Multiplayer has never been the most exciting thing about the Crysis games. I’d even say that gameplay, sound and story aren’t even the main focus of the series. We all know that when we think about Crysis we think about one thing: graphics. I may as well get this out of the way first then by telling you that yes, this game looks amazing. Shocker, right? One again Crytek have created a game that looks astounding. Everything from the weapons to the water looks brilliant and I have no doubt that Crysis 3 will be competing for the title of best looking console game.
Now that we have that formality out of the way, it’s time to talk about the multiplayer aspect of the game. The demo on display at Eurogamer was showcasing a new multiplayer mode called Hunter Mode. In this mode you either start as a cell operative, or a hunter. If you begin as a cell operative then you are tasked with only one objective: survive. As a hunter on the other hand you’ll be stalking your prey across the map, lurking in the shadows with your bow and arrow until you pick that perfect, immensely satisfying shot.
The game mode is unbalanced, but that’s the point. As a hunter your prey will show up on your radar, your bow and arrow will generally kill someone with one hit, and you have the ability to turn invisible. Essentially you’re better than the other guys in every way. Cell operatives do have weapons, but what good are they when your enemies are invisible and can track your every move? Don’t worry though, as soon as you are killed by a hunter, you will join their ranks, slowly picking off the people that you used to be allies with. It’s a cruel and immensely entertaining prospect.
A full game consists of 5 rounds, with players swapping sides every round. This means that you’ll have plenty of time to play as both a hunter and the survivors. The dynamics of this game mode make it one of the best multiplayer demos I have played all weekend. It’s a shame then that the people who pick up Crysis 3 may never even venture on to the multiplayer portion of the game. I highly recommend that you spend some time on multiplayer if you do purchase Crysis 3, because if my time with the game is anything to go by, I can guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
