E3: Crysis Takes PC Games to a New Level
- May 12, 2006 11:26 AM PST
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Far Cry developer wows E3 with its unbelievable new PC FPS, Crysis
EA new it was onto something when it purchased Far Cry developer CryTek in 2005. After putting out one of the most advanced in-game PC engines, the CryENGINE, CryTek literally stole the thunder from DOOM 3 and Half-Life 2, the most anticipated PC games at the time. Now, after almost a year under EA's belt, CryTek is ready to show off its newest title: Crysis, built with the remarkable CryENGINE 2.
Crysis is a first-person shooter for the PC, and only the PC. Being a Windows exclusive, we won't see any hack-job console ports -- well, at least not for a while. Crysis is leading the pack of next-generation PC games, and is out to prove that, even with the emergence of powerful next-generation consoles, PC games are far obsolete. In fact, Crysis is probably the best-looking game at E3, PC or otherwise; the engine is so advanced that it produces some of the most strikingly realistic gameplay we've even seen.
The E3 demo had only two playable levels, leading to a battle with a huge mech-like creature that was shown in the first Crysis trailer that released prior to E3. The first level takes place on a carrier that was shown at EA's pre-E3 event last month. But it is the second jungle level that provides some amazing environmental effects that simply put, dazzle the eyes. Running in DirectX 10, Crysis pulls off some of the best shading, shadowing, and texturing we've seen in a PC game yet. Those familiar with Far Cry will see the correlation to Crysis. But instead of simply creating an extension of Far Cry, CryTek has taken Crysis to a new level. The jungle is so full of vibrant and lush foliage that it's incredible the engine is able to handle all the detail.
The AI in the demo, like Far Cry was very smart, as enemies work together to hunt you down by any means possible. They react differently to the sound of your weapon, meaning you need to choose your firepower wisely. They take cover and use advanced tactical techniques to trick you into revealing yourself. Like Far Cry, using the brush is key to staying out of harm's way.
While the demo was short, we expect (and hope) to get more hands-on time with Crysis after E3, as it is slated to hit this fall.
