Crysis 3

GAME OF THE WEEK : Crysis 3, 16 cert, EA, PS3 (also PC, Xbox 360) ****

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GAME OF THE WEEK: Crysis 3, 16 cert, EA, PS3 (also PC, Xbox 360) ****

The move to consoles for Crysis is generally seen as a bad thing by fans of the original, but it still found new gamers. So Crytek is back to try again. What’s evident about Crysis 3 is that it’s more story-driven than its predecessor, with more of a nod towards its PC roots.

Without giving too much away, here’s a brief rundown. The game is set 24 years after Crysis 2. What was left of New York after the Ceph invasion has been turned into a jungle by the Cell Corporation, which dominates the global power market. Within the Liberty Dome (the wreckage of New York City) is the dubious source of Cell’s power.

Luckily, Prophet is back to save the human race. The last of the Nanosuit soldiers – the rest have been “skinned” of their suits – Prophet is the only one who can take on the inevitable Ceph resurgence, and whatever other evil crosses his path.

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To do this, you have extra firepower. The Nanosuit has been enhanced, and there are new weapons to get to grips with, the favourite being the Predator Bow. You can hack your environment too, using it to your advantage on everything from locks to turrets.

Like other versions, Crysis looks best on PC, but the console versions don’t fare too badly. The environment within the bio dome are detailed and rich. Once you power through the single player campaign – or sneak stealthily, whatever your own style – you can move on to the multiplayer. The Hunter mode is one of the more intriguing among the usual multiplayer options. As you take out the Cell troops, they become part of the resistance, swelling your ranks.

Crysis 3 may not herald a return to the heyday of the original, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist