But Can It Run Crysis

A meme that simply every PC gamer is aware of is "But can it run Crysis!". Released back in 2007, Crysis seemed to have generations of gaming rigs. Every machine that tried to run the game was pushed to its maximum, chugging along at low frame rates unless the settings were dropped substantially. In some ways, this gung-ho attitude towards graphics is to be applauded, Crytek became synonymous with graphical prowess and they were on the lips of every PC Gamer - could your rig run Crysis? Plot You begin the game on a rescue mission, taking control of Nomad, the noob member of an elite squad of soldiers equipped with "Nanosuits". This Nanosuit grants the wearer incredible enhancements to their usual abilities, such as active camouflage, super strength, bulletproof armour and finally super speed. The only downfalls are that each of these abilities drains the power of the suit for a small period of time and that you cannot use two of them at once. Your mission is to liberate an island that has been taken over by a North Korean force. Following a HALO jump that goes slightly wrong, you are separated from your team and forced to go alone. Along the way, you discover that it isn't just the Korean military that you need to fight, but also something a bit more otherworldly. Gameplay Throughout Crysis, you find so many different ways to complete levels that you could be forgiven for thinking you are in a completely open-world. You can attack enemies head-on, using cover and the armour in your suit to deal with the incoming fire from enemies, or you could take a more stealthy approach, utilising your active camo to sneak up and either choke enemies to death (sleep!?) or take them out with a silenced shot to the noggin. The choice is yours. Personally, in my latest playthrough, I took the Predator approach and tried to get through the first few levels without raising suspicion - which turned out to be surprisingly good fun. As the game progresses you find out more and more about the island you are on and face ever more powerful enemies. Good think the weapon power also increases. Sound Design / Music Part of the experience with Crysis is the immersive and impressive soundtrack that comes with each game in the series. Inon Zur is the man behind the original game's soundtrack and it lends itself well to the environment with long orchestral harmonies interspersed with stabs of a synthesizer. I can listen to the soundtrack on repeat it's that good. The sound design that every person who has ever played the game will take away is the suit. The number of times you here "Maximum Armor", "Maximum Speed", "Maximum Strength" and "Cloak Engaged" throughout the game must be in the thousands. Each time you hear it you know that you're going into a possible firefight scenario. Talking about firefights, every gun in the game has a nice sound - from the pistol to the Alien Moac. BUT, if you want to see and hear the best weapon in the game you need to get to the point of picking up the TAC Launcher. The TAC Launcher is Crysis answer to Dooms BFG, firing mini-nukes all over the place which explode on impact and spew a mini mushroom cloud. Pros • Incredible Graphics, even holding up well today • Level design makes you feel like you are within an open world • Great Soundtrack • Gunplay is on-point with meaty sounding weapons with good customisation options. Cons • Story is a bit weak • Alien enemies not as much fun as humans • ~~PC Intensive~~ Not anymore ——— Original ratings: • Visual Design: 10/10 • Sound Design: 10/10 • Gameplay: 8/10 • Longevity: 8/10 • Fun: 9/10