There was a time back in late 2007 where Crysis was taking the PC community by storm and console owners, feeling left out of the loop, began anticipating a possible console conversion. I gave up on the news when Crysis 2 was announced for Xbox 360 and PS3, but Crytek have answered the calls for a console Crysis nearly four years after its initial release. Its XBLA and PSN download price hits the spot, and the proposed improvements to the game are welcome, but what are the ten really big things that we want to see changed?
60 FPS
This is a bit of a big call considering the graphical quality of Crysis and the fact that it is a downloadable title, but it would fit in with Crytek’s belligerent claims of the console version being a “major upgrade” graphically. The silky smooth experience of a sixty frames per second shooter is something you can’t go back on, so it would benefit the game hugely if it could achieve this.
Easy Nano Suit controls
In comparison to the more simplified approach to the Nano Suit in Crysis 2, the various suit modes in Crysis 1 seem a bit fiddly by comparison. They did control well enough using a mouse and keyboard, but did you ever try playing Crysis with a joypad? (and yes, I am one of those odd people who prefers playing shooters on a controller. Put it down to my upbringing.) It was messy. That said, Crytek have promised an improved control scheme, but we can only hope that the Nano Suit mode controls get the intuitive upgrade that they need.
A more streamlined multiplayer experience
The multiplayer component of Crysis was fun, but not exactly life changing. For all its success though, a straight conversion won’t do for the console versions. PC and console multiplayer are two very different breeds and, just as PC players can’t stand when they are subjected to the matchmaking trappings that define online experiences on consoles, I’m not too sure how well a server based structure would work in the environment of Xbox Live. Something more streamlined and purpose built will be needed to give Crysis on consoles proper online multiplayer validity.
