Crysis

Could God develop a game so graphically intensive even his computer couldn’t run it?

Yes, they called it Crysis!

Developed by Crytek back in 2007, Crysis was so system heavy that even the most powerful top of the range computers of the time had trouble running it. And three years on, it’s still bigger than most computers are capable of. It became a running joke among gamers. ‘So what if it’s a NASA supercomputer capable of calculating the number of angels that can dance on a pin, can it run Crysis?’

But for all that, is it really worth it? Or is it just a way of measuring how much money you’re willing to spend on your computer? Is it more than just another shooter with pretty graphics that will fade away as soon as something fancier comes along?

Surprisingly, yes! Especially now that it’s not so hard to get a computer that can run it nowadays.

What little story there is follows a team of soldiers in fancy cyber armour that give them super strength, speed and invisibility who are sent to an island to rescue a bunch of archaeologists who have been captured by the Korean army… and then a bunch of aliens turn up and stuff gets weird. But you’re not exactly here for the story just tune it out and throw chickens at some soldiers! You heard me… chickens.

Thanks to this games swanky physics engine. Almost anything in this game can be picked up and thrown. From barrels to wheelie bins to livestock. And a surprising amount of stuff can be destroyed as well. My first experience of this was when I inquisitively shot a palm tree, splintering the trunk and sending it falling down right on my head, killing me instantly. Dying in a game has never made me laugh so hard!

But of course, Physics is just another advance in technology that will be copied by everyone else, and in the last three years it certainly has, but usually to the extent of sending bodies flying from explosions or pretty rubble falling around you while you shoot the same human shapes in the head. Crysis is a rare game where you can feel like you’re truly destroying stuff rather than notching up a kill count. And it’s all thanks to the extravagant armour.

There are four modes you can set your nano-suit armour to. Strength, Armour, Speed and Cloak, and they’re all pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Strength allows you to punch harder, jump higher and throw large objects around, speed makes you run faster and Cloak lets you sneak around like you’re Predator. And while you can just shoot your enemies like in any other game, it really comes into its own when you take advantage of your powers instead.

If you ever get the chance to play this game try this. Set the game to ‘Easy’, drop your guns and carry just a pistol and explosives. Now try to finish the game like that! Throwing soldiers at each other, punching them in the face, beating them to death with chickens or melons or a stick you found on the beach. Treat this game less as a challenge or a statement of wealth and muck around with it. See if you can get that jeep all the way up the mountain, punching it over obstacles if you have to! Try to carry that washing machine as far as you can go into the game!

All this game needs to be perfect is a Co-Op mode and a way to just muck around on the island without the pesky story getting in the way. Maybe the sequel slated for Christmas this year will get the idea!

If you can run it, you owe it to yourself to try it. If you can’t, the sequel’s supposed to be a bit less stupidly hard to run as the first one. Take my word for it. There is more to this game than sweaty nerds bragging about the size of their graphics card!

Tags: Cry Engine, Crysis, Crytek, EA

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