levels of stealth will still show your shadow also remember to switch to any other mode before firing, as firing in stealth will drain ALL of your energy. Interestingly when swimming in water there is no melee attack, so in one game me and an opponent were just swimming circles pressing V to melee to no effect.
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| Lying in wait near the objective with a team mate. |
The picture above shows the objective for the Crash Site Game Mode, where alien pods are dropped on what I assume are random locations on the map. Standing near them will control the pod and give your team points, first team to a hundred and fifty points wins. The other game mode in the demo is Team Instant Action, which is the Team Death Match that we've come to know and love (or hate), first to 50 points or most points at the end of the timer wins. While going around running and gunning, you can get support powers (yes, killstreaks) for the kills you gain. However, people camping (snipers especially) will have trouble getting these "killstreaks" as to enable them you have to pick up the dog tags of the enemies you've slain. An interesting gameplay mechanic that as I see it corrects some of the issues I've had with Call of Duty while still keeping what is part of a good idea.
The game also tracks your progression, unlocking weapons, attachments and suit modules (something like perks). It gives you dog tags for your accomplishments but these are just aesthetic changes to your profile.
The loadout screen is very reminiscent of Call of Duty, although the weapon selection for the demo was very limited (read: just the defaults), there were a small variety of suit modules to choose from. A detail that I like about the loadout menu is that it has a video demonstrating the capabilities of the suit modules although do take the demonstration with a grain of salt because from first hand experience the Armor enhancement module will NOT protect you from three guys simultaneously firing at you, unless you're playing with people who can't aim.
Overall the multiplayer component of Crysis 2 manages to take the best aspects of another series and infuse its own characteristics into it, and it does it well. The game play gives me that fast paced easy action I crave for every now and then but is not as mindless as it is in Call of Duty. Crysis 2 has the potential to be better than its competitors, although it's demanding requirements (for the PC) may hinder its chance of gaining a larger fan base. However let me remind you that it still is available for the Xbox 360 and the PS3. That the demo is so limited in choices, what Crytek decides to include in the final release may make or break all of the improvements it has made to an already great gameplay formula.
The game also tracks your progression, unlocking weapons, attachments and suit modules (something like perks). It gives you dog tags for your accomplishments but these are just aesthetic changes to your profile.
The loadout screen is very reminiscent of Call of Duty, although the weapon selection for the demo was very limited (read: just the defaults), there were a small variety of suit modules to choose from. A detail that I like about the loadout menu is that it has a video demonstrating the capabilities of the suit modules although do take the demonstration with a grain of salt because from first hand experience the Armor enhancement module will NOT protect you from three guys simultaneously firing at you, unless you're playing with people who can't aim.
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| Real familiar but you can't really improve how you pick your guns |
Overall the multiplayer component of Crysis 2 manages to take the best aspects of another series and infuse its own characteristics into it, and it does it well. The game play gives me that fast paced easy action I crave for every now and then but is not as mindless as it is in Call of Duty. Crysis 2 has the potential to be better than its competitors, although it's demanding requirements (for the PC) may hinder its chance of gaining a larger fan base. However let me remind you that it still is available for the Xbox 360 and the PS3. That the demo is so limited in choices, what Crytek decides to include in the final release may make or break all of the improvements it has made to an already great gameplay formula.
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