Crysis 2 Preview

I'm in a New York State of Emergency.

There's an unspoken rule in the realm of Sci-Fi: If you're going to destroy a city in America with giant monsters or aliens, it's gotta be New York. Symbolically, it's the quintessential every-city of the US. Sure, you could blow up the Golden Gate Bridge out here in beautiful California, but then what? Fisherman's Wharf? Coit Tower? There are way more bridges and buildings in New York to have fun with (explosions). Godzilla would get bored in five minutes. And when you look as good as Crysis 2 does, you're going to want a lot of fodder.

Visually, the original Crysis set the benchmark by which most PC games are measured. Our own PC gaming rig reviewer, Geoff Hunt, runs it on every console he checks out for us. Of course that means Crytek had to up the ante for the sequel. From the early glimpse I got, it's seems like they've already succeeded and are looking to once again raise the bar, only this time they're taking their polish and shine to consoles too. Yes, those of us who can't afford the top of the line Alienware computer with a bunch of unnecessary neon lights and flame decals all over it will be able to enjoy the experience on their 360s or PS3s this time around.

Just like in the first one, you'll take on the role of a solider, named Nomad and who is armed with an extremely fancy nanosuit that can make you invisible, give you super-speed, and help you choke a bitch harder than Wayne Brady. You and your nanotech are back again, only now you've got the shiny new Nanosuit 2. This time around you'll have the chance to augment and upgrade your abilities to better suit (see what I did there?) your playing style more than in the first Crysis.

During the press conference for the games announcement they eluded that the Nanosuit is not what it seems and had a destiny of its own that would be revealed throughout the story as well. And the urban environment will lend itself to multiple assault options, so you can either go in guns blazing or sneak up from behind and give them an ass full of lead.

One big complaint about Crysis 1 was that its plot was the exact opposite of its graphics: flat and bland. So this time around they've enlisted acclaimed Sci-Fi author Richard Morgan to pen the script. Not too much of the plot is being given away just yet, but it revolves around an alien invasion of The Big Apple. It appears to be the same squiddly ones from the first game, only now they have giant mech suits with which to kill you with as well. For some reason, Nomad has the Nanosuit 2 and Crynet isn't happy about it and have launched a manhunt through the desolated metropolitan in order to find him. A man who resembles Prophet, your squad leader from the original shows up in the trailer, and it's hinted that he may know more than he's letting on.

We've still got almost a year before you'll get a chance to play it yourself, but if you enjoy intense first-person action and like things to look as pretty as they possibly can while you blast them into debris, then you're for sure going to want to check this one out. Seriously, maybe it's just my ADD kicking in, but I can't stop staring at it's shininess. Right now Crysis 2 is slated for a Holiday 2010 release on PC, 360, and PS3 and it's already shaping up to be brilliant. Keep your eyes posted to GR for more news as it hits.