2007 is promising to be one of the most significant years in history for gamers, as upcoming games are looking more realistic and awe-inspiring than ever. Not only have the expectations for amazing graphics and a compelling storyline skyrocketed, but today’s gamers also desire new features; they want games that contain ground breaking innovations, which no other game has. Perhaps the most imperative aspect in recent games has been the utilization of advanced physics engines, and if a game’s physics is any measure of quality, one would have a hard time finding anything more breathtaking than Crysis.
The die is cast.
Developed by German-based Crytek, the same great minds behind the award-winning Far Cry, the game is a sci-fi first-person shooter and will use the robust CryENGINE 2. Set in the year 2020, players will take on the role of Jake Dunn, a U.S. Delta Force operative who is sent with his team to investigate a meteorite crash in the Spratly Islands, which are located in the South China Sea. The Delta Force troops aren’t the only presence on the island, however, as North Korea has also dispatched men to check out the site.
The game’s solo missions are divided into three acts, creating a more cinematic feel for players. In Act 1, players will perform a High Altitude-Low Opening (HALO) jump onto the island and battle through the jungle against the North Korean forces. The paths that one takes throughout the levels will affect future outcomes, meaning each player will have a unique experience, as well as adding more replay value to the game. While most shooters in the past have been strictly linear, the next-generation of FPS games, such as Crysis, will give the player numerous options to get past his enemies and accomplish his objectives. Furthermore, the landscape will be dynamic, and spontaneous events such as landslides and earthquakes can occur, making the predictable, scripted events of older games a thing of the past. Moving on, in Act 2 the meteor opens up and reveals a two kilometer high alien ship that flash freezes the entire island. The U.S. and North Korean forces realize their desperate situation and become allies, and players change gears as they fight through the frozen jungle against the aliens’ high-tech machines. In the final act, the player will venture into the alien ship and fight the aliens themselves. Crytek has declared the aliens will not be seen until the third act, adding a certain tone of suspense to the game. No one should worry about being disappointed at this point, for reports indicate that the motion animations at this point are some of the best artificial simulations ever made. Oh, and one more thing: this act will feature zero-G gameplay – no gravity.
“We got your back.”
Following in the same fashion as Far Cry, every one of Crysis’s fourteen handheld weapons will be fully customizable, allowing for additions such as targeting lasers, various scopes, silencers, flashlights, grenade launchers, and incendiary ammo. In addition, the game will feature tactical ammunition, or tac, which can have multiple uses, including acting as a tranquilizer, emitting sound, acting as a tracker, and even functioning as an explosive. As for melee attacks, players will be able to punch with their fists, use the butt of their weapons, or even grab their enemies by the throat and throttle them. Even the suit that the player wears – a military prototype Nano Muscle Suit – can change to meet the player’s preferred style of play, as it can be modified in the four broad categories of strength, speed, stealth, and armor. In addition, there will be no health kits in the game, as the player will be regenerating health constantly.
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