14 DAY TRIAL // First of all, let me just say that I really got into the Crysis hype at the beginning: I saw all the trailers, I downloaded all the pictures from Electronic Arts and Crytek, and, like any other gamer, I prayed that my PC would run the game. It was a sad day when I saw the official system requirements – I was broken-hearted, since my computer didn't even have the minimum hardware needed for Crytek's monster of a game – so when I got the chance to play it on a decent rig, I got really excited. Here's my one hour spent with Crysis.
15:00 I watched in awe the opening sequences of the game, and I could barely believe my eyes.
15:02 It was time to tweak the options, because default was not the way to go, and if I wanted to play this game, then all the options had to be on high. Very high wasn't available, as the computer I played it on was running Windows XP, so no DirectX 10 visual greatness for me.
15:05 I had just watched the opening cinematics, and my heart rate was already high. Too bad the parachute of my character didn't open so I ended up in the water.
15:15 After a few tutorial encounters with enemies and environment, all the basic commands flashed on my screen one by one. The first real mission was given to me by my commander, and it was to take out an enemy radar jammer.
15:20 After an initial roundup of the beach area, I decided to make contact. First impressions? Way too little ammo, since I depleted the clip in a matter of seconds, and keep in mind that I like to approach the enemies head on. But all is well when it ends well, the jammer had been deactivated.
15:30 I finished off all of the enemies on the beach. The part of the game where you’re driving military vehicles is stunning, especially since the trucks are handling very well. The fact that a machine gun with infinite ammo is fitted on top of them isn't a bad point either.
15:40 After some brief yet violent encounters with the North Koreans, I ran completely out of ammo. A true life saver in these situations is the Maximum Strength of the Nanosuit – I punched an enemy 10 feet from me.
15:50 The final enemy checkpoint was destroyed and I was back with my squad mates again. Everything was great except that a giant frozen ship isn't the thing you'd expect to find in the middle of a tropical island. But no time to think about that, some sort of weird creature had just kidnapped my comrade. A brief pursuit followed but nothing could be done, because we found him dead.
16:00 The next part of the game, entitled Recovery, started, and I was tasked with rescuing a hostage from a rebel controlled village. Fun stuff!
All in all, a great experience. Crysis is a pure, gorgeous game with stunning visuals and interesting gameplay. The shooter mechanics could have been a bit more refined, but in the end it is worth every penny. Just hope Crysis: Warhead will be the same, so stay tuned for a review of that one in the next couple of days.