"Crysis 2 Lacks the Originality, But Not the Fun"

Grade: A-

Killing has never looked so beautiful.

Few games are able to build the hype that Crysis 2 was able to achieve. Guarantees of groundbreaking graphics and a deep and involved gameplay experience left the developers at Crytek Studios with a lot to live up to.

Thankfully, in most regards, they succeeded.

With in-game graphics progressing at an exponential rate across the industry, any game that still manages to drop jaws the way that Crysis 2 does is truly noteworthy. But the fact that the game looks great isn't the impressive part; it's that Crytek Studios managed to make a gorgeous game while avoiding the dark and gritty feel that other graphic juggernauts like Gears of War and Killzone rely upon.

From the action-packed firefights to the continuously crumbling vista of New York City, every single explosion, toppling building, and alien gunship will make gamers sit up and take notice. Mostly because each one of these things is constantly trying to take the player out.

The game takes place in 2023, in a quarantined and besieged New York City. Between a recent viral outbreak and an alien invasion, the city has definitely seen better days. Luckily, though, a Marine named Alcatraz, who the player controls, is given a superpowered Nanosuit capable of making the wearer stronger, faster, and deadlier than a nuclear bomb.

In a nutshell, the narrative is about a supersuit-wearing solider who is the only hope for the human race. In other words, it's nothing the gaming world hasn't seen 100 times before.

Despite the unoriginal premise, the game is still able to draw the player in and make him care about his mission. This is thanks to the first-person perspective that the game never leaves, which gives players the impression they've actually stepped into the heavily armored boots of the Nanosuit. Even the upgrade menus for your armor and weapons are viewed through the eyes of Alcatraz.

Players are able to swap out attachments, such as various sights and suppressors, for their weapons and upgrade their powers by absorbing alien DNA. It may sound weird, but it's vital to survival.

In terms of gameplay, Crysis 2's addictive factor is about on par with that of heroin. The suit provides the player with two power-ups that can be utilized at any point in the game. These are "armor" and "invisibility."

Mastering which power-up suits a scenario best is half of the fun in Crysis 2. Players will constantly be questioning whether it's best to cloak themselves and go in for the up-close-and-personal neck snap, or toss on the damage-absorbing armor and charge Rambo-style, with guns blazing.

By leaving the choice up to the players, Crysis 2 is able to ensure that a firefight will never play out the same way twice. As a result, when the final cutscene ends and the credits roll, players will be left with a craving to play through again and try tackling the same battles in different ways.

Even with its highly addictive campaign mode, multiplayer is definitely worth a try in Crysis 2. Any seasoned first-person shooter (FPS) fan will be able to jump into a match and feel right at home. After all, the fast-paced shooter plays more like a lovechild of Modern Warfare and Halo than its own brand of carnage.

Much like Modern Warfare, players are given the opportunity to customize their weapon loadouts, and the "perks" their character has, such as faster reload times and steadier aiming. In addition, they are also given rewards based on the amount of enemies they're able to take down.

The game also feels strikingly similar to a Halo title due to the advanced armor the players wear. While playing, you're able to jump several stories, take more damage than an armored tank, and outrun a Ferrari.

In essence, Crysis 2 takes everything that's great about today's FPS games and absorbs it all like a fresh batch of dead alien. The result is an explosive sequel that will keep players coming back time and time again in an effort to save humanity from the latest iteration of space invaders.

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com