Crysis

The newest game from Crytek, the studio which brought us the open-ended (and very pretty) shooter Far Cry, Crysis is a first-person shooter set in the near future. An archaeological team discovers an alien artifact buried on a Pacific island, and the North Korean army steps in to take control of the situation. The player takes the role of Nomad, a commando with a special high-tech nanosuit sent in to rescue the scientists, but finds himself caught in a three way battle between the United States, North Korea, and the unleashed aliens.

Crytek's trademark has been visually stunning games, and they did not disappoint this time around. Crysis is one of the most beautiful - and most resource-demanding - games on the market at the moment, and for those with computing power to spare it's a gameplay experience unlike any other. For those with more middle-range computers, the graphics can be dialed back, but the loss of the amazing visual effects makes for a much reduced atmosphere.

The gameplay is open-ended, fast and furious. The battlesuit Nomad wears gives him a number of abilities, including superstrength and stealth. Enemies react realistically to his actions; if Nomad is careful in infiltrating a zone, he'll find them sitting around or even asleep, but if he causes a ruckus they'll be up and alert. Another high point of gameplay is the fact that the player can commandeer virtually any vehicle he finds. This leads to an amazing tank battle in one stage which is almost cinematic in its scale and feel.

Controls are fairly simple and intuitive, and the game is complex without being overwhelming. Crysis is the first game in a trilogy, and fans everywhere await the second release with bated breath.