Crysis 3 Remastered

It was interesting to come into this series as someone whose only knowledge of it was the “but can it run Crysis” meme. And I have to say, after making it through to the end, I have come out thoroughly… whelmed... just whelmed. This is a series very much of the era it came from, to the point where the mechanics that once made the player feel like a super-powered super-soldier now come across as the bare minimum by today’s shooter standards. The first game feels the most dated in this regard; a lot of the mobility and power that would be standard in a modern title simply aren’t present. It isn’t until the third game that it starts to feel more in line with the contemporary power fantasy. This may come across as unfair criticism given when these games were released, but I’m pointing it out mainly for anyone coming in with modern expectations. The first two games feel like solid shooters with some welcome boosts in the form of the armor’s abilities. And while adding a bow and arrow for the lead was hardly a novel concept at the time, I do think it shifted the direction of the third game into something more unique. Suddenly, instead of a more powerful soldier, you feel like a predator tearing through the enemy. It’s partly for that reason that the third game is the one I enjoyed the most. It’s not so much the bow itself, though the fantasy of being a high-tech soldier who still dominates everything with primitive tech makes for a damn good time. Where stealth served a more supplemental role in the first and second games, here it becomes core to the gameplay. Stealth is powerful: the bow doesn’t consume suit energy when firing, enemies don’t spot you as easily, and navigating the environments while making smart use of cover will ensure they never do. Limited ammo and the ability to retrieve arrows create a satisfying dance of slinking about, managing resources as you pick off enemies one by one until they finally spot you and you to switch to a louder approach. If you want to play loud, you still can and it’s still fun. Maximum armor will make you a damage sponge without entirely trivializing encounters. The only problem is that if stealth was supplemental to combat in the previous games, here combat feels supplemental to stealth. I say that because for everything this game does to make you feel powerful, part of that power comes from making the enemies… completely f**king r*t@rded. Enemies can’t spot you in stealth unless you get within kissing distance. Going into stealth will cause them to completely lose track of you even if they’re actively shooting at you. Self-preservation is a foreign concept to them: the moment a body drops, they will march up single-file to investigate, regardless of whether you’re already mowing down the oncoming train. I said earlier that the decision to go loud was based on when they spot you. I should amend that: the decision to go loud is based on whether or not you got bored of winning too hard. I’m memeing a bit. The truth is, I don’t entirely see this as a detraction. While it’s goofy to watch soldiers rush to their deaths like buffalo off a cliff, on the higher difficulties there’s just enough threat of death from poor play to incentivize you to be a bit more decisive in your actions. It’s a bit of a shame, honestly. The third game feels like they finally hit their stride. If there had been a path forward for the series, “super stealth soldier with a bow” feels like it would’ve made for a good time. The thing is, this is a series that just isn’t filling a unique niche anymore. The fantasy these games provide (even the third one) can be easily found elsewhere. If you’re curious about them, they’re pretty good games, and the narrative isn’t too shabby either: a mysterious alien invasion that progresses into a much more harrowing threat, while the armor you’ve come to rely on turns out to be far more sinister and complex than expected. Pick up the trilogy when it goes on sale.