Pretty, but all round "meh."
Its weird - even though I've been playing Back to the Future, for some reason it feels like it's been a long time since I've played a new, core-gamer focused PC title. I figured Crysis 2 would scratch that itch, and having played the last game, I knew what sort of experience to expect. I just didn't expect that it would be pretty much the same damn game for four years ago.
Developed by Crytek, Crysis 2 is the sequel to the 2007 game that you probably didn't play because your computer didn't have the power to run such a beast. Boasting extremely high end visuals, Crysis was first and foremost, a feast for the eyes. As a game, Crysis was a methodical shooter that allowed players to approach all open-ended combat zones any way they wanted using weapons in tandem with their Nanosuit gadgets. Despite this freedom, it was difficult to play the game utilizing any strategy other than crouch and active stealth - at least, until the third act when the game became a non-stop action fest against the aliens.
Crysis 2 picks up some time after the first game left off. On the whole, Crysis 2 doesn't play or feel any different from its predecessor and the only significant change was the location shift. Instead of an island annexed by South Korean forces, Crysis 2 is set within a stunningly rendered New York City, which has been stricken by a mysterious plague. You control a Marine named "Alcatraz," whose unit is called in to investigate the matter, only to be ambushed by an alien craft. Near death, you are rescued by Prophet, the special ops protagonist of the last game. Claiming you as his only hope, Prophet gives Alcatraz the Nanosuit with instructions to meet with a Dr. Gould before killing himself. Armed with more questions than answers, Alcatraz must tromp through a devastated New York City, defending himself against trigger happy PMCs as well as an invading alien menace.
Throughout the game, you'll move from one objective to the next, navigating the environment and either evading or shooting down enemies as you solve the mystery behind the alien threat on Earth. In all honesty, there is really nothing in Crysis 2 that stands out from its predecessor or as a first person shooter. You'll collect weapons throughout the game world and as you progress, you'll gain the ability to outfit them with various accessories such as silencers, grenade launchers and scopes (you can even put a silencer on a shotgun, hilarious as that sounds). The game's newest addition/box bullet point is Nanosuit customization using the tissue samples you collect from dead aliens that grant various perks such as better invisibility, sustained fall damage and enhanced threat assessment.
Other then that, there just isn't anything all that new here. When you approach a battleground, you'll use your scope to pick out targets (who will not show up on your minimap unless you tag them through the scope) and the Tactical Assessment Computer will highlight ares of opportunity where you can snipe, flank or resupply. Despite all the equipment at your disposal, you'll still feel compelled to just skulk around in stealth mode, dispatching enemies with silenced weapons and stealth kills. Enemies can call in for reinforcements if they spot you, which can certainly put a wrench in the works.
The most obnoxious thing about Crysis 2 is the inability to save (either to a slot or quicksave) whenever you want. The game has autosave checkpoints, but they frequently feel relatively far between. There were several situations in which I died from an enemy that got in a lucky shot or got swarmed by a group that didn't show up on my map during initial recon. Each time this happened, I would end up rage-quitting the game instead of having to go all the way back to the check point and try again.
In the end, Crysis 2 feels so middle of the road. It's not terrible, but it's hardly spectacular. If you're a fan of shooters, I don't see any harm in picking this up especially now that the game is much more accessible (it is available for PS3 and Xbox 360). Obviously, the game is going to look its best on the PC - it is stunning - but when you design a game around its visuals, there exists the possibility that the gameplay will suffer to some degree.
