Crysis cries havoc

The marketing team behind Crysis 2 was clever in its timing, waiting long enough after the release of Call Of Duty: Black Ops for fans to start getting itchy fingers and perfectly matching the release to appease gamers in the pre-Gears of War 3 lull.

Crysis 2, with its intensity and unforgettable presentation, is sure to keep your fingers itching for more.

Though the story is far from Bioware depth, the plot works well on a number of levels. You have the “wake up confused” opening and the accompanying game-spanning struggle of why you were given your super-soldier nanosuit by the mysterious Prophet just prior to his death. This cryptic struggle has echoes of the old Siphon Filter series and leaves you questioning whether you're simply a high-tech pawn in a political, biotech game of chess.

This melds with the main plot — an alien infestation of supersized cephalopods tainting humanity. Though arguably unoriginal, the story feels fresh because Crysis combines plotlines vividly and seamlessly, creating a genuinely enthralling storyline. It does feel stretched too thin at times with little focus on the player connecting with our hero. It's ironic that in a plot to save humanity, the protagonist would feel so inhuman.

What's immediately impressive about the game is the tactical variety. Your visor provides options allowing you to personalize combat: explore, flank, stealth, mount, observe, … the list goes on. Combined with the slick weapon and suit customization systems, strategic elements create an organic, fluid way for players to cater to a personal style of play.

Crysis trades character development for a pacing that is intense, dramatic and gripping. Your nanosuit, almost a character on its own, makes you feel just super human enough to be realistic, with “powers” like invisibility, power jump and armour. But enemy artificial intelligence and difficulty are tuned perfectly to keep you humble. Enemies run to and blind fire from cover and will, with their lethal aim, rip you to shreds if you don't use your tactical prowess.

Crysis 2's presentation is one of the best of any console game. The game's overall style has an interesting duality. It's not quite the clean, shiny style of >Halo nor does it have the gritty, seedy feel of Gears. It's a beautiful blending of both, a style that is crisp and refined at times and apocalyptically rampaging at others.

The cover boasts, “Best looking console game.” This bold statement is initially shattered with the stony faces and jerky, automaton-like movements of the human characters. Yet placed in light of how all the other amazing elements to the game play off each other and blend flawlessly, the odd unimpressive character becomes trivial.

Weapons, vehicles and locations are visually stunning, impressively vast and hold up to close scrutiny, giving Crysis an organic, meaty feel. Dust, debris, water and damage effects all add realism and battlefield intensity, reinforced by subtle interactive and destructive elements. Incredible voice work and sound, from rain to weapons to building collapses, all complement and solidify the experience.

But the icing on the Crysis cake is certainly the score. Subtly saddening at times and harrowingly creepy at others, the overall commanding overtures add adrenaline-pumping intensity as much as any explosion or Gatling gun could.

And it gets better and better with each level, culminating in an exquisitely powerful, visually brutal climax. The synergy of factors, its flexibility in style of play and its visceral intensity makes Crysis 2 this year's best first-person shooter ... at least until Gears 3 launches.

When he's not teaching junior high, St. Albert Catholic High School alumnus Derek Mitchell spends his free time connected to a video game console.