Crysis 3
- June 4, 2020
- Crytek
- 7h median play time
With innovative combat, incredible graphics, and a great story, Crysis 3 offers a gameplay experience that anyone who enjoys a shooter should not turn down
In Crysis 3, players must save the world from new and old enemies who threaten the peace achieved 24 years ago. The game takes place in a nanodome-enclosed New York City, now a urban rainforest, where players will face enemies in seven distinct landscapes. An array of weapons, including the Predator Bow, are available to help players defeat opponents as they search for the Alpha Ceph and uncover the truth behind C.E.L.L. corporation.
Reviews
- Stunning graphics that still hold up well even years after release.
- Engaging gameplay with a mix of stealth and action, allowing for multiple approaches to combat.
- Decent story that wraps up the trilogy, with memorable characters like Prophet and Psycho.
- Short campaign length, often completed in around 6-8 hours.
- Performance issues on modern hardware, with frequent frame drops and optimization problems.
- Requires the EA Origin launcher, which can be a hassle for players and detracts from the overall experience.
- story460 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in Crysis 3 has received mixed reviews, with many players noting it as an improvement over its predecessors, particularly in character development and engagement. While some appreciate the action-packed narrative and the return of familiar characters like Prophet and Psycho, others criticize it for being short, predictable, and lacking depth. Overall, it serves as a fitting conclusion to the trilogy, though opinions vary on its execution and coherence.
“The story on this one is a lot more engaging than its predecessors even though it is about half the time of the previous game, clocking in at about 6 hours.”
“The story delves into themes of corporate greed, environmental decay, and the blurred lines between humanity and technology.”
“Crysis 3 roots its narrative in a fight against the oppressive Cell corporation and the pursuit of the alien Alpha Ceph, but the story is propelled along by the relationship between protagonist Prophet and his sidekick Michael 'Psycho' Sykes.”
“The story is dull and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The plot is nonsensical and feels like a disappointing conclusion to the trilogy.”
“The story is short and feels rushed, lacking the character development needed for emotional impact.”
- graphics339 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of Crysis 3 are widely praised for their stunning detail and visual fidelity, often described as breathtaking and ahead of their time, even holding up well against modern titles. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to push graphical boundaries, with impressive lighting, textures, and environments that create an immersive experience. Despite some criticisms regarding optimization and occasional graphical glitches, the overall consensus is that the visuals remain a standout feature of the game, making it a benchmark for graphical performance in the FPS genre.
“The graphics are amazing, and nothing beats the environment and detail in Crysis 3.”
“Graphically, everything is amazing to behold except for the water and the caustics (which seem a little exaggerated).”
“The graphics are incredible, even for a ~7 year old game.”
“Graphics aren’t much improved and the story is dull.”
“Even the graphics are worse since it's still CryEngine 3 - the dumbed down console engine.”
“It's not the worst game in the world, but it feels so shallow; it sadly doesn't have much going for it, even its graphics feel a bit... weird and unequal, most of the time it's quite good, but other times it looks.. weird and dated even for its time.”
- gameplay254 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Crysis 3 is generally praised for its engaging mechanics and stunning graphics, offering a mix of stealth and action that allows for varied playstyles. However, many reviewers note that it feels similar to its predecessor, Crysis 2, with some expressing disappointment over its linearity and lack of depth compared to the original Crysis. While the introduction of new elements like the predator bow adds some excitement, the overall experience is described as enjoyable yet occasionally repetitive and short.
“Amazing graphics, incredible gameplay, good balance and difficulty.”
“The gameplay is as enjoyable as it has always been throughout the series.”
“The gameplay is intense along with the cinematics; it truly takes you on a fast-paced adventure that does not let you breathe.”
“Gameplay was too boring for me to continue beyond that.”
“The gameplay left me a bit 'meh' after previous outings - it was very good - but after two previous iterations it felt a bit old.”
“The gameplay is boring and outdated for current standards but it is still worth.”
- music61 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the soundtrack as "awesome," "stellar," and "heart-pounding," contributing significantly to the overall immersion and enjoyment of the gameplay. While some comparisons to previous titles, particularly Crysis 2, highlight a perceived drop in memorability, the cohesive score and sound design are still regarded as strong points. Overall, the music enhances the gaming experience, making it a standout feature despite some mixed opinions on its memorability.
“Absolutely stunning graphics, a really cool, deep, enjoyable story with lots of great lore, a stellar soundtrack, great level design, and some really epic boss fights.”
“The music makes this game more enjoyable as it is, and that's that.”
“The music gets you easily pumped in the heat of combat and gives off that 'last hope for humanity' kind of vibe.”
“I recently went back and listened to the Crysis 2 soundtrack, and I really gotta say that Crysis 3 had a hell of a job trying to follow it up.”
“The music was anticlimactic; there wasn't any for me for some reason, probably just a bug.”
“Soundtrack: 5.0/10”
- optimization49 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players experiencing performance issues even on high-end hardware. Common complaints include frame drops, stuttering, and poor performance in specific areas, suggesting that the game is not well-optimized for modern systems, particularly with the CryEngine 3. While the graphics are praised, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from serious optimization flaws that detract from the experience.
“The graphics are seriously incredible for a 2013 game, and the PC optimization is just as amazing.”
“I had to set all the settings to low to get decent performance, and even the 'low' settings look as good, if not better, than many games today.”
“Looks great, fluid and smooth gameplay, no performance issues at all.”
“The game isn't optimized to run on the RTX series.”
“I would have liked the performance to be a little better; if I didn't cap the framerate at 60Hz, my frames would jump all over the place even though it wasn't using all of my GPU or CPU, which leaves me to believe it's not my PC's fault on that end.”
“From a performance standpoint, the game needs to be optimized - I'm playing with an NVIDIA RTX 2060 and it still stutters in open areas on medium settings, and even my 5-year-old PC beats the recommended processor, so seriously, wtf?”
- stability18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant glitches, crashes, and issues with weapon switching, while others noted a lack of major technical problems and decent optimization. Some users experienced frustrating bugs, such as getting stuck in the environment and cutscene stuttering, but a few found the game stable overall. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has its share of bugs, it can still be enjoyable despite these issues.
“The game was stable with no glitches, hesitation, or artifacts, allowing for a smooth gameplay experience.”
“Despite the graphics not being state of the art, the overall stability of the game was impressive.”
“The storyline and missions were fine, but what stood out was the game's stability throughout.”
“The game is buggy and crashes a lot.”
“Cutscenes stuttering (understatement, 5 second freezes every 3 seconds), textures not loading, forced Origin install.”
“The game itself is buggy, which I'm very disappointed for a AAA game like this.”
- grinding13 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 69 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often seen as tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the need to perform the same tasks repeatedly. While some mention an unlock system that alleviates grinding to an extent, many feel that the overall gameplay lacks variety and becomes monotonous, particularly in later segments where level design and enemy encounters feel uninspired.
“There's an unlock system and nanosuit upgrades, but no grinding; just play and unlock.”
“It gets a bit tedious doing the same sort of things over and over.”
“Tedious, repetitive gameplay.”
“The latter segments of the game seem to have phoned in the level design, with enemies spawning directly on top of you, moving through a tedious environment on a linear path.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is limited due to its linear campaign structure, with many players noting that while there are collectibles and upgrades to pursue, the lack of achievements and a more engaging ending diminishes the incentive to replay. Ratings for replay value vary, but many agree it falls around a 5/10, indicating only moderate interest in revisiting the game.
“There's some replayability here to get all the findables and suit upgrades, but it doesn't feel like much else.”
“As far as replay value is concerned, it has some value if you want to do that.”
“Infinitely replayable.”
“Replay value is negligible given the linear campaign.”
“There are no Steam achievements, which is something that hurts replayability and makes the collectibles seem even more worthless.”
“The game is completely linear, with no replay value.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Crysis 3" is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate its resonant characters and impactful moments that elevate the narrative, others criticize the shallow character development and inconsistent voice acting that undermine the emotional depth. Despite these criticisms, many still find certain scenes to be genuinely moving, suggesting that the game has the potential for a more profound emotional experience if the storytelling were more cohesive. Overall, the emotional journey is seen as both a highlight and a point of contention among players.
“With characters that resonate and moments that tug at the heartstrings, the emotional depth of 'Crysis 3' elevates it beyond a simple shooter and transforms it into a thought-provoking journey.”
“With its breathtaking visuals, gameplay innovation, and emotionally resonant narrative, 'Crysis 3' stands as a testament to the creative potential of the gaming industry.”
“I say this because when the series reached its end for the first time, tears fell down my cheeks from being emotionally affected by every single detail that I could possibly notice... from the story aspect to the vibrating soundtracks that make you scream 'that's the spot'... ahem.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its remarkable graphics and immersive sci-fi elements, creating a visually stunning experience reminiscent of a cinematic adventure. Players appreciate the organic environments, detailed lighting effects, and the overall sense of a vibrant yet decayed world, enhancing both the storytelling and gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
“The atmosphere and graphics are truly remarkable, a sight to behold.”
“Broken skyscrapers with vegetation growing all over them, rivulets running through deep gorges where streets used to be, sunshafts and volumetric lighting creating a hazy, dusty atmosphere. The environments were so very organic that it seemed like the artists took photographs of a real broken city and recreated it in-game.”
“The atmosphere and environmental effects really add to the experience.”
“The atmosphere and environmental effects really add to the experience also.”
“To be fair, the graphics are outstanding, the controls are smooth, and the atmosphere works, especially in the first part.”
“Broken skyscrapers with vegetation growing all over them, rivulets running through deep gorges where streets used to be, sunshafts and volumetric lighting creating a hazy, dusty atmosphere; the environments were so very organic that it seemed like the artists took photographs of a real broken city and recreated it in-game.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Crysis 3 is widely praised for its blend of dark science fiction elements and absurd comedy, with standout voice acting and amusing character interactions that keep players entertained. Reviewers appreciate the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions, including laughter, while also acknowledging its impressive graphics and overall polish. The humor adds a unique charm to the gameplay experience, making it a memorable installment in the series.
“The game has a hilarious sense of humor that will keep you laughing throughout.”
“When Crysis 3 sticks with a dark science fiction tone and silly, absurd humor, it’s great.”
“Funny enough, I didn't have that many expectations for this game since it is the third in its series.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received criticism for its intrusive advertisements and a perk system that feels lackluster, as it replaces natural abilities from previous titles with minor stat boosts. Players express frustration over being compelled to use a platform laden with ads, which detracts from the overall experience.
“And they want to force you to use their crappy platform at all costs, which is filled with advertisements.”
“The perk system is boring, offering 20%-30% stat boosts that attempt to replicate functionality you naturally had in Crysis 1.”
“The ads sensitivity was an issue, but it was easily changed through console commands.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised for being well-written and integral to the engaging storyline, though some players express a desire for deeper exploration of the characters. Overall, while the character development is strong, there is a call for more depth in certain areas.
“It features an engaging, tight, and action-packed story, supported by well-written characters and strong character development.”
“Fortunately, the storyline, the setting, and the character development are quite good.”
“I wish there was more character development with a deeper story, especially among the characters.”
Critic Reviews
Crysis 3 Review - What Are You Willing to Sacrifice?
With innovative combat, incredible graphics, and a great story, Crysis 3 offers a gameplay experience that anyone who enjoys a shooter should not turn down
95%Crysis 3 PC Review
Crysis 3 is a really disappointing game from Crytek and it's something I cannot recommend to people at a full price point.
65%Crysis 3 Review
With great storytelling, thrilling action and an addictive multiplayer component all rolled into one game, Crysis 3 is well worth your money.
90%