Was Crysis 2 Half-Assed?

It was inevitable, and everyone knew it, but there's a following of PC gamers who just had to take a fine-toothed comb and dig it through the follicles of the game deep and hard. So far this has brought us news from the configuration modifications to complaints about DX11. Recently a new discovery about the game has been made, and it may be a surprise to many.

More after the break...

[imvix]

Its not really Crysis, its merely using the name to milk the console base.

The open world was stripped down to a corridor shooter, the textures are half the size of the first game, its using a blurry AA method. Console gamers are told its optimization. Its nothing more then dumbing a game down to work on 5-6yr old hardware.

In the end its just COD with slightly better graphics, FPS has taken a hit due to this. Note how any first person shooter on Console aside COD runs in 30fps(its due to hardware limitations) and if they do try aim for 60fps then its got to be sub hd and last gen looking graphics aka COD or Halo.

This industry will be in stagnation for a further 2-3years until new consoles are released. Recommendation to PC gamers, Please stop it with the upgrades since they are pointless hardly any game takes advantage of it. Perhaps when AMD and Nvidia feel the pinch things may change.

[ChrisW]

Exactly, PC only would have been phenomenally better!

It's "half-arsed" because Max Settings don't even come close to making last year's GPUs chug.

[ComboBreaker]

Just take one look at the crappy graphics and you already know.

[Active Reload]

"In the end its just COD with slightly better graphics"

You do know that the game is out and people are playing it right? So why would you say something so silly?

[Raf1k1]

Agreed.
I know they optimised the engine better for PCs this time but I'm really surprised it runs so well on 'Extreme' settings at 1050p on my 5850 which TBH shows it's not the graphical beast we were expecting.

I was also surprised that it's not so easy to run and gun your way through meaning you actually have to make use of the suit which is a huge plus for me. Having to think before jumping into an FPS fight is a welcome change from the norm.

edit: All-in-all I wouldn't say it's half-assed but definitely dumbed down graphically.

[milohighclub]

At the end of the day crytek been lazy ruined it for pc games, there was nothing stopping them putting more work into the pc version. Don't blame consoles blame crytek.

[NewZealander]

i dont understand why people are being so harsh, crysis 2 looks fantastic, and apart from the odd technical glitch it plays damn well.

seriously people should just go and pick the game up.

[ThanatosDMC]

It's because some people were expecting it fry their PCs but it failed their expectations.

[BeaArthur]

Well said. The AI does some weird things at times but other than that this game is pretty awesome. MP is fantastic as well.

[FFXI101]

Thanatos that was what I thought.

I never play Crysis before, yet, everyone keeps telling me that how good it was on pc(that I'd need a VERY high end and expensive PC to run it) and how amazing this game is and will be.

To be honest I was disappointed after beating the game last night. It has good graphic, game play and fun(well..kinda) But I just didn't feel the connection. Maybe I was expecting something else.

I wish they never say anything to me about Crysis, at least I wouldn't expecting something AMAZING!!

[phantomexe]

You no it don't matter to me if you think its milked or gimped or pure sh%T. I just rented it because most of you people on n4g were screaming framrate problems or killzone 3 looks better, or it badly buged. I got the ps3 version and loved it. I had no problems with it what so ever. In fact i'm going over to gamestop to pick it up it was that good. Sorry for the rant i guess it's my fault i listen to anything that is said on this site.

[bumnut]

Thats kind of the point, consoles gamers seem to love it but pc gamers (who put Crytek where they are today) hate it because it is a leap backwards.

That makes it half assed, at least from a pc perspective.

[ksoto]

Im a console gamer thats used to being spoiled with games like KZ, UC2 and GOW3 so even though i bought it i dont love it it was way over hyped and the graphics to me dont come close to the before mentioned. Ive been forcing myself through the SP bcus i hate not beating a game but to me it sucks, however i do like the mp its fun. But overall this game is not all that the ppl that make it more than what it is are the ones trying to dethrone games such as UC2 being the bench mark for graphics on a console which it still is.

[therapist]

Crytek did not hold back for the consoles sake, the made a pc game that 90% of pc gamers could run, building a game only die hard nerds (like me) can run is suicide finacially

i think it looks better than crysis 1 maxed out on my rig

they made a very sexy pc game, then the dropped the resolution to horrible sub-hd, removed anti alising, tooks out soft shadows and most HDR, and ported that bitch to the consoles to make more money, Fu@k it, i don't blame em

great games to me
even on console it looks good, better than killzone 3, thats for sure
9/10

[starchild]

I agree, man, it looks way better on the PC. I've played the PC version and the 360 version. I don't think it was a console port. I think they just made it at the same time to work on three platforms. At the end of the day all I care about is that it looks amazing, runs flawless on my rig, and is a ton of fun to play.

[Tyre]

Exactly, that's just the way it is.

[Substance101]

@therapist

If building such a game is suicide then why is it Crytek are still in business?

Did built a cutting edge game with Farcry it sold 2.5million, they built a cutting edge game with Crysis 1 it sold 3 million. Those figures arent bad at all.

The only difference is when a game is cutting edge. Most people will be playing it at low to med settings which would equal extreme in what you get at todays half assed version. However later on as hardware progressed people could enjoy the game again in even higher settings just like the original Crysis. Whats going to happen here people wont have a motive to upgrade. Think of companies like AMD and Nvidia who provide the tech for consoles, where will they go if there arent any games coming out that need the latest hardware?

This attitude of stagnating progress in games will eventually hurt the hardware makers, people surely wont be wasting money on upgrades if they arent needed.

[Tyre]

And Crytek was solely responsible for the industries progress and profits in hardware upgrades? if PC gamers really cared about Crytek and the industry, why didn't most of the PC games buy the game, instead of pirating it?

[Substance101]

Did you even read my post, Crysis 1 sold 3 million which isnt bad at all. Its as good as most console exclusives. Crysis warhead a game they relesed as expansion pack that too sold 1.5million, thats a very good total for a new IP.

Also remember unlike console where millions of USD are used to advertise then pay royalty to Microsoft and Sony, nothing like that exists on PC. Lastly most of the copies sold on PC were digital which are much more profitable then getting the same sales done on retail. Hence the first game did very well.

Crytek only became greedy, they are expecting COD figures which just wont happen.

[therapist]

@substance

btw, i love games that push the envelope and make me wanna upgrade, i been rocking dual 470's, an i-7 and 6gb ddr3 for a whille now and nothing makes it go below 60fps... i just understand where crytek was coming from and i am loving crysis 2 for what it is.

crysis 1 sold 3 million in 3 years, initial sales were weak as few had the hardware to run it, i had a dual core with a single 8800gts 640 with 4gb ddr2

it ran in dx9 max at 1360x768 at about 30-38 frames, i was blown away and happy with it, may people were still on 7000 series cards at that time and the game was unplayable in low settings for them.

everyone whinned about its horrible performance and crytek lots a ton of initial dayo one/ month one sales to piracy and people being afraid to purchase it.

sure, over the next 2 years it sold a ton, but they were trickle sales.

Fraom a dev/publisher perspective, to get investors to greenlight more funding, they want 2 million week one/ month one sales

Ultimately, the dx11 wait has to do with this

When dx11 drops, people will be crying the cannot run it on their 9800 GT in dx11 1080p

watch

[Substance101]

Nice setup Therapist, Question for you will you be upgrading that setup if hardly any game will be slowing it down below 60fps. I personally doubt it.

I personally have a laptop with a 5870 mobility asides my gaming rig, Even the laptop plays most games out in 1080p maxed out. There certainly will be less people buying new hardware if their current hardware cant be taken down to its knees.

Eventually it will hit the hardware makers. I have personally decided on no more upgrades until next consoles. If thats how Nvidia and AMD like it, thats the way they are gonna get it, hardware upgrades once every 4-5years from my side.

[ksoto]

Better than Killzone lol take your fanboy goggles off u must be mad and UC2 wipes the floor with alcatraz and its decnt graphics lol I? doubt ur a ps3 owner you wouldnt be saying that.

[XIIIWARRIOR41]

I'm really starting to think N4G has a fucking hard-on for Crysis! They have nothing but negative crap to say about the fucking game! If you can do better mofo's then stop typing and start creating! Never seen such a bunch of pussy mofo's my god!

[ChrisW]

Nah, just the Console Kids who think their console and version of Crysis2 is better than the other.

[milohighclub]

Funny how every thread is pc gamers bragging about how much better their rigs are than consoles. Do u know what I was thinking about getting a rig instead of next gen, but then I remembered about all the great fucking exclusive is miss out on. Rather have dated hardware and awesome games.

[GoldPS3]

The world is full of negativity. Don't like it, then go live on Mars.

[milohighclub]

You sure are a pessimistic tart.

[airhorn95]

WTF this is a re-post.

[TronEOL]

I'd say it's pretty impressive given the fact that they made it on 3 different platforms; one which is supposedly much harder to develop for (PS3). So I give Crytek an A+ for effort as it is so far the best looking, and playing, Multiplatform title to date.

I have an incredible feeling that if Crysis 2 does well enough, we'll see more multiplatform games running on CryEngine and they'll optimize it even more (all around).

Also need to remember that this was Crytek's first Console game and it's DAMN impressive. Especially since it's being compared to long time Console series'/franchise'. Very good first impression.

[skorp]

I agree 100%. They did an awesome job as a whole. The res being lost on the PC is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things.

I think some PC gamers feel like it was a betrayal, but really they need to look at the game as a whole.

Just because the game expanded it's wings and made a few compromises it doesn't make the game bad or half-assed.

The title was mainly an attention getter :-)... who doesn't like some nanosuit ass?

[Tyre]

Hell yes!

[Substance101]

@TronEOL

Id like to see you say the same stuff if the next Killzone or Halo is running at half the textures res.

Obviously it was a PC exclusive which is now running at lower settings then the previous game. Hell this one doesnt even support proper AA, a feature PC gamers have been using since the last decade.

[dragonelite]

Jezus chrict crysis 1 on high even had some low res textures.
If it didn't people wouldn't have released high res textures packs now would they.

Jezus sometimes the gaming press should just STFU or keep their opinion to their self if they can't understand some of the techniques used. Hell crysis 2 does GI on consoles and pc with dx9. Something Dice isn't even bothering with because it means a lot of hacking has to be done and bending dx9 the way it isn't suppose to do.

Hell just watch some of the comments on RockpaperShotgun crysis 2 analyses. And you wonder why are devs even trying to serve pc gamers.

[Vaud-Villian]

I wouldnt call the best looking multiplatform game half assed. I also find the gameplay impressive as you can either play it as a stealth game or a full on onslaught shooter. Not many games that allow freedom in the mechanics and I find it a rare gem.

[Soldierone]

Yeah it was our game then the consoles ruined everything like always. You cant put anything on consoles, otherwise it auto sucks. I dont care if the PC version has its own engine and looks better, it still sucks cus its on consoles. And I will complain!

/s

Thats All I see in the comments of the PC games going console. IF PC gamers were as big as PC gamers want everyone to believe, these devs wouldnt go to consoles. They would have enough money to not need consoles. But guess what they do, so get over it.

Crysis 2 looks awesome, its plays fine, and its a game worth checking out. So do it.

[TronEOL]

I agree. Sure it doesn't look as good as Crysis 1, but I'm sure if you put Crysis 2 in a strictly forest/jungle setting it'd look close, if not the exact same. There is more to work on when you put it in a grand city like New York.

As for gameplay? It is improved in almost every way. Instead of just having the ability of modifying guns, you can now upgrade the suit. Giving you a different game depending on how you upgrade said suit. Crysis 2 as a whole product is better than the first Crysis, hands down.

It's Campaign mode is more entertaining and has more gameplay changing content. And the game ships with Multiplayer on disc, and it's much, MUCH more content packed than Crysis Wars.

So if that's the trade-off, I'd much rather have slightly smaller textures and a few different rendering techniques for all the extra content in Single Player and Multiplayer on one disc.

Also remember the engine will only look better as time goes on. So PC Gamers should chill out and wait to see what else Crytek has in the making. Can't believe a console gamer needs to tell PC Gamers this.

[newn4gguy]

Honestly, I don't think so.

Crysis was a brilliant game and definitely the best open-world FPS ever made.

Crysis 2 is a different game, altogether. Reductions in design aside, it is the best looking game ever made. (PC version only) I prefer Crysis, but Crysis 2 is still amazing. It's not so much the corridor shooting that bothered me. It's the lack of options. I used to jump on top of a jeep that was ramming into me...take out the driver, whip it around, take out the other guys with muh wheels, and get on the gun to take out the inevitable boat patrols. There was also the epic atmosphere in Crysis. I sank a massive ship...and then swam to the bottom of the ocean to salvage things from inside it. That's something you don't forget. I love Crysis.

I'm more concerned about Hans Zimmer. Crysis 2 has a great score...but most of it is recycled The Dark Knight/Inception stuff. He's not getting lazy on us, is he?

[Lindsey]

There will always be people that try to nit-pick every little fault they can find about a game.

[newn4gguy]

I think Crytek will fix the bugs as soon as possible also...for those concerned. I am having major issues.

The gun will fire...and the sound of it firing keeps going until I finish the mission.

Once, I was walking around, but nothing showed up in front of me. No hands. No gun. I got massacred. Lol.

Anyone else having issues? The game is amazing, other than that.

[SilverSlug]

I wouldn't go out and call it half ass. Not as good as the first? Yeah.

[Raendom]

Lol nice maximum ass screenshot. XD

[skorp]

Woo

[ndl1531]

i havent played it but im dying to i have a ps3 and just finished mass effect 2 and wow that game was great but it kinda ruined other games for me i jumped right into killzon3 after and although the graphics were great the story was lame and boring i had to make myself finish it hope thats not the case with crysis 2

[mcstorm]

Wow alot of bitter PC fans out there. Ok the game may not max out your super over expensive pc's but you can see why Crysis decided to make a console version of this game. Its all about £ and FPS games sell better on consoles now than they do on PC.

The game dose look amazing on a high end pc ok it might not max your pc out but this is what developers have been doing for years and has put me off pc games. You go out send a shed load to play a game and 6 months later a new game comes out and your pc only just runs it. To me this is why console gaming is big because developers are lazy and only make games for high end pc's.

Im glad Crysis can be used and most pc's and consoles because now every one gets to play an amazing game not just the ones who spend stupid money one there pc's.

[ksoto]

PS3 Crysis 2 owner sorry guys this game is way over hyped especially the graphics!!! Ive been too spoiled with games like UC2, GOW3 and Killzone 2 and 3 so when i popped in Crysis 2 i expected to see some phenomenol graphics based off all the fanboy comments by reviewers and such lol Sadly i was disappointed. I hate the SP but like the MP but this game is over hyped.

[reynod]

Lol how have UC2, GOW3 and killzone 2 spoiled you?

UC2 yea it has good art design other then that its strictly a corridor shooter.

Please dont even mention garbage like GOW 3, its got static environments, the only thing that remotely looks good is Kratos himself, other then that hes surrounded by low res textures.

Killzone 2 & 3 lol once again strictly corridor shooter surrounded by muddy textures.

Either you have low standards or are just a fanboy who will cheer at anything exclusive thrown your way.

[FGHFGHFGH]

"You cannot get Crysis as it is on PC on any console. What you would have to do is compromise the design and the level design..." - Cevat Yerli

[stuna1]

@reynod
You know what they say about opinion's? "Their like a#sholes everyone has one!"
Crysis home should have been the computer, it's passable on consoles as a first outing, but you just can't explain away the shortcomings of the game! There are some glaring weakness's in it's design on consoles. Simple as that, and all the chest thumping in the world won't chang that!

[StitchJones]

Yes but the game still looks great and is alot of fun to play. I can only hope Cyrtek adds features to the PC version down the road soon.

[gypsygib]

I wouldn't call it half-assed, I'd call it half finished then released early.