Crysis 3

It’s the Crysis you know, but with a few new strings to its bow. Not just a high water mark for graphics anymore.

All-in-all Crysis 3 is a great package, despite burning bright half as long. It may have not been exactly what all the fans wanted, but it does a great job of trying to appease as many as it can without sacrificing too much. Add to this a decent, if not groundbreaking multiplayer suite and you have a solid FPS that is more than worth a look.

An excellent modern playground. Not only is it a beauty to behold, it is also a pleasure to play. The capabilities of the nano suit can be used to its fullest in the giant playgrounds of the game. A game of hide and seek or tag has never been this sadistic. No other game offers the superhuman fun Crysis 3 offers.

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 console versions are still able to hold their own. We expected the six and seven year old circuitry in our PS3 and Xbox 360 to boil into a puddle of silicon soup as soon as we slipped the disc in the tray, but as it turns out Crysis 3 runs well and looks fantastic no matter which platform you pick it up for.

Crysis 3 follows the trail of its predecessor to the letter. This means that we will again be experiencing the most astounding audiovisual experience, which, alongside its gameplay, will constitute the main feature of this next-gen first person shooter. The experience may not be very innovative, and the plot may not be very exciting, but it remains on the top of the list of its genre regarding quality.

If you're looking for a strong follow-up from the Crysis 2 storyline then you're going to be heaven. Crytek brings a very powerful story that fits just right with the previous titles and compliments it with a fast-paced gameplay experience. Sure the campaign might last 6-8 hours, but you'll enjoy every minute of it.

The beautiful and eerie locations give Crysis 3 a great atmosphere. Cowering in the tall grass, while being hunted by bloodthirsty aliens, reminded us of the terrifying raptor-scene from Jurassic Park. Blowing up a giant dam caused a spectacle big enough to make our inner vandal smile. [April 2013, p.80]

An action game in a sandbox. As usual, the Nanosuit allows for interesting gameplay dynamics where both stealth and all out action are good approaches. There are also some interesting online game modes that makes good use of the Nanosuit's abilities.

Crysis 3 looks absolutely stunning. Strip away the graphics however and you are left with a mediocre shooter with some fancy gimmicks. The stealth gameplay saves the day.

Crysis 3 is a worthy sequel that is highly entertaining on a number of different levels.

Crysis 3 is the best of its species. Technology and impressive graphics. But it isn't a surprise if you've played the previous game, and this is quite short. The bow is fantastic and the new New York setting too, but we wanted a more open and unexpected adventure.

Such is the strength of the online modes, it lifts the overall package comfortably above the scant story offering. It pains my digits to write ‘technical tour de force’, but it’s hard to describe Crysis 3 any other way. Though lacking soul in places, this striking Prophet can still channel the divine.

Crysis 3 is set in a world that can take your breath away - but as an overall experience, it's flawed. Crytek’s third installment is undoubtedly a beautiful product, but it is not yet a beautiful game.

Its attractive visuals make Crysis 3 a pleasure to look at, and the game is plenty of fun, though not up to the high standards of its forebears.

Crysis 3 reunites the outfit with a voice, Prophet, and his supposed buddy, Psycho and tells you that only one set of sentient long-johns can save the world. It’s a functional excuse for the action but uninspired, much like the bulk of the game. [Issue#235]

The appeal of the series has always been in its graphics and Crysis 3 still stands tall as one of the best looking console games of this generation. As many first person shooters shrivel up in the shadow of Call of Duty, Crysis 3’s tactical gameplay and the introduction of the predator bow help it stand apart from the usual suspects of the genre. However, seen as a series that pushed graphics and gameplay to the limits, the third installment’s lack of innovation is perhaps its only weakness.

Psycho aside, it’s hard to be engaged by the narrative, and not only because it’s standard sci-fi fodder. Blatant clues as to the story’s direction mean most players will have pieced together the plot’s deeper mysteries long before they are formerly unveiled. Meanwhile, optional audio logs that dig deeper into the lore can only be played via a static menu screen, necessitating a break from the action to listen to a minute or two of laboured exposition.

The problem is that in the few hours I spent online with the PlayStation 3 edition about a week after release the number of people playing at any one time seemed to hover around 700-800, with the bulk of them engaged in death matches rather than any of the more interesting, innovative game types (such as the new Hunter mode, which pits a minority of nanosuit-wearing, permanently cloaked hunters against plain old human troopers).

Sadly the PS3 version of Crysis 3 is the worst version compared to the other platforms. The PS3 version is filled with framedrops, pop-ups, audio glitches and disappointing graphics. The singleplayer is fine, but it's short and the story is far from interesting. A fun shooter at best, but certainly no more than that. If you want the best experience you’re better off with the Xbox or PC version.

Stunning to look at, but the experience within its gorgeously rendered environments ultimately lacks substance. [Issue#230, p.76]