Crysis 3 - Xbox 360

Evolutionary Gameplay, Revolutionary Graphics

Matt Bertz — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Modern science fiction is filled with wondrous alternate realities showcasing awe-inspiring technologies, but good stories are hard to come by. The Crysis series, with its rotating cast of sterile protagonists and questionable hard sci-fi plot twists, is just as guilty of this deficiency as the majority of Syfy shows. While the nanosuit is an amazing asset capable of transforming players into deadly hunters, the narrative vehicle for this great gameplay mechanic has been so badly damaged over the course of the last three games that it barely runs.

Though it’s still saddled with the plot baggage of its predecessors, Crysis 3 is at least the most cohesive story in the series. The game opens with Crysis 2 protagonist Prophet being rescued from captivity by Psycho (the hero from Crysis Warhead), who has joined a dissident group fighting against the evil corporation that quarantined a decimated New York City to harvest alien technology for its own nefarious purposes. Psycho, who no longer dons a nanosuit, expects Prophet to turn the tide against the overreaching corporation, but his former commander has his own agenda. While in captivity he saw visions of the end of the world, which comes courtesy of the Alpha Ceph alien that lies dormant under Manhattan. Prophet will stop at nothing to prevent this extinction-level event.

Crysis 2 traded the wide-open jungles of the first game in favor of a series of smaller micro-sandboxes. This approach still allowed players to use the attacking tactic of their choosing, but some players longed for the freedom the first game provided. Crysis 3 delivers a better balance of these two design philosophies. Many battles still take place in controlled spaces that limit your movement, but the action eventually opens up. The best missions, which come later in the game, feature multiple objectives you can tackle in any order, a healthy mix between standard infantry enemies and menacing heavies like the Pinger, larger tracts of land, and an array of vehicles the player can choose to use or ignore in favor of a stealthy approach.

Whatever tactic you use, Crysis veterans should turn up the difficulty if they want a serious challenge over the course of the six-hour campaign. With a customizable nanosuit that allows you to tailor the suit’s powers to your play style, a new compound bow that you can use in stealth mode, and several high-powered alien weapons at your disposal, Prophet is more deadly than ever before. The AI is more competent than it was in Crysis 2, but it still has trouble tracking a cloaked enemy. Those who have mastered the nuances of the nanosuit will have no problem breezing through the game on the basic difficulty setting. The exception is the jarring boss battles, which require repeated playthroughs to decipher how the game expects you to emerge victorious.

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If you take your time moving through the missions, you have more opportunities to admire the amazing sights provided by the CryEngine 3. From the gorgeous water effects and global illumination to the detailed character animations and photo-realistic environments, Crysis 3 is one of the best-looking games on the planet. I often found myself activating the cloaking device while in the presence of enemies just to watch a frog hop along the jungle floor or to regard the wind effects on a canvased shipping container.

This impressive graphical fidelity takes a serious hit in the transition to multiplayer. Though Crysis 3 has some of the better-designed maps in the series, the muddied textures are a far cry from the jaw-dropping visuals of the single-player campaign, especially on consoles.

With 50 levels, a progression system of unlockables, and your standard array of modes, the multiplayer doesn’t feel much different from its predecessor. The new Hunter mode, which pits a small team of nanosuit wearing stalkers against a larger force of human operatives, captures the thrill of being the predator and prey, but I still preferred the classics like team deathmatch or domination. The sketchy hit detection (of which there is ample evidence on killcams), questionable respawns, and some problematic terrain navigation need to be addressed if Crytek wants to compete on the high end of the multiplayer spectrum.

Crysis 3’s evolutionary enhancements don’t move the needle for the series very far, but the core nanosuit-based gameplay is still thrilling. If you have a rig that can run the PC version of Crysis 3, I strongly recommend you go this route. The high-resolution textures, realistic lighting, and detailed facial animations gives you a taste of the graphical fidelity we expect to be standard in next-generation consoles.

Aliens And Carnage Collide In New Crysis 3 Trailer

Louis Garcia — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:10:00 GMT

Crytek’s newest title in the Crysis series releases on February 19, and the developer may whet appetites for the first-person shooter with a new trailer showing off some of the game’s action.

The video below shows protagonist Prophet taking down aliens of all shapes and sizes, and some of the ways he’ll do it.

What do you think of the trailer? Will you be visiting the urban rain forest of the New York City Liberty Dome?

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Get In On The Crysis 3 Multiplayer Beta

Matthew Kato — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:06:00 GMT

Crysis 3 is coming out on February 19, but before that, fans can jump on the open multiplayer beta this month.

The beta – which starts on January 29 and ends on February 12 on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 – covers two modes and two maps (Airport and Museum).

Modes

Crash Site: Secure and defend specific locations, with points awarded for how long you hold those spots
Hunter: Two players start out as hunters with Nanosuits vs. 10 Cell opponents (14 on PC). Every time a hunter kills a Cell trooper in the time-based mode, the victim becomes a hunter

Also appearing in the beta is the New York Feed, which is a social feature that highlights your friends' accomplishments and suggests challenges for you.

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For another look at these two modes, check out this previous video.

New Crysis 3 Video Shows Off The Mighty Typhoon

Matt Helgeson — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:46:00 GMT

In episode four of Crytek's "Seven Wonders of Crysis 3" video series, we get a look at the Typhoon weapon, the "culmination of 2,000 years of human warfare."

Aside from firing over 500 rounds per second, the Typhoon also serves as a flamethrower, which is nice when you want to barbecue some Ceph. Once again, the video also serves to further whet our appetite for what looks to be an early contender for shooter of the year.

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Crysis 3 7 Wonders Episode Shows Off Cause And Effect

Matthew Kato — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 22:13:12 GMT

The latest installment of Crytek's 7 Wonders trailer campaign for Crysis 3 is called Cause and Effect, and you can see it here along with some new screens for the game.

The teaser trailer for Crysis 3 focuses on what happens when you use the Nanosuit's many powers and an arsenal of weapons to your advantage.

Crysis 3 comes out for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on February 19.

The next episode is called Typhoon, and for a look at episode one and two, click the links. Also be sure to look at the screens in the gallery below.

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Crysis 3 Gameplay Video Goes Full Predator

Adam Biessener — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:10:00 GMT

The latest beautiful HD gameplay trailer EA sends along is full of luscious grass, spiny aliens, and assorted other things that stand no chance against the power of the nanosuit.

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Between playing hide-and-seek with deadly xenos, ripping a turret off its mounting to dish out an obscene amount of damage, and boarding a train to the segment's explosive finale, it's easy to become a believer after seeing Crytek's next project in motion.

Crysis 3 launches on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on February 19.

The First Episode Of Crysis 3's 7 Wonders Series Is Here

Kyle Hilliard — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 21:32:53 GMT

Part cutscene, part gameplay footage, the first episode of the 7 Wonders of Crysis 3 is here.

The series was teased earlier this month, and it is being directed by Albert Hughes, who makes up one part of the Hughes brothers directing duo that directed The Book of Eli and Menace II Society. Check out the first video below to see some new weapons and gameplay footage.

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5 Minutes Of Crysis 3

Jim Reilly — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:48:49 GMT

EA released a 5-minute video showing gameplay of Crysis 3. We get a good look at the game's environments and destructibility. Crysis 3 is out February 2013 on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

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Crysis 3 Hunter Mode Trailer

Jim Reilly — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 18:17:00 GMT

Crytek released a new trailer showing off Crysis 3's Hunter Mode that pits 2 Hunters against CELL Troopers. The mode lasts five two-minute rounds and is 2 vs. 10 on console and 2 vs. 14 on PC. The Hunters must take out the CELL troopers, and when a CELL trooper dies, they respawn as a Hunter. Sounds fair, right? The round ends when there are no more CELL troopers left or until the round ends.

Crysis 3 is out this February.

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Crysis 3 Video Outlines New Multiplayer Modes

Kyle Hilliard — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:45:16 GMT

The latest video covering Crysis 3 dives into the new multiplayer modes Hunter and Crash Site.

You will want to check out the video for the full rundown, because both game types offer complicated re-imaginings of the normal 'shoot the other team as frequently as possible' modes typically offered by shooters. The Hunter mode in particular sounds especially terrifying, especially if you are the last man standing.

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Prophet Goes On A Vision Quest

Matt Bertz — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:32:00 GMT

Prophet’s life would make for one hell of an I Survived episode. A first responder on the scene of an alien invasion, the Delta Force squad leader helped repel the initial Ceph attack on an island off the coast of Korea, survived the nuclear strike meant to wipe it out, went rogue when he found out his squad were test subjects against the aliens, and eventually committed suicide. End of story? Not quite. His spirit lived on in the circuitry of the nanosuit, and he eventually overtook the new suit wearer, Alcatraz, after he saved Manhattan from the alien threat.

The Game of Shadows

The nanosuit cloaking device is one of the most empowering technologies in modern games, giving players the ability to toy with enemies like the Predator. Some criticized Crysis 2 for allowing players to use this power too liberally, essentially running through levels with little to no confrontation. Crytek is aware of this issue and has plans to address it in Crysis 3.

“We definitely read that feedback as well and I think it’s valid,” says producer Mike Read. “I’m perfectly happy for players if they want to just cloak and skip encounters as long as it has a challenge and a risk vs. reward side to it. From our side we’ve done a few changes aimed at putting the player under a little more pressure in those encounters.”

For example, if the AI suspects you are hiding in a corner, it can throw an EMP to flush you out. The sandbox environments also contain hazards like traps, mines, and turrets that put more pressure on players who prefer to avoid armed combat.

After serving 20 years in prison for stealing a nanosuit, Prophet starts Crysis 3 seeing visions of the end of the world at the hands of a Ceph battle force. Rather than waiting around to die a second time, he journeys into the heart of the Liberty Dome covering New York City to look for answers. Along the way he runs into an old friend in Psycho, the protagonist from the Crysis Warhead expansion.

“Between Crysis 1 and 2 there really weren’t deep meaningful interactions between the characters, so we really want to focus on that between the core group of characters we have like Prophet, Psycho, and the few others that we’ll be revealing in detail as time moves on,” says producer Mike Read. “You’re going to see a lot of push and pull between the two of these guys as the story progresses.”

Though the nanosuit isn’t undergoing any drastic revisions outside of decoupling the sprint energy from the nanosuit energy, that doesn’t mean Prophet won’t have new tricks up his sleeve when confronting enemy threats. Crysis 3 boasts a new nanosuit upgrade system that gives players the flexibility to create three unique loadouts to confront different scenarios they may encounter.

“Basically, you could create a close combat kind of loadout where maybe you can punch a little bit harder, a more long-range loadout, or maybe something that’s more apt to stealth,” Read says. “It adds a ton of more options as opposed to the fixed methods that you had in Crysis 2 where you picked up nano catalysts.”

Crytek isn’t sharing how players receive these suit upgrades yet, but Read says it will be a simplified process with a wealth of different options. Don’t expect to unlock everything on one playthrough; you will have to make tough decisions on which of the upgrade tracts you want to pursue.

Crysis 3 Continues To Impress With New Trailer

Kyle Hilliard — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 01:43:00 GMT

There isn't a whole lot of new footage in this new 30 second Crysis 3 spot, but that doesn't make it any less gorgeous.

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New Crysis 3 Video Shows Off New Hunter Multiplayer Mode

Matt Helgeson — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 21:14:00 GMT

At Gamescom, Crytek debuted a new multiplayer mode called Hunter -- which pits a team of silent and invisible hunters against a (seemingly) hapless band of Cell operatives. As always, Crysis 3 looks great, but it will be interesting to see how they balance this mode, given the advantages that the hunters have. Check it out for yourself in the new trailer and screens below.

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Crysis 3: Bringing A Bow To A Gunfight

Matt Bertz — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 22:52:00 GMT

We grab the compound bow to take some target practice on unsuspecting Cell operatives.

When you have a superpowered nanosuit that can deflect bullets, turn you invisible, make you faster, enhance your strength, and improve your jumping ability, you don't need the most robust weapon arsenal to lay waste to an entire battalion of private military contractors. As I moved through a level of Crysis 3 on behind closed doors at E3, I relied almost exclusively on stealth and the new compound bow.

If you haven't read up on the Crysis backstory, long story short a PMC named Cell has built giant domes over cities decimated by the alien Ceph attacks. One such locale is New York City, which is now quarantined under the guise of protecting the populace from the alien threat. In reality, the Cell is using the domes to harvest the alien technology for its own nefarious purposes. As the super soldier Prophet, you're there to disrupt the Cell operations and eliminate any aliens who cross your path as well.

The mission begins on a ledge looking down at a micro sandbox littered with Cell soldiers. I immediately turn on the cloaking device and start marking enemies to track their movements. Once I get the lay of the land, I pull out Prophet's new compound bow to test its capabilities. The bow can use four different types of ammo -- a standard arrow, an explosive arrow, a timed grenade arrow, and an electric arrow that comes in handy when a group of baddies is standing in shallow water.

While in the menu system selecting my ammunition type I also check out the robust nanosuit customization system. With Crysis 3, players can upgrade each of the suit's core functions. The most exciting new edition is the ability to craft four custom templates. These allow you to configure the suit for different circumstances. For instance, you could equip several stealth oriented perks when you're sticking to the shadows, and switch to an armor-centric kit for when confronting a threat head on.

After blowing through a few squads using the various ammo types (my favorite is the space-clearing frag arrow) I stumble across an alien weapon conveniently laying in the open. This XPAC weapon uses a plasma ammunition and fires huge, powerful rounds almost like a mortar cannon. You can only use these unique weapons until the ammo goes dry; there are no alien ammunition packs.

When I finally reach the dam I have a few options. I can go straight up the gut and take out a platoon armed with a turret, or I can jump off the bridge and stealthily work my way into the reactor room. I dive off the bridge, avoiding enemy contact until I reach the platform containing the reactor. A few stealth kills later Prophet is taking his boot to the reactor to hasten its demise. The subsequent escape is much more action packed, with every soldier in the immediate vicinity gunning for my head. Once I work my way back outside, I remotely hack a turret to even the odds and use the Typhoon repeater gun to lay waste to the remaining troops. All that's left to do is plant some C4 on the bridge. After the explosives are activated at the base of the bridge, Prophet dodges some helicopter fire, triggers the detonator, and ziplines to another location. Here, he has a front-row seat to admire his handiwork. The demo concludes when the reactor fails, the dam bursts, and a huge tidal wave of water overtakes the valley.

As the demo fades to black, I can't help but be impressed by the polished controls, varied environments, and gorgeous graphics. Crysis 3 isn't rewriting series playbook, but its still capable of delivering a unique gameplay experience thanks to the freedom it grants its players.

Crysis 3 is scheduled to release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC next February. To see the game in action yourself, we suggest you view this trailer.

New Crysis 3 Screens And Concept Art

Kyle Hilliard — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:14:02 GMT

The latest batch of screens from Crysis 3 continue to prove that Crytek knows how to make a good looking game.

The batch of screens below features both concept art from the game, and in game images that show off the new jungle-city cross-breed environment.

And just in case you missed it last month, here's the trailer. Crysis 3 will be releasing on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC sometime next year.