With the holiday season approaching fast, most of us are on our way to get some shopping done. Christmas presents are getting tougher and tougher to choose because of the huge quantity of products that are available. For the gamers in your family, you can narrow some of the choices down pretty easily by picking the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim title. As far as video games go, there really isn’t a better role playing experience available. Narrow down your video game shopping to one or two genres and do not forget to put Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on the list!

Bethesda Softworks is responsible for the Elder Scrolls franchise and this latest edition is pretty spectacular. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a continuation of the Elder Scrolls saga and contains everything that a veteran player will appreciate from previous games.
The story begins almost two hundred years after Oblivion leaves off, so the progression is pretty severe. The Elder Scrolls universe is superbly detailed and filled with a variety of new additions. A brand new game engine makes this version super fast and definitely absorbs some of the previous glitches. Like the older versions of the game, action begins when you customize your character.
You then take your character right into a main quest that involves plenty of side quests for variety. Elder Scrolls has a distinctly western feel to it, making it a heck of a good time!

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has dragons. That’s right, it really does have dragons and you can battle them! That’s probably all you really need to know about the game! Dragons are one of the most requested items during any gaming critique and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim provides dragons that are amazing!
The scenery is super diverse with mountains and deserts and even forests to navigate. The game is almost the same size as its predecessors, but contains a huge variety of new landscapes. There are five large cities and over 100 dungeons within the game, making it tougher than ever to complete your quests. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim offers first and third person perspectives so you can choose your view. 

Spending a day immersed in the world of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the perfect way to get that aggression out! Between collecting weapons, exploring landscapes and battling dragons, you won’t have time to think of anything else. The game play is fast and furious and the graphics are incredible. For a role playing adventure game, there really is no better franchise than the one belonging to Elder Scrolls. This much anticipated and newest version of the game is well worth the wait and the money!

Picture yourself arriving on a beautiful tropical island. Palm trees and tiki bars, compete with sparkling blue ocean views for your attention. The place looks like a perfect vacation paradise. Bikini-clad beauties shamble across the beach vying for your attention.
Alright, so maybe rotted corpses in bikinis are not the perfect vacation experience, but you are still going to have a heck of a good time. There is nothing like a good zombie game and Dead Island delivers the zombie experience with a superbly strange twist.
Instead of dark alleys and city streets, the game is set on the bright and sunny tropical island of Banoi. Welcome to paradise, with rotting corpses trying to eat your flesh! There really is nothing more frightening than a rotted zombie in a bikini or swim trunks. 

Rated M for mature, this is a serious rating. There is plenty of violence and the game is filled with rancid corpses and blood and gore galore, Dead Island is not for the young kids. This is the stuff of nightmares.
The game is a first-person melee combat type style with options of up to four players at a time. Role playing elements make the game much more personal and there are literally hundreds of weapons to customize during play. From sticks to fire to assault rifles, you name it, Dead Island offers it to use on the zombie attackers.
You’ll spend your time accomplishing objectives and bashing heads in this open world adventure. Med kits, fruit and energy drinks keep your strength up while you fight zombies in jail cells and on the bloody sands of the beach. The game is campy and frightening at the same time, making it one of the best in this genre. 

Whether you enjoy the first-person shooter games or a little bit of role playing, Dead Island offers both for you. Aside from just beating zombies to death or “undeath,” Dead Island allows for some excellent cooperative gaming. You’ll take time to fill your truck with gas while your friends fend off the zombie attacks.
These little details are what make Dead Island one of the best new games of the season. Fun and scary are such a spectacular combination when it comes to video games.

Rated M for mature, Dark Souls is not for the weak. This action role-playing game features gore and blood and even some partial nudity. Like its predecessor, Demon’s Souls, this is a scary game with spectacular battles and dark and creepy spaces.

Unlike Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls has an updated format with plenty of room to move. Beginning with your choice of characters, you design your player in this third-person role-playing game. You choose your class and then enter the Dark Souls kingdom. This wild world is filled with demons, zombies and gargoyles all willing to devour your soul. As you struggle to understand the world, a giant black raven carries you to its bleak center hub. From here you begin a journey that includes battles with giants and conversations with the nearly-dead. 

Role-playing games tend to take time to complete and Dark Souls is no exception. By the time you master a skill, the game has upped the stakes and sent you into an even darker place filled with scarier creatures. Online multi-player options increase the game play as you battle with other players across the real world as well as this fantasy world. Though the online capability is available, Dark Souls doesn’t cheat in the single-player mode version. You get a quality experience, no matter how you choose to play, making Dark Souls a rarity in the gaming world. 

Each battle unlocks new areas of the landscape, making beating those big bad-guys even more important than ever before. Be prepared to die a lot, because you will. Dark Souls is action-packed and graphics intensive. The movements are realistic and the fighting sequences are incomparable. Swords glancing off of metal shields clang and spark while blood flies on the battlefield.

Collecting souls allows your character to level up and there are plenty of “save” areas within the game. Resting at a bonfire saves your game and restores your character’s power, so there are options when you’re failing in a level. Dark Souls takes fantasy role-playing to a new and very creepy level with great graphics, tons of character option choices and so many bad guys that your head will spin!

1. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

With the holiday season approaching fast, most of us are on our way to get some shopping done. Christmas presents are getting tougher and tougher to choose because of the huge quantity of products that are available. For the gamers in your family, you can narrow some of the choices down pretty easily by picking the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim title. As far as video games go, there really isn’t a better role playing experience available. Narrow down your video game shopping to one or two genres and do not forget to put Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on the list!

2. Batman: Arkham City

The best thing about Batman: Arkham City is the graphics. No, it’s the spectacular storyline. No, it’s the fact that it appeals to both gamers and Batman fans. Well, even if it is difficult to decide what is actually best about Batman: Arkham City, it’s not difficult to see that this is one of the best purchases you can make for the Christmas holiday. Since the holiday season is getting here fast, searching for Christmas gifts is on everyone’s mind. Video games are one of the top purchases of any holiday season and this year, Batman: Arkham City is sure to be a best-seller.

Rocksteady Studios is following its hit Batman: Arkham Asylum with Batman: Arkham City. The game, of course, is based on the DC comics Batman character that has been a staple in homes, Halloween costumes and on the big screen for over 50 years. The game is rated M for mature and contains some dark story lines and particularly scary scenes. Arkham City is basically a super-maximum prison with imposing walls set inside of Gotham City. Every bad guy you can imagine is contained within the dark center of this fortified district. True to the Batman style, the scenery is stunningly Gothic. Dark shadows flicker across the screen and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Playing as the Dark Knight, stealth and Batman’s terrific gadgets allow you to navigate the streets of Arkham City while completing missions.

3. Battlefield 3

The holiday season is a frantic time for many shoppers. Picking the perfect give for everyone on your list can take plenty of time and effort. For the gamers in your family, sifting through the new video game titles can be a nightmare. Do they already have this game? Is it worth the money that you are going to spend on it? Battlefield 3 is definitely among the top games for the Christmas season and offers a first-person shooter experience like no other.

3. COD: Modern Warfare 3

Great graphics and powerful weapons mixed with open warfare and exciting “Deathmatch” games keep the play interesting and fresh. The live games are toned down to allow for newbies to appreciate the skills of veteran players without getting bounced out of the game immediately upon entering. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is the perfect mix of the new and the old, creating a game that offers the best of all worlds.

5. Assassin’s Creed Revelations

UBI Soft’s new offering for the gaming market is Assassin’s Creed Revelations. This is not your ordinary first-person shooter or role playing game. Assassin’s Creed Revelations offers a thrillingly rich story and award-winning graphics that draws a player in from the moment that you insert the disk.The game begins as Ezio Auditore steps out of his old life and enters a new search for meaning in an entirely changed life. Ezio travels to the wild city of Constantinople where the Templar army is wreaking havoc on the area. Your lethal skills and improved weapons make you a more dangerous killer than ever before. When darkness descends on Constantinople, the most frightening person on the streets is you.

6. Rage

Indoor activities, including video games, are a huge part of everyone’s winter lifestyle. Picking the right game as a gift for your family or friends can be a tough choice. There are tons of new titles out there and the holiday season is making them more affordable. Rage is definitely one of the game titles to add to your list for this Christmas and it’s a game that everyone’s talking about.

For now that’s the end of the list but I plan to comeback and edit the list at a layer time. Hope you enjoyed it.

Playing the Game

Child of Eden is an extremely enjoyable game for the player. It is visually pleasing with colorful, interactive graphics and beautiful music, background as well as created by playing the game. During Child of Eden, the player must shoot at objects that enter the screen, they can use a lock on approach or use a constant stream of bullets to take out their target. When the player does hit their target it produces a melodic sound which contributes to the fun of the game and making it seem a little less violent. Traditional controllers can be used with Child of Eden but it is much more fun to use Kinect to play the game. Kinect allows the player to use their hands to aim and when needing to change weapons they simply clap their hands. It is more interactive way to play Child of Eden than just using a traditional controller. There are five different levels to the game, they are called archives and are replayable, each level changing from the previous run. The five archives of Child of Eden are; Matrix, Evolution, Beauty, Passion and Journey.

Living up to the Hype

Child of Eden is an extremely upbeat, visually pleasing game for people of all ages. It is a rhythmic action game and if used with Kinect, it can promote a healthy level of physical activity. The colors are very vibrant and bring to mind a kaleidoscope as the player is moving through the game. In addition, the combination of the upbeat tempo of the music with the extreme visuals Child of Eden can induce very happy, peaceful feelings in the player. Child of Eden scored 8.5 out of 10 with game reviewers and ranked number eighty three among newly released games in the year 2010. It has seen an extremely positive reception in the gaming community. It does not promote the use of drugs or alcohol and it promotes physical activity. If looking for a way to get the kids off their behinds but still keeps them happy with a video game, consider Child of Eden.

Animation Improvements to NCAA Football 12

NCAA Football 12 offers quite a few improvements to last year’s NCAA Football 11. The first improvement that is noticed is the animation in some aspects. They finally have a more realistic field; it has much more textured surfaces, as is seen in Madden games. The stadium fans in NCAA Football 12 are also much better than last year’s NCAA Football 11; they are more realistic in appearance and movement. In addition to the field and fans, the fluidity of the players has greatly improved. Hits and tackles are a lot more smooth and believable. In general NCAA Football 12, as far as animation goes, has showed great improvement since last year’s model.

New Aspects and Details

NCAA Football 12 has added some great new aspects, details and modes that were not present or not as enjoyable as last year’s model. There are now very realistic pre-game team specific festivities that were not in last year’s model and improve the enjoyment of the game greatly. There has been all over revamping of NCAA Football 12. “Road to Glory” is a mode that many player find very fun and have a long term goal process. The player chooses a character that is in high school and they have to work their way up to college scout material. This is another more realistic aspect added to NCAA Football 12 that was missing from last year’s model. “Dynasty” mode is another addition and entails a player choosing a team, playing multiple seasons, with the goal being to win a national championship. Finally, if power is what the player desires then there is the “Coach Carousel”, which has a player start as a school coordinator and work their way up to college coach through various activities. These are all wonderful improvements to NCAA Football 12 but the coolest part is that a player can now import their character to the Madden NFL 12 game. This makes it possible for their career to span from high school, through college and all the way to the pros. This makes the life span of the character longer and the game more realistic.

Outshining Madden?

NCAA Football 12 is Madden’s little brother, but could it be outshining its predecessor? Let’s do a compare and contrast with the new editions to the game family tree. NCAA Football 12 has the new, extremely authentic pre-game entrances that Madden 12 is lacking. Those pre-game entrances get the players amped up for their impending games, it adds to the excitement of the game. Also, NCAA Football 12 has the new “Road to Glory” mode, which is a big hit among devoted game fans. The “Road to Glory” mode allows a player to pick a character and stick with their character through its college career. During the high school period the character must work their way up from new team member to college recruit status. This is a realistic process and then the character gets offers from modest colleges. As the character gets better, the colleges get better. These few aspects might the “little brother” the winner, NCAA Football 12.

Unlike the first Dragon Age game, where players are given the privilege to create their own characters, Dragon Age II takes us into the life of Hawke who escapes Ferelden and takes refuge in the neighboring nation of Kirkwall. The plot is centered on Hawke’s rise to become Kirkwall’s Champion through his journeys, upon which he is accompanied by other characters such as elves and pirates. The character of Hawke is customizable. Players can chose to have Hawke in female or male form, and they can select a profession—rogue, warrior, or mage.

The character may have changed, but everything else is still quite the same—dragons still aren’t friendly, and Darkspawn is still your biggest enemy.

As usual, Dragon Age II has the same exquisitely constructed storyline and smart and creative dialogue that keeps the game an interesting run. There are no moments of bore. You wouldn’t mind going through a good 20 hours of play time. The game is split into three different chapters of which your choices are most crucial and deserve proper consequence. But not all consequences make an effect so drastic so as to change the course of the game. Dragon Age II allows for a little bit of role-playing allowing more freedom in your course of action. Along with its tasteful voiceovers, the characters in the game have more depth in them. Their facial expressions are more defined and precise compared to how they were in the first Dragon Age. The games are also fast-paced and well choreographed. The musical score in Dragon Age II is also quite tasteful.

The thing with Dragon Age II is that no matter the developments it will always remain a shadow of its predecessor. It didn’t quite level or even go beyond Dragon Age’s magnitude of greatness. Well it’s a no-brainer that Dragon Age was a tough one to beat. The effort for Dragon Age II was there but it didn’t quite deliver. I mean, I bet everyone was a little bit disappoint to know that they could no longer create their own characters but instead have to deal with a pre-destined one.

Still, Dragon Age II is a good game, but the fanatics should lower down their expectations for this one. It didn’t quite deliver the anticipated shock factor that could’ve eclipse that of the first.

Action shooter video game enthusiasts have more to look forward to in the latter part of the year 2011. After all, this is when two Xbox games come into the market and diehard fans will be dying to try either of them. Seeing as Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 are coming out at almost the same time, and they are both war games, gaming enthusiasts will be spoilt for choice and they will be dying to know how to choose the best one that is full of adrenaline and action.

There has been real rivalry between the publishers EA and Activision of the two games before. However, it is amazing how fans who have bought other games from these developers before know their game and they agree that indeed, the Battlefield 3 has more graphics and a superior game engine while Modern Warfare 3 has more appeal and thus a bigger fan base. However, no one can be sure of the maintenance of the status quo but whatever the case, the truth is that gamers are in for a good time come October and November when the two games will be released within a week or two of each other.

To understand what is in store for gamers the world over, perhaps it would be better to look at the two games individually. One thing that is for sure though is that fans cannot afford to miss the two releases and if you love a good war game or action shooter video game, you had better get to upgrading your PC today in anticipation.

You can buy Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3, and either way, you can be assured that gaming will never be the same for you again. While the BF3 is set for release on 25 October 2011, MW3 comes hot on its heels on 8 November 2011. After that, gamers’ world will be turned upside down.

Battlefield 3

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For Battlefield 3, it will be the graphics and the superior game engine that is going to drive the game far. If you love a game where you can get right into thrilling action, then you must not miss this one by all bounds.

Color, the visual and the audio effects, there are more vehicles and players in the multiplayer and it features a bigger single player campaign as well as the co-op player and multi player features.  Unlike other BFs released before it, this one is going to feature additional features like fighter jets, and bigger maps. It will feature maps set in Tehran, Paris, Sarajevo, Oman, Wake Island, Sulaymaniyah and New York with the full arm combat taking place in urban metropolitan settings and open areas that are suitable for   vehicle combats.

Battlefield 3 is about fully fledged action right from the start to the finish, there will be man to man combat, vehicle combat and even airborne warfare.

This game will mainly be PC version that can support up to 64 server players. It will also be released in Xbox and PS3 versions.

Limitations

The console version of the Battlefield 3 will be limited to 24 players only.

Electronic Art (EA) are known for hyping things up and so many people will wait to see to believe.

Modern Warfare 3

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Most people are die-hard fans of the Modern Warfare’s Call of Duty. They just have to see the initials COD anywhere and they go buying. Modern Warfare 3 has again used the engine that they used in MW2 with features that allow for destructible environments.

MW3 will not come with dedicated server for PC platforms but it will go straight to PS3 or XBOX. It is true the Activision has never cared for PC and therefore many PC game lovers may be hurt.

Like the COD, Modern Warfare 3 will be easy to play and to master for more enjoyment.

This game features the survival player mode where one or two players fight endless waves of enemies.

In multiplayer maps mode, the players can earn “cash” for ammo, weapons and upgrades.

Unlike its predecessors, it has been revealed that the features that make players to rely less on skill and more on benefits. Hopefully, this game will churn out very skillful players, which will make it even more challenging and vibrant.

Limitations

Although the modern warfare 3 will be released in PC, Xbox and PS 3 versions, many PC lovers will feel left out because there is no advantage of the dedicated servers here.

Many people who have seen the trailer are in doubt whether there is any new upgrade in the engine. It is so like its predecessors.

As always, Activision has revealed far less than its rival EA and   therefore little is known about MW3, which means that you have to wait until the release date on November 8 2011 to see what is in store.

Conclusion

From the trailers released both for Battlefield 3 and for Modern Warfare 3, there are many differences between the two engines apart from the fact that they both have 3 at the end. As a gamer, I would go for the Battlefield 3 because as EA has shown before, they want players to focus more on improving their game skill rather than relying on the perks.

There is much more action in the Battlefield 3 where there is destruction in the environment and in the surroundings. If you love working with teams, more features and more vehicle campaigns, this is your game as opposed to the survival mode Modern Warfare 3 which features one or two players fighting endless waves of enemy.

Although the competition is officially on, don’t forget that EA has revealed much more than Activision and therefore you know what to expect.

New Rule: If you make a sequel that picks up immediately following the events of the first game, or shortly thereafter, you must provide a recap of the story so far. I don’t know, a cinematic or something. Anything. This goes doubly for Crysis 2 since, as I just mentioned, this is the first time the franchise is appearing on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game opens with a brief intro scene, followed by the title screen and opening credits. As the credits roll a cinematic plays in the background, highlighting the series’ trademark Nanosuit. If you ask me, it would have been the perfect opportunity to brief players on the events in Crysis (something along the lines of the “Prophet’s Journey” trailer Crytek released back in late February). It’s no surprise the story suffers some as a result.

That story revolves around you, a U.S. Marine codenamed “Alcatraz” who is arriving in New York City to aid in the quarantine process following a deadly outbreak of the “Manhattan” virus. When an alien craft capsizes the submarine you’re traveling in, it quickly becomes evident there’s more going on in the Big Apple than you were briefed on. “Prophet,” the team leader from the original Crysis, rescues you and, without giving away too much information, it’s not long before you inherit his Nanosuit along with the task of saving New York City from the Ceph invasion.

Unfortunately the story is the weakest part of the solo campaign. For one, silent and obedient are traits I don’t much care for in my protagonist. Second, you can’t reference events from the Lingshan Islands, the fictional setting in the original Crysis, and expect newcomers like myself to have any sense of context. Third, there are recurring characters that have key revelations throughout the game, but again, without any context or significant character development their discoveries aren’t nearly as impacting as they should be. Last but not least, the plot as a whole, with its many twists and turns, ends up being a little confusing. So as you can see, a recap of the events in Crysis would have gone a long way in filling some of the holes in the sequel’s plot.

The Nanosuit is the star of the show. At the press of a button you can become super strong, super durable, super fast or invisible. Version 2.0 also allows its wearer to combine powers, such as becoming invisible and super durable at the same time. Using these powers drains the suit of its energy so you have to be constantly aware of the suit’s energy level. You may need to duck away for a moment to allow the suit to recharge since without its powers you’re significantly more vulnerable in firefights, particularly against the Ceph.

Gameplay in Crysis 2 alternates between firefights in tight corridors and open environments, with a few vehicular segments sprinkled in. When you arrive at an open area, the Nanosuit will prompt you to engage its Visor Mode. While in this observe-only state, you’ll be able to scout the battlefield for the location of specific weapons and ammo depots. The visor also provides tactical options such as sniping positions, flanking opportunities and potential stealth approaches. Ultimately it’s up to the player to decide how to tackle each encounter. Do you engage the Nanosuit’s cloak and stealthily eliminate the enemy or bypass a firefight entirely? Do you activate the Nanosuit’s armor mode to take on multiple enemies, mowing them down with heavy weapons, grabbing them by the throat and tossing them around, or smashing them by hurling objects at them? The freeform, dynamic gameplay keep things fresh, especially when you have to replay sections.

What you see isn’t all you get. When you kill an alien, they drop Nano Catalyst, a sort of currency that you can use to upgrade the Nanosuit. The Nanosuit has four upgradeable slots, one each for Armor, Stealth, Speed and Tactical. Each slot has three modules available for “purchase,” though you can only have one module active per slot. For example, if you purchase and equip the Stealth Enhance module in the Stealth slot, the rate at which your suit uses energy while cloaked decreases, while purchasing and equipping the Deflection module in the Armor slot grants you the ability to deflect some weapon fire from your body. Customization doesn’t end there. You can also customize your weapons with different attachments including reflex sight, laser pointer, sniper scope, suppressor, grenade launcher, and other scope and alt fire attachments.

The other highlight of the game is the graphics. Crysis 2 is the Mila Kunis of video games, stunning to look at. While it’s up for debate whether this is the best-looking console game ever, I’ll say this much: New York City has never looked so good. There’s no mistaking such landmarks as Wall Street, Times Square, the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, Central Park and Grand Central Station, even if they don’t always go by those names. As you fight in the streets amongst the skyscrapers, the sense of scale is incredible. Even as New York City becomes increasingly ravaged by the Ceph invasion, the ruins are a sight to behold. Crysis 2 makes great use of lighting, especially light bloom, and the character models and animations look really good. The only downside in terms of the visuals is the occasional slowdown and a few technical glitches that we’ll get to in a moment.

The soundtrack is the highlight in the audio department. Composed by Hans Zimmer, it features an eerie theme. Unfortunately the rest of the sound design isn’t quite as memorable. Compared to the likes of recent Battlefield installments, the weapon effects in Crysis 2 lack punch. The voice acting is decent (I like the effect used in the “voice” of the Nanosuit), but I don’t think enough actors were used for the voices of the C.E.L.L. soldiers. In fact, the voice that was used the most frequently sounded a little too much like Prophet’s. The first couple of times I heard it I actually caught myself looking around, half-expecting to see him.

Now, about those technical issues I mentioned earlier. In several instances I came across an enemy who was continually walking or running into a solid object. I also came across a few enemies who literally died right in front of me before I even had the chance to kill them. They just keeled over as if they suffered a heart attack. It’s not uncommon for your melee attack to send an enemy clipping into a solid surface (which makes it difficult, if not impossible to pick up their weapon and/or Nano Catalyst). The AI, in general, is very erratic. Sometimes an enemy will spot you a mile away and start shooting you through the most minute of cracks, while other times you could be standing right next to an enemy, uncloaked, and they can’t be bothered to do much about it.

Multiplayer in Crysis 2 plays a lot like Call of Duty and a little like Halo, but once again it’s the Nanosuit that allows the experience to stand on its own. The Nanosuit works a little differently in multiplayer than single player. Besides the fact there is no Visor Mode, the suit’s energy drains noticeably faster when cloaked and slower when sprinting; at least initially. There are 6 game modes to play (the usual assortment of deathmatch, capture the flag and objective-based variants) across 12 maps. A ranks system allows players to level up and unlock new modules specific to the suit’s three states: Stealth, Armor and Power. As you level up your Armor state, for instance, and complete challenges unique to the current Armor module, you’ll unlock new Armor bonuses and options. The same goes for Stealth and Power, and there are considerably more suit modules in multiplayer than in single player.

Killstreaks are present, granting players and teams support bonuses such as “Maximum Nanosuit” (unlimited suit energy for a period of time), but in Crysis 2 it’s not enough just to kill an enemy, in addition you have to run over to the dead body and retrieve their dog tag (players earn and choose from over 250 dog tags to represent themselves). In other words, snipers can’t just pick off enemies one-by-one and then call in a “Ceph Airstrike” or activate a “Nanosuit Jammer,” they actually have to come out of hiding to earn the bonus. For those on the losing end, Fatality bonuses are also available. It takes a little longer to rank up in Crysis 2 than it does most shooters, and some of the unlocks are bizarrely positioned (you can’t play ranked matches in certain game modes until you reach a higher level, nor can you play without Nanosuits until much, much later), but overall multiplayer is fun and rewarding enough to keep a spot in your regular rotation for months to come.

Crysis 2 is more than just a pretty face. The single player campaign is well paced and at a running time of 9-10 hours is nearly twice as long as your typical shooter. Multiplayer draws heavy inspiration from the likes of Call of Duty and Halo (mostly the former) but still manages to hold its own thanks in large part to the Nanosuit. Crysis 2 isn’t a flawless experience by any means – the plot is weak, the AI is erratic and there are a handful of technical issues – but getting back to the initial question: Should you invest in yet another sci-fi first-person shooter? Absolutely. Suit up and I’ll see you in New York City.