After being really impressed with the original Crysis, I was INSANELY curious to see what the next game would bring, and boy was I happy. Not only is the story more focused, tighter, and epic in scope, not only does it has the most beautiful graphics on any platform, and not only does it has the most stellar production values, but it also has the most ballsy and entertaining action set-pieces that I've ever had the pleasure of seeing and playing through.
The new hero is a Force Recon Marine known as Alcatraz, who had the unfortunate yet coincidental task of being the last hope for humanity armed with the technology of the future; the likes of which no ordinary man, albeit a soldier as ever witnessed in the history of mankind. A physically fractured soul due to injuries sustained in battle, Alcatraz is locked and loaded, but what is the true nature of his mission and what fate does it hold for mankind? The first game's story had an action/sci-fi movie-like plot that was good, even though it left a few unanswered questions concerning it's context. Now with Crysis 2, we learn who created the Nanosuit, its origins, background information about it's original protagonists, and much more. However, Crysis 2 has a lot of dark themes in it's narrative, biological warfare, civil unrest, martial law, private military forces and their morally ambiguous agendas, and identity crisis(no pun intended). It's true that some characters may be underdeveloped, but that's saved for the sequel, which I'm sure will tie up some loose ends, but the story is actually really gripping; kept my attention for the whole duration of the game.
But Crysis 2 wouldn't be a Crysis game without action set-pieces. Out of all the FPS game's I've played, the series hands down has the most exciting and entertaining of them all. From massive destruction to some horrific scenes of human suffering and decadence, no other game in this genre has conveyed post-apocalyptic alien invasion scenarios like this one; for which I was thoroughly impressed. This no doubt helped along with the games stunningly beautiful visual effects that are so cinematic, you actually feel like you're in a Hollywood blockbuster action/sci-fi film. The sandbox style of play is back, though not as prevalent as in the previous game, but you still have many options on how to attack your enemies. The level of tactical decision making is key to your success and one of the series' finest aspects.
I'm not so sure about the multi-player. I've played several sessions(this was on Xbox Live) but I'm an old-school gamer who likes action and story, and Crysis 2 fits the bill nicely. There are glitches like enemies freezing in place and some inconsistencies with sound, but it doesn't mar the game one bit. Speaking of sound, this game has the most impressive sound effects I've ever heard; from the powerful roar of the machine guns to the massive scale destruction of the urban environment, the game is a treat for the ears, especially if you have a surround sound system cranked to the max. And it also helps if you have a widescreen TV equipped with 3D. I've never seen the game in 3D, but even without 3D, the game is still impressive and a blast to play so for those of you who have a set up, get this game to truly experience what it has to offer.
I really enjoyed Crysis 2; even more than Crysis 1. Heck, I enjoy both games, but Crysis 2 story won me over, simply because it's more epic in scope. Having beaten 2, I'm more pumped than ever for Crysis 3. No other series gave me the feeling of being a bad-ass super-soldier with the feel of a big-budget blockbuster action movie!! Kudos to Crytek for delivering one of the most ballistically entertaining FPS on the market!!
