Crysis 2 Multiplayer Demo Impressions
The multiplayer demo for Crysis 2 went live yesterday for PC and Xbox 360. After spending a few hours with it on both platforms, I’ve come away as a new fan of the series. I didn’t play the original and I’m not a frequent PC gamer, but I enjoyed the Nanosuit implementation and the depth it adds to the experience alongside londout customization.
However, I’ve come away underwhelmed with the game’s visuals. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t seem to improve much on what the first game offered visually a few years ago, and no DX11 support at this point seems to be turning PC gamers away in droves. The Xbox 360 version looks good in comparison to other FPS games on the console, although the obvious console porting over to PC is a major disappointment; seeing “Press Start” as the game booted up showcased to me the diluting nature of PC development at the moment, something I’m sure infuriates hardcore PC gamers.
That said, I enjoyed what the Crysis 2 demo has to offer on a gameplay front. For one, the respawning points make for a very tense environment; enemies can come at you from any direction and it’s nearly impossible to spawn-trap. This helps create an even battlefield, setting Crysis 2 apart from more generic shooters. I found myself running to my own spawn points perhaps out of habit, as it’s a tactic I use often when playing Call of Duty games (shame on me for making such a comparison!)
Secondly, the two maps included in Skyline and Pier 17 are both vast with open central locations and detailed interiors. I like the fact that I can walk to the top level of a building and am just as vulnerable as I would be on the ground. The openness and overall design of both maps must be commended, not only for their detail but also for their layout. Skyline in particular offers a rounded environment with limited chokepoints but several areas of congestion that make both sides as vulnerable as each other.
The special abilities in invisibility, super jumps, speed or the special nano-vision add variety to the gameplay and aren’t so overpowered as to unbalance the game. The Nanosuit encourages a tactical approach, as simply activating invisibility with no thought-out plan will quickly equate to depleted energy and vulnerability in an open space. The idea is to combine two together and use them as a fourth weapon alongside your primary weapon, secondary weapon and grenade.
The gameplay in Crysis 2 at first might seem a little daunting because of the Nanosuit, but it functions well and is smooth and efficient once you get the hang of things. I can’t wait to see how players in team-based objectives and on other maps use it.
This multplayer demo for Crysis 2 should be enough to feed anticipating gamers until the game launches later this month. Be on the lookout for our review closer to launch.
By Gaetano Prestia
What did you think of the Crysis 2 Multiplayer Demo