If you played the original, the first thing you’ll notice about Crysis 2 is that you’re more confined. You’re not in the jungle anymore so the wide open space that was there back then is all gone, replaced by the urban landscape of a ravaged New York. There’s a plague spreading in the city and you find out early on that it isn’t man-made. You’re almost killed by its creators in the introduction.
The star of Crysis has always been the suit. Crysis 2 is no different. It still augments your strength, speed and armor and grants invisibility just like it did in the original. There are some minor differences: the speed boost is slower and using the strength buff drains suit energy to zero. Other than that it functions the same. Invisibility is still somewhat of a game-breaker even if it’s an absolute necessity on higher difficulties.
The open environment of the original allowed for multiple routes as you explored the island. The sequel’s confined space compensates for this by displaying tactical options on your visor, highlighting points of interest and locales. The latter isn’t much. It just informs you of possible sniping spots or where you can flank the enemy, etc. The visor also lets you find ammo caches and weapons. You’ll never find yourself in need of either one because of it.
Gameplay consists of a mix of standard shooter fare and stealth. Of the former there’s a variety of guns to choose from: handguns, SMGs, rifles and heavy weaponry are available. Thanks to the suit you can also grab anti-aircraft guns (talk about firepower) at the cost of limiting your mobility. Although there’s a distinct lack of alien weapons to be found, this is more of a nuisance than a legitimate complaint.
Crysis 2 uses the recharging health mechanic so getting into a prolonged firefight isn’t in your best interests. Thankfully, you can cloak out of almost any situation, something that can be abused to the point wherein you can skip entire levels without killing anything except specific targets the game forces you to fight. The levels present questions about your approach. Do you go for a direct assault or flank your opponents? Do you set up an ambush? Or do you simply ignore everything? The levels are problems, the suit and weapons your tools. How do you respond?
Overall, Crysis 2 is for those who like shooters that offer a cerebral approach. It doesn’t have the cinematic action sequences that other shooters are known for nor is it about run and gun gameplay. If these things appeal to you then I suggest you check it out.