Crysis Review - Old but gold

I remember the days when Crysis hit the shop-counters. It was a hysterical sensation in the gaming circles. If your PC - I'm not sure if it was released for the consoles back then - could handle the game you'd be seen as an alpha-male and a deity equipped with extraterrestrial technologies. Maybe that game wouldn't attract girls, but at least you'd be bathing in the local gamers' attention, some of whom by the way, had breasts comparable to those of an average high school chick. Crysis revolutionized the FPS genre and opened a new epoch. Epoch of HD-shooters. Is it still good today?

Graphics: 5

Crysis was a revelation indeed when it premiered. And even today it still retains its visual appeal and charm. If you put the video-settings on the maximum of course. Truly they say that legends never die. I'd compare Crysis to Monica Bellucci who even in her 50's looks stunning.

Here's why:

• Vegetation still looks very realistic and detailed. Ferns, vines, palm trees and even blades of grass are pretty discernible and never static. They interact with the wind and your motion nicely which makes the environment alive.
• Water - the ocean still looks gorgeous - check it yourself if you don't believe me. And if you happen to live far from the big water, then its clam sound will soothe you.
• Effects - particle effects, explosions, smoke clouds and even adorable snowflakes will melt your heart if you're still skeptical about Crysis.
• Aliens - the giant spider-thingy, the insides of the out-of-the-world spacecraft... They have been designed with inspiration in a heart. It's not a cheap-n-fast work that today's games are saturated with. No, the artists really strived to create something special.
• The game is swarming with nice little nuances: gorgeous sunset beams, alien ship sounds, hilarious facial expressions of North Korean NPCs when you grab them by the throat, etc.
  It's still a feast for the eyes and ears. It's like an old vinyl record. 

Gameplay: 5

You're doing a reconnaissance mission on an island occupied by North Korea where a group of American archeologists found something significant and terrifying, before the occupation. Your character Nomad is, essentially, a one-man army. Thanks to his miraculous nano-suit. And as you have guessed the gameplay revolves around the abilities of the wonder-suit.

Its abilities include:

• Strength - throw a Korean soldier over the horizon. Aiming and jumping get better thanks to that ability too.
• Speed - skedaddle from a huge group of foes or flank and finish them before they understand what happened.
• Armor - bullets won't rip your flesh and flames won't barbecue it for a while when it's on.
• Stealth - invisibility that hides you from the enemies' eyes. Instantly deactivates when you fire.

Game's difficulty enormously depends on your strategy with the abilities mentioned above. You can sneak your way into completing the mission without causing much havoc or leave the smoking ruins behind you. The Crysis's world's destiny is in your hands only.
Btw, NPCs are damn smart and will do anything to locate and surround you - never underestimate them. 

Controls: 5

Crysis is nicely optimized for an Xbox controller, although originally it was a PC sensation. And even today, 11 years later it feels pretty smooth to control. Nothing to complain about.

Replay Value: 5

Retro-charm, still gorgeous looks, and actually interesting back-story... Crysis must have an embedded replay button.

Conclusion

It's a game for ages. It might look a bit old-fashioned and imperfect now. And one day, I guess, they'll port it to smartphones... But this game is a like a Gospel for the FPS genre. And it deserves a place both in the top ratings "of all times" and in your collection. Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die.