The Crysis PC gamers know well. It ‘been a point of immense pride and boasting, and it was a source of frustration and feelings of inadequacy. The expression “can run Crysis” meme came over to talk to the people of the high-end computers. Running at its highest resolution, it was almost impossible for us mere mortals. Requires deferred starship Enterprise, or it may be because almost every computer on Earth could be a thing has its maximum potential. Even now, only the highest level of systems can mange. The game is a beast.

But while the graphics got all the headlines, the game itself, even in the humbling lesser graphical settings, was a great first-person shooter. Some have even dipped deep into the rhetoric and called it the greatest FPS ever made. And while that may be the source of endless debate late into the night, there was no denying that it was a solid shooter that was well made. For the PC.

But even with the graphics turned down, the game still pushed most systems and more than one PC gamer was forced to admit that they could not run the game on their current system. The idea of playing it on a console bordered on ridiculous. It was laughable. The game nearly caused high end PCs to commit ritual seppuku in shame, so there was no way that the game would ever work on a console. Right?

Well huzzah! Good news, console fans, the original Crysis has done what many thought was impossible, and is now available on both Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network as a download for $19.99. The graphics are somewhat nerfed, but even so, for $20 you get a full FPS that many consider to be among the greatest games ever created. Some might call that a value.

Destroy the Block

The console version of Crysis is identical to the PC version, minus the technical decommissioning. The story puts you in the shoes and clothing Nomad, held an elite special forces team Raptor, which is sent to North Korea Lingshan island after an emergency call to an archaeologist named Dr. Rosenthal said he had discovered a changing world.

The story of Crysis unfolds as you explore the island, and it’s deep and intricate, filled with twists and turns as you fight your way through the North Korean Army and then into an alien structure. But basically there are enemy soldiers and aliens. You have a bunch of guns. Go.

To go into the story in any great detail would spoil it for people that haven’t played it, and be pointless for those that have—it is the same as the PC version. That’s a good thing, by the way, but the real focus of the game is the gameplay.

The Clothes Make the Man

At the heart of Crysis series is the Nanosuit you wear that makes you special abilities that is cool gameplay features: Extra speed, cloaking, strength and armor. Each capability can be used for a limited time before the trial is to cool and recharge.

The missions take place in a semi-open world where you have a specific goal to achieve, but how you get there to you. It will normally be options that allow you to pass through stealth, guidance or Leroy Jenkins-like frontal attack. There is no wrong way and it fits updates that you receive will give you the opportunity to develop the game as you want.

There is even the addition of using multiple suit abilities at the same time, something that you could not do on the PC version. That may not sound like a major addition, but it really is, and it changes the way you might otherwise approach a section. If you didn’t play the PC version, then the mixing of suit abilities will still become a highlight of the game.

Each weapon also offers multiple attachments, which can be accessed by holding down a button and then hitting another. Compared to the PC’s keyboard, the menus may take some getting used to, but as with Crysis 2 on the consoles, the button layout is very good considering how much there is to access. It will take some time to acclimate yourself to it, but once you do it will feel natural.

Conclusion

The original Crysis was—and still is—a great game, and rests among the upper tier of first-person shooters ever made. The graphics on the console have taken a noticeable hadouken, but that is to be expected, and they are still more than serviceable. They also hold up well against many of the full retail games released, excluding perhaps the last year or two of console games which have been continually outdoing themselves.

So can it run Crysis? The original is a technical masterpiece, and still ranks among the best looking games ever made, and it is four years old. The console version can’t compare in that sense, but the controls have been modified, and work well with a controller. The gameplay remains as good as ever, and may even be a better improved thanks to the multiple suit ability option. The game is stripped down in the sense that there is no multiplayer, and those that played the PC version won’t find much to entice them to try it on PC, but those that haven’t played it are in for a good time.

And then there is the cost. The changes between this and the PC version, or this version and some of the newest FPS titles on the market are not all that major–this game is a value. For $20, Crysison a console is an absolute steal. In fact, it is hard to think of a better download-only game for the Xbox 360 or the Ps3. The game looks good, it plays amazingly well and it is an insane bargain. So yes, it can play Crysis.