Game talk: CRYSIS 2

Mention the name Crysis to any PC gamer who is into First Person Shooters (FPS) and you will hear nothing but praise for that revolutionary game. Released in 2007, Crysis is undoubtedly one of the best FPS games ever made that featured stunning graphics which pushed gaming machines to the edge, with super smart AI, fully destructible environments, a Nanosuit that gave you superhuman powers and much more. Now, four years later, developers Crytek have finally released Crysis 2: the long-awaited and highly anticipated sequel to the PC game. But this time around, the sequel is no longer a PC exclusive as it is also available on the Xbox 360. The original game took place on an island jungle and so does this sequel. The only difference is that the jungle featured in Crysis 2 is made of iron and steel and known as New York. The latest game takes place in the year 2023 in which The Big Apple is under siege by an alien invasion. You assume the role of Alcatraz, a marine who is sent in with his battalion to help the forces already fighting in the city. But something goes wrong and you end up receiving the Nanosuit from Prophet, who is a character from the previous sequel. Telling how and why he gives you his Nanosuit would spoil the story so it's best that you discover the reason(s) on your own. The Nanosuit is the main 'gameplay' element that sets the Crysis series apart from other FPS games available right now. As mentioned earlier, the Nanosuit grants you special abilities which can roughly be classified into four categories. You have maximum armour which increases the amount of damage you can take, a Cloak that makes you invisible, Power Kick/Throw that allows you to kick or throw objects big and small with ferocious speed towards enemies and Sprint that allows you to run faster. All the abilities consume energy which means that you can only use them for a limited time since the Nanosuit has limited energy. The energy recharges quickly once you stop using the abilities but a depleting energy bar means that you can't play through the entire game with the powers turned on, instead, you have to be strategic and decide which situation is best for which ability. The arsenal of weapons available to you in the game is nothing special. You get to use various types of handguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, shotguns, hand grenades, etc., but when you combine the weapons with your abilities, you can tackle each situation as you please. So if you don't feel like fighting you can sneak past your enemies with the Cloak enabled or enable Maximum Armour and go in guns blazing. The choice is yours. Like its predecessor, Crysis 2 is a marvellous game to look at and hear. The city of New York wears a devastating look and buildings crumble and vehicles explode in a spectacular fashion while everything else like the sun gleaming on the water or the trees waving in the wind look amazing. Similarly, firing a weapon and hearing its echo is a very unique experience while other sound effects like fire fights and voice acting is top notch. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the AI. The AI in the game is extremely dumb and easy to take down. Enemy soldiers get stuck behind barriers and see you but don't engage you, are only a couple of problems that plague the AI in Crysis 2. If you've played Crysis and were expecting something even better or something equally brilliant, Crysis 2 will leave you disappointed because it doesn't exceed the original in any way. But if you haven't played the original then you should definitely play Crysis 2 because it is a reasonable experience thanks to the Nanosuit and the freedom it offers players to handle each situation. — Sohail Saleem Note: PC Gamers should visit www.systemrequirementslab.com to find out whether their PC can run this game or not.