The Crysis franchise has been around for about 15 years, with the first entry releasing in 2007. That first Crysis game was met with very favorable reviews, as many critics praised the game's graphics and detailed, open-ended environments. It took a few years before Crysis 2 released in 2011, also met with generally favorable reviews that praised the graphics, but criticizing its more linear approach. Crysis 3 released two years later, and while reviews were good once again, long-time fans thought it lacked some charm of the originals.
Almost a decade later, Crytek has just announced that a fourth Crysis game is on the way. However, fans are going to have to wait awhile, as according to the official Crytek blog the game is in the "early stages of development," with the developer not ready to reveal any gameplay or plot details. This gives newcomers to the franchise plenty of time to dive head-first into the series before that sequel arrives, but there are a few different versions of the classic games out there, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
Playing Crysis In Its Original Format
The obvious way to play the Crysis trilogy is in their original formats. Crysis 1, 2, and 3 can all be played on Xbox One via backwards compatibility, making it easy to play through these games how they were intended back in the day. Buying the games in their original format is likely quite cheap as well, as these are a dime-a-dozen at most second-hand stores.
On PC, these games are often part of Steam or GOG sales, and can usually be picked up for just a few dollars. Many consider the PC versions of these original games to be better than their console counterparts. If a player's PC gaming rig is powerful enough, these games should run more smoothly and look much better than their console equivalents.
Playing Crysis via The Remastered Trilogy
The Crysis series has always been at the forefront of graphical technology, with the first being a benchmark for gaming PCs back in the day. As the meme went, if a PC could run Crysis at max settings, it could run anything. Naturally, these games have aged, and although the original versions hold up visually, if newcomers want a truly modern graphical experience they might be best off playing the recent Crysis Remastered Trilogy.
The first Crysis was remastered in 2020 for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, offering improved visuals and a more intuitive control scheme. This remaster garnered quite a bit of controversy just before release, as fans were given a new gameplay trailer that lacked any real visual upgrades and it was discovered that the remaster was using the original's console port as a base. The game was delayed by a few weeks on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, and was an eventual improvement on the original's graphics with ray-tracing and 8K texture support being added to the package.
In October 2021, remasters of the second and third game released, all being bundled together as the Crysis Remastered Trilogy. Crysis 2 and 3 Remastered were met more favorably upon release than the first, with ray-tracing and lighting upgrades being clearly evident in each title from the beginning. For those who want the most graphically impressive experience, one that still manages to capture the gameplay essence of the original versions, the Remastered Trilogy is the way to go.
Crysis Remastered Trilogy is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
