Five things you didn't know about Crysis 2

May 14th, 2010

In addition to Medal of Honor and Call of Duty: Black Ops, Crysis 2 is one of the most anticipated military shooters for PC the year. And even if you haven't played Crysis 1, this self-described "reboot" is a "clean starting point for you to jump in," says executive producer Nathan Camarillo. That said, here are some important things to note about the sequel.

1. System requirements are lower than previous games in the series. One of the biggest complaints about the original Crysis was that it was limited to only a handful of players who owned the latest and greatest rigs—much more so than was usual for PC games. With that in mind, developer Crytek said in March that Crysis 2 will require lower system specs than even the original game. In other words, the more the merrier.

2. Instead of roaming an unknown jungle, you'll be in New York City. The first Crysis and the stand-alone Warhead expansion took place in a faraway tropical island. In Crysis 2, you'll still be in the jungle, but concrete skyscrapers have replaced the trees, and the passage of sunlight is limited to tiny strips in the New York sky. Consequently, the designers think you'll be much more inclined to protect the capital of the free world than some unknown island. And with towering amounts of concrete, the city also provides more cover and vertical combat opportunities.

3. Your body armor looks less like an enemy monster and more like the Gold's Gym guy. Plus, it's easier to use. The original "Nano Suit" worn by the playable Nomad could do a lot. But it wasn't the easiest thing to manage. This time, the developers flattened the suit's abilities to make it "more accessible." Specifically, there are two primary modes: a hunting mode for invisible sneakiness, and a shield mode for guns a' blazing combat. Those two modes can then be mixed with either a power style for speed and agility, or a tactical approach for well-planned attacks that require greater awareness. Sounds like fun.

4. Game promises to look better than the original. Were it not for more accessible system specs, this would otherwise be a no-brainer (as is the case with any game sequel). But thanks to better design and more resourceful coding, Crytek says the game will improve on the graphics of the original. Granted, Crysis 2 will still demand a lot from your system, but it'll do more with less this time. And it doesn't hurt that chunks of building will be falling from above.

5. The game arrives "this holiday," most likely November. Note: Neither Crytek or EA have narrowed down a release date. But the first game came out in November. And when publishers say "this holiday," they usually mean after Halloween, when the Christmas rush officially begins. As for price, the first game sold for $50. Provided EA doesn't add a "high demand" surcharge of $10, like Activision did for Modern Warfare 2, players should expect the same.

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