Crysis is a polarizing series. On one hand, you have an engine that has presented some of the most jaw-dropping, stunning graphics in recent memory for both consoles and PC, and on the other you have a franchise that’s struggled with repetition and personality issues. After releasing Crysis 3, a game that has hit highs with some outlets and lows for others, Crytek believes they have finally struck the chord they’ve been aiming for since the first installment.
In an interview with Gamasutra, Crytek head Cevat Yerli stated that the game is "so far, our masterpiece,” adding that it is “better than Crysis 2. It is better than Crysis 1. Technical and creatively, and storytelling — all aspects.”
However, some may argue that the series has taken a step back after Crysis 2’s 84 (Xbox 360), 85 (PS3) average on Metacritic. The latest installment currently sits at a 78 (Xbox 360), 81 (PS3), respectively, and has been blasted for repetition issues and a story that feels under developed. Crytek expected the possibility of lower scores, though, due to several reasons outlined by Yerli.
One is the current console generation creating "fatigue" in gamers, as they’ve become “worn out” to sequels while they anticipate the new generation of consoles.
"Some games have lost up to 20 percent, despite the fact that the games are quite good still," Yerli says. "That's because there's a certain fatigue level with the old generation currently. The markets are down." In his words, "people's expectations are much more radical than the current generation of games are doing."
"I think the new generation of consoles will reinvigorate that and help to elevate that again, and elevate new concepts of gaming which old platforms are right now limiting, too."
Another reason Yerli outlines in his interview is that the original Crysis came to the market "free of any burden."
"it was so different to others that the relative impact it created was so much more bigger than Crysis 2 or Crysis 3. So, for me, the relative impact that Crysis 3 has created is lower than what Crysis 1 did. But I would think at any level it's better than Crysis 2, and it's certainly still better than Crysis 1. People remember Crysis 1 much bigger than it was, because it had a high impact," Yerli says.
Lastly, Yerli commented on the idea of limitations regarding the current gen hardware and creating experiences for multiple consoles, rather than just the PC, where it has arguably fared better.
"The consoles are eight year old devices. Of course, in one way or another, they will limit you. It's impossible not to be limited by a limited console. By definition it's the case. So if it were PC only, could we have done more things? Certainly, yes. Could we have afforded a budget to make a game like Crysis 3 PC only? No. People have to understand that this is a journey of give and take."
What do you make of Yerli’s comments? Let us know by commenting below.
Source: [Gamasutra]
