Crysis 2 is a worthy successor to Crysis and continues Crytek's sandboxy gameplay. An in depth review with summary.
The gameplay is phenomenal, with the gunplay feeling very solid, like games such as COD, BF and Killzone. On another level the ability to customize your guns in-game and in real time also adds to this aspect of the game. There are a large variety of weapons. Not so many that guns so that they have tiny differences in stats and not so little that you're always choosing a single gun because it reigns supreme. Furthermore being able to customize the gun with suppressors, difference scopes and laser sights and underbarrel attachments means every gun can be your friend. Then there are interesting weapons such as the K-Volt which when used against you, disables the nanosuit and when used against enemies, shocks them to death. Even more interesting is the Microwave Emitter which fries enemies and causes them to explode.
On to the Nanosuit 2.0, this is the game changer. While it might not seem so big, being about to "be strong, be fast, be invisible" it really sets it apart from other FPSes which force you to take enemies head on and wipe them out. Whether it be taking the COD approach, putting Armor mode on and soaking up all the bullets, shooting everything you see, being stealthy, snapping people's necks and playing havok with enemy minds or simply dashing around sliding, tripping people over and throwing C4 everywhere, these experiences make for a re playable game that amazes the first time and continues to amaze the second and third times round.
Furthermore, if you prefer a style of gameplay then you can earn upgrades in singleplayer and multiplayer that enhance and even add abilities not normally found. Being able to pound the ground, obliterating enemies nearby or simply being able to see tracers better, it's all up to you. The interactivity of the game is also impressive, almost everything is pickupable and can be used as a weapon. Kick cars, use enemies as human shields, throw cans to distract the AI or simply hold a loveable teddy bear to throw into the face of the next alien you see, once again it's all up to you.
The graphics are probably the best. It's amazing, how Crytek took almost every high tech method tried in Crysis 1, added even more, optimized it and made it run on an 8800 GT at HD. It might not looks as good as the original Crysis depending on how much you love jungle settings but it sure looks phenomenal. The way the trees sway, how the light bounces everywhere and the sheer scale and detail make this a very impressive looking game. Sometimes the textures are a bit average, the majority of this game will wow you. The interactivity of the game is also impressive, almost everything is pickupable and can be used as a weapon.
Multiplayer is great, as the abilities in singleplayer and more translate into multiplayer too. Camping is not a problem as many might expect with invisibility as it can be countered with Armor mode. There are tons of upgradable addons like a hologram projector that shoots a copy of yourself to confuse enemies, and even Reflex sights for a Sniper Rifle. The maps are very original and very vertical, so expect to use that climbing feature found in Crysis 2.
In a nutshell, Crysis 2 carves up a niche of its own, taking Crysis 1's sandboxy action with a cinematic storyline and a brilliant backdrop of New York that is truly unique and exciting. A must buy for any fan of the original Crysis series and anyone who is interested in a very well polished shooter.
Sound 9/10 - The Crysis 2 soundtrack is brilliant, with very moody and inspirational music by Hans Zimmer and the rest of the Crytek team. Sound effects are just as up there and they scale well with your sound setup.
Graphics 9.5/10 - It's Hard to compare with Crysis 1, because of the different settings but this is the best looking game on all platforms, genre and setting. Even though DX11 is yet to be implemented things like Crytek's cutting edge SSAO, Real Time Global Illumination and Per Object Motion blur still function to their best in DX9. Calling this merely a "good" looking game because of the lack of DX11 would be foolish
Gameplay 9.5/10 Just Like Crysis 1, Crysis 2 nails down the sandbox element, with a much better story and character. AI is also just as smart as the first and will work together and traverse the environment and not just camp behind cover, to hunt you down. But with this intelligence there comes a cost. The AI is buggy at times, but this is quite rare.
Multiplayer 9/10 - Made by Free Radical I'd call this a COD/Crysis mix. Take COD's gameplay, and Crysis's verticality and nanosuit, and add Free Radical's trademark innovation and you get this. Highly recommended because of its polish and gameplay.