I'm sure many gamers have heard of Crysis, those who have had the chance to play it were stunned by the visuals, and enjoyed the game play just as much. But it is probably the case that many gamers would love to at some point play the game, but currently don't have the computing power to play it.
I have had the chance to play it on a very high end computer, and with everything maxed out, not even the best of the PS3 can come close to matching the graphical power of CryEngine 2, and Crysis.
Along with visuals, the games audio is unparalleled. Sounds generated by contact with objects take into account the weight, speed, and contact surface of the player, and generate a unique sound. Explosions and gun noises deserve a good speaker system to flesh them out, and even walking through a dense forest, the sound of NanoSuit on leaves is crisp and faithfully recreated.
It's easy to focus just on the graphics, but the game play is the real strong point. Crysis is a somewhat tactical game, but unlike MGS 4, it doesn't force you to slow down to a crawl constantly if you don't want to, and is all the better for it.
There are several ways to attack Crysis. Go in all guns blazing, and you will be challenged even on easier difficulty levels by the superbly intelligent AI. Take the slow route, and you will find it pretty easy. But the most fun and rewarding way to play the game is to use a mixture of both.
The games biggest innovation is the NanoSuit. It may take a little while to master (They perhaps should have included a training level that does not have bearing on the actual game), but once you do, it's hard to live without. No kidding, for months after playing Crysis, I would be playing a different game and subconsciously try and engage speed mode. It makes moving feel like a chore in all other games. It also adds a great dynamic to online play.
After fighting Koreans for the first half of the game, occasionally catching glimpses of 'something' along the way, the second half of the game is focused almost completely on what that something is. It turns out to be an ancient race, possibly of alien origin. The aliens add wonderful depth to the storyline, which perhaps could have been explained in greater detail (especially events before Crysis), but Crysis Warhead explains the happenings of the games more anyway, and the storyline remains rock solid in any case.
The online is very rewarding, and requires a massive amount of skill, and expert use of the NanoSuit to your advantage. It's just a pity that the online never managed to get a large following, as it is more than deserving of one.
It would be great to see a sequel to Crysis with in the next year or so, and if Crytek know what is good for them, they will expand their market to console owners (by releasing it on 360/PS3), who have been talking about the game admiringly, but don’t have the chance to play it.
In summing up, Crysis is a superb game, well polished, and dynamic in many aspects. It even manages to revolutionise the shooter genre. Crysis remains to this day the only game I've completed more than 3 times (7 in fact, to date, that's not even including my getting of benchmark performance data comparing Windows 7 to XP). The online is effectively dead, but was great fun while it lasted. There are minor issues with the game, but on the whole, it is a truly rewarding experience as a gamer, and for those with a high-end computer system, an awe inspiring showcase of what technology can do when adequately pushed.
