Unless their names are Call of Duty, Halo or Battlefield, a first- or third-person shooter trying to compete with online multiplayer will likely have a rough life. The trio has so strongly dominated the space, it’s challenging for any other title to break through.
That doesn’t imply none of the other experiences aren’t enjoyable, one of which is Crysis 3, which launches Feb. 19 for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Based on the multiplayer beta released by developers Crytek, there are a couple reasons to slip into the Nanosuit.
Fans of Crysis know players become superhuman soldiers thanks to a Nanosuit that allows them to run fast, jump high, or employ powers such as heavy armor and cloaking.
The beta features two match types: Crash Site and Hunter. The first is a “capture and hold” style match where teams fight to capture various targets that move around a map. Hunter features two cloaked supersoldiers fighting a squad of human opponents trying to take them out.
Players start choosing between one of four classes: each with their own unique weapon loadout. The common bond between all classes is the Nanosuit, allowing players to run fast and jump high. Pressing the left bumper activates stronger armor, while the right bumper makes players virtually invisible. Both powers run off the suit, so when it runs out of juice, players can’t access them for a short time.
As players gain experience, they can create custom loadouts featuring weapons with attachments and suit abilities. For example, abilities can automatically activate the heavy armor when the player is hurt or recharge the suit when coming out of stealth mode.
Available maps focus on the game’s broader “urban jungle” environment, a combination of city and jungle with lots of trees and foliage.
Although the multiplayer remains similar to predecessor Crysis 2, the third title has been entertaining in beta form thanks to the suit and a host of new, incredible weapons. The highlight is the Predator bow, a quiet, long range device for slinging arrows at enemies from afar.
What Crysis 3 reminds players is how much variety they have available in terms of tactics. In some scenarios, my fully-cloaked character slips behind thick foliage, bow and arrow armed waiting for an opponent to try and capture a target. Other times, I’ll equip heavy armor, leap into the air and perform a power stomp to knock out a group of foes.
The odds are stacked against Crysis 3 surging to the levels of a Call of Duty or Halo. If the game’s full multiplayer continues to push the Nanosuit and its superhuman attributes, then it could serve as a solid competitive option.
