What was the Feel-Good Story for PC Gaming in 2007?

I may have only played the demo of Crysis but from what I saw in that game I wasn't that blown away. That first level is very linear - obviously as an introductory stage - but even when you're attack the radar thing and that checkpoint there is really only one way. I didn't find it as satisfying as some other games. I don't know why. I want to like the game so much.

That was my exact feelings after playing the demo too. I thought "that's it"? After I got past that stage, I was totally sucked into the game. Crysis is a fantastic technical achievement and it's fun as hell at times. Give it one more chance, you won't regret it. I'm not saying it's the perfect FPS, but it's easily one of the best games last year. Except those lame vehicle missions, seriously, what were they thinking? Halo CE has better vehicle control for God's sake. A 7 yr old console-game...

artur79

What's wrong with the vehicle control? I've had a harder time controlling (land) vehicles in BF2 and 2142. I actually liked the vehicles, especially the VTOL that Yahtzee says is nearly impossible to fly (which strikes me as very odd; it's quite possibly the most ridiculously simple vehicle to pilot I've ever used in a game).

The only problem with land vehicles in Crysis is those damn short palm trees all over the place that aren't destructible. I don't know what the hell Crytek was thinking with those things.

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]only played the demo of Crysis but from what I saw in that game I wasn't that blown away. That first level is very linear - obviously as an introductory stage - but even when you're attack the radar thing and that checkpoint there is really only one way.JP_Russell

It's not linear, and no, there is not only one way to those places. You can go by boat or swim to any single area once you get to the jammer in any order you want. The shoreline may be linear (obviously, shores being like that), but who says you have to walk along with the direction of the shore? You don't.

You still end up at the same place, having to go through that checkpoint and all.

It just a bit underwhelming to me. Maybe I have listened to the hype too much. I will have another go at the game!

I really hate all those ads at the beginning and how you can't skip them though.

What checkpoint?

If you mean the logos, I agree, but that's EA's fault. Notice how you can't skip EA's or any of the sponsors' screens, but you can skip Crytek's? That's a great show of modesty on Crytek's part, in my opinion. If you mean when you actually try to start a new game and you have to watch that little cinematic for the suit and all that, I definitely agree, that's annoying. It's not as bad in the full game, though, since in the demo you just have the one level to finish, then you have to watch the cinematic all over again if you want to play that one level again.

[QUOTE="JP_Russell"]

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]only played the demo of Crysis but from what I saw in that game I wasn't that blown away. That first level is very linear - obviously as an introductory stage - but even when you're attack the radar thing and that checkpoint there is really only one way.biggest_loser

It's not linear, and no, there is not only one way to those places. You can go by boat or swim to any single area once you get to the jammer in any order you want. The shoreline may be linear (obviously, shores being like that), but who says you have to walk along with the direction of the shore? You don't.

You still end up at the same place, having to go through that checkpoint and all.

It just a bit underwhelming to me. Maybe I have listened to the hype too much. I will have another go at the game!

I really hate all those ads at the beginning and how you can't skip them though.

I don't spend too much time on tropical islands, so I can't comment from personal experience but the island felt pretty authentic to me - just take a look at this image, or this one. If that was a computer game level, would you complain about the linearity of it? Note the rock formations - they would be too steep to climb. Sometimes real life really is A to B. I think the argument against linearity is absolutely mitigated by contextual realism.

But as JP_Russell says, you do have a lot of freedom. It may ultimately still be a corridor shooter without a roof and a slightly wider corridor, but how can someone who praises BioShock - the very definition of a corridor shooter - criticise Crysis for being linear? I mean, there's obviously going to be some leading, it's a story and location driven game that requires some cohesion.

Besides, it's not really the level design's linearity (or lack thereof) that makes Crysis shine, it's the tools you have available. You can do so much with the variety of tools available, and unlike BioShock, Crysis actually encourages you to use your tools - or at the least makes them fun enough that it's worth experimenting. Throwing chickens at Koreans? Yes please.

[QUOTE="JP_Russell"]

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]only played the demo of Crysis but from what I saw in that game I wasn't that blown away. That first level is very linear - obviously as an introductory stage - but even when you're attack the radar thing and that checkpoint there is really only one way.biggest_loser

It's not linear, and no, there is not only one way to those places. You can go by boat or swim to any single area once you get to the jammer in any order you want. The shoreline may be linear (obviously, shores being like that), but who says you have to walk along with the direction of the shore? You don't.

You still end up at the same place, having to go through that checkpoint and all.

It just a bit underwhelming to me. Maybe I have listened to the hype too much. I will have another go at the game!

I really hate all those ads at the beginning and how you can't skip them though.

Eh, Esc? I think it worked for me. Edit: ah, you're talking about the demo, sorry.

JP, those Vtols were a pain in the ass imho. Like trying to steer flying elephants. I just did not like that mission at all. And the tank... I actually abandoned that piece of crap and ran around with my bazooka blowing up the enemy. Much more fun. I don't know what they were aiming for, more realism while controlling those things or something? Yeah, in a game about blowing up *something* (trying not to write minor spoilers here, lol) with plasma-rifles.

The vehicles felt like they were thrown in there for the sake of having them in the game, not to give it more depth or fun factor, at least not for me. The cars and boats weren't that bad though.

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"][QUOTE="JP_Russell"]

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]only played the demo of Crysis but from what I saw in that game I wasn't that blown away. That first level is very linear - obviously as an introductory stage - but even when you're attack the radar thing and that checkpoint there is really only one way.artur79

It's not linear, and no, there is not only one way to those places. You can go by boat or swim to any single area once you get to the jammer in any order you want. The shoreline may be linear (obviously, shores being like that), but who says you have to walk along with the direction of the shore? You don't.

You still end up at the same place, having to go through that checkpoint and all.

It just a bit underwhelming to me. Maybe I have listened to the hype too much. I will have another go at the game!

I really hate all those ads at the beginning and how you can't skip them though.

Eh, Esc? I think it worked for me.

JP, those Vtols were a pain in the ass imho. Like trying to steer flying elephants. I just did not like that mission at all. And the tank... I actually abandoned that piece of crap and ran around with my bazooka blowing up the enemy. Much more fun. I don't know what they were aiming for, more realism while controlling those things or something? Yeah, in a game about blowing up *something* (trying not to write minor spoilers here, lol) with plasma-rifles.

The vehicles felt like they were thrown in there for the sake of having them in the game, not to give it more depth or fun factor, at least not for me. The cars and boats weren't that bad though.

Well, I just totally disagree, I thought the vehicles were done perfectly; better than in most other games, actually. I especially don't know what you mean about the VTOL. It's nearly impossible to crash in that thing. It hovers in place. Want to go up? Press the ascend key. Want to go down? Press the descend key. Strafe left; left. Strafe right; right. And of course, turning and adjusting pitch is done with mouse. Basically, the VTOL is exactly like moving on foot (except I think you can't go backward), only there's no falling. Hitting things with the minigun was a breeze with the mouse look, dogfighting and avoiding getting hit even once was a pathetically easy task. I tore right through that level, I was like airborne Rambo.

[QUOTE="artur79"][QUOTE="biggest_loser"][QUOTE="JP_Russell"]

[QUOTE="biggest_loser"]only played the demo of Crysis but from what I saw in that game I wasn't that blown away. That first level is very linear - obviously as an introductory stage - but even when you're attack the radar thing and that checkpoint there is really only one way.JP_Russell

It's not linear, and no, there is not only one way to those places. You can go by boat or swim to any single area once you get to the jammer in any order you want. The shoreline may be linear (obviously, shores being like that), but who says you have to walk along with the direction of the shore? You don't.

You still end up at the same place, having to go through that checkpoint and all.

It just a bit underwhelming to me. Maybe I have listened to the hype too much. I will have another go at the game!

I really hate all those ads at the beginning and how you can't skip them though.

Eh, Esc? I think it worked for me.

JP, those Vtols were a pain in the ass imho. Like trying to steer flying elephants. I just did not like that mission at all. And the tank... I actually abandoned that piece of crap and ran around with my bazooka blowing up the enemy. Much more fun. I don't know what they were aiming for, more realism while controlling those things or something? Yeah, in a game about blowing up *something* (trying not to write minor spoilers here, lol) with plasma-rifles.

The vehicles felt like they were thrown in there for the sake of having them in the game, not to give it more depth or fun factor, at least not for me. The cars and boats weren't that bad though.

Well, I just totally disagree, I thought the vehicles were done perfectly; better than in most other games, actually. I especially don't know what you mean about the VTOL. It's nearly impossible to crash in that thing. It hovers in place. Want to go up? Press the ascend key. Want to go down? Press the descend key. Strafe left; left. Strafe right; right. And of course, turning and adjusting pitch is done with mouse. Basically, the VTOL is exactly like moving on foot (except I think you can't go backward), only there's no falling. Hitting things with the minigun was a breeze with the mouse look, dogfighting and avoiding getting hit even once was a pathetically easy task. I tore right through that level, I was like airborne Rambo.

Well, good for you, I guess. I'm not saying it was hard (just hang back, shoot, move on). I'd rather see an F16 mission, now that would be fun. Moving an inch per hour is not fun at all to me. And frankly I don't understand the appeal of that mission to other people. It seems this is a hate/love issue. At least that's my impression.

You never needed to hang back. I could get right in the thick of everything and be just fine, and it made it more fun. I found the level to be very fast-paced this way (unfortunately, it was too short, I wanted to blast more stuff up by the end). You ought to try the level without hanging back, the controls are so intuitive (being just like on foot) that dodging attacks is very easy even up close.