crysis 2
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Crysis 2 PC update released, removes auto-aim
Though the (already worked-around) errors affecting some Crysis 2 PC players who are trying to activate their game online still haven't been patched out, Crytek launched an update earlier this week which fixes a few other errant bugs. These include measurements for blocking cheaters, hang-ups that affected matchmaking and problems with certain brands of USB headsets. Check out a full list of the updates after the jump. The most controversial of these changes is the wholesale removal of auto-aim, a decision Crytek made "due to overwhelming community feedback." Sounds like beta participants weren't too crazy about the feature -- though, really, doesn't the idea of guns that aim for you kind of fit into Crysis' nanomachine-enhanced canon?
Patch coming for Crysis 2 PC multiplayer key issues, workaround detailed
Crytek is working to release a Crysis 2 patch to correct two errors associated with multiplayer activation keys for the PC version of the game, a representative confirmed on the game's official MyCrysis Forums. In the meantime, the developer has laid out a workaround intended to side-step both users' inability to save their keys in the system (and thus forcing would-be players to re-enter the codes) and the erroneous error that claims, "Serial number in use." It's a three-step move, to be precise: "Load Crysis 2, go to multiplayer and type in your key" "Navigate back to Single Player" "Go back into multiplayer and re-enter your key" The majority of responses in the forum thread indicates that the workaround does bypass the two issues, though apparently it doesn't ameliorate scattered reports of server crashes and game freezing; to say nothing of the two big topics on account login integration and promo code redemption issues.
Crysis 2 review: More than just a suit
Crysis 2 running well and looking fantastic, even on the half-decade-old Xbox 360, is now a reality. Gone is the question of "Will it run?", replaced by the really big one: "Is it any good?" Make no mistake, Crysis 2 answers the "Will it run?" question definitively. Though about the millionth FPS built around a plot of an alien invasion, give or take a few, it's also the most beautiful. Its depiction of a disaster-ravaged New York City is the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters, with layer upon layer of impressive visual effects, animations and large-scale destruction.%Gallery-119374%
Crysis 2, Dungeon Siege 3 comics in the works
Can't be bothered to actually play a game, but want something a little more visual than novels? You're in luck. First up, Crysis 2 is getting its own comic, thanks to publisher IDW. The six-issue series, written by Richard K. Morgan (who also penned the story in the game) and drawn by Peter Bergting, connects the events of Crysis and Crysis 2. It arrives in June. Next, Square Enix is working with Dark Horse Comics to release a digital Dungeon Siege 3 comic online. The book will appear on the official Dungeon Siege site, with writer Jeremy Barlow, along with artists Iban Coello and Sergio Abad, telling three tales of the kingdom of Ehb. Yet another comic will be packaged with the game itself at Walmart when it arrives on May 31.
Crysis 2 demo for PS3 gone in a flash
Amid ongoing connectivity problems, EA and Crytek have pulled the plug on the PS3 multiplayer demo for Crysis 2 just three days after it arrived on the PlayStation Store. "Though many gamers have had a great experience playing the demo, we are aware that others have been experiencing server connection delays," a statement on EA's forums reads. The publisher explains that the swift demise of the demo is intended to give Crytek time to "ensure all issues are resolved when the game launches next week." This isn't the first time EA has yanked a Crysis 2 multiplayer demo -- the original Xbox 360 version was pulled due to similar issues and later replaced with an updated release.
Crysis 2 can run on a $600 PC
You've bought all the components, inserted tab A into slot B and tightened lord-knows-how-many thumbscrews. Your handcrafted PC is finished, and all for less than $600. "But can it run Crysis?" your friend asks? If you followed a handy guide from GeForce, the answer is yes. Starting with its own $150 GeForce GTX 550 Ti graphics card, the company has compiled a list of parts needed to competently run CryTek's GPU-hungry Crysis 2. Assuming you've got the basics covered (mouse, keyboard, monitor, etc), the whole rig will only run you $599.92. While this setup won't allow maximum settings, it still kicks out a decent frame rate using above average graphical configurations. As a bonus, it should also shut your snarky friend up.
Hans Zimmer puts light touch on Crysis 2 score
While you might not recognize, let alone be able to pronounce, the names behind the Crysis 2 score -- Borislav Slavov and Tilman Sillescu, anyone? -- EA's got one that might ring a bell: Hans Zimmer. The Hans has contributed "part of the dramatic score" for Crytek's sequel, the publisher announced today, squeezing in one last plug before the game and soundtrack are released next week. You can sample the introductory track in the audio clip below -- or do it the right way: Wait until next week when you can get the full soundtrack on your iPod, squeeze into a body suit and go bounding up 5th Avenue.
Crysis 2 vs. Crysis 2: PC and Xbox visuals compared
Being the sequel to the game that famously brought even the most powerful PC gaming rigs to their knees, you'd expect Crysis 2 to be, how should we say, significantly streamlined for its release on Xbox 360 and PS3. Aw heck, we'll just say it -- how could the console versions even hold a candle to the PC? As evidenced by the video after the break, the 360 does a fine job of keeping up, at least in multiplayer. In the split-screen footage, it's clear that the PC version sports higher-resolution textures, some higher-detail models and different (one might say improved) lighting. Other than that, though, the two appear fairly close to the untrained eye. Of course, this is multiplayer, so both versions are less fancy in order to keep the framerate up, but this should at least make for some good anecdotal evidence for console players afraid they're missing out big-time by not having a $3,000 PC.
CryEngine 3 GDC tech demo is all kinds of futuristic
Not only does the CryEngine 3 GDC tech demo posted below give us hope for the future of video game visuals -- it also fills us with anticipation for the future of dune buggy technology. Sure, pretty video games are great, but they can't hold a candle to a sleek recreational motor vehicle.
Crysis 2 multiplayer weapons trailer blows us away
It's just like the old proverb says: Man cannot live on Nanomachine-infused biosuits alone. We need weapons too! All kinds of weapons, with customizable scopes and ammunition, so we can destroy other Crysis 2 players. Check out all the collectible armaments in this new trailer.
PSA: Crysis 2 PC demo and new Xbox demo now live
Attention Nanosuit lovers, the Crysis 2 multiplayer PC demo is now available. The new and "improved" Xbox version of the demo has also gone up on Xbox Live, hopefully resolving the issues experienced by players last month.
Crysis 2 multiplayer demo comes back to Xbox 360 on March 1
We already knew the Crysis 2 demo was destined for the PC on March 1 (and the PS3 sometime "soon"), but EA confirms today that it'll also be returning to the Xbox 360. The multiplayer demo, for those who didn't get a chance to try it out on the Xbox 360, features two maps and two different game modes: "Pier 17" and "Skyline" are a dilapidated dock and series of NYC rooftops, respectively, while Team Instant Action is your standard team deathmatch variant and Team Crash Site is an objective-based mode where players must find and capture designated areas for points. Additionally, EA reveals that the initial Xbox-exclusive demo was downloaded over 1.7 million times. For a new trailer and the full press release, hit stealth mode and sneak on past the break.
Crysis 2 multiplayer demo also coming to PS3
Looks like Crytek's planning to pull a nanomechanically-engineered hat trick with its multiplayer demo for Crysis 2 -- it's out already on 360, it's coming to PC on March 1, and according to the game's latest official trailer (posted after the jump), the demo is "coming soon" to the PS3 as well. We've contacted EA to get a more specific timeframe for the demo's arrival. For now, check out the video after the jump to see exactly how the game looks on Sony's home console. Actually, you could just go read the back-and-forth in these YouTube comments between PS3 and 360 fanboys -- it's just as entertaining as the trailer itself.
Listen to the alien influences of the Crysis 2 soundtrack
The first article in a series covering the music of Crysis 2 has been posted on the dev blog of the MyCrysis community site. The article examines how Crytek went about finding a team to create the music, and then what direction the music would take. One of the more interesting aspects of the production is the existence of multiple versions of a music track that accommodate different situations that arise in the game. For instance, a battle theme will remain orchestral when fighting mercenaries -- giving a nod to the human conflict -- while it may take on a more electronic tone when players confront aliens in combat. You can listen to an example of this idea in the file below: Check out the full article for more analysis and some downloadable MP3s.
The Lawbringer: A world without remedy
Pop law abounds in The Lawbringer, your weekly dose of WoW, the law, video games and the MMO genre. Running parallel to the games we love and enjoy is a world full of rules, regulations, pitfalls and traps. How about you hang out with us as we discuss some of the more esoteric aspects of the games we love to play? One of the very basic tenets of our society and our social structure is that when we are wronged, there is remedy. If your car is totaled by a careless driver, you have recourse through insurance companies or the driver's own wallet. There's someone you can sue, usually, and get enough money to make you whole again. The thing you lost, your car, has a certain value. The money puts you back in the position you were before you were wronged. Late last week, we learned about a startling occurrence in the games industry -- Crysis 2 was leaked. And not just any leak: Rock Paper Shotgun reported that not only was a developer build of Crysis 2 leaked with the full single-player content available, but also the multiplayer experience as well as a keystone master online authentication key, making CD key facilitation magnitudes easier for pirates. Leaks happen, but Crysis was mere weeks from release. The most interesting and potentially saddest aspect of this story is that when games leak out from the watchful gaze of their developers, there is little to no recourse for these companies on the scale that is required to be made whole. This week, I'm going to talk about a world without recourse, the location of one of the game industry's biggest and scariest problems, the world of online activation, and how Blizzard's tight-lipped security still doesn't prevent leaks even as one of the biggest gaming concerns running now.
Crysis 2 PC multiplayer demo coming March 1
On March 1, PC players will get their first chance to try out Crysis 2's multiplayer. A demo will be made available on EA's site, as well as partner sites, on that day and will feature two maps, Skyline and Pier 17, and two game modes, Team Instant Action and Crash Site. The multiplayer demo previously launched on Xbox Live with major issues. Hopefully, the PC demo will run more smoothly -- so long as your rig is up to snuff.
Crysis 2 story trailer takes a bite out of the Big Apple
The wrecked version of New York City seen in the Crysis 2 trailer below serves as the game's backdrop. It could be described as a "playground" for the game's super-suited protagonist though, personally, we don't think we'd let our kids play in an area marred by killer aliens and unstoppable plague.
Crysis 2 build including multiplayer reportedly leaked
You hate to see it happen: a game is on the verge of launching and those scurvy pirates manage to get their hands on an illegal copy or some leaked code. The latest affected is Crysis 2 -- a near-final build including multiplayer is currently floating around the most unsavory areas of the internet. There's a pretty heated discussion (and plenty of screenshots of evidence) over on Facepunch right now. This latest problem couldn't have come at a worse time for Crysis 2. It's little over a month out and with all of the technical difficulties surrounding its multiplayer demo on Xbox 360 added into the mix, purchase intent and confidence in the upcoming shooter is likely on the decline.
Crysis 2 trailer details multiplayer aggression progression
You'd think the ability to kick a car like a football would suffice, but apparently that ain't enough in Crysis 2. This latest video details the game's multiplayer progression system. In short, even if you decide not to kick some cars, there should be plenty to keep you busy.
Crysis 2 minimum PC system requirements revealed, and a new trailer too [update]
The original Crysis was notable not only for its impressive graphics, but also for the beefy hardware required to produce those tropical landscapes. Today, the hardware specifications for the game's sequel were posted -- and strangely enough, they're extremely reasonable! We'd be willing to bet that even older, last-gen computers host the required components within their cold, rotting chassis. Don't believe us? Check out the full list of minimum specs for Crysis 2 after the jump, along with a new trailer (which probably wasn't recorded with a minimum-specs rig, but still -- check it out). Oh, wait! That's right. We're writing this post from the year 3215, where things like "ATI 3850HD 512MB RAM" cards are as common as the air we breathe. Back in your pre-Robot Revolution era, they might be a little bit harder to come by. Update: An EA representative emailed us, saying "These minimum specs are not official or final, we'll have an announcement about this soon." Update: Okay, the specs posted after the jump are "official" now. They're both "official" and "final," and though they're nearly identical to the specs we posted last night, we feel very enthusiastic about their officiality and finality.
