Crysis 2
- March 22, 2011
- Crytek Frankfurt
- 9h median play time
"Crysis 2 is a science fiction shooter game, continuing the legacy of its predecessor with gorgeous destruction and futuristic warfare now set in New York City. The game offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, allowing up to 12 players to engage in online combat. Players can challenge AI enemies in the single-player campaign and utilize the improved Nanosuit 2 technology for various upgrades."
Reviews
- story1,878 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of Crysis 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it less engaging than its predecessor, Crysis. While some appreciate the continuation of the narrative and the character development, others criticize it for being linear, predictable, and filled with clichés. The game is often described as having a decent but not groundbreaking plot, with some players noting that it feels more like a typical military shooter rather than a unique sci-fi experience. Overall, the story is seen as serviceable, providing a backdrop for the gameplay rather than being a standout feature.
“It fleshes out the characters and story much more than the first game and takes everything in an interesting and entertaining direction.”
“The story is engaging, with well-written characters and a sense of urgency that keeps you hooked from beginning to end.”
“The story, the music, the plot, the characters, etc...; it was very captivating and interesting to go through.”
“Crysis 2 is where they lost me for the story; don't get me wrong, it's not a bad sci-fi FPS story, but it's nowhere near as good as Crysis 1 and Warhead.”
“The story is a mess and is full of way too many clichés. The writing is overly simplistic and juvenile, turning a lackluster plot into a cringe-worthy affair.”
“The story is completely unconnected to the first and Warhead and is very boring and generic, with the only character who even connects to the first game being killed off in the first 5 minutes of you playing.”
- graphics1,437 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of Crysis 2 are widely praised as stunning and ahead of their time, with many reviewers noting that they still hold up well even years after release. The game showcases impressive visual fidelity, dynamic lighting, and detailed environments, making it a benchmark for graphical performance in the gaming industry. However, some players feel that the graphics come at the expense of gameplay depth and variety, leading to a perception of the game as more of a visual showcase than a fully realized experience.
“Crysis 2 manages to keep the good art style from the first game while upgrading graphics further.”
“The graphics are real and the gameplay is immersive.”
“Crysis 2 remains a benchmark for graphical fidelity and gameplay innovation, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
“As a cherry on top, I have to add multiple graphical glitches and low FPS on a rig from 2020.”
“The graphics are poor.”
“The graphics are light years better, sure - they did make an impressive physics simulator and 3D world.”
- gameplay1,141 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Crysis 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its shift towards a more linear and streamlined experience compared to its predecessor. While the game features impressive graphics and solid shooting mechanics, some players feel that the gameplay lacks the depth and freedom of the original, often comparing it to more conventional shooters like Call of Duty. Despite these criticisms, the nanosuit mechanics and tactical options still provide enjoyable moments, making it a fun, albeit less innovative, experience overall.
“Crysis 2 delivers an exhilarating first-person shooter experience with stunning visuals and dynamic gameplay.”
“The gameplay, level design, and enemies are greatly improved, making this a fun-to-play game that can be easily recommended.”
“The gameplay is a powerful shooter with elements of tactics and stealth, taking advantage of the main feature of the series - the nanosuit.”
“The gameplay is bland and repetitive.”
“Crysis 2 is a superb shooter with a poor story, repetitive level design and restrictive gameplay compared to the original.”
“The gameplay has become a boring ultra linear corridor, cut scene, corridor, cut scene, qte, cut scene.”
- music308 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in Crysis 2, primarily composed by Hans Zimmer, receives widespread acclaim for its epic and atmospheric quality, enhancing the game's dramatic moments and overall experience. While some players find the voice acting to be overshadowed by the music, the soundtrack is often described as one of the best in video game history, contributing significantly to the game's immersive environment. However, a few reviews note that the music can be overly loud or generic at times, but this does not detract from the overall positive reception of the audio design.
“The music score that accompanies the game is top notch, which goes a long way to adding to the rising tension as you approach those set pieces in each level.”
“The game's soundtrack is also excellent, providing a cinematic feel that complements the gameplay perfectly.”
“Crysis 2 had the best soundtrack, a very good story, and even the graphics were top notch back in 2011.”
“Audio is good but a tad loud, music is horrendous; the main theme is so overused that it was another thing besides voice acting that I decided to mute.”
“Lastly, the music in the game isn't music, it's ear rape; I tried playing the game with music and voice off and only SFX volume up, and only then did I enjoy playing, until I realized that I had no idea where the game wanted me to go because the objective location is only revealed when you decrypt the awful line that the professor in your ear shouts at you.”
“The sandbox, freedom of movement has been eliminated, and you are on basically a rail shooter linear path; there is little or no enemy diversity in this game, you fight the same 5 enemies all game, the AI sucks, music score is a run-of-the-mill orchestral which sounds so generic I'd rather listen to Lionel Richie.”
- stability117 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with numerous users reporting a wide range of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly detract from the gameplay experience. While some players noted that it runs well on certain systems, many experienced frustrating issues such as graphical glitches, unresponsive characters, and problematic AI, leading to a consensus that the game is poorly optimized and often unplayable. Overall, the game's stability is characterized as a major flaw, overshadowing its graphical quality and gameplay potential.
“So far, it runs great on Linux via Proton on Ryzen 3700X & RX 6900 XT.”
“Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
“No glitches so far.”
“But, it's really buggy and crashes a lot.”
“A buggy, poorly optimized mess of a game, featuring a B-movie quality soundtrack, a painfully linear campaign, and a plot that goes in circles for 10+ hours.”
“The bevy of bugs and glitches, most notably the terrible enemy AI, took almost all possible enjoyment out of firefights, and the few instances where the game actually worked as intended only further displayed just how much wasted potential was left on the table.”
- optimization116 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to run smoothly on lower-end hardware and achieving high frame rates, while others report significant performance issues, bugs, and stuttering, particularly on modern systems. Many users suggest that the remastered version offers better optimization compared to the original, which is often criticized for being poorly optimized and requiring extensive hardware to run effectively. Overall, while some players enjoy a well-optimized experience, others find it lacking, especially in stealth gameplay and weapon controls.
“Huge fan of all of the games and how well optimized everything is.”
“Amazing game, optimized beautifully, only comparable to Crysis 3's visuals.”
“Few games can match the visuals found in Crysis 2 even years after its release, and the amount of optimization wizardry done to ensure it runs well even on lower-end machines is nothing short of impressive.”
“My computer should be able to run this old game at full performance with a high frame rate, but even when I lowered it to medium settings, the game still lags a lot.”
“This game is poorly optimized and full of weird bugs - after 16 hours of play, out of nowhere, the game started running at half frame rates for me (no updates on my end could've caused this).”
“A buggy, poorly optimized mess of a game, featuring a B-movie quality soundtrack, a painfully linear campaign, and a plot that goes in circles for 10+ hours.”
- replayability69 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the long campaign and various gameplay options that enhance replay value, while others criticize the limited tactical depth and linear story, leading to boredom after a few playthroughs. The absence of multiplayer support has also diminished replayability for many, although collectibles and different difficulty levels provide some incentive to revisit the game. Overall, while some find it enjoyable enough for multiple runs, others feel it lacks significant replay value.
“The game gives you plenty of tactical freedom and replay value; it's a relatively system-based type of shooter with fairly open-ended level design and approach to combat.”
“Excellent visuals, optimized well for PC, gameplay is solid, the plot is better than the first Crysis, but nothing to really write home about, and finally this game has a lot of replayability thanks to modding support and plenty of collectibles to gather in the campaign mode.”
“Overall, the campaign is relatively fun and definitely has high replay value due to the dynamics of the gameplay.”
“While graphics and sound are a definite step up, the suit powers, replayability, and sandbox took a big hit.”
“There is little tactical depth, and therefore mediocre replayability.”
“The game has very little replayability, but if you buy this during massive discount sales, you're going to enjoy every moment of this game.”
- atmosphere55 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in these games is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and engaging environments, particularly in the context of a war-torn New York City. Reviewers highlight the combination of atmospheric music, environmental destruction, and tactical gameplay that creates a rich, cinematic experience reminiscent of a blockbuster film. While some note that linearity can detract from the overall experience, the game's ability to evoke a sense of impending apocalypse and tension is consistently recognized as a strong point.
“The game's stunning graphics, set in a beautifully rendered New York City, create a breathtaking atmosphere that's a joy to explore.”
“The graphics are superb, from the destruction that affects the landscape to the realism of characters to the overall tone of the post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
“Incredibly atmospheric sequences and superb use of the first-person perspective combine with a pretty solid plot and a few brilliant characters make this definitely worth your time.”
“Some video effects like constant glow/bloom/shining completely ruin the atmosphere.”
“The story felt lacking, but the settings and atmosphere are great.”
“As it is, it takes the edge off the atmosphere a bit.”
- humor32 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of intentional and unintentional comedy, with players finding amusement in the absurdity of the gameplay mechanics, such as clumsy AI and exaggerated physics. The dialogue and character interactions add a lighthearted tone, while moments of chaos, like enemies hilariously failing to handle explosive weapons, contribute to the overall comedic experience. Despite some criticisms of the writing and voice acting, many players enjoyed the game's quirky charm and found it entertainingly absurd.
“Hehe, physics funny! I would say, pointing at my screen like a gorilla, as a Ceph alien careens through the air from 5 simultaneously detonating C4 charges that I haphazardly tossed onto its once living body... those were good times.”
“Enemies are fairly competent when it comes to killing you, and not being killed by you, though they seem distinctively incapable of handling explosive weapons, humorously so.”
“Other hilarious stuff includes your marine ally getting killed because he accidentally stopped where a scripted event occurred and a jeep ran over him, killing their colleagues (or even themselves) with their own grenades, blowing themselves up after accidentally shooting the red barrel behind which they were hiding...”
“The only thing that was not funny is that I wasted my SSD's write cycles for this piece of software.”
“This is a far cry from the original Crysis... is that not funny?”
“The final fight with the four cloaked super aliens was just a not funny joke.”
- grinding28 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 68 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often requiring significant time investment with little reward. Many reviews highlight long stretches of monotonous gameplay, poorly designed enemy encounters, and frustrating map bottlenecks that disrupt the flow. While some appreciate the visuals and combat mechanics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding detracts from the overall experience, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The gameplay is bloody amazing, and the story is long but not tedious.”
“They are extremely tropey, very long, tedious, filled with abysmally written exposition; it has been a chore to sit through.”
“Silly and tedious map bottlenecks that destroy the game flow with no saving possibility, so you have to relive long stretches of almost monochrome maps of highways with nothing remarkable again and again.”
“This game had an amazing visual and environmental experience and in my opinion the game was fun, but the repetitive grinding of enemies and aliens got tiresome for me and I feel like the plot wasn't as intense and good as it should have been considering all the graphics and time and funding put into this game.”
- emotional27 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a range of responses, with some players expressing deep feelings and even crying during pivotal moments, particularly due to the impactful soundtrack and visuals. While many appreciate the emotional weight of certain scenes, others criticize the lack of character development and a cohesive story, which detracts from forming strong emotional connections. Overall, the game succeeds in creating a visually stunning and occasionally touching experience, though it may not resonate with everyone on a deeper level.
“It's quite the touching movie and I waited so long until the English sub arrived… the first movie I watched in my new apartment, it was worth the wait.”
“Sure we've seen buildings demolished and cities destroyed in war games, but when you see this huge metropolitan area ravaged by alien forces, skyscrapers tilted and about to come down, gigantic holes in the ground filled with tens of floors tall buildings, the central park lifted off the ground by alien spears... it's creepy and somehow beautiful at the same time, it just overwhelmed me and made me feel really small, but I loved every moment of it.”
“Oh boy, where do I start? This game's epic heart-pumping from start to finish made me feel something I hadn't felt since back in 2007, beating Halo 3. I know this might sound stupid, but I actually felt like I was there in the game; it felt connected with the player wonderfully.”
“Great soundtrack, boring story.”
“Great graphics, mediocre gameplay, boring story and characters.”
“But even the fluid action can't save the game from the boring story and characters.”
- monetization5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized for featuring unskippable, loud ads that disrupt gameplay, leading to perceptions of it being a cash grab. While some players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and excessive grinding, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment with the aggressive advertising approach.
“Unskippable ads with blaringly loud volume at game load.”
“Disgusting cash grab from Crytek and nothing but.”
“If I had to guess, I'd say the intent was to provide players with a sense of pride and accomplishment for unlocking different perks, but without the annoying microtransactions or insane grinding.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally perceived as weak, with players expressing a lack of attachment to the characters. While the game's visuals and design elements are praised, the absence of vehicle interiors detracts from the overall experience. However, some users note that certain characters do exhibit depth and development.
“Character development is rich and engaging, providing depth to the story.”
“The character design is impressive, contributing to the overall immersive experience.”
“The characters have depth and their development is well-crafted throughout the game.”
“Without getting into spoilers, character development is weak and I felt no attachment to them.”