Crysis novel due March 2011

Publishing house Del Rey recently announced Crysis Legion, a novel based on the Crysis 2 fiction. Penned by Canadian author Peter Watts (Starfish, Maelstrom, Behemoth, and Blindsight) Legion will be released during the same month as the game in March 2011. Del Rey did not announce a specific release date for the novel.

Unfortunately, the publisher's description of the novel was light on detail. What is known is that the pages of Legion will be full of science-fiction staples: aliens, skyscrapers, weapons, and a plague. It will be set in New York City, where a terrible plague has descended upon Manhattan's inhabitants.

The residents are faced with a daunting decision: flee or die. To survive the chaos is a momentous task in and of itself, but for one supersoldier, it is his mission. According to the novel’s description, "One man will inherit the means to survive." To do so he must bring the fight to the aliens, push them back, and survive.

As for the game the novel is based on, Crysis 2 was delayed in early August for a "better [release] window and polishing" and will be released on March 22. The title will be available in multiple versions when it's released, including the $150 Nanosuit Edition.

Written by acclaimed sci-fi novelist Richard K. Morgan, Crysis 2 sees players fend off an alien threat once again, aided by a nanosuit that grants the user superhuman abilities ranging from speed boosts to active camouflage. While the original Crysis featured lush tropical environments, Crysis 2 takes place in the urban jungle of New York City.

For more on Crysis 2, check out GameSpot's most recent preview.