Crysis 3

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crysis 3

Official box art[1] showing Prophet with a compound bow[2]
Developer(s) Crytek Frankfurt
Crytek UK
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Director(s) Cevat Yerli
Writer(s) Steven Hall
Composer(s) Borislav Slavov
Peter Antovszki
Series Crysis
Engine CryEngine 3
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release date(s) NA February 19, 2013[3]
AU 20130221February 21, 2013
EU 20130221February 21, 2013
UK February 22, 2013[4]
JP 20130307March 7, 2013
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Distribution Optical disc, download

Crysis 3 is a multi-platform video game developed by the German game developer Crytek and is published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. It was released in North America on February 19, 2013.[3] Officially announced April 14, 2012, it is the third main installment of the Crysis series, a sequel to the 2011 video game Crysis 2, and runs on the CryEngine 3 game engine. It was one of the most anticipated upcoming games of 2013.[5] Crysis 3 has won PC Gamer Most Valuable Game, Game Informer Best of Show and Electric Playground Best of E3 awards.[6]

Gameplay

Similar to other games in the series, Crysis 3 is a multi-platform futuristic video game set in in New York City with realistic rendering of NYC and manipulation of special abilities. Players can choose a gameplay style based on direct confrontation, or a more discreet and stealthy approach in order to deal with enemies.

Hacking is one of the new features which can be used to hack security codes, weapon boxes, ceph technology, mines, lasers and even sentry turrets (can be used to kill enemies and ceph). Another new feature is the ceph's own weapons can now be used to kill enemies, including cephs.

Up to 16 players on the PC and 12 players on consoles are supported in each multiplayer match, which uses the Origin client and requires the user to have an existing user account or otherwise create a new one. It uses a client/server model to deliver multiplayer matches, as opposed to a peer-to-peer model. There are 8 different modes and 6 modifiers, each with 12 available maps.

Synopsis

Setting

Players take on the role of Prophet as he returns to New York in 2047, 24 years after the events of Crysis 2. He discovers the city has been encased in a giant Nanodome created by the corrupt CELL corporation. The New York City Liberty Dome is a veritable urban rainforest teeming with overgrown trees, dense swamplands and raging rivers. Within the Liberty Dome, seven distinct and treacherous environments become known as the Seven Wonders. Prophet is said to be on a "revenge mission" after uncovering the truth behind CELL's motives for building the quarantined Nanodomes. The citizens were told that the giant citywide structures were erected to protect the population and to clean these metropolises of the remains of the Ceph forces. In reality, the Nanodomes are CELL's covert attempt at land and technology grab in their quest for global domination by means of debt enslavement.

Plot

24 years after the events of Crysis 2, Prophet's personality and memories stored in Nanosuit assimilates with Alcatraz's body along with Alcatraz's memories, replacing Alcatraz's consciousness 'like a spare part' in the process. Prophet now knows that he died by shooting himself and is now back from the memories stored in the Nanosuit. Joining with Psycho, his teammate from the first Crysis and a team of elite Nanosuit soldiers, he travels around the world looking for the Alpha Ceph, the ultimate Ceph leader, from the knowledge he gained about Ceph. One by one his teammates lose interest in the hunt believing that all Ceph are destroyed, until Prophet and Psycho finally trace the Alpha Ceph in Russia and imprison it. But, shortly afterwards, CELL, now in search for global domination of land and technology, disable Prophet using powerful EMP weapons in Siberia, captures all the remaining Nanosuit soldiers, and start skinning them of their suits so as to learn or recover the Ceph genetics stored in them. Everyone involved in the Nanosuit program were either recruited or detained by CELL, including Scientists Nathan Gould from Crysis 2 and Claire Fontanelli. However, CELL runs out of Nanosuit soldiers to skin for alien material that integrated with their suits, so they transfer Prophet to the facility as requested, to skin him. Locked in a storage device with powerful EMP shocks to keep him dormant, Prophet is transported to New York, now encased within a giant "Nanodome" by CELL.

However, Karl Ernst Rasch, using Ceph technology had extended his lifespan and comes to know about the corrupt intention of CELL. He resigns as the head of Hargreave-Rasch Biotechnologies, removes all the research done by him and Hargreave on Ceph technology to stop CELL from acquiring it and secretly releases a brief video of Prophet's where-abouts, describing the post scenario conditions after invasion of New York and the evolution of Ceph, thus requesting the local resistance (led by Claire) to free Prophet as he is the only Nanosuit holder left who can stop CELL and put an end to their corrupt motives. He then himself joins the resistance. Members of the resistance, including former Nanosuit soldiers Psycho, Lazy Dane and Bandit, infiltrate the dock area and are able to free Prophet from the transport ship, which has now docked at the New York nanodome.

Psycho explains to Prophet that during his 20 year absence, CELL used Ceph technology to generate unlimited free energy. Eventually, CELL became a mega corporation and gained a monopoly over the world's power supply, and so used it to drive everyone into debt. Those who could not pay for the energy were sent to "volunteer camps" (slavery). A resistance movement formed in response to this. The resistance eventually freed Psycho from the skinning labs, and he joined their ranks. Tara Strickland from Crysis 2 also helps the resistance politically as a senator, but is unable to do much due to CELL's political dominance. The source of CELL's power generation for the entire world, called System X, is also located in the abandoned and encased New York. Since the Nanodome was to keep the city empty and non-functional, NY has now grown into a jungle populated by wildlife and feral Ceph Stalkers, due to a lack of urbanization. Psycho wants System X destroyed to free the world from CELL. Prophet, though worried about his visions of the Alpha Ceph showing him the end of the world, agrees.

Psycho and Prophet enter the dome, fighting through CELL forces and some feral Ceph Stalkers living in the fields.They reach the resistance headquarters, where they meet Karl Ernst Rasch and Claire. Rasch tries to convince Claire that Prophet is what the resistance needs to finally overthrow CELL. Despite affirmations from Psycho, with whom she seems to have a special relationship, Claire is skeptical of Prophet because of the extensive modifications in his suit, the integration of Ceph genetic material, and the deep integration with his suit. Eventually, Claire agrees.

Psycho and Prophet's first target is the outer defenses of System X, a device with infinite power production capacity, but for some reason, CELL chose to generate power through a hydroelectric dam. Prophet hypothesizes that CELL does this because it fears something about System X. Prophet continues to have visions, but successfully destroys the dam and then disables System X 's power production core, Nexus facility. As it turns out, System X is the Alpha Ceph. A system protocol designed to contain the Alpha Ceph when required activates but fails, leading to the initiation of a secondary defense protocol, causing the whole power facility to self-destruct. The Alpha Ceph, free from containment, now enables a hidden Ceph structure inside the Nanodome to fire a beam into the atmosphere to open a wormhole to the Ceph home world in the M33 Galaxy. Through this wormhole, they plan to send an invasion force to invade Earth, revealing that invasion was their true motive for arriving on Earth millions of years ago. With the Alpha Ceph no longer dormant, the Ceph coordinator, or Hivemind, reactivates, and a coordinated Ceph attack ensues. Prophet decides to kill the Alpha Ceph and end the alien threat once and for all.

Prophet learns that he must unlock his suit to its full potential by removing some neural blocks in his head to defeat the Ceph. Prophet and Psycho head to the skinning laboratory to use the cradle to do this. At the facility, they see firsthand the atrocities visited upon the Nanosuit soldiers by CELL. Psycho uses the cradle to remove the neural blocks, and also the limitations of the nanites in the suit. Now, the nanites will be able to transform into anything as it has no limitations. Psycho does more digging into his past, despite orders from Claire. He discovers that it was Claire who had skinned him and the others at the behest of CELL, also explaining why she was skeptical of Prophet's suit. Upset, Psycho rebuffs efforts from Claire and Prophet to console him. Claire pleads that he was the reason she joined the resistance, and that she had no other choice. Prophet also claims that he had no other choice, and that he told him what he needed to know at the time of the Lingshan Incident. Psycho finds this unacceptable, as everyone has a choice. He hands Prophet the dogtags of the men that died under his command, Aztec and Jester during the original Crysis and "Cupcake" during the Alpha Ceph hunting mission between Crysis 2 and 3, and leaves.

Prophet learns that because the Alpha Ceph is controlling the Ceph structure for creating a wormhole, CELL plans to use Archangel, a satellite-based energy distribution device that can draw power from the entire world's power grid, as a directed energy weapon to destroy all of New York and hopefully the Alpha Ceph. Unfortunately, firing it at the Alpha Ceph and New York would cause a chain reaction that would destroy Earth. To make matters worse, the Ceph attack Claire and the resistance. Prophet races to rescue them, but the situation is so dire that Claire tells him to leave them, as they are only holding him back. Psycho shows up with a VTOL and rescues the resistance. They proceed to the Archangel control facility where they shut off the weapon before it unleashes enough energy to fire. Rasch is recovered in the facility, but he is now under control of the Alpha Ceph since he used Ceph technology to expand his life. He disables Prophet and tries the same on Psycho, but Claire blocks his attack and Psycho shoots Rasch. No longer under control, Rasch implores the group to leave as the Alpha Ceph renews its attack and kills Rasch. Prophet, Psycho, and the injured Claire board the VTOL and engage in a massive air battle with Ceph ships, eventually crashing. Claire, succumbing to her injuries, is forgiven by Psycho and dies. Psycho laments to Prophet that he is powerless because he does not possess a Nanosuit. Prophet fights with Psycho, revealing that Rasch was only able to incapacitate Prophet because as he was wearing the nanosuit, and that they only survived because of Psycho as he was not wearing a nanosuit. Psycho, now going by his human name Michael, resolves to do the slaughtering and finds another VTOL to take the battle and Prophet to the Ceph.

After taking down the Air Defense Battery Turret, Michael and Prophet head towards the Alpha Ceph, but are bogged down by the Ceph Master Mind. Shortly after killing the Ceph Master Mind, the Ceph Wormhole structure gets stronger sucking everything around it while Prophet gets stuck underground due to debris. From there Prophet finds his way through hordes of Ceph Army and kills the Alpha Ceph with the help of Michael. Since Alpha Ceph controls every single Ceph, its death kills all other Ceph troopers in the area. As they only destroyed the Alpha Ceph and didn't have enough time to destroy the Ceph wormhole structure which is now fully functional, the beam powering the wormhole pulls Prophet into space. Now in orbit around Earth, Prophet sees a massive Ceph warship, similar to the one in the first Crysis, coming through the wormhole. His suit heavily damaged, Prophet almost gives up, but pushes on. Recalling Archangel's immense power, Prophet hacks into the satellite and uses it to destroy the Ceph warship. This collapses the wormhole and ends the threat of invasion. In the explosion, Prophet is knocked off by the debris and is pushed back into the earth's atmosphere. He impacts the waters near the Lingshan Islands where 27 years ago, the events of Crysis took place, and the Ceph were first discovered by Prophet and his former team.

When Prophet wakes up the next morning, he is in an abandoned hut in Lingshan. In the background, there is a news broadcast of Senator Tara Strickland who announces that the remaining assets of the CELL corporation have been frozen and seized as part of the global recovery effort. As the neural blocks are removed from the Nanosuit to destroy the Alpha Ceph, the nanites in the suit can now rearrange to anything imaginable, thus making the Nanosuit more symbiotic than ever. It changes its outer layer to reform Prophet's former physical body, technically resurrecting him. Prophet then grabs the dog-tags of his deceased squad members thinking how much he sacrificed his humanity and his own body in the quest for victory . He walks out to the beach and throws the tags into the water, and decides to use his actual name "Laurence Barnes" from now onwards. Barnes then walks back towards the hut, cloaks and says "My name is Laurence Barnes. They called me Prophet. Remember me." The camera zooms out, revealing the hut and surrounding area to be identical to that initially encountered by Nomad during the first Crysis.

In a post credits scene, two frightened CELL troopers and three frazzled men hurriedly retreat down a corridor. They are being attacked and pursued by an unknown enemy accompanied by strange sounds. It is revealed that the three men comprise the CELL board of directors. The CELL troopers turn around and are shot. The three nervous men turn to find Michael (Psycho) sitting at the desk. He claims to have had spent some time at one of their hospitals, and he wants to 'file a complaint'.

Development

Crysis 3 was "accidentally" revealed by EA on its web store in April 2012.[7] Immediately it was removed from the store and was officially announced later the same month.

After Crysis 2 received some criticism from many PC gamers because of the apparent design sacrifices made due to the limitations of the older console hardware, Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli stated that the PC version of Crysis 3 will figuratively "melt down PCs" due to its highest image quality system requirements.[8] The PC version of the game will require a DirectX 11 compatible video card and operating system.[9] Crysis 3 will utilize some of the newest features of CryEngine 3, such as displacement mapping, particle and volumetric fog shadows, improved dynamic cloth and vegetation, dynamic caustics, improved area lighting and diffuse shadows.[10] Some of these advanced features will only be seen in the PC version with the game's highest image quality settings enabled.

A closed multiplayer alpha version of the multiplayer was released to selected MyCrysis and Origin users on October 31, 2012. The map "Museum" and the game mode "Crash Site" were playable in the alpha version. The test began on November 2 and ended on November 9, 2012. A public multiplayer beta containing two maps ("Museum" and "Airport") and two game modes ("Crash Site" and "Hunter") was available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 console platforms, as well as for the PC through Origin.

The beta was made available on January 29, 2013 and ended on February 12, 2013.[11] Crytek and EA announced that 3 million people participated in the beta.[12]

A Wii U version was cancelled after relations between Nintendo and EA became troubled.[13]

Marketing and release

Filmmaker Albert Hughes was commissioned to produce The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3, a series of six short stylized videos, each of which features a different aspect of the game.[14][15]

On May 30, 2013, EA announced that The Lost Island DLC would be released on June 4, 2013 and contain four new multiplayer maps.[16]

Reception

Critical reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(X360) 76.73%[17]
(PS3) 76.53%[18]
(PC) 73.50%[19]
Metacritic(PS3) 77/100[20]
(X360) 76/100[21]
(PC) 76/100[22]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Computer and Video Games8.5/10[23]
Edge6/10[24]
Electronic Gaming Monthly9.0/10[25]
Eurogamer7/10[26]
Game Informer8.5/10[27]
GamesRadar[28]
GameSpot7.5/10[29]
GameSpy[30]
GameTrailers9.0/10[31]
IGN8.5/10[32]
Joystiq[33]
Official Xbox Magazine8.5/10[34]
PC Gamer UK81/100[35]

Crysis 3 has received positive reviews from critics. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic rated the Xbox 360 version 76.73% and 76/100,[17][21] the PlayStation 3 version 76.53% and 77/100[18][20] and the PC version 73.50% and 76/100.[19][22]

IGN's review of Crysis 3 was awarded a score of 8.5, praising its visuals, story and narrative and controls, but criticized design such as "Occasionally vague objective markers", vehicle combat and multiplayer.[32] Joystiq praised the singleplayer campaign as one of the game's main strengths, for its dynamic gameplay stating: "Crysis 3 proves a malleable melange of mayhem, a series of situations that adapt to however you wish to play."[33] GameTrailers awarded the game a 9.0 out of 10, and selected the game as "The Editor's Pick", favoring the game's design, story, gameplay and presentation.[31]

Ben Griffin of the video game review site Computer and Video Games criticized the steep hardware requirements of the game, stating in the conclusion of his review that "only millionaires will max it out", but praised the game's visual as being "The best-looking game of all time", its refreshingly open level design and excellent multiplayer experience.[23] The Official Xbox Magazine's review of Crysis 3 was favorable as well, calling the game's graphics colorful, and approving of its multiplayer, in particular the game's "Hunter Mode". However the enemy effectiveness and parts of the Nanosuit mechanics were panned, as well as overuse of the same voice tracks for the enemy CELL Soldiers.[34]

Electronic Gaming Monthly gave Crysis 3 a score of 9/10, pointing out the game's enjoyable campaign and "jaw-dropping online multiplayer", but was critical of the story calling it predictable as well as the games jumpy framerate on console pointing out that it sometimes drops below 20. However they went on to state in the conclusion of their review: "With a single-player campaign that brings the trilogy to a fulfilling close and best-in-class multiplayer, Crysis 3 manages to best its predecessors and deliver a genuinely impressive FPS experience."[25]

Sales

During its debut week of release, and the following week,[36] it was the best-selling game in the U.K. closely followed by Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.[37] Crysis 3 sold 205,000 copies in North America during its debut month, missing sales forecasts set by Electonic Arts.[38]

References

  1. ↑ Official Box art as seen in new crysis 3 "The Nanosuit" Gameplay Trailer.
  2. ↑ "Crytek Takes Aim With Crysis 3 –The Blockbuster Shooter Of 2013". Crytek. 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2012-08-11. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Crysis 3 Release Date Announced". Gamespy. 
  4. ↑ "Crysis 3 release date in UK". 2012-12-06. Retrieved 2012-12-11. 
  5. ↑ "Top 10 Best Upcoming Games of 2013". theworldtoptens.com. 2013-02-19. 
  6. ↑ "Crysis 3 Scoops Top E3 Awards". crytek.com. June 22, 2012. 
  7. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (2012-04-11). "Crysis 3 surfaces on EA store". GameSpot. Retrieved 2012-08-11. 
  8. ↑ "Crytek CEO on Crysis 3: "This time we promise to melt down PCs" | News". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2013-02-01. 
  9. ↑ Kubba, Sinan (2012-12-03). "Crysis 3 system requirements published, PCs everywhere wince". Joystiq. Retrieved 2013-02-01. 
  10. ↑ "CryENGINE 3 Presentation at Crytek (Crysis 3 Community Day)". YouTube. 2013-01-26. 
  11. ↑ "Crysis 3 Beta". Crytek. January 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-25. 
  12. ↑ http://www.vg247.com/2013/02/15/crysis-3-pre-orders-35-above-crysis-2-3-million-participate-in-multiplayer-beta/ "Crysis 3 pre-orders 35% above Crysis 2, 3 million participate in multiplayer beta," Feb. 15, 2013
  13. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (4 March 2013). "Crytek explains why Crysis 3 Wii U 'had to die'". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 1 May 2013. 
  14. ↑ "Crysis 3 - Official Site". Crysis.com. 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2013-02-01. 
  15. ↑ "Crysis 3". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-02-01. 
  16. ↑ "Crysis 3 The Lost Island DLC Announced And Screens". GamesLatestNews. Retrieved 30 March 2013. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Crysis 3 - X360". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Crysis 3 - PS3". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Crysis 3 - PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Crysis 3 - PS3". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Crysis 3 - X360". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Crysis 3 - PC". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Crysis 3 review: An enjoyable shooter elevated by staggering visuals". Computer and Video Games. 
  24. ↑ "Crysis 3 review". Edge. Future plc. February 19, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Crysis 3 review". Electronic Games Monthly. 
  26. ↑ Donlan, Christian (February 19, 2013). "Crysis 3 review". Eurogamer. Eurogamer Network. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  27. ↑ Bertz, Matt (February 19, 2013). "Crysis 3". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  28. ↑ Veloria, Lorenzo (February 19, 2013). "Crysis 3 Review". GamesRadar. Future plc. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  29. ↑ VanOrd, Kevin (February 19, 2013). "Crysis 3 Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  30. ↑ Rorie, Matthew (February 19, 2013). "Crysis 3 Review". GameSpy. Glu Mobile. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Crysis 3 review". GameTrailers. 
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Ogilvie, Tristan (February 19, 2013). "Crysis 3 review". IGN. News Corporation. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "Crysis 3 review: Pernicious effects of patience". AOL. 2013-02-19. Retrieved 2013-02-19. 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "Crysis 3 review". Official Xbox Magazine. 
  35. ↑ Lahti, Evan (February 19, 2013). "Crysis 3 review". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 
  36. ↑ "Crytek takes a bow as Crysis 3 tops chart for second week". GameSpot. 
  37. ↑ "Crysis 3 pips Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance to top this week's UK charts". Joystiq. 
  38. ↑ "EA: Crysis 3 and Dead Space 3 did not meet expectations". GameSpot. May 7, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2013. 

External links

Games
Crysis series
Other games
As Free Radical Design
As Black Sea Studios
Subsidiaries
People
Technology
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.